by Katya Moore
I raised my hand. "We'll be fine, Galen."
He sat back down. I saw Chase and Galen exchange a look. Chase's was apologetic. Galen's was a foreboding look of warning. Pissed-Off Galen is Scary Galen, I noted to myself.
My room was bare now, just a stripped twin bed, an empty dresser, and my old desk. Kitty hadn't had the heart to convert it back to storage just yet, despite my nudging.
I walked to the middle of the room and turned to face him. He closed the door behind himself and stood holding the doorknob, not facing me.
"I'm sorry," I began. "I tried to get them to..."
"No. Please, no." His voice made my heart ache. "Don't apologize to me."
"I'm sorry," I said, then winced inwardly.
He turned to face me.
"I've made you afraid of me. Afraid of my reactions. Afraid of my stupid asshole behavior." Every word was laden with guilt and pain. "You've given me everything. You've gone to bat for me with the Elders. You've fought for me." He looked away. "You even gave yourself to me, just to take away my pain for a few minutes."
"That's not the only reason," I interrupted.
He managed a small, fleeting smile at that, then sobered and continued. "I... have not treated you in a manner worthy of a mate. I've..." He choked on the words. "I've been an abusive fuck, and I don't deserve you. I don't deserve what you've done for me, and I don't deserve your love. You're better off without me." He turned away. "While you were gone, I talked to Long. About breaking the mate bond. She said..."
I stormed up behind him and grabbed his shoulder. He startled, then turned to face me.
"You listen, and you listen good, you big jerk." I planted my hands on my hips and glared up into his eyes. "Yes, you've been an almighty fuckhead. Yes, I'm pissed off at the way you've been treating me. Yes, you need to do better, and if you ever treat me the way you did back at the mansion again, I'm going to launch you into orbit on a one-way trip." I felt tears forming at the edges of my eyes. "But I love you. And I know you. I know who you are when you're not in absolute agony because your baby sister is in danger. And that person is kind. That person is loving. That person almost beat the shit out of Kane Haydon for being a dick to me during a training exercise." I looked away. "I've met abusers. Lived with a few. That's not you."
"But I..." Chase began, eyes dropping to his feet.
I caught him by the chin and raised his eyes to meet mine. "Fucked up. Big time. And I won't put up with it again. You have my word." My mouth twisted in a wry grin. "But I'm willing to give you a second chance." I glanced at the door. "Next time, though, I'm telling Kitty. And she won't be as nice as Galen was."
Chase shuddered with a repressed laugh. "Kneecaps, meet Louise?" he asked.
I laughed. "Dude, you'd be lucky if it was your kneecaps she took a bat to. And she swings like the Sox."
He winced, then reached a tentative hand toward me. I took it, pulled it around behind my back, and rested it on my ass. His eyebrow arched in surprise. I pressed myself into his body and caught his other hand, wrapping it around me in the same manner.
"I don't deserve you," he repeated, gazing down at me.
"But you've got me. And I'm not letting you go without a fight. So fucking deal with it." I nestled my cheek against his chest and snuggled up to him with my whole body.
I felt a rumble in his chest, deep and powerful. His arms tightened around me, cradling me to him. He buried his face in my hair, and I could feel his lips pressed to the crown of my head, over and over. Relief flooded through me, his and my own mingling together in a warm wash of emotion.
Dimly, I became aware of raised voices in the pub.
"Aww fuck. What now?" I murmured into Chase's chest.
I felt his body tense, ready for action. "Let's go," he rumbled.
We opened the door, half-expecting a Chosen invasion or another mob firebombing.
Instead, we found Billy Fucking Carter, dangling from Tyrone and Moira's grasp, looking as though he'd finally gone around the bend.
"Seven years! Seven years, and this is how you greet me? Siccing a bunch of dragons on me?" Billy spat, hauling at his captors. I could see the red in his eyes, the rumpled hair. I could practically smell the whiskey on his breath from across the room.
Moira cuffed him upside the head with a free hand. "We're not a bunch of dragons, you fuckin’ knob. We're your friends, and we're trying to help you right now."
"HELP me?" he shouted incredulously. "How is this helping me?"
The door to the back room opened. One of the guards stuck his snout out, his brow deeply furrowed. "Is there a problem out here?"
