wanted a robot dog,” I whispered. “Preferably one that can’t get fried by my touch and doesn’t poop or leak oil.”
“Is that so?” he asked.
I nodded and just as I leaned up to kiss him, Marvin said, “Lunch is served.”
Tyson closed the distance, pressing his lips to mine, and hugged me tight.
“If her stomach growls any louder, I will go deaf,” Marvin called.
We separated, both smiling, and Tyson led the way out of the maze of the garden, and to a small table just big enough for three to eat at.
On the table, Marvin had delivered a plate of food that was more extravagant than even Dima’s Restaurant.
“It tastes even better than it looks,” Tyson whispered in my ear, pulled out a chair, and waited for me to sit.
“I hope there is something here to your liking,” Marvin said. “I wasn’t informed of your preferences.”
“I’m not a picky eater,” I said, sat, and laid the napkin on my lap.
“Don’t wait for me. Please, eat,” Tyson said as he sat in his seat.
I could feel their eyes on me, but I didn’t care. I was hungry and the food smelled even better than it looked.
I stabbed a piece of meat with a caramel-colored sauce on top and put it in my mouth.
Flavor exploded, and I moaned before I could stop myself.
Tyson chuckled, and Marvin smiled.
“Do you have a preference for a drink?” Marvin asked.
“Um…” I didn’t know what he had and I didn’t want to ask for something not here. I preferred when people gave me options.
“Make her your special margarita,” Tyson said. “I’m sure she’ll love it.”
“On the rocks or blended?” Marvin asked me.
“Blended, please,” I said, smiling wide at the butler.
Tyson and I ate in silence, but it wasn’t tense in anyway.
If he and I continued to be together, would this become a staple? Would I be able to enjoy meals like this with him in between saving the world from monsters?
It seemed too good to be true. In my life, I always expected something to ruin the happiness that I had found.
“This is wonderful. Thank you for inviting me over,” I said, giving Tyson a smile that I hoped conveyed how happy I was.
“You are always welcome here, Lucky. Even if I’m away. I’ll program the house to allow you entry,” Tyson said.
Unsure how to respond to that, I simply stared at him.
“Your drink,” Marvin said and set a large margarita glass full of pink icy liquid before me.
I’d never seen a pink margarita before.
I took a sip and moaned, again.
“What is this?” I asked and took a big gulp.
“Strawberry watermelon margarita,” Marvin said.
“It’s delicious.”
He smiled. “I’m glad you like it.”
“How much does it cost to have a butler like you on staff?” I asked Marvin.
He smirked. “If you’re wondering about stealing me away, I’d go for free just to escape him.”
Tyson said, “You can’t steal him away. He’s my main allure to get you to come here.”
“If I steal him, then you’ll have to come to me,” I countered.
“I’ll always come to you,” Tyson whispered.
“That’s my cue to leave. Yell if you need something,” Marvin said, bowed, and went into the house.
“Are you ready to talk?” Tyson asked.
I sighed and dropped my head. “Alright.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
“My parents were born with powers. They became villains in their early teens and they met while trying to rob the same place. They wanted to have another person to help in their crimes that they had planned. So, they had me. Unfortunately, I didn’t have powers. They spent years trying to unlock my hidden talents. Dad trained me in fighting, but I didn’t have an aptitude for that either. Once they realized I wasn’t going to have powers or be a skilled fighter, they gave up. Then, they gave me up.”
I paused, taking a shuddering breath. I’d never told anyone about this before.
“What do you mean they gave you up?” Tyson asked.
“They dropped me off at an orphanage,” I said.
“How old were you?”
“Seven,” I whispered.
He got out of his chair, walked around the table, and pulled me up out of my seat into a hug.
“I’m okay,” I said, but didn’t try to pull out of his hug. “It happened so long ago.”
“I should have hit him a few times before he got away,” he grumbled.
Laughter bubbled out and I went up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. “I appreciate the sentiment.”
“Well, that explains why you didn’t push me away instantly when you knew I was a villain.” He pushed me out to