Just a little past lunchtime... and only after Evadne raided Romos' closet to find lounge pants and a shirt that actually fit Casadin's newly bulked-up body... they finally decided to head to the Dalton Villa, carrying the buffalo wing platter Casadin had ordered from the kitchen.
On the way to the kitchen earlier to pick up the food, Evadne hadn't been able to stop herself from smacking him on the shoulder. Casadin had just laughed, because even without reading his mind, she knew exactly what that chaotic, petty mate of hers was doing.
Only someone insane would deliberately bring chicken wings to an angel.
To an Archangel, no less.
"You're going to put us in trouble," Evadne muttered now as they walked side by side toward the Dalton Villa.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Princess," Casadin replied, all fake innocence, his charming smug face and troublemaker's smile giving him away completely.
Evadne just shook her head, but the amused curve of her lips betrayed her. She approved. Far too much.
Then, gradually, her expression sobered. She found herself staring at their steps... how his was naturally longer, yet he still unconsciously adjusted to match her pace. Her hands were looped around his arm because he needed both hands to carry the platter.
"Cas…" Evadne slowed their pace a little and looked up at him. He really was taller now... he used to be just 6'0", an inch shorter than Hades' 6'1". But when they measured him earlier, he was 6'4". Standing beside him now, she almost felt like a dwarf. "Do you feel anything different… about me and Hades?"
Casadin stopped walking and turned to face her, his expression suddenly serious.
"Different? What kind of different?" he asked.
Evadne tugged gently on his arm so they would keep moving down the sidewalk.
"Because of our mate bond," she explained. "I once asked Lyxaria why she and Nebyros severed their mate bonds with Zorynox and Noctarelle just so they could do a soulbind contract... when both Zorynox and Noctarelle had already allowed them to be physically intimate with each other." She sighed at the memory. "Lyxaria said it would be cruel if they didn't sever it. The mate bond lets mates feel each other's emotions. But if one of them becomes intimate with someone other than their mate, the other would feel unbearable pain. That's why bonded mates are naturally extremely possessive. Just the thought of another woman or another man touching what's theirs is enough to make them unreasonably crazy."
She lifted her eyes to his.
"Do you feel that now… toward Hades?"
"No," Casadin answered instantly, without even needing to think.
"No?" Evadne stared at him, surprised. "Cas, you can be honest with me. You don't have to worry about my feelings... at least for this."
"Princess, I have always been honest with you," he said simply. "Besides, you can literally read my mind anytime you want. Go ahead and check... you'll see I'm being completely honest."
He adjusted the platter in his hands and went on, voice steady.
"I don't think our mate bond changes anything major between the three of us. I know Hades makes you happy in ways I can't... which, to this day, still baffles me because he's annoying, stiff, and no fun." His lips quirked. "But that's between him and me. Between you and him? I'm really okay with it. I'm happy that it's him. It feels… right."
He leaned over and pressed a reassuring kiss to her temple.
"So you didn't feel any possessiveness?" Evadne pressed. "No anger? No negative emotion at all about me being with another man?"
"Wait... what?!" Casadin's voice jumped a pitch, and he stopped again, staring at her. "I thought we were talking about Hades. Why are we suddenly talking about another man?"
Evadne frowned right back at him.
"So you don't consider Hades as 'another man'?" she asked carefully.
Casadin went quiet for a moment, actually thinking it through.
"Actually… no," he admitted at last. "I don't. I don't know how to explain it. Like I said, it feels right... you and him. But another man that isn't him? That's a different story, Princess."
He shifted the platter slightly, then gave her a pointed look.
"I know what Lyxaria was talking about... the possessiveness, the way just thinking of you with some other guy makes my chest feel tight in all the wrong ways. Another man who isn't Hades touching you?" He scoffed. "That's a problem."
He lifted the buffalo wing platter a little, as if presenting evidence.
"I mean, Princess, why do you think I asked the kitchen to prepare buffalo wings for us to bring to Michael's house?" he said, eyes gleaming with mischief. "You really think that's just neighborly hospitality?"
Evadne frowned at what Casadin said.
"What does Michael have to do with what we're talking about?" she asked, one brow arched high. "We're talking about our mate bond."
