Page 14 of Tempting Her Dragons (Embracing The Bond #10)

Chapter Fourteen

Maverick

“ W hy don’t you go kill the brother real quick,” Mom says when the front door shuts. “I want grandbabies soon. I’ll stay with Saphy.” Baby dragons are rare because there are so few dragons in the world.

“Mom, we don’t know where he is,” I remind her.

“That’s what you address with her statement?” King says, his eyes wide on my face.

“Don’t you want kids?” she asks him, her eyes narrowed.

“Of course I do,” King sighs, looking at her. “It would be a lot easier to do without our mom here.”

“It will be a lot easier if you find and kill the man who’s fucking up the progress,” she snaps back.

“She won’t let us go alone,” I say.

“She has fire inside her,” she says, nodding proudly.

“Yes.” King stares at the house, his fingers sliding around his wrist.

“Shade hasn’t called,” she assumes.

“Not yet.” I put my hands in my pockets, my fingers circling my lighter. “He will when he has news. Until then, we stay here with Saph.”

“You boys can track anyone.” She crosses her arms. “Let’s get this done.”

“Mom, everything changed now,” I say. “We have to think about her.”

“You would be,” she says. “You need to kill him so she isn’t affected.”

“She’ll want to work with us,” King says. “Once we have more information, we can make a plan.”

“Fine. Hopefully, Shade finds something soon.”

“Are you good with staying with Sally?” I ask.

“I’ll probably like her,” she says. “I won’t be a bitch to her. She showed up to lend support to your mate, and I can appreciate her dedication.”

“Sally is special to her,” King says. “She’s hilarious.”

“You don’t have the cops here wrapped around your finger. Don’t cause trouble,” I warn.

“I’m your mom. That’s something I should say to you.” We look at her until she cracks. “Alright,” she snaps. “I’ll be good. I’m not that wild.” We hold her gaze. “Okay.” She rolls her eyes. “I’ll do my best to be good.” She makes a cross on her chest. “Cross my heart.”

“We’ve heard that before,” King reminds her.

“I’ll mean it this time.” Her lips twitch.

“We trust you.” I throw my arm around her shoulder. “Sally is a wild one.”

“I can sense these things,” she says, leaning into my side. “This is a beautiful place. I suppose if you are going to leave me, this is a great place to be.”

“Mom,” King says, squeezing her hand. “We haven’t discussed moving here with her yet.”

“It’s good. She should be near her family and Saphy needs you here. You can bring her for a visit.”

“You could move here,” I suggest.

“Maybe. Let’s see how the night goes. I might be too much for this town,” she chuckles.

“You haven’t met the rest of her family yet,” King says dryly.

“Oh, that sounds promising.”

I turn her and guide her to the front of the house.

Our mom isn’t the typical mom.

How did this happen?

Sally is yelling, waving her hands in the air, telling a story to Mom. Saphira is watching her in amazement; the words are lost to me, but it must be shocking. Mom is rolling with laughter between them. Saylor is holding her pregnant belly, her head swinging back and forth between the two rabbits. Penny is shouting encouragement to Sally, egging her on, wanting all the details.

Saphira was cooking when we joined them, and what was supposed to be a quiet night with our mate turned into a small gathering. Mom helped her cook and asked about her brothers and that escalated to inviting them over. When Saph called them at her insistence, Elijah and Saylor were at their house, and she extended the invitation to them.

Bishop and Laken, along with Penny, brought dessert and the cheetahs with them.

Bishop is sitting beside Elijah in the kitchen, speaking with King. They seem to be getting along. I came outside to get some air and stood in the open front door, leaning on the cabin. I slide my thumb over the worn silver of my lighter as I watch them interact.

“Quite the show,” Laken rumbles behind me. He left to get something for Penny.

“It is. Saph is happy,” I mumble.

“Sally can entertain anyone,” he says.

“Even you?” I ask, turning my head.

