My Baby Daddy Isn’t Human

The old building stood in eerie silence, its crumbling walls bathed in the dim glow of flickering streetlights filtering through the shattered windows. Dust swirled lazily in the air, disturbed only by the shallow breathing of the men sprawled across the cold concrete floor. Some groaned, others remained motionless, unconscious from the brutal fight that had taken place moments ago.

Kade stood at the center of the wreckage, adjusting the cuffs of his sleeves with deliberate ease. His usually composed expression held a hint of amusement as he surveyed the fallen men, his piercing gaze indifferent to their pain. The silence was broken by the sharp click of his phone unlocking.

"It's done." His voice was calm, almost bored as he spoke into the receiver.

There was a pause, followed by a low hum from the other end. "Any trouble?"

Kade glanced at one of the men, who twitched slightly, barely conscious. He pressed his boot against the man's shoulder, shoving him onto his back with ease. "No," he replied. "They were a disappointment."

**

Back at the mansion, the atmosphere was far more peaceful. A faint crackle from the fireplace filled the grand living room, casting warm golden hues across the polished floor. Elion reclined on the couch, one arm draped lazily over the backrest. His usual sharp composure had softened—though his injuries were no longer severe, exhaustion clung to him like an unwanted shadow.

The sound of footsteps echoed down the hall before the doors creaked open. Sloane stepped in, arms crossed, an unmistakable smirk tugging at her lips. She leaned against the doorway, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

"Enjoying your royal treatment?" she teased, tilting her head toward him.

Elion exhaled through his nose, unimpressed. "What do you want?"

Sloane pushed off the doorframe and sauntered over, plopping down onto the armrest of the couch beside him. "Just checking in," she replied shortly. "You've been playing the wounded king all day. It's kind of cute."

Elion shot her a flat look. "If you have nothing useful to say, leave."

Sloane chuckled. "Oh, lighten up. You should be thanking me—I kept Raelynn from panicking too much."

At the mention of Raelynn, Elion's expression shifted subtly, but Sloane caught it. A flicker of something—concern, maybe? Her smirk deepened.

"Ah, there it is," she mused. "I was wondering how long you'd pretend not to care."

Before Elion could reply, Raelynn appeared in the doorway. She hesitated upon seeing Sloane, but quickly focused on Elion. Her gaze swept over him, as if making sure he hadn't magically worsened in the last few hours.

"You're still awake?" she asked, stepping closer.

Elion's lips curled into a faint smile. "I could say the same to you."

Raelynn ignored his remark and instead sighed, her brows furrowing. "You should rest more."

Sloane hummed in amusement, resting her chin on her hand. "See? She's practically doting on you."

Raelynn blinked, cheeks turning pink. "I am not!"

Elion, for once, didn't argue. He merely leaned back further, watching her with quiet interest. "If you insist I rest, will you stay and make sure I do?"

Sloane made a dramatic gagging noise. "Gods, you're insufferable."

Raelynn, flustered, turned toward Sloane. "Can you stop encouraging him?"

Sloane just gave one last grin to Raelynn before she suddenly said, "Kade handled it."

Raelynn blinked, glancing between them. Handled what? She assumed Kade was merely managing Elion's workload while he recovered. That made sense. Elion was injured, so someone had to take over, right? The thought didn't linger long, as Sloane had already turned on her heel, making her way toward the door.

"Get some rest, boss," she said over her shoulder before exiting the room.

Now, it was just Raelynn and Elion, alone in the vast living area. A faint sigh escaped Elion's lips, his head tilting back slightly. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, only to open them when he sensed movement beside him.

Raelynn hesitated before shifting closer, her expression softer than usual. She reached out, carefully taking his injured hand into her own. The bandages wrapped tightly around his palm and wrist, concealing the deep wounds beneath. Her brows furrowed as she studied them.

"Does it still hurt?" she asked, her voice laced with quiet concern.

Elion smirked slightly. "I've had worse. This is nothing."

She exhaled through her nose, not amused by his nonchalant response. Her thumb brushed lightly over the fabric, careful not to apply pressure. "You always act like you're fine, even when you're not."

His gaze flickered to her face, taking in the way her lips pressed together in frustration. The way her eyes shone, not just with worry but something else—something deeper. His throat felt oddly dry.

"It's not an act," he murmured. "Pain is temporary."

Raelynn's fingers stilled, and she lowered her head for a moment. Then, before Elion could register what she was doing, she lifted his hand gently and pressed a soft kiss to the bandage.

The gesture caught him completely off guard.

Elion stiffened, his usual composed expression faltering for a brief second. His eyes locked onto her, something unreadable flickering in them. It was rare—so incredibly rare—for him to be the one left speechless. And yet, here he was.

Raelynn pulled away, but she didn't release his hand. Her cheeks were tinged pink, though she tried to act as if what she did was completely normal. "Kisses help wounds heal faster. Or so they say."

Elion chuckled under his breath, a low, deep sound. "Is that so?"

She nodded, but she refused to look at him, suddenly feeling self-conscious. "Yeah."

A moment of silence passed between them, charged and heavy. Elion's fingers twitched slightly beneath hers before he gave her hand a small squeeze.

"Then I suppose I should get injured more often," he mused.

Raelynn's eyes snapped up to meet his, her lips parting slightly. "Don't joke about that."

For a moment, they just looked at each other. Outside, the world continued on, but here, in this quiet space, it was just them.

And neither of them seemed in a hurry to break the moment.