Page 11 of The Misplaced Warrior

Jack laughed. “Good, I’ve never been able to stand him. I was pissed when he became leader. But the others just suck up to him and follow his rule blindly. It was so refreshing when you showed up and started standing up to him.”

“Thanks for that…” Gen hesitated, truly conflicted in that moment. She knew what her heart wanted, but her head was telling her something different. “Jack, I really like you?—”

“Great!” he cheered, stepping forward. “I like you too…like bad. What side of the bed do you want?”

She couldn’t help but laugh, feeling the heat in her chest blossoming. A guy had never made her feel this way, and many had tried. But Jack was different. He was pure but with an edge that made him irresistible.

Unlike the men from the fifteenth century, he had a timeless class about him. He was neither too stuffy nor too rebellious. Gen thought that when she looked at him, she saw a legend in the making and she never wanted to look away—afraid she’d miss something brilliant, which was invariably coming. However, Gen’s mind wouldn’t stop shouting over the messages from her heart.

“I think that because I’m such an anomaly, I might be a bit more intriguing?—”

“You think I like you because you came from the medieval era,” he interrupted, giving her a look that said, “That’s absurd.”

“Well, it goes to reason,” Gen stated, a bit sheepishly.

“You are different because you’re from another time,” he stated. “You’re better because you can adapt too. I don’t know any woman in this age that would survive if the reverse happened to them. I’ll tell you, that no girl out there is like you—not in LA, not in the US, not in the world. But also, not in any other time period either. You’re something special Gen. That’s why you bonded to the ruler of dragons. How could I not make my case to a girl like that?”

“Wow,” she said in a hush. “Thank you, but maybe you don’t know me well enough. Maybe I’m just a mirage.”

“Do you have some lord or earl in the past you’re hung up on?” he asked, seeming to be half joking and half serious.

She shook her head. “No, I’ve always kept my head down and been focused on my role as Warrior. Nothing ever stole my attention…until you.”

“Really?” he asked, a pleased grin on his face.

“Yes,” she affirmed. “But I’m just not ready for anything. My life is very…complicated right now. And I’m trying to figure things out.”

He nodded, holding up his hands like in surrender. “Fair enough. You’ve got to explore this world and see what else is out there.”

“Jack, I don’t need to see what else is out there…” She wanted to say that she had and her father had arranged many potential suitors for Gen. None made her feel the way that this guy did. But instead, she just let her words trail away, not able to settle the battle between her heart and head.

“I’ll keep asking because I don’t give up when I find someone worth fighting for,” Jack continued. “I just hope you don’t leave it until the last dance to finally take my hand. I know that you’re better than anyone. I just hope you conclude the same about me.”

CHAPTER NINE

SWEET DEALS AND SHARP BLADES

The Crying Cat Bakery, Roya Lane, London, England, United Kingdom

Fortunately the next tasks required Gen to change the subject, easing the tension building between her and Jack. Before they went into The Crying Cat Bakery to get the sword that Subner had told them about, Gen needed to give Jack a heads up about Lee. Quickly, she explained about the assassin baker and what they should expect inside the bakery.

At first, Jack was skeptical, saying that the Rogue Riders didn’t allow murder. But then Gen explained that from what she’d heard about Lee, she only went after really awful people who were the scum of the earth. She was her own Rogue Rider of sorts, just without a dragon.

Gen was surprised when the door to The Crying Cat Bakery didn’t open, like it was locked. She glanced at the “Open” sign on the front of the door and then back at Jack. He was also wearing a confused expression.

“Bakeries are usually open for business at this time of day,” he offered, pointing. “And there’s someone in there.”

Gen peered through the glass on the door, seeing Lee standing on the other side of the door, just in front of the bakery cases. The woman had an annoyed expression on her face. Gen knocked on the door, pointing down at the door handle, motioning for Lee to unlock it.

The assassin baker seemed to consider this for a moment. Finally, after a long moment of deliberation, she huffed, striding over and unlocking the door. Lee only pulled it back a few inches, putting her face in front of it.

“What do you want?” Lee asked tersely.

“How about a pastry?” Jack quipped before Gen could reply.

“We’re all out,” Lee replied.

Jack chuckled, pointing to the case full of an assortment of baked goods. “What are those then?”

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