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Lynsey

Never underestimate me. My core beliefs are built on three foundational principles: perception, clarity, and justice.

One of the things you should know about rare female dragon shifters is that we’re gifted.

Not all gifts are equal or the same among us.

I’m gifted with an innate ability to read people and situations accurately and with crystal clarity.

I can quickly discern what’s true and what’s not.

I have a strong drive to ensure that justice is served, regardless of the circumstances.

And let’s not forget my fierce temper when I discover injustices or realize I’ve been played, like right now.

That’s where I’m usually underestimated.

I pull up to the clubhouse in our cage. “Que, bring our guest inside. I need to find Snake.”

He eyes me warily. Not a word has been spoken between us, but we never need words anyway. He knows me–he can sense the dragon beneath the surface and her overwhelming desire to burn down the world. “Okay, honey.” He touches my arm gently.

As he helps an unmolested, frightened Paisley from the car and guides her inside, I storm into the common room. “Snake!” I thunder. The entire room stills with shock. “Where is Snake?”

Snake steps from the crowd, a menacing expression on his face. “What’s this about?” He demands.

I’m so enraged, I don’t even have the forethought to take this conversation to the privacy of his office. “Who supplied you with the intel of my latest assignment?”I demand.

Snake looks around the room, uncertainty crossing his face briefly before he masks it.“Are you questioning me?” He asks belligerently.

“Yessss!”I snarl.“You know my abilities, Snake.It’s why I am a vital part of this organization.Picking up the latest target was so easy, I felt like I was kicking a kitten! I’ve never felt more innocence rolling off a shifter as I did from Paisley Woods.”

I watch as he glances toward the new club girl, Joyride.

“What’s going on here, Snake? Joyride?” I approach her and catch my reflection in the mirror.

Steam rises from my nostrils, and my usually brown eyes flicker with the red glow of my dragon’s inner ire.

My jade-tinted scales ripple in and out along my neck and arms, shifting in a fluid, pulsing rhythm.

“What’s going on, Joyride?” I repeat, flames licking up my jaw as I close the distance between us.

“Her name isn’t Joyride!”Paisley croaks. “That’s Marissa. She stole my true mate from me!”

Joyride, forgetting me in her anger, yells at Paisley, “He was mine first!”

“You dumped him and stayed gone for a year, until the night before our wedding!” Paisley, regaining her voice, shrieks and begins to cry.

I take a step back, allowing the drama to unfold. As Snake starts to move toward the two females, I raise my hand, signaling him to hold off.

“Well, we all saw who ended up married to him, and it wasn’t you.” Joyride crows, gaining her confidence as she steps up to Paisley.

Paisley glares at Joyride. “You might have taken him, but he never left the pack to look for you when you disappeared again. He’s been too busy stalking me and begging me to take him back. Gifts, flowers, little notes. He’s regretting letting me go, and he misses me, not you.”

Joyride stiffens, her eyes narrowing in rage, then hurls herself at Paisley, slamming her to the ground.

Paisley rolls over, straddling Joyride, grabs a fistful of her hair, and slams her head against the floor.

She punctuates each word with a brutal strike to drive the message home.

“I.” S mash.

“Don’t.” Crack.

“Want.” Rip.

“That cheater!” P unch.

Sitting astride Joyride’s midsection, Paisley continues to destroy her as she punctuates each word with an action.

"I will never reconcile with that dirty cheater!

You can have him!" Paisley shouts. Everyone stands around, stupefied, watching the two females go at it.

Paisley rises and gives Joyride one last kick in the ribs.

Joyride pulls herself up, spitting blood and groaning.

As Paisley begins to turn and walk away, Joyride launches herself at her back.

Fed up, I snatch Joyride mid-jump by her hair and yank her back.

As she spins to swing at me, I punch her square in the nose and let go, blood spurting.

She hits the floor with a very satisfying thud, similar to a mic drop.

“Annnd, she’s out!” Melitta calls out, a grin spreading across her face. “Didn’t like her anyway. Especially after that little performance,” she mutters, shaking her head.

I take in the bloody mess that is Joyride. She’s lying in a heap, with patchy bald spots where Paisley gave her a new hairstyle. And are those teeth on the floor? I look at Paisley, who only seems slightly injured—yet she’s crying. Good for her. She’s scrappy.

“Someone take Joyride to Doc, and clean up the blood and hair off the floor,” Snake orders.

After one last look at the carnage, I turn my attention to Snake. “Did Joyride provide that intel?”

“Yes,” he admits.

“Did you vet the information or just take your shiny new plaything’s word for it?

” I hissed. “You do remember her deception when she first came here, and Slade was kind enough to overlook it and let her stay as a club girl?” I kick Joyride’s prone form.

“That was the first mistake, allowing a dishonest female to stay.”

“I don’t like what you’re insinuating, Lynsey!” Snake snarls menacingly at me.

Que, never the one to allow anyone to disrespect me, warns, “Snake…” And that is all he has to do. Everyone knows he’s called Que for a reason: he’s quiet, quick, and will quash you without qualms.

Snake immediately pulls back.“I consulted with Byte about the photos, but I didn’t do anything further.”

“So, you involved the club in Joyride’s personal vendetta against another female–a flipping catfight,”I growl.“And from what we’ve just witnessed, she’s clearly the instigator.”

Snake turns away, unable to look me in the eye. “After Joyride’s been treated by Doc, put her in one of the cells,”he directs. “We’ll get to the bottom of this.”

“What about Paisley?”

He quickly shoots a glance at Paisley. “Have Doc check her out and lock her in an empty bedroom suite for now. Make sure she’s comfortable.I’ve some investigating to do.” He looks over his shoulder darkly at Joyride. “We’ll question Joyride when she regains consciousness.”

A couple of the brothers grab Joyride up under her arms and drag her to the medical clinic while a couple of the club girls approach with cleaning supplies and bleach .

“Send a meal up to Paisley’s room and stock a mini-fridge with water and snacks for her,” I suggest, glancing at Paisley, who is still crying. “One of you ol’ ladies got some clothes she can change into after she takes a shower?”

“I’ll get her some clothes and towels,” Melitta offers. “I’ll make sure she’s okay.”

“Thanks, Melitta,” I say. "See that Doc checks Paisley’s injuries.”

"Will do, Lynsey,"Bulldozer replies as he and another brother take Paisley to a room.

“I need to get some air before I burn this place down.” I walk outside, and Que follows quietly beside me. Taking my hand, we do a few circles around the lake until my temper wanes, and I can breathe cool air again.

We stop on the far shore, and Que pulls me in, his hand roughly grabbing the back of my head as he kisses me. “There’s my good girl,” he murmurs, his voice low. “For a second, I thought I was going to have to put you over my knee and spank you.”

I raise an eyebrow, feeling the heat rise again. “Who says you still don’t have to?”