Page 38 of Dewpoint
Fine, he was right, but I could fix it. She seemed to truly care, and if nothing else, she seemed to be willing to get to the truth of what happened with King Rhys.
That was something at least.
My uncle gave me some “advice” about how to get Sagan into bed and what to do to pressure a woman. Notseducethem, but pressure them.
And I was very,veryglad I had it recorded that most of the tricks worked well for him… Including using the illegal drug I had last night so our pheromones influenced a single dragon.
Which meant I needed to warn Benson and others around Sagan that others might have the same plan.
After I threw up my guts for doing the same thing my uncle had. I was trash. I was absolute trash.
“It’s not the same. You were justified—it’s understandable after she was drugged being with you,”my dragon comforted.“She even thanked you for giving her the answers. It was everything else you did, you idiot. You’re not your uncle. Do better and be better for her.”
She’s not our mate. I don’t want to be with her and that life.
“Only part of that is true and you know it,”he snapped and demanded we go fly.
I was a jackass and didn’t go fly like he wanted. I was annoyed he wasn’t more understanding of what I was going through. He should always be on my side. Iagreedthat I was an asshole to Sagan and should have handled it all better.
But we should always be on the same page on who we wanted to mate and was best for our life, not just who he wantedon instinct. Or something so fucking stupid asscent. We were better than that.
Fool.
That was how fools ended up in matings they weremiserablein years later and then took more mates and their lives were horrid. This one had lovers and—that wouldn’t be my life. Ever.
However, I did want to fix how things went with Sagan. She didn’t deserve how I treated her. She’d done nothing wrong and… She was drowning and I knew that feeling too well. I saw her as a woman and hadn’t behaved how I should.
Multiple times even.
I internally winced realizing that.
There’s no reason we can’t have a sexual relationship we both enjoy while I’m at the castle for this competition. I can help her keep the assholes—I can be of use even if I can’t be her mate. She’s smart enough to understand that and clearly we have a connection.
I shivered thinking about how amazing the sex had been. Then I snorted because she was right and I did want to experience it when neither of us was drugged.
How many people could say that?
I was out of my room before I realized it and was glad when the concierge was a woman. I asked her what the best lingerie store was in the capital and tried not to roll my eyes when she took it as my hitting on her.
I slapped on my best smile. “Sorry, I wasn’t clear, but I want to pick up some items for my lover while I’m at the capital. I owe her some replacements, and I thought a woman as put together as you are would know the perfect place.”
I was glad the compliment took the sting out of my rejection and she named two places for me. She even confirmed they were the right places when I pulled them up on my phone. I slippedher a twenty and decided to walk even if it was a bit hot. I never really got a chance to enjoy the capital with… Everything.
Life?
I stopped at a food truck not far from the hotel and enjoyed a delicious pita filled with meat and a sauce that was to die for. I actually stayed there after my first bite knowing I would get a second. Two guys off to the side chuckled and nodded, seeming to guess where my head was.
No reason to deny it. I nodded and toasted them with my food.
They came over and told me their recommendations for my next order and I thanked them, asking what else they would suggest for an out-of-towner. The list was impressive. They knew all the best spots and places to go. My hands were full, but the one was great and said he’d just text me… If I swung by his shop later.
I knew that ploy. “What do you sell? I’m not into anything I shouldn’t be.”
“Naw, nothing like that, man,” he chuckled. “I mean, I enjoy gambling and the fights like any man in Nerthus—especially now that there’s a broad fighting.”
“A woman?” I asked, not able to hide my shock. “Really? That’s rare.” I listened to them fill me in on the female mystic dragon that came from nowhere to dominate the underground fight scene in the capital. It sounded crazy but like… Why not? Honestly—why not?
I nodded along and asked for more info. I could use some entertainment until I got back into the castle, and honestly… I could use the break. I was never out from under Uncle’s watchful and disapproving gaze. Ever.
