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CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

SWAN

O n Tuesday, I showed Jody, the nice new manager I’d met yesterday, some things on the computer. “This is the best program to use for working out the roster. It’s already set up with your employees’ names and set hours. You just need to change it each week depending on the hours you’ll give them or if they’re full-time, part-time, or casual.”

“Thank you, Swan. I’m not sure I’ll remember everything, but I hope I’ll have it all down by the time you have to go.”

“Even if you have any questions when I go back to Ballarat, I’ll only be a phone call away,” I reassured her, and she relaxed some more.

“That’s really sweet of you.” She ducked closer. “I wish all my new employees would be like you.”

I scrunched up my nose and cringed for her. “Just remember, you’re the boss.”

She nodded with a thin-lipped smile.

So far, there was only an authority problem with one of her employees, and I hoped it stayed that way because Petra was enough. She was a twenty-six-year-old woman who had told Jody as soon as she arrived that she should have been given the job. Since then, Petra walked around the large library with her nose in the air and a glare in her gaze anytime it landed on us.

She’d even wore her clear dislike for Rommy when she’d come in to see me. Everyone loved Rommy, so it was obvious Petra was the problem.

Jody blew out a breath and stretched. “It’s nearly five. How about we leave the rest until tomorrow?”

“Sure.” I stood from the desk and picked up my handbag.

“Do you have your car here today?” she asked.

“The same friend will pick me up. We’re both staying at another friend’s house while in town,” I explained as we walked out of the back office and by the other employees.

We reached the main library area and noticed there were still a few customers around. That made sense, though. The place was open late Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.

Jody and I waved to Kathy at the front desk on our way out. She’d arrived this afternoon for her late shift and seemed really sweet and happy to have Jody as the new manager.

Outside, I asked Jody, “I presume you live around here?” We’d left at different times yesterday.

She nodded. “The husband and I moved to the area two years ago when he got transferred for his work. I left the library I’d been at and went through a few jobs. I was out of work for two months before this position opened up, and—oh….” She stopped suddenly. “Do you think that’s her boyfriend?”

I looked to where Jody was and tensed.

Petra was talking to Drake by my car. As he leaned against the vehicle, she stood close enough to touch his arm while she laughed at something he said. She flicked her long dark hair over her shoulder and pulled out her phone.

“That’s actually my friend,” I told Jody.

“ Only a friend?”

“Yeah.” Did that sound sad?

“Swan, you need to get over there and stake your claim if you want him as more than a friend.”

I wished I could. “It’s complicated.”

“At least he doesn’t look like he wants her attention.”

That was true. He hadn’t smiled once.

Then, when he looked towards the doors and saw me, he straightened and grinned widely. My heart gave off a fluttering beat.

“Oh my,” I heard Jody say.

“Birdy,” Drake called. “Get your cute arse over here.”

I flushed.

Jody made a noise. “Do not stay just friends.”

I gave her a small smile and said goodbye before I walked towards my car. Petra was still trying to talk to Drake, but his amused gaze was on me as he ignored her.

“Swan, Dragon was just telling me you two are in town together.”

I stopped in front of him and caught his eyeroll. Had he not told her that we were just friends? It made me reluctant to.

“That’s right. We’re staying at a friend’s house.”

“How about you both come to dinner with me? You can tell me all about the new manager, Swan.”

Drake stepped closer and curled an arm around my shoulders. “Can’t. We already promised our friend we’d be there for food,” he said, tugging me to the car and opening the door for me. “Hurry up before she invites herself there too.”

Laughing, I pulled on my seat belt as he closed my door.

“Wait, Dragon.” Petra rushed to the driver’s side. “I didn’t get your number.”

“Gotta hit the road.” He gently shifted her away from the door and got in quickly. He started the car, snapped his belt on, and backed out. “I’ve met some forceful women before, but I think she’s the winner.”

