Page 36 of His To Claim

“The Dragon Man, why? Who’d you think I was talking about?” she asks, another teasing smile appearing on her face. She settles onto the couch across from me, not planning on leaving the room to let me finish getting ready.

“No one.”

“Riiiight,” she says, elongating the word. “Anyway, you know you don’t have to impress him, boy’s a goner. However, if there was anyone else, say a douchey self-righteous prick you’re trying to impress....”

“Cut the bullshit, Jade, what are you getting at?” I sneer pissed off.

“Well, Ace of course. Dude is a top-grade A-hole, but fine AF, and he’s got it bad for you.”

“Shut up, Jade. You’re talking out of your ass, sis.”

Walking away from her before I give my true feelings on the situation away, I grab my phone from the charging port and shove it into my pocket along with the tube of lipstick in case I need to reapply later.

“Scar, I’m telling you, he hasn’t been able to keep his eyes and hands off you since we got here. We all can see it. Why do you think Drake is extra possessive over you suddenly? Dragon’s worried the king is here to slay him and take the princess as his queen.”

“You’re out of your mind sis. Drake and I…”

She interrupts me before I can finish. “Have been screwing each other since the summer started.” I look over at her, shocked she’s aware of what’s been going on. “You guys ain’t fooling anyone. But he’s also never been so controlling in public. Until Ace came into the mix.”

I roll my eyes exasperated by her inquisition and observations that are clearly misleading. “Look, I don’t give a fuck if you thinkAce wants me or not. I’m with Drake and besides, even if I wasn’t, I’m not into the whole ‘holier than thou’ attitude Ace has going on.”

“So, you’re with Drake now. Like as in a couple?” she asks, overly excited.

“We haven’t out right said it but, I mean, I guess we will be after tonight.”

Jade’s hand comes up to her chest as she feigns to be shocked. “Scarlett Steele, are you gonna ask your Dragon Man to be yours?”

I can’t help laughing at her dramatics. I swear my dear sister could grow up to be some A-list Hollywood actress if she wanted it bad enough. “I guess it’s about time, isn’t it?” I say with a shrug.

It’sno surprise the party tonight is also down by the beach. Evidently, that’s the spot for most of the Servite Academy parties, other than a few the guys throw at Servite Manor, Ace’s family home.

After another half hour of waiting for everyone to be ready, we all walk down to the private beach together, but before walking onto the beach, I pull Drake to the side.

He’s dressed in dark jeans and a black long-sleeve shirt, the only visible tattoos are the ones snaking around his neck. Together we look like the perfect grunge-chic couple. His dark hair, still slightly wet and his green eyes more of an emerald color tonight mold perfectly with my raven locks and bright blue eyes.

Drake’s the only guy I know that can make face tattoos and piercings look sexy. His natural long, dark lashes have always made his eyes look like they’re lined with eyeliner and his plump lips would make any girl envious. All in all, he’s fucking gorgeous in a“I can fuck you really good”kind of way.

I lick my lips and realize I’m blatantly staring but he does thesame before grunting lightly and reaching his hand out to me, grabbing me by my waist and pulling me in.

“When you look at me like that, Scar,” he says, biting down on his lips. “It makes me wanna show the world you’re mine.”

“Then do it, Dragon Man,” I say breathily leaning in closer to him.

Drake looks at me slightly thrown off by my words. I’ve always been the one shooting him down, telling him I don’t want any kind of romantic relationship between us to get in the way of our friendship. Drake’s my best friend, my confidant, and his friends are my family. My people. I only have a select few. Jade, Kai, Jax, hell even Ruby. I don’t get close to people easily.

Blame it on my DNA and parental upbringing. No real father, an absent stepfather, an indifferent stepbrother, a psychotic mother. But with Drake things are different. I don’t want to jeopardize that, which is why I can’t fathom the reasoning behind my next words.

“I’ve always made it seem like a relationship between us would be wrong, dangerous. You’re my best friend, Drake. I’ve never wanted to risk ruining that over us getting together and it ending badly but I’m not sure if it’s the right thing to do anymore, or if I’ll end up regretting it but…”

He interrupts me before I can finish, placing his finger on my lips to stop me from talking. “You asking me to be your boyfriend, Scar?” he asks, a hopeful look in his eyes.

“Yeah, Dragon Man, I guess I am.”

He answers not with words but with his lips crashing down on mine. His lips are soft and his calloused hands running over my lower back send shivers up my spine. However, the moment’s cut short as we’re interrupted by not one, but all four of the Horsemen.

“Looks like the princess finally stepped out of her tower to play with the dragon,” Bass says, a little too proud of his clever pun as he comes around behind us.

I press my face into the crook of Drake’s neck not wanting to make eye contact with any of them, especially with a certain asshole who just a few days ago had me in this same compromising position.

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