Free The Lion by D. Camille Page A

connected with Tauri's again as she picked up her glass.
      “What exactly does that mean, Negus?” her grandmother asked.
    Rion turned to her. “It's an Ethiopian title for kings or rulers.”
      “So you call yourselves kings?” her grandfather asked as Tauri took a sip of her drink.
      “They're the kings, I'm the young god,” Rion answered and Tauri spit her drink across the room and began to choke.
      “What the hell?” her grandfather roared.
    Tauri regained her composure after a moment. “I'm sorry Granddaddy.”
    Henry turned to Rion. “Did you say that you're a young god?”
      “Yes sir,” Rion answered firmly.
    Tauri's grandmother looked at her in question and she quickly intervened.
      “Rion and his family follow Khemetic beliefs,” she explained quickly.
      “What in the Sam Hill?” her grandfather exclaimed.
    Her grandmother frowned. “Henry...”
      “So you think my granddaughter is supposed to bow down to you, Mr. Young God?” he demanded.
      Rion stopped his meal and turned to Henry. “On the contrary Mr. Patterson, as a young god, I know that it's my responsibility to provide for, protect and worship my goddess.” He looked at Tauri. “I will use every resource within my power to make her smile. Each day my objective is her ultimate happiness. There is nothing that she requires that I won't freely give.” He held her gaze as she stared back at him.
      Her grandmother smiled down the table at her husband while lifting an eyebrow. “Did you hear that Henry?”
     
      The rest of the meal concluded without incident. Tauri helped her grandmother clean the kitchen while Rion and her grandfather talked more about Rion's plans for the new team. When all was cleared away, her grandparents retired to their bedroom leaving Rion and Tauri in the living room sitting on the sofa.
    He turned to her. “I think I'm in love with your Granny.”
    She smiled. “Shut up.”
      “I think your Granddaddy might kill me though. He did threaten me tonight.”
    Her eyes widened. “No!”
    He nodded. “He told me if I hurt baby girl, my ass is done.”
      “My granddaddy did not say that!”
      “That was the gist of it.”
    Tauri put a hand to her face then looked at him. “You wanted to meet them.”
      Rion took her hand. “And I'm glad I did, because of them I have this incredible woman sitting next to me.”
    Tauri smiled at him and squeezed his hand.
      “And I hope our daughter looks just like you with pop-bottle glasses and braces,” he told her.
    Tauri's mouth opened then closed. “I hate you.” She pulled her hand away.
    Rion laughed. “What? You look adorable.”
    She stood to her feet. “Well you've had your dinner Orion. You should leave now.”
      Rion smiled and grabbed her arm pulling her down onto his lap. “Come here.” He looked into her face.
      “You play way too much,” she whispered.
      Rion ran his hand along her leg and hip. “You were adorable then and you're adorable now. If we were thirteen I'd still be all on you.”
      She grudgingly smiled before he brought her mouth to his and kissed her softly. She pulled back and touched his face. “Is this our third date?” she whispered.
    He nodded. “Uh...huh.”
      She smiled wickedly and began to kiss him again until his phone rang. Rion froze for a moment because he'd thought he'd turned it off before entering for dinner. The ringing continued until he pulled it from his pocket and glanced at the screen then quickly sent the call to voicemail.
      Tauri watched him as he shut the phone down and placed it back in his pocket. She got to her feet slowly.
      “Goodnight Orion,” she said frostily.
      “Tauri...”
      “Leave now so you can call her back.” She folded her arms.
    Rion leaned forward. “I'm not calling her back and how did you know it was a woman?”
    Tauri looked confused. “Try that guilty ass look on your face?”
    Rion studied the patterned carpet for a moment. “She's