I wanted to ask if he was interested at all, but I also didn’t in case it revealed anything. Although I would have asked him if we were just friends and I hadn’t let my emotions get the best of me.

“So, you’re not interested?” I swallowed hard.

Please don’t be.

“I ain’t into her , Birdy.”

He gave me a look. One I struggled to read. Was he telling me he did have a type, just not her?

“Good,” I said before thinking and blushed. I quickly added, “It’s good because she’s been a bit harsh to the new manager, Jody. She wants Jody’s job. Plus, she doesn’t like Rommy.”

“That’s shit. You let me know if she’s a bitch to you, yeah? I’ll get her to back off.”

“I can handle her.”

“Know you can, but need you to know that if anythin’ ever arises and you don’t want to handle it, you don’t have to because I’ll take your back, Birdy.”

He was too dang sweet. “Thanks, Drake.”

He winked.

“How was your day?” I asked.

“Great.” He grinned. “Gave Vicious a piece on his shoulder, and Knife wanted a skull on his ribs.”

“I’ve heard that area hurts a lot.”

“It kills, but he handled it. I’ve gotta do two big jobs tomorrow, and Rommy wants me to fit her in on Thursday.”

“Rommy? What does she want?”

“A stack of books with the sayin’ ‘a room without a book is like a body without a soul.’”

“Oh wow, that’s actually really beautiful.”

“Yeah, I thought it was pretty cool. When you saw her, did she mention about Friday night?”

I shook my head. “No, nothing. Why?”

“She must have forgotten. I did yesterday after she asked me, but she reminded me on the way out today while she had her hands full with a carburettor. She’s tryin’ to get us to go to a club.”

My stomach churned.

“It’s gonna be a club Wolf owns, and apparently, he’s got a section blocked off from other people where we can hang. But if you ain’t for it, I’m happy to not go.”

He wouldn’t go if I didn’t.

“I don’t want you to miss out. You can go.”

“Clubs ain’t really my thing, Birdy. Pubs or the compounds when we party are. Means I’m more than happy to miss out and stay back at the house.”

“Can I think about it?”

“Yeah, babe. No rush.”

I loved when he called me babe. But nothing would top Birdy or little birdy, because he’d been using it for years, and each time, they gave me a soft feeling inside.

“How’d today go? You reckon the new manager will work?”

I nodded. “She was already a librarian and knew some of the things. It was more the computer programming side she needed help with. We should be home by Sunday. I don’t think I’ll need to stay longer.”

“Happy to go whenever. I got brothers booked for tomorrow and Thursday but haven’t done anything for Friday or the weekend in case of that. The work would be there if I wanted, or they could travel down to us in Ballarat anyway.”

“So you didn’t have to come here?”

He stilled for a beat but then said, “I wanted to. Sometimes it’s good to get out of town for a while. When I go back, I’ll appreciate it that much more. Know what I mean?”

I did. But I wasn’t sure if he was just saying that to appease me. If my parents had forced Drake to accompany me as a guard and interrupted his work schedule, I would be more than annoyed.

“Swan. Don’t go gettin’ any funny ideas, yeah? I wanted to come here. Or is it you don’t want me here?”

“No, it’s not that,” I rushed to say. “I just don’t want you to feel like you have to be here just to… I don’t know, guard me.” I rubbed my hands together on my lap, staring down at them. “I-I have to move on from the past and not worry about if people will say things to me.”

“You can do all that, Birdy, but also try to understand that the people in your life just want to help you out at any chance we can. Besides, we’re doin’ it for our own selfish reasons, and that’s to ease our worry too. We know what pricks there are in the world.”

When he said it like that, it did help me understand it more.

“Okay, Drake. Thanks for coming to Caroline Springs with me, and I’m glad you’ve got some jobs to keep you from being bored.”

He huffed, strangling the wheel. “Believe me, I wouldn’t even be bored if I didn’t have ink to do.”

“That’s good, then.”

