King Cave (Forever Evermore, #2)(120)

He nodded, smiling, appearing damn pleased. “I thought you might pick Elder Kincaid.”

I rolled my eyes, ignoring how Cahal was glaring at my cute socks before I could cover them with my boots. “You knew I would pick you.”

“Actually, I didn’t.” A pause. “But I had hoped.” Yeah, he looked a little smug.

Ezra elbowed his dad, lacing up his boots. “I’m picking you.”

Blunt words, no fanfare. “I know.” He wasn’t overconfident or anything. “And we were talking with you two. That’s why you’re so late.” Ezra nodded, pulling his hoodie on and zipping it until only the words YUMMY were visible. Cahal glanced back and forth between us. “And try to not look at each other. You two aren’t hiding shit right now.” A direct, gruff order.

My gaze turned predatory as I scrutinized Ezra and his dad. They were too recognizable even if Cahal had put on jeans and layered t-shirts instead of his robe or his suits he usually wore. A quick glance at Antonio. “Can you change Elder Zeller’s hair color to the same as Ezra’s? And maybe make their facial hair grow?” It would hide their features somewhat. Cahal and Ezra both blinked at me in surprise. “You know your pictures have been flashed all over the news.” Any previous Rulers were of high interest in any country right now.

Ezra shrugged his assent, but Cahal glared at Antonio, only finally agreeing when Ezra nudged him. Cahal’s hair was suddenly a boring brown, and both of them jerked and started moving their jaws, their noses scrunching, as their beards started growing.

I waved a hand at Antonio. “Do it slowly. I’ll tell you when to stop.”

Black whiskers shadowed each of their jaws, and I noticed Antonio did an excellent job of keeping them trim and lined fashionably. Head cocked, I watched Ezra’s closely, knowing Cahal’s needed to be longer since his group was at the top of the watch list, thanks to their history in the war. I waved a hand when Ezra’s was just past a quarter of an inch long. “Ezra’s is done.” Staring at Cahal, I waited until his was a half-inch. “Elder Zeller’s is good.”

And then I sat back and stared at Ezra. The beard was sharp and angled in jagged lines, highlighting his jaw and cheekbones even further. The silver glasses didn’t hide his rugged beauty, only enhanced it with a splash of color. I blinked. “I didn’t think it was possible.”

Ezra rubbed his chin, feeling the beard like his dad was doing with his own. “What wasn’t possible?”

I glanced at Antonio, who was fingering his own hair, and stared at it while he put it through a variety of different shades, trying to pick which one he liked best. “Antonio, you’ve outdone yourself.” He grunted, his eyebrows puckering as he altered his hair colour between dark brown and sandy blond.

My eyes went back to Ezra, again shocked at the difference the beard made. Ezra raised a questioning eyebrow, so I waved a flittering hand, mumbling, “It’s, like, you…but, not you. A whole different version of hotness.” Rugged-geek-badass, if there was such a thing. His shirt’s words pretty much summed it up. Yummy.

Antonio jumped up, moving farther into our room, back to where our bed was and where the room veered to the right — out of sight — mumbling, “I’ll be back in a minute.”

Ezra grinned, drawling, “You like?” He rested back, laying his arms on the back of the couch.

I managed a nod, but quickly cleared my throat, rolling my eyes. Wouldn’t want to pant too much. “You look good.”

The cocky bastard’s grin only increased.

“How do I look?” Cahal asked, which surprised me, still fingering his beard.

I blinked at him, seeing he was seriously asking me. Mentally shaking myself past the astonishment, I cocked my head, trying to evaluate him beyond the fact he was Elder Zeller, Ezra’s dad. He held my gaze unflinchingly just like his son always did. I was shocked when I peered past who he was, seeing him for…himself. “Handsome. You look handsome. The beard suits you.” And he smiled. A real one. Flashing those white teeth at me. Uh. “Very handsome.”

He preened almost as his son might have at the compliment. “I may have to keep the beard.”

Ezra chuckled quietly.

I pointed at Cahal. “You won’t pass as being old enough for his father in the Com world. But you look too much alike, so you’ll have to say you’re an older brother if anyone asks.” He nodded in agreement, and then my slightly bewildered gaze returned to Ezra. I didn’t know how to handle his dad. He was scary as shit, but there were moments like this when he seemed almost…normal.

“Okay, how do I look?” Antonio asked behind me.

I turned, and physically jerked in shock. He must have used our mirror because he had changed his clothes, going from a dress shirt and suit pants to dark faded jeans, a thick black belt with a large silver buckle, a soft, thin, fitted silver long-sleeved shirt, and black boots, but really, even though I had never seen him dress quite like this, it was his face that stunned me. His skin was still bronze, which meant he could be taken as someone with an Asian background, but his hair was now brown with blond highlights, and only two inches long, messily spiked on the top of his head and showing his facial features in handsome relief.

“Wow,” I muttered, whistling brazenly. “You look great.”