Billy stopped struggling and gaped at the large armored fire dragon. "Who the fuck is that?" he gasped.
"That is a bunch of dragons. A bunch of dragons who have no reservations about ending you if you misbehave in here right now." Moira's voice was stern. "We have guests. It's not the time for a temper tantrum, and it's not the time for you to be here."
Chase sidled over to the back room. "We've got this contained. Sorry for the interruption." The guard looked at him, looked back at Billy, harrumphed, and closed the door.
"I don't need help from you," Billy snarled at Chase.
"Knock it off, Billy." Kitty leaned against the bar heavily. "It's ass early in the morning, and you're in my pub being a fuckhead again. Care to tell me why?"
Billy regained his footing and straightened up. Tyrone and Moira kept their hands on his arms, but relaxed their grip. "I saw the lights on. Saw you here. Wanted to talk to you."
Kitty sighed. "So talk." Her voice was weary. "But if it's to slander Sia some more, you're wasting your time here."
Billy gaped at her. "You... you're one of them too, aren't you?" he stammered. "You're a dragon and you never told me."
Kitty tipped her head back and laughed heartily. "No, you dumbshit. I'm not a dragon."
"But you're letting them run the pub!" He gestured as best he could at the gathered group. "They've taken over! Security, dragons. Waitstaff, dragons. Customers, fuckin' dragons everywhere!" He wavered on his feet for a moment. Moira propped him up, slipping an arm around his waist for support. He glared at her, but didn't argue. "I don't know who's human anymore. I don't know where I stand. I'm just a kid from Southie, surrounded by scaly beasts taking my job and my girl..."
"Okay, I'm gonna shut that down right now," Kitty said with a scowl. "You quit your job, and she wasn't your girl. So spare me the self-pitying bullshit."
Billy's mouth moved silently for a moment, then hung open. We all stood staring at him, waiting to see what would happen next. The tears weren't exactly a surprise, but they still caught me off-guard.
"I... I'm sorry," he sobbed. "I'm... so, so fucking sorry."
Moira pulled him closer to her. Tyrone released him to her care. Billy buried his face in her shoulder. She looked bemused, but sympathetic as she stroked his hair and shushed him.
Kitty came around the bar and walked over, adding a hand on the shoulder and more shushing. "There, there, lad. There's a good boy."
"I'm an idiot. A fucking idiot." He drew in a long, wet sniffle. "I threw away my friends. My job. My fuckin' family. Over what? My stupid pride?"
"Yeah, you're an idiot, all right." Missi sounded less sympathetic, but joined the circle anyway. "You had a nasty case of entitlement workin', y'know that?"
He sniffled again. "Yeah."
"And you know that women are actual people, with the right to make their own choices about who they date, right?" Missi crossed her arms and studied his face.
"Yeah," he said glumly, not looking at her.
"And you know you're never gonna get laid until you stop blaming women and work on that, right?" Missi leaned back a little and winked at me. I bit back a laugh.
Billy blinked and stammered for a moment. "What the..?"
"Right?" Moira added, a conspiratory smile on her face.
Billy looked from Missi to Moira, then back to Kitty. "Dammit."
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He glanced at Tyrone, who raised his hands and took a step back. "Don't drag me into this, man. These women will eat you alive." A broad grin split his face. "'Sides, they right. You need to get right with the ladies before the ladies will get with you."
Billy slumped slightly, then turned his red, swollen eyes toward me. "Sia..."
I braced myself. Chase hooked a protective arm around my waist. "What?"
"I..." He swallowed hard. "I'm sorry I said all that stupid shit. About you, about..." He gestured vaguely at the boys. "I..." He shrugged. "Had a lot of hopes. And I let them get the better of me. I forgot about how much you really meant to me, and I let my cock get in the way of my brain." He struggled free from Moira and Kitty and staggered a little closer to me, reaching out a hand. "Friends?"
I gave him a long, wary stare, then stepped out of Chase's arms and took Billy's hand in mine. "Friends. Now go home and dry out, ya meathead."
He gave a short laugh and squeezed my hand, then let it drop. He turned back to Kitty. "I don't suppose..."
