Page 28 of Serving my Dragon (The Dragocracy Chronicles #2)

I slid off the table and eyed my ruined pants. My favorite pair, of course. I hobbled to a laundry basket by the washer and, sure enough, Mama had some of my clothes. It took some maneuvering to get the track pants on and Kayleigh giggled.

I arched a brow. “You could help, you know.”

“Much more entertaining like this,” she said with a bright smile.

The pants went on and I growled, “Come here,” opening my arms wide. She tucked against me, head on my chest, hands linked around my waist. The adrenaline had long since faded but only now did it get replaced with relief. We’d done it. We’d saved Kayleigh and Polly and escaped with minimal injury.

“We should go let your mama know you’re okay,” Kayleigh murmured.

Only it turned out, she’d forgotten about her baby boy.

I walked into the yard to find Mama holding court with a dragon in her lap.

And was Pollita being discreet?

Nope.

“…and if you show yourself worthy and serve me well, then you shall be a part of my personal retinue with special privilege.”

My audible groan caught my lizard’s attention.

“There you are. Took you long enough,” Polly grumbled in English.

“I’m sorry, but some of us had holes that needed patching.”

“Excuses,” Polly sighed. “But I forgive you.”

“Thanks,” was my dry reply. “What are you doing?”

“Blessing your family by taking them on as servants.”

“Servants for what?” I exclaimed as my family watched, heads bobbing between me and Polly, much like a tennis match.

“Everything. A dragon has many needs, you know. There are the knights who protect. The household staff for maintaining my home and feeding me. The handmaidens for the more intimate care I require. The farmers who ensure a proper food supply. Accountants to keep track of my expanding hoard, and apparently, I need an investor as well for the less tangible funds.”

I blinked as Polly named off a multitude of roles, each more ridiculous than the next.

“You’re the size of a dog,” I finally exploded.

“You have a cave for a home. No treasure. And given your inability to keep anything a secret, will most likely end up locked away in some lab being studied by scientists.”

Polly’s chest puffed but before she could reply, Mama scolded. “As if we’d let anyone take Pollita.”

“You won’t have a choice if the government sends the army.”

“Bah, they wouldn’t dare harm Peru’s first and only dragon,” declared Carmelita.

My cousin, Sophia, nodded and gesticulated as she took over, saying, “The more of us who know about Pollita the better. While initially it’s best she remains hidden away as she grows, eventually we will reveal her existence.”

“You’d tell the world?” I exclaimed.

“To protect her. Once Pollita has a public quinceanera”—a coming out party that many females enjoyed when they turned fifteen—“it will be very hard for anyone to come after her. We will rally the people, get them excited. Start a social media channel and campaign that will make her famous.”

I stared at my family. “You’re all nuts.”

Kayleigh put a hand on my arm. “Not necessarily. It’s actually an interesting idea. Rather than sweeping Polly’s existence under the rug, bring her out into the open. Make her so well known that the government and other groups wouldn’t dare to come after her.”

“There are some who will still come after her,” I pointed out.

“Hence why we shall work on protecting the citadel,” Juan declared. “I have some friends in the military who owe me some favors.” Of course he did.

“It will be fine, mijo,” Mama stated.

I rubbed my face. “And how long do you figure before she’s exposed?”

“That will depend on Pollita, I’d say,” Juan drawled. “Once we return to the jungle, we will begin honing her defensive and offensive techniques immediately.”

“I’ll help on my days off,” Santiago offered.

“Me too,” Manuel added.

One by one, my family volunteered to help Pollita learn and grow. Even Mama. I blinked at them.

“Are you all seriously going to take turns staying in the cave?”

“Of course, mijo. The burden shouldn’t be yours alone. After all, you have a business to run.”

Polly harrumphed. “As if poking at people’s teeth is more important than spending time with me. And don’t you dare mention your bills. Once I find that hoard, I will provide for all my servants.”

“Tell me more about this hoard. How would you feel converting some of it to crypto currency?” Lorenzo, who worked cybercrimes, knew the scams in the online world, but also the right places to invest. He’d been investing his and Sophia’s meager savings and actually turning it into a nice little egg.

I’d been meaning to take him up on his offer to help me with my own finances.

I ended up sitting in a chair with Kayleigh in my lap, the pair of us listening but not contributing much. Didn’t need to since Polly held court. Literally. And my family lapped it up.

I never even realized I’d drowsed off until Juan gently shook my shoulder. “Off to bed with you two.”

My yawn almost swallowed my head. “Where’s Pollita?” I asked. She and Mama had disappeared from her throne.

“Lola’s got the dragon settled in her room so you can have a good night’s rest. I’ll walk you home.”

By walk, he meant actually driving me the five houses because of my stiffening and sore leg. Much appreciated.

Kayleigh and I went to bed, stripping to our underclothes and literally falling onto the mattress, sleeping deeply until well past dawn. I woke to Kayleigh snuggled against me.

Being a man, I noticed her lack of garments.

Being her, she giggled. “Someone’s happy to see me.”

I definitely was.

“Mind if we shower first?” she asked.

Not one bit, although I was less than impressed when she insisted I sit on the stool she dragged from my kitchen so I wouldn’t put undue stress on my leg.

I stopped worrying about the emasculation of seeming weak when she started soaping me, her hands stroking over my upper body and lingering as she rubbed over my swelling cock.

She sprayed the suds clear, and my day got a whole lot better as she then proceeded to ensure the cleanliness of my shaft by licking it. Swirling her tongue up and down its length. Teasing the tip with her lips and teeth.

