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“Thanks. She’s sweating like crazy, so get two sets if you can.”
“Of course.”
“Charge it to my tab.”
Kane smiled. “Did King Syar request her appearance?”
“He did. And approved it.”
“Then he will bear the charge of the outfits.”
The baby monitor let loose some pre-crying snuffling and whining. Eliana smiled. “My master’s voice.”
She bowed, then darted through the dining room, and then walked briskly toward the hallway that led to the royal suite. The guards gave it away. She flicked a salute and went to the queen’s room. She checked on the baby and changed her, then picked her up and checked on Amelia. Her eyes were fading to white when Eliana peeled the lid back. She whispered to Penina, “We have to be quiet and go play. Okay?”
The huge eyes just blinked, and then she giggled.
They left the nursery and headed back to the great room, where Penina squealed with excitement and reached for the ducky on wheels. Eliana set her down, and the little girl scooted to her toys.
“Soon, Mommy and Daddy and Daddy are going to come home with a new brother and a sister.” She laughed. “And though Mommy wants a break, I think you will have another sibling before you are two. There is just something about the gleam in her eyes.”
“So, you think the beta has a choice?” Keahi was sitting on a couch.
“Yes. I do. Well, unless she has a heat, but not all enhanced betas do.” She shrugged.
“Do you?”
She turned her head to stare at him. “None of your business.”
“Do you still have the mark?”
“No. I put it out.” She looked back to Pen and wagged a toy for her to grab. It went straight into her mouth.
“Put it out?”
She looked at him. “From the day you put it on, it burned. It burned for days, and I couldn’t find the business card you gave me. After I talked to Henry, I was insane with pain. I went to a bridge and looked at the water, knowing it would put out the fire. Then, I fell back and knew I had done something stupid. The water didn’t put it out. A dragon fished me out of the water. He had smelled the dragon fire and came to investigate. He used his fire and shorted out what you had left.” She smiled at the memory. “He called you young and clumsy.”
Keahi leaned forward. “I was.”
“Rickart told me about dragons and that your beast had marked me without your consent or mine. So, that made me less furious, but I... you broke my heart and ghosted me.” She kept her focus on the baby. “I was young and naïve.”
“Keo didn’t know about the call until months after when he and Henry were having a fight. When he found out, he called me, but I was stuck in my large form and didn’t get the message for a few months. By the time I was back in the city, you were gone.”
“Yeah, no shit. If I hadn’t, I would have found another way to stop the fire.” She sighed and tiptoed her fingers over to the duck on wheels. She dragged it, and Penina wiggled after the toy.
He knelt next to her, and the heat coming off him was intense.
“Have you had boyfriends since I was gone?”
“Of course. Rickart recommended it, and Luna didn’t disagree.” She smiled. “The ladies of the book club went after it like the dating app from hell. They went through alpha after alpha and then introduced me to some nice ones who had experience with betas. We take a little more coaxing. Oh, you know. While I didn’t know your actual name, I followed the tabloids when you performed. You got around.”
His cheeks went red and got a few degrees warmer. “You followed me?”
“Yeah. I did. I wanted to know what was wrong with me. Why a glitzy emaciated blonde could run their hands over you, and I had been scorched and dumped.” She smiled. “It was a puzzle, but then Rickart told me the dragon picks. That was when I knew you hadn’t wanted me all along. It was sobering and painful, but the dragon chose, and the man ran.”
“That wasn’t how it happened.”
“It was. I was describing my perspective. All these years, and I don’t know what yours was. Is it a good story? Mine makes people cry.” She chuckled and caught Penina as she lunged toward her lap.
