What was she doing there?
Kelsey didn’t wait for anyone to tell her what was right. She didn’t need permission to pull this uppity bitch off the man who had rescued her.
The others might think whatever they wanted about Adrien, his snobbery, his cruelty.
But last night, he’d come to her rescue, and right now, she’d do the same for him.
She strode straight to the woman, who gave her only a bored glance before turning back to her quarry, and grabbed her by her Chanel-covered shoulders.
With a hard yank, she pulled her backward and off of Adrien. The woman shrieked and reached her hands back toward Kelsey, but Kelsey let go of her abruptly, and the woman lost her balance and hit the ground.
Kelsey brushed off her hands for dramatic effect as the woman glared up at her and then pushed herself to her feet. As she was about to gain purchase on her spindly heels, Kelsey stepped forward and planted her foot in the other woman’s stomach, making her fall back again with an, “Oof.”
“I suggest you stay down,” Kelsey said.
“This is outrageous,” the woman remarked, looking up at Adrien. “I could sue all of you. I could take your whole business.”
Adrien’s expression was implacable as he stared down at her, remaining on his chair.
“If you want us to hand over the tapes of your attempted assault, then sure,” Kelsey said, folding her arms and taking another step toward the cringing woman attempting to scoot backward away from her.
“He could have told me if he didn’t want it. He made no attempt to move me.”
“I told you to get off,” Adrien said lazily, but there was heat in his eyes. He hadn’t liked what was happening at all. Kelsey had been able to tell even on the cameras.
He’d been holding himself back, afraid to hit a woman. Well, Kelsey wasn’t.
Sometimes, someone had to.
“I demand you get away from me,” the woman said, shakily getting to her feet again. “This is my private appointment, and I don’t know what you’re doing in here.”
The woman looked over at Adrien, and to Kelsey’s utter shock, made a move as if to go to him again.
Oh, hell no.
Kelsey stepped between them in an instant, glaring the other woman down. The woman sneered at her, trying to get around her, but Kelsey put both hands on her chest, pushing her backward.
The woman stumbled but then lunged at Kelsey, raising a hand as if to strike her. Kelsey felt Adrien stand behind her, but before he could intervene, she struck out with a fist, hitting the woman across the face and knocking her down on the carpet, where she stayed, unmoving.
For a second, the room was quiet, but then the door opened and Citrine and the others rushed in, all looking down at the woman on the carpet.
“Damn,” Sever said. “That was harsh.”
Kelsey walked to the woman and crouched, looking her over. She was breathing fine.
“You can’t just knock people out,” Citrine said.
“She was being a super creep,” Kelsey said, poking her. “I get so sick of people who think they can use someone they see as beneath them.”
“I’m not beneath her,” Adrien snapped.
“She probably molests waiters and busboys, too,” Kelsey said. “Are you going to call the police on her?”
Citrine shook his head. “I’m going to wake her up and make sure she’s okay, then make her sign a legal waiver in exchange for us not calling anyone.”
Kelsey shrugged. “If you ask me, she deserves worse.” She looked at Adrien. “Are you okay?”
His expression was unreadable, his features all tensed up in confusion. But then his mouth twitched and he burst out laughing, holding an arm around his waist as he guffawed hysterically, standing in the middle of the room by himself, shaking with mirth.
She didn’t know what to say about that, as Sever passed her to go over to him.
“Are you okay, brother? That was a bit over the top.”
Adrien waved his hand, tears streaming down his cheeks, laughing too hard to talk. “That… she… knocked her the fuck out…”
Sever straightened, looking over at Kelsey. “That she did.”
Citrine gave them all an exasperated glare. “Can you all go out? Well, except Dante. If you could stay, please.”
Ella and Robbie were surprisingly fine with that, and she and Sever took Kelsey by the arm and walked out the door into the hallway, waiting for Adrien to follow.
He finally did, straightening and taking big breaths as he wiped at his eyes for the last of the tears. “That was amazing.” He looked at Kelsey. “You’re really something, you know that?”
Kelsey felt suddenly embarrassed. “She tried to hit me.”
“I know,” he said. “But…” He bent forward, leaning on his knees as he took deep breaths. “The way she just hit the ground like that. I won’t forget that anytime soon.”
“Did I do something wrong?” she asked Sever. “Maybe I was a bit hasty. Maybe I should have…”
Adrien came over and threw an arm around her shoulder, shocking her with the sudden contact. She looked up into his handsome face and wondered at his effect on her.
Yes, she wasn’t exactly into romance, but she was only a woman. When a man who looked like Adrien touched her, she’d have to be dead to not have a response.
He looked down at her with twinkling eyes, and for the first time, his silver irises almost looked… warm. “I think you acted perfectly. Thank you.”
She was about to respond when he released her and stepped back with his hands in his pockets, seeming pleased. He let out a long breath as Sever opened the door to the main club room and they all walked in.
Kelsey took a seat on the couch, rubbing her knuckles to make sure there was no pain. Luckily, there wasn’t.
“You okay?” Adrien asked.
She nodded.
