Page 25 of Retrograde

I snickered and leaned into him. “It’s exactly that. The maids felt bad that it was just completely empty and I didn’t want the stuff from my old room in here or—”

He kissed my hair and didn’t push, obviously understanding I didn’t want to bring the memories of that stuff with me. “Let’s get something off your plate then, shall we?”

I snorted. “Like they’ll ever go away and—” I yelped when he grabbed me and suddenly I was straddling his lap.

“I will make them,” he growled, holding my face so I looked at him. “I willmake them, baby girl. Stop holding me back and let me handle them so they stop hurting you.”

I swallowed loudly and then rubbed my face against his hand—something hereallyliked from the way he licked his lips. “What’s your idea then?” I frowned as he put papers in my hands.

Where the fuck had he hidden that?

The stack was folded in quarters, and I snorted as I realized he was wearing cargo pants. I gave him a knowing look and he simply smirked as he shrugged.

So he’d planned on coming to find me, not holding a folder of papers—wanting hishandsfree for me.

That was actually kinda hot.

I sat back on his thighs and ignored how he chuffed, liking whatever view he got then. I wanted to handle this, and honestly my day was loaded, so I couldn’t give him much more time.

I almost dropped the papers when it hit me what he wanted to do. “Sue them? You want me tosueKoleand Vex?” I couldn’t hide the look I gave him that he was off his rocker.

“Kiss me and I’ll tell you all my secrets,” he whispered, locked on my lips.

I was about to and chuckled. “You want to see down my robe.”

“Yes, yes, I fucking do,” Onyx confessed with a smirk.

I did one better and let it slide off one shoulder so most of my right breast was exposed and then leaned in to kiss him. I groaned when the back of his fingers teased my skin.

“Wait, let’s not—let’s finish this first,” he muttered and closed my robe back up.

I nodded and tightened the ties. “Right, it’s not good to mix—it’s already too mixed.” I was glad when he agreed. “But okay then… Explain this crazy to me?”

He chuckled and something dark danced in his eyes. Like…Dark.

“Don’t be scared,” he whispered when I swallowed loudly. “Please don’t be scared when seeing this side of me.” He let out a shaky breath and cupped my cheek, relief in his eyes when I let him and even rubbed my face against his skin again. “You have no idea what it does to a powerful dragon to be ignored and always forced to take a backseat.”

Yeah, yeah, I actually did.

Maybe more than anyone else ever since I had two of them. It was why Eloise was so different from Iris. Not just they weredifferent dragons, but Eloise had been so neglected she wasn’t… Normal.

So yes, I fully understood where Onyx was coming from, and that left me with only one thing to say. “Tell me everything. No more holding back from me if you want this to be real. I’m trusting you when everyone thinks I’m a fool to—I need faith right now, and I know that’s unfair to you, but it’s not my fault either.”

It really wasn’t, but… I had to protect myself better this time.

Thorn was a perfect example of why not only Onyx’snephew.

7

Onyx

I swallowed loudly and knew it was time to be honest with someone for real—if I wanted something real. My fear melted a bit when I saw only understanding and curiosity in her eyes, no judgment.

“I knew pretty young I was stronger than Vex. My dragon did and he wanted to shine. He wanted to be Alpha.”

She licked her plump lips. “And they don’t like being hidden and denied. It makes everything worse.”

I felt so,sostupid to have missed this. Of course she understood.