Page 134 of Javier

Dagger glanced at me but kept ambling along the edge of the garden. “Are we talking about prescient dreams?”

“Is that what they’re called?” I asked. “I had no clue that shit like that really happened.”

“They’re also called precognitive dreams.” Omega frowned. “You might wanna look it up. Was this the first time she had one of them?”

“No,” I said. “When she first mentioned her dreams, it didn’t click, but now…”

“Now you’re not discounting the possibility that thesedreams can be premonitions.”

“Yes and no,” I said as he stopped to look at a boot print which ended up being mine. “In this particular dream, she saw six snakes instead of five, but the rest of the dream was exactly as it happened. What do you make of that?”

“Let me tell you something.” He moved toward the manicured path. “Astor women defy logical explanation. When they speak, I listen. They’re also fierce, generous, and loyal. They love with all their being. Do you understand how rare that is?”

“I do.” We headed toward the suite’s front door. “Missy is…” I realized I had no words to express the emotions trapped in my chest. “She’s become the center of my world.”

“Love ain’t easy, Guzman.” Dagger paused at the bottom of the stairs and planted his cane. “A guy has to grow up fast to understand what it means.”

“No kidding,” I said as he climbed the stairs while I waited where I stood. “I really wanna be there for her, although…”

Dash tested the door to make sure it was locked then cocked his eyebrows. “Although?”

“I’m afraid I’m not good enough for her.” There. I’d said it.

“Fucking obvious.” He marched down the steps, leaving me behind. “You aren’t.”

Another punch to the face would’ve hurt less.

“Don’t take it personally.” He turned and faced me. “Or do take it as a personal challenge if it helps. In my eyes, nobody is good enough for Missy, will never be good enough for her. Hell, I’m not good enough for Thena and yet she loves me.” He shrugged. “Go figure.”

“I ain’t like you,” I said. “I don’t got loads of money or tons of class like you do. I’m not an officer and I wasn’t educated at the best schools. I’m not called Legend behind my back. Mytrack record sucks and then there’s my history with Nix.”

Dagger’s gaze fell on me. “Have you told her?”

“She dreamed of him.” I was still mulling that one over. “She knew what went down that day between Nix and I. She knew what he said to me, even before we talked about it.”

Dash didn’t even blink. His silence was more telling than words.

“You’re not shocked as hell?”

“If I hadn’t known her brother and her mother, I wouldn’t believe you,” he offered tentatively.

“After she shared what she saw in her dreams, I told her everything I remembered. She said she ‘felt’ her brother in the dream.”

“She’s an Astor.” Dash allowed for a small shrug. “I don’t pretend to understand how they tick, but I believe her. Was she able to answer your questions or tell you anything new?”

“No.” I sighed. “I’ve got so many black holes in my memories.”

“Believe me, I get it.” Dagger’s gaze clouded, reminding me that, he, too, struggled with his recollections of that shitty day. “You were hit and out of it, but I’m glad you’ve come clean with Missy. When you’re with an Astor woman, honesty is your only hope.”

“Yeah.” I blew out a breath. “Hard to keep secrets when you’re hanging out with a woman who dreams them.”

“After hashing out what happened with Nix, does she still wanna be with you?”

“She hasn’t said she doesn’t.” I lifted my shoulders. “But what do I have to offer Missy?”

“Beats me, but feel free to tell me.” Spotting King and Ferranti on the roof, he called out. “Anything?”

“The suite is secure,” King returned.

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