“Sometimes.” His lips quirk. He holds my eyes. “She’s happy with you and your brother.”

“How can you tell?” I ask, moving to face him.

“She appears to be listening to the ridiculous story of Sally’s life, but she keeps looking at your brother,” he says, tilting his head. “And you.”

“We want to make her happy.” If she allows us to.

“Saph has lived hard.” He looks in the house. “I need to give this to Penny. When I come back, will you take a walk with me?”

“Of course.” I watch him walk to his mate, a hot pack in his hand. She smiles gently at the big dragon and lets him guide her back onto it. He kisses her and comes back outside. Laken is big and gruff, but with his mate, he becomes a different man.

“Her back aches because of the baby,” he explains as we leave the porch.

“Congratulations,” I say. “A dragon baby is a beautiful thing.” Dragons are rare, and we need more of our species in the world.

“Thank you.” We walk through the backyard, and I wait for him to speak. I don’t have a sister, but if I did, I would want to make sure the men she was with were good men. “You’ve had a hard life,” he states as we step into the forest.

“I have,” I say. “Kingston has, too.”

“I haven’t always been a good brother. I left Saph when she needed a family. I regret many things. Leaving her and Bishop is at the top of the list.” He stops and leans against a tree.

“You were eliminating a threat,” I say, copying his stance on the opposite tree.

“Saph has opened up about our life,” he guesses, and I nod. “That’s good.” He looks into the dark. “I thought I was doing the right thing. Killing the men responsible for our parents’ death was vital, but I could have included my family in the decision and not spent years away from them. Saph has denied many times that it affected her in a bad way. She has lied.” He meets my eyes. “Bad or indifferent, it affected her. She lost her parents, even though she doesn’t remember them. She had never had a home until we moved here. I think she needs stability and love now more than ever.”

“She will have it,” I reply.

“I hope so,” he says softly. “Are you planning to move back home?”

“We haven’t talked about it with her,” I say softly. “We should make the decision together, but I think Saphira needs to be here.” This is the first real home she’s had. I don’t want to uproot her again.

“Your mom is a great woman. Are you prepared to leave the life you’ve built together?”

“I love her.” It’s my turn to look away from his piercing eyes. “She saved us and has continued to save us every day since. Our place is with our mate. If our mom doesn’t want to move here, we can travel to her often.”

“Sally would love having another rabbit around,” he chuckles.

“This town won’t know what to do with them,” I say.

“I understand living a life of solitude,” he says, and I look at him sharply. He nods at the lighter I didn’t realize I was still holding in my hand. “Being around people again can be shocking.”

“Yes,” I whisper.

“We are family now,” he states. “I am grateful she is mated to dragons. I can be unsociable and too blunt. My mate has changed my life. For her, being in the middle of this crew is worth it. I’m still an asshole half of the time, but as much as I hate to admit it, the family has grown on me. They will for you, too.” He smiles. “Coming to this town, leaving my cave, gave me more than I expected.”

“It is a shock.” I shake my head. “I will be whatever she needs me to be.”

“You don’t understand,” he says, leaning forward. “She will allow you to be yourself and love you in spite of it.” He pushes off the tree. “Saph has her demons, same as you, your brother, and all of us. You need to accept yours and tell her your burdens. She is strong and will help you carry the load.”

“What if it’s too much?” I ask, crossing my arms.

“I asked myself the same question.” He steps away, walking backward. “Is baring your soul worth it if you get her in return?”

“Yes,” I say, having no doubt.

“Good answer.” He pauses and looks over his shoulder. “I live every day in bliss, knowing Penny is mine. I have everything I could possibly want because of her. My wish now is for my sister to have the same. As much as it makes me uncomfortable seeing her want you both, I would never interfere in her chance at happiness.” He turns, leaving me. “You’ve gained several new brothers and sisters. Don’t fuck it up,” he says over his shoulder.

