Page 16 of Healing Conviction
Draco knew better than anyone that life was too short to sit back and let it happen. He’d been directionless before his coma, living day to day, mission to mission. But ever since he’d woken up, Nora had been his true north. It was time he followed his heart.
“Alright, men, that’s it for now. Draco? Nora? You know your assignment. We’ll want updates.” At Hawk’s command, Draco nodded. “Good. Meeting adjourned. Have fun on your date, Nora.”
“Uh… will do, Cap’n. Peace out, Girl Scouts.”
After the crew said their goodbyes, Draco turned off the TV and stared at his teammates’ fading outlines on the screen. Nora’s fingers tapped against her phone as she studiously ignored him.
Not gonna fly, Pix.
The meeting had been a whirlwind of information, but one question stood out loud and clear. He pulled his toothpick from his mouth and bent the thin wood between his fingers. “How many times have you gone on assignment?”
“With BlackStone?”
He shoved the toothpick in his pocket and threw his hands up. “Who—the fuck—else, Nora? Yes, with BlackStone.”
“Geezy Petes, calm down, big boy.” Nora shrugged. “I don’t know. However many missions they’ve been on, I’ve pretty much been dragged into all of them since that first time. Especially if you count my behind-the-screen skills.”
“We’ve got Wes for a hacker already. They shouldn’t be involving you, at all.”
Nora snorted. “Look who’s talkin’, handsome, sinceyoujust invited me on your own little expedition.”
“Yeah, but I’ll be there to protect you. Those other guys don’t have the same interests. What if you’d gotten hurt those other times?”
She tilted her head with her forehead scrunched in question. “What do you mean, ‘the other guys don’t have the same interests’?” Her eyes widened before diving back into her phone. “You know what? Never mind. No need to elaborate. Don’t worry about those other missions. Other than the time I got kidnapped, it’s been smooth sailing. Being Phoenix’s date at a party for human traffickers was fun… in aweirdway, of course.” She paused, as if she was trying to remember all the times his team had traumatized her. “But, I think that’s pretty much it.”
Draco’s chest rumbled. “You’re not going on any other fucking missions without me. Got it? The first one was hell for you.”
“It was for you too, if I remember correctly. Does that mean you’re notallowedto go either?”
“I’m not as good as I was before that night, but at least I’m trained in all this.” He sighed. “You’re right, though. I let myself get distracted that night. I won’t let that happen again.”
He’d been entranced by her the night she was kidnapped, and it’d almost cost them both everything. The old him would’ve seen that as his sign to avoid a relationship. But that part of him hadn’t yet endured a thousand nightmares of losing Nora before ever having her. He’d just have to make both work this time. It was nonnegotiable. Besides, there was no better way to protect her than by having her by his side.
Despite his promise of safety, Nora’s face fell. “So… no more distraction? That’s just… gone?”
Her voice was an odd pitch that he couldn’t figure out. He wanted to make sure she understood exactly what he meant, whatshemeant to him. “Getting distracted got you kidnapped and I almost died. I’m never losing focus around you again, so you don’t have to worry. You’ll always be safe.”
“Well, alrighty then.” She popped up from the leather couch with a false cheer that caught him off guard. “I’m gonna go ahead and have a nice time on my date tonight. You have a splendiferous time all by your lonesome not being all distracted and all that.”
Confusion put him on edge and he stood up to follow her through the large halls. He’d shared his fears and promised her safety, essentially baring his soul, and she was… running away? And rubbing Matt in his face?
“Fine. Have anicetime with Nice Guy Matt.”
Nora spun on her heel, forcing him to bulldoze into her. He caught her mid-shriek and set her back on her feet. She immediately wriggled out of his grasp and swiped her black hair from her face before jabbing a slender finger into his chest.
“You know what? Heisnice. Very nice. Just… the best.”
“That’snice, Pix. If that’s all you want, then he’s the perfect one to give it to you. But for the record, you don’t deservenice.” The muscles in his chest and arms tensed and he crossed his arms, not missing how her eyes followed the dragon ouroboros tattoo on his forearm.
She shook her head and narrowed her eyes on him. “Is that right? Tell me then,Malfoy, what do I deserve?”
The little pixie panted hard, her fists by her side. He had the sudden urge to pick her up and crush his lips to hers. But they werefightingfor some reason. He’d told her that he cared enough for her to make her his number one priority, that she’d be safe with him… and now they were fighting. All the words he wanted to say got caught in his chest as angry green eyes bored into his.
“Whatever, Draco. I don’t have time for this.” She did an about-face on her combat heels.
“Oh right, can’t be late for yournicedate.”
The taunt didn’t do its job, though. Nora kept walking, never looking back.