By the time we got back to Wolf and Ruin’s, it was dinner, and they were already in the dining room along with Wolf’s family. Even Ryo, Wolf’s personal security and assistant, and his partner, Link, were seated at the table. The room was noisy with chatter, and I thought it would be a little awkward with not knowing many of Wolf’s family members, but they made an effort to get to know Drake and me.

“Taro-sama,” Katon called as he bowed at Wolf’s side.

“Yes?”

“There was another on the news.”

Wolf nodded, jaw clenching as he waved Katon off.

“What’s this?” Drake asked.

It was Ruin who told us, “A friend of Taro’s cousin went missing. It turns out she wasn’t the only one. She’s the third missing woman from this area.”

My stomach dropped.

How horrible.

I glanced down the table to see if I could figure out which one was the cousin with a missing friend. When my gaze landed on her, I could see the pain clearly. She stared blankly down at her meal, playing absently with her fork.

There was another woman next to her who curled her arm around the sad woman’s shoulders and said something.

“We are looking into it,” Ryo said.

“Sorry, I probably shouldn’t have said anythin’,” Ruin told me.

“No. Don’t feel like you can’t talk about serious things in front of me. You can.” I glanced to Wolf. “If there’s anything I can do to help your cousin, please let me know.”

He nodded and gave me a small smile. “I will.”

Later that night, after we’d gone to another room for a nightcap, Drake walked with me to our rooms.

“You know you don’t have to go to bed too,” I told him. He was probably used to late nights and late mornings. I was used to early nights and early mornings.

“Nah, Ruin was kickin’ my arse in pool anyway.” He stretched and yawned. “I could use some shuteye.”

I thought I caught a glimpse of some colour at his hip.

“Do you have a tattoo?” I reached for his tee and vest, but he danced out of the way with a chuckle.

“I just have the one for now.”

“Can I see it?” I asked as we stopped by my door.

He stared down at me with a smirk. “The only way my birdy gets to see it is when we fall into bed together.”

Where was the air? There was no oxygen left.

I wanted to see that tattoo. But more so, I wanted to fall into bed with him. My body flamed at the thought of us tangled together.

Drake took a step closer. “Birdy, Birdy, Birdy.” He traced a finger over my cheek. “What brought this lovely shade to your cheeks? Tell me what you’re thinkin’, babe.”

A small squeak fell from my lips before I thinned them and shook my head.

There was a chance I was about to have a heart attack. The organ wouldn’t stop racing. I was surprised my ribs didn’t break from it.

His gaze turned intense as it ran over my face. He pressed a finger under my chin, and I automatically tipped my head back.

Oh my God, he might think I want a kiss.

I wanted a kiss.

But I didn’t.

What do I do? What do I do?

His gaze paused on his thumb as he touched it to my bottom lip to pull it free from between my teeth. I hadn’t even realised I’d been biting it. He ran his thumb over said wet lip before he stuck it in his mouth and sucked.

Holy cock-sucking shit.

My pussy clenched.

He winked, removing his thumb and taking a step back. “Sweet dreams, Birdy.”

Dumbly, I nodded and watched him walk backwards to his door. He tipped his chin towards my room. He wanted me inside before he left.

“Um… night,” I said softly and quickly before turning and fumbling with the door handle before I got it open and flew into the room.

I was sure I heard his deep chuckle before I closed it again.

What was that ? What in the high horse was that? In all his years of flirting, he’d never done that.

I touched a finger to my bottom lip and closed my eyes to replay that scene in my mind. My body tingled all over. I wanted to shove my hand into my panties and come. He made me crave.

Opening my eyes, I laughed to myself. That was crazy. Hot, but utterly crazy. He couldn’t have meant that, right?

Did Drake want to sleep with me? Did he want more than just a night? What did I want?

More than a night.

Definitely. I wanted to date Drake Marcus. My attraction for him wasn’t just for a fling. I wanted a serious relationship with Drake.

And after that scene, maybe there was a chance Drake wanted me too.