Page 81 of Dewpoint
“Oh, I’m sure it was and exactly whathewanted since she mostly asked whatyourtastes were like the plan was to dress Sagan like your Barbie,” Myriam drawled. “She basically pumped us useless animals for information about thesuitorsto make Sagan presentable for them.”
“Okay, stop, please, before I explode,” I muttered. “It’s so much worse when it comes from these brainwashed brain-deadwomen.”
It was nice that everyone in the room agreed.
“Wait, final nail in the coffin?” Treena checked, hurrying on when I sighed. “She wouldn’t evenhearof the very normal dealmade with designers who work with royals. Sagan was blessed you had the connection to help her, which she desperately needed, and she would pay full price, not this nonsense of getting a cut.”
“So on top of everything else, she believes I’m a fucking moron. Awesome,” I grumbled, ignoring when everyone couldn’t hide their shock that I swore.
Whatever.
I was already partly naked and getting pins pulled out of my body. Dropping an F bomb wasn’t really that big of a deal.
“May I ask what deal?” Onyx hedged once he seemed to process everything he’d just been told. He gave Treena and Myriam impressed looks when he heard it. “You might want to expand that to her prospects when some of the profits are going to charity of her choosing for the country.” He glanced at Andra. “Put me in whatever that’s not a clown costume. Even for my date with Sagan.”
“Ooohhh, I like it. And now I have an excuse to talk to the uncle,” Myriam practically sang as she grabbed some papers and had her phone out. She shrugged when I cleared my throat. “Your uncle’s hot, Sagan. Likehawt.”
Several people laughed at whatever was on my face, but Maple recovered first. “Even I stare at Darren and I’ve known him since I was young. He’s constantly rated one of the most eligible bachelors in the nation, Sagan. He’s attractive and turned the family’s finances from well off torich. The family is now loaded.”
I knew that. Anyone who waved off a several-million-dollar debt like pocket change—even from family—was loaded.
Beyond rich for sure.
I meant business with the stare I focused on Myriam. “You know that can’t happen, right?”
She chuckled darkly while everyone went tense. “I don’t want to mate your uncle, just rock his world and make him crave tiger and long for me forever.”
“You walked right into that one poking at her situation,” Velle said under her breath… And for once, Velle wasn’t wrong or being a bitch.
But neither was I.
I wasn’t wrong that Myriam couldn’t ever have anything with my uncle given who her family was.
And I wasn’t being a bitch making my position clear on that.
Maybe just for saying it in front of so many other people.
20
Sagan
Ireallyliked Andra. Like… Really,reallyliked her. She was very genuine and kind about the fact I had no idea what my style was or what worked. She hid her pity pretty well that I’d not been taught much and it was clear everything was just selected and made for me like I was my parents’ Heir Barbie or whatever.
I also liked her style beyond fashion as she laid into some reporters at the press conference announcing the deal made.
“Look, I understand there are too many men in the country who lust after our sexy queen and are annoyed they are nowhere near her league,” she drawled. “And women who are jealous the queen has gorgeous breasts that fill out everything average dragon women can’t. I’m jealous too, but I’m notpettyand don’t tear her down.
“It’s grotesque that we’re here announcing a groundbreaking arrangement to move Thovudin forward so we’re not so behind the times compared to other countries, and all you sexist and jealous fools are focused on is the queen’s anatomy. I’m a queer dragon and the queen supports me and my sexuality.
“The former king and queen were never anti-gay rights but always skirted the issue. Queen Sagan is bold and is declaring it loudly that all her citizens are accepted and appreciated. Andshe’s making smart deals to help her people recover from the recession as her father did. Other designers contacted her but tried to throw their weight around and tell her how to live her life.
“She’s queen. She’s the boss. People need to start understanding that and accepting things will only get better if we give her the chance shedeserves. She deserves it after the few changes she’s made in less than two months of being queen. Thovudin is better off with less of the corruption that was right under our noses.
“So please stop focusing on her lovely—but very real breasts that yes, I will custom-make undergarments for—and on to what we’re here to discuss like grownups and not lecherous creepers. Okay? Great. Now, the deal is simple and the queen will get a percentage of the profits asany partner in a brand deal does. However, she is donating most of it to her new charity.”
She went on, and when it was time for the more pointed questions geared to attack me, Darren took over. He was perfect as normal and made it clear the person was ridiculous. That they were basically trying to push people to make money off of me and abuse the royal family the way the elders had by suggesting things were never fair.
Yeah, he was that good like that.