I rub my neck and can’t help but respect every word he said. Do I think I am worthy of Saphira’s love? Fuck no. Will I give her up because I’m lacking? Fuck no. Being around everyone is unnerving and hurts my ears. King is the same, but he hides it better.

I hear her steps and smell her sweet scent before I see her. Her presence calms my fears. I wait for her to join me, taking in her beautiful features, and she still astounds me, just like the first time I saw her.

“Are you okay?” she asks.

“Yes,” I reply when she steps close.

“Laken didn’t upset you, did he?” She wrinkles her nose, ready to do battle on my behalf.

“No. He welcomed me to the family.” I smile as her eyes narrow.

“That doesn’t sound like him,” she mutters.

“He did it in his way.” I trail my finger down her nose. “He encouraged me to be good to you.”

“That sounds like him,” she snorts.

“He has a lot of guilt.” Her face softens. “He’s making up for the time he thinks he wasted.”

“He’s always done what he thought was right. I understand his actions.”

“Don’t worry. He loves you.”

“I love him too,” she sighs. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I deny.

“Mav,” she says, cupping her hand over my hand that holds the lighter. “I have noticed you hold it. Will you tell me about it?” I look down.

“It was my dad’s.” I pull my hand away but grab her with my other. I sit at the base of a tree, and she follows. “He thought it was funny to carry a lighter around when his chest was full of fire if he decided to use it. He liked the sound it made. I often saw him staring at the flame.”

“He gave it to you?” she asks, turning, resting her bent legs against my thigh.

“No.” I swallow and stare at it. “When they were dragging us away, I saw his body, and it was beside him. He must have had it when they attacked. I grabbed it without them noticing. It was covered in blood. I wanted something to remember him by, even if it was stained forever red.” I flip the lid. “He was larger than life. His voice was deep but loud. My mom would scold him at least five times a day for the dirty jokes he told.” I smile sadly. “She didn’t think it was appropriate for a young boy to hear them. I thought he was a king. When I wasn’t with Kingston, I followed my dad everywhere. I wanted to be just like him. My mom would often make remarks, wishing she could get some of the love. At the time, I thought she was joking, but with time, I think she was a little jealous that I idolized him. I regret not spending more time with her. I loved her, and she deserved more.”

“No,” Saph says, cupping the side of my neck. “I’m sure she understood. You were a young boy. Of course, you wanted to be like your dad.” She slides her hand down my chest, pressing against my heart. “She wouldn’t want you to live with guilt.”

I cover her hand. “I know she wouldn’t. All I knew was that I loved them and thought my dad was cool as shit.” I pull her hand, and she lands on my chest. She tucks her head under my chin and wraps her arm around my waist. “I wish I could remember them happy, but all I see is their pain at the end.”

“I can’t imagine,” she whispers. “Sometimes, I think I’m lucky. I didn’t see their deaths as Laken did. I don’t remember having them.”

“I try to think about the good times, and I am grateful I had as many years as I did. I also think it would have been easier not to remember them,” I admit.

“Aren’t we the pair,” she says. “You wish you had what I did.” She squeezes my side. “Be grateful, Mav. They loved you. When those thoughts push in, think of how it would feel to not know where you came from.”

“You’re right.” I rub my face over her hair. “The pain never goes away. It gets easier, but there is still a hole in my heart from their absence. Mom did everything possible to fill it. I don’t like thinking about them because it seems like an insult to all she’s done for us.”

“I haven’t known Roxanne long, but I can say for certain she would be pissed to hear that,” she says. “She is not the kind of woman to be angry over your love for your parents.”

“She isn’t,” I agree. “She hasn’t done anything to make me think she would. There my feelings, not hers.”

“Love them, Mav,” she says. “Love the moments you had. They wouldn’t want you to remember them as they died. Love Roxanne for everything she gave you afterward. I know your parents would be so grateful to her.”

“I think they would like her,” I say softly. “Do you think I should get rid of the lighter?” The thought of it makes me nervous.