I wanted nothing more than to press her against the wall of my shower and show her my appreciation. Instead, I got spoiled. She straddled me, her hands on my shoulders, her legs astride mine, her pussy—the sweetest treasure—sheathing my cock. She rocked on me, uttering small pants of pleasure.

Me, I remained more manly in my sounds, grunting and breathing hard. My fingers dug into the soft flesh of her buttocks. We kissed at the moment of climax, a lingering embrace as pleasure exploded in us both, leaving us shaking but satisfied.

“I love you,” she whispered.

“I think I’ve loved you from the moment you stumbled into my life. Stay with me.”

“For as long as you want.”

“How’s forever sound?”

A kiss was my reply.

We emerged from the bathroom smiling, and with tummies rumbling as we smelled something cooking. The kitchen held my mother and Pollita, the latter sitting at the table and already eating the breakfast Mama prepared.

“There you are,” Mama said, brandishing a wooden spoon. “Sit. Eat.” Nice to know she’d not forgotten about me now that she had a dragon to spoil.

Apparently, she’d cooked to soften her news.

“Just so you know, I’ll be leaving within the hour. I’ll be accompanying Pollita to the citadel and will be staying there a few days.”

“Hold on, you’re really going to live in the cave?”

“Not a cave once I’m done with it,” Mama stated. “Once I see the space, I’ll be able to make a list of things we’ll need to make it a proper home.”

“But how will you get there? It’s like a mile hike through the jungle.”

“Santiago and Juan have gone to buy an ATV and a wagon to pull behind it.”

“When I get bigger, I will fly my Lola,” Pollita stated between gulping bites.

My Lola?

I almost blurted, what about me? Since that sounded a tad needy for a grown man, I settled on, “What of your sewing business?”

“I will bring the pieces I’m working on with me.

” And then because Mama knew her son, she added, “Since I won’t be here to make meals for you, your cousins will bring over some groceries so you won’t go hungry.

” She glanced at Kayleigh. “Let them know if you need anything special for cooking.” Mama already assumed she’d be staying.

“I will make a list.”

“I’ll miss you.” Yeah, it slipped out.

“Me, too, mijo, but let’s be truthful. You are a busy man, even more so now that you’ve finally found a woman who makes you happy.

I will still be around. Your aunts and I have already discussed taking turns staying there to ensure our special Pollita always has someone cooking and caring for her.

But I’m thinking once things are settled, I might move in more permanently. ”

“Wait, you’re planning to live there? What about your house, your job?”

“It’s time I retired and selling my house will be part of that. Don’t worry, though, once you give me grandbabies, I’ll visit so often you’ll be tired of me.”

Doubtful.

“Well, I must go finish packing before Juan shows up. I’ll be back for Pollita shortly.” Mama bustled off and Kayleigh placed her hand over mine.

“It will be fine,” she murmured.

As for my dragon? “I am going to get so big eating the food she makes.”

I glanced at Polly. “You’d better take care of my mother.”

“As if she’ll let me.” The dragon snorted. “But fear not, I will keep her safe. I will protect all of your family.”

A knock at the door led to Juan walking in. “Is Lola here?”

“She’s gone to pack the sink,” I quipped as my uncle leaned in the doorway to the kitchen.

“I wouldn’t put it past her,” he grumbled. “You both look recovered.”

“The leg’s not hurting as much as expected.”

“And my head is fine,” Kayleigh chirped.

“I’ve got some news if you’re interested. The policia arrested Sally,” Juan announced.

“Are we going to have trouble with them?” I asked. Sally would likely try and pin the blame on us.

“Nope.” Juan chuckled. “Not for lack of trying. She claimed the dead bodies were our fault. Luckily my friend Benito called me and I told him that we weren’t anywhere near the airport last night and had an alibi as we had a family vigil at Lola’s house, praying for her recovery.”

“And they believed you?” I couldn’t help but sound skeptical.

“Of course they did. After all, were they really going to listen to the rants of a woman claiming we stole her dragon?”

“She revealed Polly’s existence?” Kayleigh’s brow furrowed in worry.

“And no one believed her. Sally’s been placed under psychiatric care for her obvious mental break.

After which, she’ll be put on trial as an accomplice to Blake murdering those two men.

Despite all the rain, the gunpowder residue on his hands proved he fired the gun and then had the misfortune of being hit by lightning. ”

“So it’s done? We’re free and clear?” I asked.

“Of Blake, yes, but we still have no idea who he worked for. I’ll keep digging until I find out. Anyhow, time to leave. Santiago’s already heading to the citadel with the ATV we purchased. Ready, little queen?”

“In a second.” First Polly wanted a hug from me and Kayleigh. Don’t let anyone tell you a scaly reptile isn’t affectionate and cuddly.

Once we’d both promised to visit soon, she went to Juan and settled on his hip, tucked under his poncho to remain hidden from any neighbors as he carried her to the truck.

Kayleigh and I watched from the window as Juan drove to Mama’s house and began going in and out, loading the back of his vehicle.

“Is that a sink?” Kayleigh murmured.

“Yes.”

And a toilet.

If anyone could modernize the cave, it would be Mama. Her brother and my uncles would be busy as she ordered them around.

They drove off, and I sighed.

“What’s wrong?”

“Things will never be the same.”

“Are you sad?”

“A little. But I’m also excited to see what the future holds for us.”

I might have lost my mama to a bossy dragon, but I’d gained love.