“Good,” he said, sitting on another couch and leaning back in it, looking content. “I wouldn’t want you to be hurt trying to extract me from a situation that I was fully capable of handling.”
“Oh yeah? How were you planning to handle it?” Sever asked. “We were taking bets on you going off.”
“I was staying patient, no thanks to you so-called friends of mine.” He gestured to Kelsey. “Yet this human… woman stepped in and did what had to be done.”
“I don’t think she necessarily had to be punched,” Sever said. But his mouth twitched and his sparkling eyes hid a smile.
Kelsey sighed. “She was going to strike me, so I struck first. Plus, I don’t like people who touch things that don’t belong to them.”
All eyes turned to her at her strange warning.
“Oh?” Adrien asked, sitting up a little. “And who do I belong to?”
She felt a flush burn over her cheeks. She certainly hadn’t meant to imply she had any kind of ownership over him. “Yourself,” she said simply.
“I see,” Adrien said, leaning back with hands behind his head. “Agreed. Still, I think we’ve just found something we very much need at this club.”
“What?” Kelsey asked.
“A bouncer,” he said, glancing at Robbie.
Robbie let out a long breath. “I suppose so. Kelsey, what do you think? Generally, I’d prefer they got a verbal warning and a polite escort out, though.”
Kelsey thought about it. She liked the idea of being powerful, of paying Adrien back in the way he’d helped her. Keeping people from bothering him.
Though he was strong and powerful and masculine, he was at somewhat of a disadvantage in this situation, with women who didn’t have self-control.
Still, she’d never seen men inspire that kind of lust before.
She looked him over, and a little shiver went up her back. Yes, she could sort of understand how women felt. If she allowed herself, if she didn’t have more practical things to think about, she could definitely be attracted.
But right now she had to focus on keeping the apartment
and finding a new place to land where she’d be safe on her own.
“Sure,” she said. “I can be gentle. Start with warnings.”
Robbie nodded. “You’re hired, then.”
Kelsey felt a warm feeling go through her at the words. The best words in the world. And she earned this job, hadn’t just been handed it by an agency.
She glanced at Adrien, who was looking over at her with a thoughtful expression, awaiting her response.
“Awesome,” she said, rubbing her hands together. “So when do I start?”
“Immediately,” Robbie said. “In fact, if you come to the office, I’ll have you sign a few things, and you can supervise the next appointment this evening. We’re having a whole group come in.”
Kelsey thought about working here in the club, watching out to make sure people stayed in line and followed the rules, and couldn’t help the wide grin spreading over her face.
How had she ever gotten so lucky?
Seven
At the end of the day, Adrien found himself in front of the windows that looked out on the city, enjoying a drink as usual.
It had been weird earlier, having an appointment with Kelsey in the room, watching out for them from the corner, keeping her eyes on all proceedings.
He sort of liked having her around, even though the idea of him needing her for protection was ludicrous.
A human protecting a dragon? He’d never thought he’d see it in his lifetime. Either lifetime.
He sipped the scotch and checked the watch on his wrist. He wanted to talk to Kelsey before she went back to her room for the night, and last he’d seen her, she was in the office, talking to Citrine and Robbie about the schedule the next day.
It was interesting how quickly they had all adapted to having another person around. After acclimating to Robbie, it was probably that much easier.
He took another sip and then set down the scotch, deciding to go wandering in search of the woman who might be his mate.
He wasn’t sure, but the way she’d come to his rescue like an angry Valkyrie had only added to his suspicions. She was the opposite of the other human women he’d been exposed to. Well, not that all of them were bad, but he supposed after a few bad experiences, he’d sort of written off the rest.
Combined with the way he’d been raised to feel that humans were beneath him, it meant he hadn’t really tried that hard to get to know them and undo his own prejudices.
He shoved his hands in the pockets of his suit pants (he’d long ago shed the jacket and tie and rolled up the cuffs of his dress shirt, as he always did after a shift) and opened the double doors to look down the hallway toward Citrine’s office.
He was surprised to see her in the hallway, plugging in a vacuum, presumably to clean.
He strode up to her, waving to get her attention, and when she looked up, he saw tired satisfaction in her eyes.
So much different from the fear and desperation he’d seen the night before.
“I was coming to see if you wanted to join me for a drink,” he said, trying not to feel nervous about it. He was a dragon. She would be lucky to accompany him, yet… she was the only human he’d ever met whose opinion mattered to him.
Odd.
She gave him a wary smile. “I told Robbie I would clean up a bit.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Did she tell you to?”
“No,” she admitted with a grin. “But I just—”
“We have someone that comes in to clean,” he said, leaning on one hip. “You’re taking away their job.”
She looked down at the vacuum and seemed to realize how tired she was. “I guess I can’t get over trying to earn my place here.”
“You deserve to be here as much as anyone,” he said. “More, in my opinion, since you’re the only one who has done anything for me since I’ve been here.”
“Yeah,” she said. “Why is that?” She was winding the vacuum cord back up. He wondered if he should help, but he’d never used one of the things.
“You can just leave that there,” he said. “You deserve a moment to relax.”
