Page 45 of Ditching the Dragon (Fated Dates)

She was relieved, genuinely relieved, I’m sure of it. She wants to come home. She only needs reassurance.

I used to think her life would be a subpart of mine. She could work for a while. If she needed to be out in the world, I could handle that—with the right security detail.

When she first ran, I decided she didn’t need any of that. She needed to be saved from herself.

And yet, for whatever the fuck reason, I am proud of her right now.

She’d kept me at bay for two weeks before Violet led me right to her. Points to her friend—she never betrayed her. She’s simply not as meticulous as my mate is at disappearing.

The friend in question makes it to the cafe’s glass door, pauses to look over her shoulder in every direction except mine, and enters the shop. She beelines straight to the back.

The two hug, and Violet passes Annie a thick envelope. Annie’s eyes tear up. They hug again, longer this time, and it prompts the most unwelcome agony.

She hates this. Running from me. Having to run from me.

I’ve done everything I can to keep Annie protected during her romp around the city. I even paid to have her laundry done, for fuck’s sake.

I can’t take it anymore. I’ve given her as much freedom as I can handle without going fucking feral.

It’s time to end this. For us both.

She’ll move again. She already checked out of the last hotel.

No, I’ll give her one more day.

One more chance to change her mind on her own.

And then, she’s coming home with me, whether she likes it or not.

Annie

The day crawls by. There’s only a few hours between checking out of the hotel, meeting Violet for the final cash influx, and then making my way to the neighborhood of the new hotel.

I stop at an ATM to deposit the last of my cash onto the card. I’ve never stayed at the Armande, but the online reviews look nice.

I can’t go somewhere I’ve been before. I don’t know how Wick found me, but he’s probably furious.

A cafe is probably safer than being out in public, but it all seems so exposed regardless. The glass and passing pedestrians leave anxious jitters in their wake.

He can’t know where I am. I disappeared. He didn’t follow me last night.

Maybe it’s guilt. Maybe its straight paranoia.

But I feel like he’s watching me.

For weeks, it’s felt like he was always around the next corner. The last week or so, I could have sworn he’d been with me every step.

It’s probably wishful thinking. My stupid heart wants my string of luck to be his doing. Or fault.

More likely, having everything torn away—my perfectly predictable life full of projects I worry about and a best friend I miss—is taking more of a toll than I’d originally considered. Itmight not seem like much to some, but it was what I wanted it to be.

Shuffling to my feet, I leave the cafe to wander in the neighborhood. There’s a cute little park across the street. I perch on a bench to sip my coffee. It’ll be cold weather soon, but the day is sunny and breezy.

Kids play on a playground. They chase each other, giggle with unbridled glee, and throw themselves down the slides at a speed that gives even me a heart attack.

I’ve always wanted a family. The idea I’d have that with Wick bubbles up the strangest miasma of emotions. I don’t even know how that could be possible with a dragon. I am not equipped to lay eggs.

My mind wanders into a biological analysis to avoid contending with an emotional response to the idea.

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