Page 64

HARLEY

“ T his is going to make a huge difference,” Cassidy said. “Just you wait.”

I closed my eyes. The adrenaline was wearing off, and my exhaustion was starting to catch up with me.

While I showered, Cassidy had sat on the toilet and chattered away, and Dylan stood guard outside the bathroom.

When I was done in the shower, Cassidy told him she and I were going to talk a little, and Dylan had reluctantly gone downstairs to see his dad.

Now, I was seated at the foot of Cassidy’s bed in one of the guest rooms with my back to her.

She coated her hands in hair product, then carefully worked it through my strands.

It made me feel like we were teenagers again, staying up late, doing makeovers, and giggling over the boys we had crushes on.

Except now, neither of us had a crush . We both had fated mates, apparently, though Cassidy didn’t know about hers.

And mine had betrayed me. He’d slept with Blakely. Again.

He’d made such a big deal about us being fated mates. But would I—a human—ever truly be enough for him?

“What’s the plan?” Cassidy asked as she gently worked the product over the ends of my hair. “When are we heading back to Atlanta?”

“Steph wants me to stay in Lakeview. He says it’s safer.”

Cassidy sucked her teeth. “Does he, now? He thinks it’s better to be closer to his murderous dragon brother?”

“He says that murderous dragon brother will follow us to Atlanta if we leave. And then there’s no one there to protect us.”

Cassidy’s hands stilled briefly. “Would Sean really do that?”

“Yeah.” After being in his compound, I didn’t doubt the lengths Sean would go to. “Steph has more men here. More territory.”

“Then how’d Sean get to you?” Cassidy asked.

I huffed a small, sardonic laugh. “I was leaving. I was heading to the airport to go back to Atlanta.”

“Jeez,” Cassidy murmured.

“Yeah. It’s up to Dylan. If he wants to go back to Atlanta, we will.”

“If it’s his choice, you’re stuck here, girlie,” Cassidy said. “That boy loves his dad.”

Despite everything, that made my heart flutter, and my lips tugged upward. “He really does.”

“Well, if you’re staying here, I guess I am, too.”

“What?” I whipped around to look at her, and Cassidy squawked as drops of product went flying. “But your whole life in Atlanta?—”

“—will be there when I get back,” Cassidy interrupted. “You can’t be stuck here with all these crazy dragons and no one sane. I’m sticking around.”

“Cass—”

“No arguments,” Cassidy said with a smile. “Now quit complaining and let me finish this mask.”

“Okay.” I laughed. As she wound my hair into a bun on the top of my head and wrapped it on a towel, I added, “And thank you. Really.”

“Stop thanking me. This is what family does.”

I nodded and adjusted my towel wrap, then turned around on the bed. I always felt more at ease with her around, and I couldn’t deny that I was already feeling better with her here.

And yet, I couldn’t make myself tell her about Steph and Blakely.

In the past, I would’ve been on the phone with her in an instant, eager to bitch about Steph and rip him a new one.

Steph had broken my heart—again. He’d broken his promises—again.

But something about it didn’t add up, and if I told Cassidy what had happened, there’d be no stopping her.

She’d march downstairs and tear into Steph.

She wasn’t afraid of anyone, least of all a man who was acting like a jackass, dragon or not.

I didn’t want that. I didn’t know why. Something in my heart told me I needed to sort it out with Steph first. Maybe it was the whole being-kidnapped thing. I was still recovering, after all.

“You okay?” Cassidy asked. “You’ve got that serious, thinking look on your face. You know, this one.” She furrowed her eyebrows dramatically and jutted out her lower lip.

I broke into a surprised laugh and swatted her knee. “I do not make that face!”

“Oh, you definitely do.”

“Fine, fine, maybe sometimes.” I poked at my hair wrap again. “While this sets, catch me on up on what’s been happening with you. How’s Atlanta?”

The knowing look Cassidy shot me made it very clear she recognized my deflection, but because she was my best friend—and because I’d been through a lot—she let me get away with it. Being kidnapped was probably the only way she’d allow it.

After twenty minutes, I was caught up on the mess that was Cassidy’s dating life and all the annoying behaviors of her least favorite coworkers.

All the laughing had lifted my mood considerably.

I rinsed the mask out of my hair and blow dried it, and Cassidy was right.

I did look a lot better. I looked almost like myself again, except for the dark circles under my eyes.

“You look like a human again,” Cassidy said with a smile. “Let’s go get some of that coffee I’m smelling.”

“I definitely need some. And I need to talk to Dylan.”

Dylan and Steph were in the kitchen, and a fresh pot of coffee was brewing.

