She sighs and unlocks the door. “I really shouldn’t be doing this, but I’ll make an exception.”
We all file in and I pull out a wad of hundreds from my wallet. Her eyebrows fly to her hairline.
“Let me know how I can assist,” she says, taking the cash and her smile brightening. “I’m happy to help.”
Cove
Boyfriend.
Ugh. I hate that I even had to play along.
We’re fuck buddies at best. Not boyfriends. Dragon wouldn’t know what to do with a boyfriend. Sure, in the bedroom, he’d do more than just fine, but he’s too much of a lunatic to be in an actual relationship with someone.
Keep telling yourself that…
I’m annoyed at the way my heart squeezed when he’d announced that I was his boyfriend in front of everyone earlier. I want to hate him with every fiber of my being, but he makes it so damn hard.
Literally.
Every time I think I have myself convinced I can keep my distance from him, he does something to draw me back into his seductive world. His mouth is magical and his touch is perfection. Sleeping curled up against him was a fantasy come to life.
It’s when he speaks that he ruins everything.
Always running his mouth and saying the wrong thing.
Not to mention, he’s a bloodthirsty psychopath.
“This way?” Filter asks, pointing at the exit on the highway.
Dragon nods, the movement clipped and sharp. His hand is fisted, resting on the center console, knuckles white. I think he’s nervous about being so close to home. My own mother died when I was a baby, so I don’t remember much of her. Grandma and Stormy took on the motherly role in my life. But if I had a chance to see my mother again, I’d absolutely take it. It must be hard on Dragon to get so close and not be able to see his mom or family.
An ache forms in my gut. I’m supposed to be mad at him for making me try on every goddamn outfit at the shop earlier, but I’m not. I can’t be. Not when he seems so vulnerable right now. This is what makes everything confusing with Dragon. If he could just remain a dickheaded monster all the time, I would be able to keep my distance. But the more I get to know him, the more normal he becomes.
And I like this side of him.
The layers I’m peeling off reveal someone real. So real.
“Anything you want me to say to her?” I ask, my voice soft. “Anything you want me to ask?”
Dragon jerks his head to look at me over his shoulder. He sweeps his intense green eyes over my outfit. I feel like a doll dressed up and expected to perform. My hair looks stupid, but Dragon fixed it and said it’ll work for today, so I have to trust him.
“No,” he grinds out.
“Don’t you want her to know you’re alive and well?” Nees asks, uncertainty making him trail off.
Dragon’s body tenses. “I said no.”
“Okayyyy,” Nees drawls out. “Whatever, man.”
Filter lets out a sharp whistle. “This neighborhood?”
“Yep,” Dragon bites out. “Got a problem?”
“Nope,” Filter mutters. “Just didn’t realize how loaded your family was.”
Dragon ignores him, gesturing with small flicks of his wrist each time he needs to make a turn. “Stop here.”
Filter pulls up to a massive home with a sprawling yard. Behind it, you can see a golf course that spans for as far as the eye can see. This house puts Koyn’s big-ass mansion to shame. The yard is neat and beautifully landscaped. There’s no white picket fence signifying the traditional American dream, but it’s probably against the homeowner association’s code or some shit.
While we got ready earlier, Dragon filled us in on details about his family. A lot was recent stuff, which means he regularly checks in on them. He revealed countless facts like it wasn’t all obtained by stalking his family.
It’s sad.
Heartbreaking really.
“Don’t curse in front of my mother,” Dragon says to Nees. “I’ll throat punch you if you do.”
Nees groans, absently rubbing his neck. “Dude. Chill. It’ll be fine.”
“Don’t try to fuck her either,” Dragon snaps. “That’ll get you worse than a throat punch.”
“Duly noted,” Nees mutters as he climbs out.
Before I can follow him out, Dragon reaches back, grabbing my arm to stop me. Our eyes meet and his flicker with brief pain that nearly knocks the breath out of me.
“Find out all you can,” he says, voice low and pleading. “We have to find him.”
Leaning forward, I peck his lips, hoping to convey that I’ve got this. We’ll find Mitch. That’s a promise. He releases me with a nod and I slide out of the vehicle. Together, Nees and I walk up to the stately home.
Nees knocks on the door. I shove my hands in my pockets, unsure what to do with them. A few minutes later, the door opens. My eyes widen briefly as I take in the woman standing before us.