“I know.” Tristan tips back in his chair like the indolent demon he really is. “I looked him up after we ran into him in the park. Wanted to make sure he wasn’t some kind of predator. Cute little startup you got there. Had any buyer interest? My firm sometimes acquires that type of thing. It might actually go somewhere if it has the support of a bigger company behind it.”
I grind my teeth, dragonfire tickling the back of my throat. “We’re not looking to sell.”
“I mean, obviously. But you could whip it into shape. I’d be happy to give you some pointers.”
Cari beams at him. “That’s so nice of you. Isn’t that nice of him, Zed?”
Tristan raises his brows at me expectantly. I grimace, torn between making her happy and telling the truth. I just don’t have it in me to kiss his ass, though. “A little presumptuous, actually. Our company’s doing great. And since you did yourresearch, you know that our apps are outperforming our competitors by a hundred-and-fifty percent. That’s because users love them. We’re not spending any more on marketing or packaging.”
Tristan cocks his head to the side. “Aren’t you the marketing guy, though?”
“We both do a little bit of everything, but yeah, I do most of the marketing.”
“So you’re saying most of the value in the company is on the tech side. Maybe my advice to your company is that your business partner doesn’t need the dead weight.”
His words are like a punch in the stomach. I know I’m lucky to partner with Gabe. He has expertise I don’t. But he wouldn’t be able to run the business without me, either. “Maybe you should stop talking before I make you regret saying that. I’m happy to take this outside.”
“Stop it,” Cari pleads in a whisper. “Don’t be like this tonight.” When I look at her face, tears are welling in her eyes. Past her, I see victory in Tristan’s fleeting expression before he rearranges it into one of concern.
Shit, fuck, damn. I took his bait.
Helikesthat she’s upset. He’s not just trying to get me out of the picture, he’s trying to teach her a lesson. Just like he buys Cari through everyone else, he punishes her through everyone else, too. He’s angry she invited me to the event, so he’s hurting her by goading me into bad behavior.
I’m not going to let him use me like that anymore.
“I’m sorry, Cari. I shouldn’t have said that. Can I get you something to drink? Do you want to dance?” I hold out a hand, hoping she’ll remember how we held hands all night last night.
To my relief, she takes it.
Chapter 18
Cari
Zed leads me out onto the dance floor. I wish this moment was more romantic and that I didn’t have a lead weight in the pit of my stomach after enduring their back-and-forth bickering.
I was right: this night did give me a chance to compare Zed and Tristan, and I found them both lacking. They’ve been so caught up in their little pissing contest over me that it’s like they forgot I was even there. Tristan came off like an arrogant jerk, and Zed’s insecurities were on full display. Both of them acted jealous and petty.
The gala band starts to play a ballad, and Zed puts his hand on my waist. “I can’t promise I’m a great dancer. I’m a little rusty when it comes to human dances.”
“What about dragon dances? You could teach me one,” I suggest, happy for the change in topic. Maybe this evening can be salvaged.
“Our dances are…um…aerial.” He sounds apologetic as we start to dance a regular old human slow dance. He’s right, he’s not a very good dancer. Not the worst, either, just a little awkward. His broad shoulders and strong arms feel good as he leads me around the floor, though. Safe.
“What’s it like to fly?” The question comes out more wistful than I intended. I guess I have my own insecurities. I’ll never be able to fly like a female dragon. They dance in the air. They can probably have sex in the air. That’s something he’ll share with his future mate that I can’t.
“It’s an incredible feeling. Like the whole world is at your fingertips. There are so many things you can see from up there that you just never experience on the ground. Places you can go that roads don’t.” He shakes his head, chuckling to himself. “No, I’mnotsaying that.”
“What?”
“Sorry, talking to myself. My feral form has a lot of ideas about where he wants to take you when he finally gets his claws on you. Trust me, none of his thoughts are appropriate for a gala setting.”
My core clenches at the images that run through my head, the ones I’ve replayed since I first saw Zed in his feral form, standing in the ruins of our house. I don’t think I’ve had a single orgasm in the last fifteen years without that picture in my mind, and my body is conditioned to respond. “Tell him I’m into it.”
Zed dips his head to murmur in my ear, “Oh, he knows. He can smell you. He really wants to taste you. If you thought my tongue felt good, you’re going to love his.”
Getting licked by his feral form? My thighs quiver and my knees weaken, but Zed holds me up, chuckling softly until I regain the ability to support my own weight.
“Sorry,” I say. “You surprised me with that one.”