Kitty clapped her hand on his shoulder. "You’re an idiot, but you’re family. If you can stop being an idiot…" Billy nodded vehemently. "Five o'clock Friday night. You're on the door. Tyrone'll get you back up to speed."
Tyrone snorted. "Knew that promotion was too good to last," he grinned, then clapped Billy on the shoulder hard enough to make him sway dangerously. "Good to have you back, boss."
"Now get the hell out of here before the Elder Guard comes out here and eats your face," I added with an urgent glance at the back room. One of the guards peered out at us, a hand on his sword.
"Don't gotta tell me twice," Billy said, blanching slightly.
"I'll help him get home," Moira said with a wry smile.
Missi looked back at me and winked again. I arched a brow. Moira slipped her arm around Billy's waist and ushered him toward the door. As it closed behind them, I could have sworn I saw her hand slip a little lower. My eyebrow hit my hairline. Well, then.
The pub fell silent. Chase shuffled his feet a little, then looked over at Galen.
"While people are apologizing for being utter and complete fuckheads..." he began.
Galen leaned back against the bar and crossed his arms, regarding Chase with annoyed amusement. "Go on."
Chase laughed, then sobered, crossing the bar to face his friend. "I fucked up."
"Yup."
"I squared things with Sia." He shifted slightly, looking uncomfortable under Galen's gaze.
"Good." Galen looked unmoved. "You gonna fuck up again?"
"Probably. But not like that. Never like that." Chase glanced over his shoulder at me. "I love her. I'm going to treat her like I love her."
"Good. Because I love her too, and if you ever treat her like that again, I'll tear your fucking throat out." From the tone in Galen's voice, I didn't doubt it for a second.
Chase locked eyes with him. "Good. I'll hold you to that."
He reached out a hand. Galen clasped it firmly, then hauled on it hard, dragging him in for a hug. The two men wrapped their arms around each other tightly. After a long moment, they broke apart, squeezing each other's shoulders and laughing self-consciously.
"I hate to break up a tender moment." Schulte’s voice jerked us all back to our senses. I turned to face her as she stood in the door of the back room. "We’re moving forward on the plan in a matter of hours. I need you all ready. Get home. Get rested. That’s an order."
I nodded at Schulte. "C'mon, guys. You heard the general." I gave a sidelong glance to Chase. "We've got people to rescue tonight."
Chapter Twenty-Two
I woke up in a tangled pile of limbs. When we got back to the mansion from McKinnett's, we'd all collapsed on the floor of the study to de-stress for 'just a minute.' I looked at the clock. Six thirty. So much for just a minute.
My head was propped on Chase's softly-rumbling chest. Galen snored less softly next to me, curled up on his side. Aric's arm was flung across my chest in a sweetly possessive gesture. Cass had his head in my lap. I yawned and resigned myself to being trapped, enjoying the moment thoroughly.
Sanders popped his head into the room, surveying the scene. I freed a hand and gave him a fingertip wave.
He nodded, the corners of his mouth twitching. His voice was a discreet whisper. "Miss Bellmont, a messenger from the Elders just stopped by." He stepped carefully into the room, dodging sprawled limbs gracefully. "He left this for you." He handed me a sealed envelope.
"Thanks, Sanders," I whispered back. I looked at the envelope, then tried to move my right arm and failed. Not only was Aric snuggled down on top of it, but the limb was also dead asleep. I looked at Sanders with puppy-dog eyes. One corner of his mouth turned up, unable to resist the grin any longer. He took the envelope from me, produced a pen knife from his pocket, and made a neat slit in the top. He held the envelope out to me, and I pulled the contents out with my free hand.
"Anything else, madam? A beverage? A snack? An exit strategy?" I could see him struggling to maintain decorum.
"I'm good, thanks. Let me know if anything else comes up."
He bowed and exited. I unfolded the letter.
Arysia,
Arrangements have been made. Meet us at the Old North Church at eight o'clock to coordinate the event.
G.S.
I looked at the clock again. Shit.
"C'mon, guys. Wakey wakey." I wriggled as best I could, jostling everyone at once. Murmurs and groans filled the air. "Yeah, yeah, I know, I suck. C'mon."
"There's sucking?" Aric murmured into my ear with a wicked grin. "Now I'm awake."
