Nero came out of the elevator at Kinky Kritters at almost three in the morning to find his little lion, Amani, still at the bar, cleaning glasses as if he didn’t have a whole host of employees who could have been doing that for him.

“I thought you were going to cut back your morning hours so you could actually get some sleep once in a while,” Nero chided as he came up to the bar.

Amani glanced at him, smiled a little, then went back to wiping down the glasses. “I’m almost done. I promise.”

The dry pile was certainly larger than the wet one, but that didn’t excuse Amani from taking care of himself. “What did you eat for dinner?” When Amani didn’t answer after a few seconds, Nero growled.

“What? I wasn’t hungry.”

Nero hated how defensive he sounded, and that he’d apparently been skipping meals as well. “Amani…” He shook his head and came around the bar so he could stand with Amani. “What am I going to do with you?” He wrapped his arms around Amani’s stomach, holding him from behind. Amani bent his neck, giving Nero all the access he needed as he kissed him along his pale throat.

“It was a busy night, but I know I need to be eating more and coming home sooner. It’s just that it’s so quiet here when everyone goes away. I like it. And I really wasn’t hungry.”

Nero nipped at his neck, making Amani laugh. He did have a point—it was quiet in the bar after closing, but he was worried about his lion. Amani might laugh it off and pretend nothing was wrong, but Nero knew him. Amani wasn’t sleeping well, and he wasn’t eating as much as he should have been. This behavior needed to stop. “What’s bothering you?”

“Nothing.” The instant the lie left Amani’s lips Nero bit his neck, making him yelp and nearly drop the glass in his hands.