Page 23 of The Mating Claim

“Bring a tall cold one for my friend,” he said, his speech slurry. “And a plate of spicytacos.”

Maybe the fates would be kind and Mike wouldn’t recognize her with her hair tied back. But his gaze sharpened onher.

“Lacey McGuire. How the mighty have fallen from the sky,” he taunted. “Look at you, slinging tacos. I thought you were such a bigbusinesswoman.”

Lacey summoned her most courteous smile. “What kind of beer would youlike?”

He rattled off his order, his gaze gleaming. “Hurry up. I have a hot date in anhour.”

Couldn’t be that hot. She pitied the poor woman he planned to takeout.

When she returned with the plate of tacos and a tall mug of beer, Lacey felt Drust’s gaze burning into her back. Flustered, she nearly spilled the beer, but recovered in time. Mike stared at her breasts and licked hislips.

“I expect a lot from those who serve me. You need to meet my needs,Lacey.”

Tempted to dump the tacos into his lap, she only smiled. “Anythingelse?”

Not because she couldn’t handle him, but because she didn’t want a scene. And damnit, she needed those tips, especially now that Drust had scared away all the othertables.

Mike pointed to his dish. “Yeah, I have a problem. Look atthis.”

But when she approached his chair, he suddenly turned around and clapped a hand on her ass, squeezing hard. Startled by the brief pain, she yelped and jumpedback.

Lacey’s hand curled into a fist, ready to deck the jerk. But suddenly there was a cold breeze and an infuriated man standing by Mike’schair.

No, not a man. A wizard. A really pissed offone.

“You dare to touch her?” Drustroared.

“Yeah, why not?” Stupid Mike obviously did not know who Drust was. “Not that it does any good, my friend. I know. I’ve gone out withher.”

She backed off, slowly. This was so not good. Maybe she should fetchTommy…

A crowd started to gather, watching with interest. Though many dragons had fled, there were still enough shifters left who did not know Drust nor fear him, who wanted to see theshow.

Tommy was counting receipts in the office when she ran inside. “Tommy, fight outside. Hurry,” sheyelled.

Not wasting time to see if he followed, she bolted for the patio. By now the crowd had grown larger, but from the steps leading down to the deck she saw a panicked Mike pick up a steakknife.

And plunge it directly into Drust’s side. The crowd gasped. Chairs toppled backward as the other dragons at Mike’s table rushed for the exit, their plates of half-eaten food abandoned, along with their pitchers ofbeer.

They knew who Drust was, and didn’t want to turn into dragon shishkebob.

Lacey didn’t give a damn about them or the tips racing out the doorway. She’d seen that knife and it was wicked sharp. Her thoughts centered on Drust, the knife sticking out of his side. The wizard stood there, arms folded, regardingMike.

Maybe he was contemplating how to turn Mike into a dragon taco, but she didn’tcare.

Lacey pushed through the crowd to reach Drust’sside.

Drust pulled free the knife and it clattered to the floor. Cobalt blue blood coated the blade. Dimly she thought it ironic how the dragon wizard was living proof of his aristocratic lineage with blueblood.

Spotting her, the wizard turned. “Lacey. Are you injured? Did this cad hurtyou?”

“Forget him,” she snapped. Lacey rushed over to him, probing his side. “Are you all right? That asshole stabbed you with aknife!”

Drust remained still as she squatted down and examined his wound. She frowned. No evidence of any stab wound, except for the cut in his tunic. No blood, either, but for the liquid on the knife. As she glanced at the weapon, that blood vanished aswell.

Troubled, she glanced up. Drust’s expression remained inscrutable, but his eyes, oh his eyes, they burned withemotion.