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He was a good man, no matter what his father desired him to be, no matter what this life might twist him into.
Her heart ached at the mere thought. She didn’t want him to have his humanity beaten out of him, didn’t want there to be nothing left but the dragon, fierce and stubborn and self-righteous. Their kin was powerful, and with it had always come power hunger. She didn’t want that for him. Not when he’d fought against it for so long. Perhaps he was right, and they were stronger together.
She inhaled softly, held her breath, sorting through her impressions.
Then, with a gentle exhale, she got to her feet, walked up to the door. The living room was dark, but she could tell he wasn’t asleep. She walked down the stairs and realized she was still in her ceremonial dress. The beads glittered in the dim light. She wondered if it looked beautiful to him and secretly hoped it did. With all her heart, she hoped it.
He raised himself onto his elbows as she approached the couch. He’d taken his suit jacket and shirt off but kept the pants and socks on. She wasn’t sure why it was so hot, but it was. Telling herself she wasn’t here for all that, she sunk down on the couch next to his legs, opened her cell phone to her messages from Nikolai, and placed the phone on the coffee table for Zeke to read.
He did, eyebrows rising until he looked over at her.
She raised one shoulder in a shrug. What else could she do?
“I always knew he was a dick, but…” Zeke trailed off, the comment making a smile tug itself onto her mouth. The first genuine one she’d been able to offer him all evening. “Whatdidhappen between you?” The question came out slow, hesitant. He didn’t mean to pry. She was grateful for that.
“Bad things,” she got out, keeping the smile on, wanting to dilute the statement.
But his face clouded, a streak of danger suddenly piercing his eyes, even in the dark. What he’d said earlier about never letting anything happen to her came back to her for a second time, and she knew beyond a doubt that he’d meant it. It made her feel warm to her very core, and she fought the rising glow with all her might. It was such a dead giveaway that she was affected. She’d never quite managed to get her emotions under control enough to keep her inner dragon from shining through. At times such as these, it had always brought her supreme discomfort.
She pondered if she should collect the cell phone, get to her feet and leave.
But she didn’t.
She wanted to linger here, next to him, the lights of the city like a carpet of stars beyond the windows.
This was the night of their bonding.
They shouldn’t spend it apart.
He relaxed back into the couch cushions, reaching over his head, finding the switch of the floor lamp. She squinted against the sudden bright light but did it with a smile. He returned it.
“What should we do?” he asked.
Her heart shrank with uncertainty. He was asking her? She had no idea how to make the first move. She’d only dated Nikolai because he’d persisted in wooing her until she agreed to go on a date with him. Zeke must’ve read her stiffened body language because his smile broadened, he nodded to the phone still on the table.
“About that, I mean,” he clarified.
Oh. Thank goodness.
She stopped pressing her hands together on her lap, her shoulders relaxing somewhat at the understanding that he wasn’t expecting her to throw herself around his neck and make sweet, sweet love. Even though the way he was slouched against the cushions did nothing but encourage her eyes to roam down his muscular chest, his strong arms, tendons popping when he moved himself into an even more comfortable position. His chest wasn’t entirely hairless. She quite liked that. She wondered what it would feel like to drag her fingers through the curly hairs, as dark as the locks on his head.
“What do you think we should do about it?” she asked, focusing on everything but the damn phone.
Of course, Zeke didn’t pick up on it, instead saying, “Unfortunately, I think we should tell our fathers.”
“Right,” she gave a nod. “Yes. We should.”
She sucked the inside of her cheek in between her teeth, gnawing at it, the pain working against the anxiety that was blossoming through her chest. Bright, bright colors all over. She felt like they were traveling up her throat, seeping into her brain, bringing her back to being thirteen and terrified to incur her father’s wrath.
“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Zeke said gently, pushing himself into a seated position, bringing him distractingly close as he secured an arm around her, resting one hand at her hip. He gave a light squeeze, and she thought she might cry.
It was too much. He was in this with her now. She didn’t doubt it. Still, she couldn’t have him touching her. She got to her feet, walking around the coffee table to have room to pace.
“I should’ve said something sooner,” she stated.
“Right, but on the other hand, you didn’t snitch,” he corrected.
“I should’ve snitched!” she exclaimed. “The only time that’s a viable argument is when you have some reason to be loyal to the person upon whom you are snitching. I had no such reason, there should have been no loyalty!”