It was barely noon, but I felt like I’d been awake for a week.

My heart eased at the sight of them working side by side at the counter.

Steph was walking Dylan through a marinade recipe, from the sound of it, and they were prepping steaks together.

I paused in the doorway and watched them for a moment.

It was so simple. So domestic.

Why couldn’t it be like this all the time?

“Hi, Mom,” Dylan said with a bright smile. “You look a lot better.”

“Aunt Cassidy is a miracle worker.” I gave her a grateful smile when she handed me a steaming mug of coffee. “What are you two up to?”

“Just finishing up some prep for dinner,” Steph said. “You feeling okay?”

I nodded, but didn’t fully meet his eyes. “Dylan, want to get some fresh air with me?”

“Yes,” Dylan said immediately. “Can we walk down to the lake? Uncle Hawk showed me how to skip stones!”

“Lead the way,” I said.

Steph caught my eye and offered me a small smile.

I returned it, then Dylan grabbed my free hand and dragged me to the back door.

I gulped down some coffee, then set the mug down quickly as my son tugged me along.

As we walked down to the lake’s still surface, I tipped my head back and let the sun warm my face.

I wrapped my arm around Dylan’s shoulders and hugged him to my side. “I’m really proud of you, kiddo.”

“I didn’t do anything,” Dylan mumbled.

“You did exactly what I said. You flew home, and you let everyone know what happened. You were so brave.”

Dylan’s cheerful expression dropped, and he fell silent. He poked around in the dirt along the lake’s bank for a few minutes, then returned to my side with a handful of oblong rocks.

“I didn’t feel brave,” he said as he stared at the rocks in his palm. “I was really scared, but I knew I had to get to Dad to save you.”

“And that’s why you’re brave. It’s not something you feel. It’s something you do. You were scared, but you did what I asked anyway. That’s bravery.”

Dylan hummed like he was considering that. “Watch this.”

“Watching.”

He held one of the rocks between his thumb and forefinger, then sent it zinging over the surface. It got three good hops before it sank.

“Whoa. Hawk really did show you some tricks.”

“Uh-huh.” He skipped another one. “When I came back to the house and told Dad what had happened… He was really angry. I was angry too.” He swallowed hard.

“But my dragon could feel more than that. Dad was really scared, too. Really scared and sad. That scared me even more. Because if Dad was scared, I knew it had to be really serious.”

He skipped his last rock, and before he could turn away to hunt for more, I pulled him in for a hug. He didn’t struggle, just sighed and leaned heavily against me.

“And you were right. I need to ask you something, bud.”

“What is it?” he asked, his voice muffled against my shirt.

“Do you want to be here or at home in Atlanta?”

Dylan pulled away and frowned. “Huh? I thought we had to go back to Atlanta.”

“Yeah, we did,” I said. “But this changed things. I know it scared you a lot. So I want to know what you want to do, Dylan. What would make you feel better after this mess?”

“I want to stay here. I don’t want to leave Dad. I think he’d be really sad if we left. What about you, Mom?”

My heart ached. Dylan wasn’t just thinking about what he wanted—he was thinking about me and Steph, too.

“I don’t know what I want, but your dad said we’ll be safer if we stick around Lakeview a little while longer. So if that’s what you want, that’s what we’ll do.”

“Really?” His eyes lit up. “We’re staying?”

“For now, yeah.”

Dylan shouted with excitement, and his dragon flashed gold behind his eyes. “We’re staying!” He bounced around, fist pumping, water splashing around his feet.

I laughed, glad to see my kid happy again. Admittedly, a small part of me was happy we were staying in Lakeview, too.

When we returned to the house, Cassidy was sprawled on the couch and scrolling on her phone, while Steph was still puttering around the kitchen.

“Hey, kiddo.” Cassidy perked up and peered over the back of the couch. “You feeling better?”

“We’re staying in Lakeview,” Dylan said with a cheer. “Not going back to Atlanta.”

“Is that so?” Cassidy raised an eyebrow. “Well, guess that means I’m staying around, too.”

Dylan whooped so loud I had to cover my ears. “Calm down, Dyl. Or go play outside.”

“Let’s go outside.” Cassidy stood up and stretched her arms over her head. “You can show me some of your dragon tricks. I have yet to see those claws I’ve heard so much about. As long as it’s okay with your mom and dad.” She glanced between me and Steph.

Steph looked at me, and I nodded slightly. With our little chain of nonverbal check-ins completed, Cassidy hooked her arm into Dylan’s and strode back outside to give us some privacy.

I leaned against the back of the couch, crossing my arms over my chest. “Hi.”