Casadin just stared at her, as if trying to figure out whether she was seriously asking or just messing with him.
"Princess. Seriously? You really don't know?" he asked, sounding genuinely stunned when he saw she was honestly clueless. "You've always been sharp, so how are you not seeing this?"
"Seeing what, exactly?" There was a hint of frustration in Evadne's voice now.
"That son of a bitch..." Casadin cut himself off, eyes flicking up. "Sorry, God. I didn't mean to curse at Your son…" he muttered guiltily, then paused and squinted. "Wait, actually, I can curse him. Uriel said we're on opposite teams."
He talked himself through that logic, which made Evadne pull a face.
Then he focused back on her.
"Princess, that piece of shit is attracted to you," Casadin said flatly.
"Casadin Sinclair, don't be absurd!" Evadne's voice shot up half an octave, genuinely scandalized. Then, in a sharp, low whisper, she continued, "We are talking about Michael Heavensblade. An Archangel. Don't say stupid things like that."
"Princess, I know how a man looks at the woman he wants," Casadin replied. "I look at you like that. Hades looks at you like that. Why do you think Hades and I agreed to disagree with you earlier when you said you wanted to visit the 'new neighbor'? Because we both see the way Michael looks at you. Like he wants to snatch you away from us and keep you for himself."
There was a tight, almost feral edge to his voice.
Evadne's mouth fell open, speechless.
"I don't think that's right," she said at last, still trying to deny it.
"Princess. Seriously." Casadin stared at her. "In all the times you've met, you never noticed how he looks at you?"
"Of course I noticed…" she admitted reluctantly. "But not the kind of look you're describing now. I just thought he looked at me differently because he could sense something off about me. You know... like I'm a mystery he can't figure out."
"Well, sorry to disappoint you, Princess," Casadin said dryly. "It's not mystery. It's not platonic. He looks at you like he wants to be your man. Like he wants to eat your pussy."
"Casadin!!! That's so gross! Oh my god!" Evadne practically choked, one hand flying to her chest. She looked like she was about to hyperventilate from the mental image alone. "Eww."
Casadin burst out laughing at her reaction.
"Princess, why 'eww'?" he teased. "Okay, I'll admit... much as I want to punch his face in... Michael is physically superior in looks. I won't get mad if someone says I'm just the guy who gets to hold his shoes in the 'handsome' department. Because it's true."
"Cas, stop!" Evadne stared at him in horror. "So what if he's the most handsome man in the universe? He's old."
"Well, technically he's only one year older than you in his human vessel," Casadin said, trying not to laugh at the way she was reacting.
"I don't care!" she snapped, eyes wide. She knew he was enjoying this. "Our age gap is literally a beginning-of-time age gap. He's older than all of us combined. He's older than the oldest extinct dinosaur... my god, he's older than the Garden of Eden. And for the record, I have never, ever looked at him as anything but an angel. I have never once imagined riding his ship, mister, so don't."
She made a disgusted sound and waved a hand.
"You know what? If what you're saying is true, let's forget about going to the Dalton Villa," Evadne declared, spinning on her heel and tugging on his arm, dragging him back in the direction of the Monteverde mansion.
Casadin was just about to happily turn around with her.
"Bro!!!"
"Oh, fucking shit," Casadin muttered under his breath when he heard Flynn's shout. He glanced at Evadne with an apologetic smile. "I forgot. I sent him a message that we were coming over so he wouldn't be surprised."
Evadne could only roll her eyes.
They both turned to see Flynn jogging toward them from the direction of the Dalton Villa, face lit up with a wide grin.
"Hi, Vee," Flynn greeted cheerfully as soon as he reached them, before turning to Casadin. "Bro, where are you two going? Why does it look like you're heading back the way you came?" he asked, genuinely confused.
"Yeah, bro. Princess here suddenly thinks we didn't bring enough food," Casadin improvised smoothly.
"It's already more than enough," Flynn said, laughing. "Michael also had the staff prepare food when I told him you guys were coming over."
He reached out and took the buffalo wing platter from Casadin's hands, clearly excited.
And just like that, retreat was no longer an option.