“I would never say that,” she assures me. “It was your dad’s, and you have good memories attached to it. I don’t care if you like to hold it. If it helps you, keep it. I was curious about the meaning behind it, that’s all. We all have things that help us, and it’s not wrong.”

“I can’t part with it,” I decide, rubbing the top.

“Then don’t.”

“Simple as that,” I mutter.

“Yes.”

“Thanks, baby.” I kiss her head.

“Mav, if the noise ever gets to be too much, I will come out here with you. We can sit under this tree. We don’t have to talk, just enjoy the silence.” She tilts her head back, and I look down. “If you want to be by yourself, it’s alright. I won’t be hurt. I need the quiet, too.”

“You are everything I ever wanted,” I whisper.

“Mav.”

“I have a ball of need in the pit of my stomach. Sometimes, I think you are too beautiful to touch, and my hands are dirty. I don’t want to leave my dirt on you. Other times, I think I may explode if I’m not close to you, touching your skin.” She opens her mouth to speak, and I press my thumb against her lips. “I’m too selfish to walk away. Everything Mom gave me growing up, I would hoard. I wouldn’t even let Kingston play with any of my things. I drove him nuts. They were mine, and everything else was taken away from me. It’s odd that I am thrilled to share you with him. He needs you, your love, and your gentleness. We love the wild inside of you. I want to nurture it and help it grow; it matches ours. We are two men who hold everything inside; we don’t share our feelings openly, but they run deep.” She sits up, and my hand drops.

“You aren’t dirty,” she says roughly. “I want your hands all over me. I’m drawn to both of you. I have been all over the world, have seen the most beautiful places, eaten the most delicious food, and met interesting people. Nothing compares to being here with you and King. You make me feel everything. I don’t give a shit what you have done or any of the things you think will make me deny you. I have needed some time to adjust, but don’t take that as me not wanting you. The heat is constantly burning in my stomach, pushing me to complete the bond. I would follow you if you left.”

“Fuck, baby,” I growl, yanking on her neck. “I want you so fucking bad.” I kiss her, and she groans. Kissing her is an experience. Her lips are plump, red, and open easily under mine. She leans heavily against my chest, giving herself to my care. I have wanted a woman to let me guide her and pleasure her in the way I want. I have no problem with her taking the initiative if she’s in the mood, but after, I want to take control.

I break away as I hear King getting close.

“Sorry to interrupt,” he says, and Saph tilts her head back, dazed. “I’m going to settle Mom at Sally’s. Make sure she has everything she needs.”

“Kingston, you don’t have to,” Saph says.

“Firefly, I want to.” He traces her jaw. “I’ll be back in a couple of hours. When I get back, you can snuggle up to me in bed and make me forget the hours I spent wrangling Mom and Sally.” He grins and nods at me before walking away.

“Hey,” I call, touching her chin. “What’s wrong?”

“He’s not mad we were out here without him?” she asks.

“Baby, he’s all good. We know we don’t always have to be together.” I lift her with me as I stand. “You’ve seen your brothers with Penny. They aren’t jealous.”

“I know. I’ve heard about matings and multiple mates. I know how it works, and I’ve seen it. I guess it’s just a natural reaction.” She lifts a shoulder. “I don’t want to do anything to cause a rift between you.”

“You never could. We have talked about it and have voiced fears to each other. We are on the same page. Even though we will share you, I will have a different relationship with you than he has. We are different men with our own needs. I’m glad he will be with you if I can’t, and he feels the same.”

“Good. I’ve never been with two men at once, so even though it’s normal for shifters, it’s still different for me.”

“I understand.” I slide my arm around her waist and start walking. “It’s late. Are you tired?”

“No,” she says quickly and then bites her lip. I hide my smirk.

“Let’s get comfortable, and we’ll see if you want to go to bed.”

She is quiet until we step on the porch.

“I’m not sleepy,” she states. “I want to play.” She moves quickly into the house.

I’m not going to argue.