“I guess I could use one,” she said. “You said there were drinks involved?”
He nodded.
She raised an eyebrow. “Should you be drinking with a head injury?”
Hm. She might have a point there. “I have an extraordinarily hard head.”
“I see. All right, then.” She laughed and walked over to him, and he opened the doors to the club room for her.
“You’ll like the view in here I think,” he said. “At night, everything is just so lit up and peaceful.”
She followed him in, looking around at the furnishings that looked wholly different cast in moonlight and semi-darkness. “It’s beautiful,” she said. “Then again, this whole building is so much nicer than anything I’ve seen that I hardly know what to do with it.”
“What do you mean?” he asked, picking up the scotch and pouring her a drink. She took it, and he led her over to two oversized chairs he’d set by the window earlier when he’d thought of her joining him.
She sat hesitantly, holding her glass tightly in one hand and looking out the window. “I just… There are a lot of people out there who barely have enough to eat. Somewhere to sleep. But I’m enjoying something so nice. It’s not like I deserve it more.”
He shrugged. “It doesn’t bother me. It shouldn’t bother you. We are where we are, whether we like it or not. We have to deal with it, and so do they.”
“You’re awfully cavalier about your privileges,” she said, taking a sip of the scotch.
He watched in amusement as she coughed and looked at the liquid in shock. “Strong,” she croaked out.
“Yes,” he said. “High quality. Drink it carefully. Or would you prefer I get you something else? We have an entire cabinet over there.”
“No,” she said, wrapping her hands around the glass. “I like this. It’s warm.”
“Yes,” he said. “With luck, you won’t have to worry about being cold ever again. Did I mention I’m sorry for chasing you away last night?”
“Did I mention I’m sorry you had to get your ass kicked for me?” she asked.
“Did I mention I’m grateful for what you did to that lady for me?”
“Did I mention that I’m grateful you saved my life?” she retorted.
Damn. She had him there.
“You’re welcome,” he said quietly, looking out at the window and resisting the urge to stare at the beautiful lines of her face.
When she was honest and open with him, she was almost too beautiful to see.
Thunder cracked overhead, and rain began to fall, making soft pattering noises as it landed on the glass at a slanted angle. It dripped down in long, sparkly lines, and he enjoyed watching the buildings and street become glossy and wet all around them.
“It really is peaceful here,” she said, leaning back and crossing her legs, keeping the scotch in one hand.
He studied the lines of her body. As he’d suspected, wonderful breasts and generous hips. A sturdy build that was still unmistakably feminine. To his pleasure, he noted she had a slight belly. He’d always seen that as a particular luxurious asset on a female, suggesting wealth and ease.
She’d had neither, but she was shaped pleasingly nonetheless.
And he was beginning to realize wealth didn’t matter as much as he’d always thought it did. After all, the woman today had been wealthy, and the woman who had stood up for him had little to nothing.
“Where were you before you came here?” he asked.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” she said, uncrossing and crossing her legs, turning in a slightly different direction, away from him, as if she were trying to hide something.
“Come on,” he said. “We’re friends now, aren’t we? You can tell me.”
She sipped her scotch and coughed again, making him mildly concerned. She waved a hand at him. “I’m fine. I guess… I was living with someone. It went
bad, and I had to get out fast. I had to leave a lot behind. But it doesn’t matter. Stuff is stuff.”
“So you were working?”
“Oh yes,” she said. “I’ve always been working. My entire life it feels like.” When she saw him looking at her with pity, she frowned. “No, it’s fine. I like working. It takes my mind off things. Makes me feel worthwhile.”
Imagine feeling you had to do common labor in order to feel worthwhile.
“Where is your family?” he asked suspiciously. “Why did they allow you to be in this position? A woman shouldn’t be allowed to wander alone in the world.”
She raised an eyebrow. “That’s a very old-fashioned concept,” she said. “But as for family, I’m afraid I drew the short straw there, too. I emancipated myself at sixteen and moved here, to the city, thinking I was going to make something of myself. Instead, I ended up homeless. An agency helped me, and I worked a few temp jobs before meeting some friends and finding something longer term.”
She leaned forward thoughtfully. “I thought I finally had something. Had saved a lot up for, you know… plans I had.” She shrugged. “Instead, I wound up homeless again. And everything just went worse this time. I’m an adult. I shouldn’t find myself in these positions, but I didn’t learn basic life skills. Like having a bank account or…” She looked away, flushing. “Anyway, I don’t want to talk about it. This is my new chance, and I’m not going to ruin it.”
His throat was tight as he set aside his scotch, his stomach churning as he thought about everything she’d been through. She’d given him only very vague details, yet it was enough to grasp that something infuriating had happened.
Maybe many times in her life.
He drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair and looked out the window, at the world he hated even more now for being cruel to his mate.
Mate.
The word was becoming almost commonplace in his mind. He snuck a sideways glance at her. She was strong for a human. Maybe she was part shifter?
He scented the air. Nothing. No, he didn’t think she was anything but human, which made his fascination with her that much more baffling.
Silver (Date-A-Dragon Book 2) Page 5