I planted my free hand on his face and gave it a playful shove. "Perv. Get off my arm. You've killed it."
"My arm now." He grabbed it and squeezed. I yelped as sharp pinpricks ran up and down my arm. He let go with a wide-eyed remorseful look. "Sorry!"
"Whatever." I gave it a rub. It felt like a rubber dog toy, if rubber dog toys prickled instead of squeaked.
Galen sat up, yawned broadly and noisily, and ran a hand over his hair. He saw me rubbing my arm and reached out a hand. I draped my limp limb over his outstretched hand, and he gently began to massage life back into it. I whimpered, then moaned softly as the blood began to flow through it once more.
"I coulda done that," Aric huffed softly.
"But not as well," Galen said with a wink in my direction.
Aric fumed, then saw the letter lying next to me. "Message from Schulte?" he asked, picking it up and examining it. He looked at the clock. "We'd better get our asses in gear. I've got to get the surveillance van in order."
Galen continued to rub my arm, his face growing pensive. "There's something else you should consider doing."
"What?" I yawned again. "Schulte didn't exactly reveal her grand plan to us. I have a feeling she's probably going to try to keep me out of it. Emphasis on 'try.' I don't even know what to wear to one of these things."
"Something tight and black." Aric waggled his eyebrows at me and ran a finger down my chest. "You don't want to get snagged on anything. Also, the hotness."
I rolled my eyes at him, then turned my attention back to Galen. "So, what was it you were going to suggest?"
Galen met my eyes. "You want your dragons charged up with as much magical energy as we can muster."
"Yeah, we just took a nap and oh..." I felt warmth flushing up to my face. "You... mean we..."
Galen bowed his head. "I mean you and them." He met my eyes again with a determined smile. "We will. One of these days. But... I don't want it to be just a going-into-battle thing. I want it to be us. Together." He released my arm and pushed himself to his feet. "I'm going to get hold of the Elders and see if they need anything from us prep-wise. You all... have fun." He winked at me again, then headed for the foyer.
"What did he mean by that?" Chase yawned and ruffled my hair.
Aric's eyes had a hungry look to them. "He had the best idea ever."
A nervous
thrill ran up my spine, even as the look in Aric's eyes sent a tingle through my core.
Cass nuzzled against my thigh. "He does have an excellent point. Pre-combat mating rituals go back to ancient times." His lips brushed my inner thigh, exposed by my unladylike sprawl. My breath caught. Arousal was winning.
"You know how to sweet-talk a girl, nerd." Aric smirked at him. "But I like the way you think. Tell us more about these rituals."
Chase's chest rumbled again. His fingers ran through my hair. "Or maybe we should move straight to the practical demonstration."
I tried to form words and failed. Cass' lips nibbled a little higher on my thigh. Aric tilted his head and leaned in to plant kisses along the side of my neck. Chase's free hand trailed down my arm and along the side of my breast.
"One request," I managed to gasp at last, before Cass could nibble his way any higher.
"Mmm?" Chase's fingers paused in their journey.
"A bed. Any bed. The closest bed." I rapped on the floor with my knuckles. There was a carpet, but it was thin, and my back already ached a little from sleeping on it.
Cass planted a final kiss mere inches from his goal. "Your wish is my command, my Queen." He pushed himself to a seated position, then got to his feet. With a grin, he bent down and scooped me up in his arms, snatching me away from Aric and Chase. The others scrambled to their feet, trailing behind as Cass hastened to the stairs.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Aric opened the door to my room with a flourish. "Yer chambers, yer maj," he said with a grin.
Cass carried me to the vast four-poster bed. I hadn't slept in it often since our arrival. It was enormous, spanning most of the room and topped with no less than ten pillows. I'd thought it too decadent, too big for just me. I felt lost in it, tiny and insignificant.
Suddenly, all became clear. It was never intended for just me.
Cass wasted no time in joining me on the bed. As he laid me down, he kissed me deeply and positioned himself over me, straddling my knees and holding me close. I lost myself in the kiss, feeling the familiar gentle probing of his tongue and the weight of his body, arching my hips up to press against him. He was my first, and the one I felt safest with. As the other two drew in on either side of us, I craved that safety. I craved his touch.