Page 17

“I’ll see you later tonight.” Anaki bent over to grab his bag.

I got a magnificent view of his ass. Thoughts of doing taboo things to that tight, muscular hunk of meat popped into my head, and had my thighs squeezing together.

My breasts felt heavy, at the idea of ordering him to suck my nipples until they hurt, and to tell him what a good dragon he was for taking care of me.

It made my breath hitch, and I swore a tear ran down my leg.

Anaki paused. His back tensed and he glanced back at me, clearing his throat. “Right, uh. I’ll see you later.”

Tajah let out an evil laugh and tossed her phone onto the coffee table littered with Abuela’s crystals.

“Well not for the foreseeable future, Anaki. It appears you are off the hook, watching everyone in the cabin. Not that I see it as punishment, I prefer my time here, with my future sorcerer.” She threw a wink at Luis.

Anaki and I both darted our heads in Tajah’s direction.

“I may have had Switch spy on your sister.” Tajah smiled at me. “He got caught, and Locke was in the crossfire,” she cackled. “Your sister is quite the woman. I cannot wait to see what she does for the club in the future.” Tajah wrapped her fingers around Beretta’s arm and nuzzled into her.

I didn’t have any idea what was going on with Emm and this Switch guy. I was more worried that Anaki wasn’t coming back. My head darted between the two.

Anaki straightened his back. Giving no signs of worry. “That’s great. I’ll stop by every once in a while and take Luis out for some adventures. Sound good?”

Wait a second, he was just going to give up on me?

Well, you pushed him away, multiple times. What did you expect?

My mouth opened and closed, with the protest on the tip of my tongue.

“Have fun at ladies' night,” Beretta purred. “I heard they will be extra ravenous.” Her smile gleamed predatorily .

“Ladies night?” I questioned as Anaki put his hand on the doorknob. He twisted it, the click echoing into the cabin.

“Yeah, it's when the ladies are in charge. They can ask the men to dance, bartenders can dance on the bar…”

Beretta let out a bark of laughter. “Anaki is their favorite. I’ve never seen someone meant for a pole more than him.”

My eyes widened. “You p-pole dance?” I stuttered. “Wait, cover Luis’ ears!” Abuela already had his ears covered and was smiling wildly as she listened.

Anaki puffed out his chest. “Yeah, I do. Water dragons are known for their seduction dances. If you had engaged in more conversation, perhaps I would have shown you.” He wiggled his eyebrows. Anaki opened the door to step outside.

Beretta shouted before he stepped out the door. “Do you give lap dances as well?”

Red hot anger and jealousy surged through me. Did he?

Anaki stared at me, a smile playing across his lips.

“Only for those I find, extra special.” He winked and shut the door.

I stood there, staring at the door, waiting for my brain to reboot, until I turned and a chancla hit me in the back of the head.

“?Dios Mio! Mierda! What is wrong with you! He has thrown everything at you! Is your pussy broken! Ay!” Abuela lay back on the sofa, my son’s ears covered by Tajah, who held back a smile.

“I’m going to die without seeing my daughters with their soul mates. I’ve given you everything on a silver platter, and none of you will accept it. Are you trying to bring dishonor to me? Why? Why was I cursed with ungrateful granddaughters?” she wailed. “I danced naked for nothing.”

“Abuela!” I screamed. “You stop this nonsense right now! I have stayed quiet and gone along with all this!” I waved my arms around the cabin.

“ I have done quite well not freaking out about this supernatural shit, leaving our home, being here and now you are upset I am not flirting with a supposed dragon? What is wrong with you? I have a son! I have a debilitating illness! I have a family to look after! Our future—”

“Bullshit!” Abuela stood up and marched toward me, the other chancla in hand. She shoved it close to my face. “Anaki is perfect for you! In every way, he is your match.”

I gritted my teeth. “Why would he want someone as broken as me? With the past I have? The doubt, the pain, the suffering. When he is so perfect?”

The room fell silent. Darkness threatened to swallow it whole.

Not even my son's quiet footsteps could be heard as I felt him hug my side. He knew his biological dad was a wicked man. I never told him the extent because he didn’t need to know.

He knew he was safe from him, that he was gone, and I had no intention of giving him a fatherly figure because I worried about his safety and mine.

“I like Anaki,” he whispered into my leg. “He’s a good man.”

I let out a shuddering breath. “It isn’t so simple, mijo.” I rubbed my hand into his soft hair. He was too young to understand.

“If I may,” Tajah interrupted. “While I am not your sister’s biggest fan, right now, I like you very much.

You are much stronger than I expected, and I know some of Anaki’s past. You feel you are broken; most of the Iron Fang members are broken, too.

Terrible pasts, heartbreaking, worth dying, they’re so terrible. ”

Beretta squeezed Tajah’s hand in comfort.

“Anaki’s pain is deep, I sense it. He’s as scared as you are, but unlike you, he will fight and give what he feels for you a chance.”

Tears stung my eyes. He shouldn’t. I wasn’t worth it.

“Elena,” Abuela whispered. I shook my head, not wanting to listen. “I know you don’t want to hear me out. I hope you will. All those years telling you that you have a soul mate; you have one. Anaki is your soul mate. Your fated mate.”

I shook my head again. “You’re crazy.”

“Do you feel a pull toward him?” Beretta asked. “Can’t stay away, need him, he consumes your thoughts?”

I stared at her. That was lust. That is all it was.

“Why would we lie? This club full of misfits is real, yet you won’t believe this? When he touches you, what do you feel?”

“Stop,” I whispered. “This is insane.”

Abuela smirked. “You don’t have to believe it now. But be nicer to the boy. He’s trying hard. And watching him pine over you is damn near painful.”

My mouth dropped.

Beretta slapped her arms down on the chair she sat in. We all winced in surprise. “That’s it. Let’s go.”

“Go, go where?” I asked incredulously.

“Go get dressed, dolled up. We are heading out. You get to go watch Anaki at work. Let’s get the bond at work here. We haven’t been here to see the tension, but just those few minutes of witnessing it, I bet it’s stifling.”

Abuela nodded. “It is. Makes me hot and bothered.” She pulled on her blouse several times to get the air circulating. “If it wasn’t about my granddaughter getting laid, I might get a little turned on.”

I groaned and rolled my head back. This wasn’t happening, it couldn’t be happening. “I need to watch after Luis. We were going to play Uno, right, mijo?”

Luis shook his head. “No, you go ahead. I see you all the time. Some time apart would be nice.”

Shot to the heart.

Tajah played with her hair. “Ah, what comes out of the mouth of babes. I suggest you get ready. Put on something sexy. You won’t be able to get on the main floor with him, on account your sister will be there, but I’m sure he will smell you from afar.

Dragon noses are powerful, and I’m sure he knows your scent. ”

“M-my scent? He can smell me from far away?”

Beretta stepped toward me, her yellow eyes flashed. “Yes, your scent and your arousal. Tajah and I smelled it when you were both in the kitchen, and when Anaki bent over to pick up his bag. What were you thinking when you were staring at his ass?”

I gasped and stepped away from her. “He-he didn’t smell me. He couldn’t—”

“He did,” Tajah said, still holding my son’s ears. “I could smell his arousal, too. You are going to just love dragon--”

“Stop! Enough!” I covered my ears. “I’ll get dressed! None of you say another word!”