Page 24 of Hex and Scales

“Well, well.” Romi set the pizzas down and plucked out the card. “Someone’s got it bad. And by someone, I mean Mr. Tall, Hunky, and Breathing Fire.”

“That’s terrible.” Clover snorted, already opening wine bottles. “We can do better. What about Sultan of Smolder?”

“Ooh! His Majestic Hotness?” Romi contributed.

“The Inferno of Intensity?” Sabine suggested, then dissolved into giggles.

They settled into their usual spots—Sabine curled in her oversized armchair, Romi sprawled across a nest of floor cushions, and Clover cross-legged on the couch. The scent of pepperoni and herbs mingled with the rich aroma of the opened wine.

“His Majestic Hotness definitely has it bad though,” Clover said around a mouthful of supreme pizza. “Did you see how he practically morphed into your personal shield during that attack?”

Warmth crept up Sabine’s neck. “He was just being protective?—”

“Oh, honey.” Romi waved a slice of pizza for emphasis. “That man had you tucked against his side like you were precious cargo. Which was sexy as hell, by the way. Those arms? Damn.”

“The way he growled at Linus?” Clover fanned herself dramatically. “Pure alpha dragon energy.”

“It’s... not that simple.” Sabine traced the rim of her wine glass, watching the deep red liquid catch the light. “He’s been through so much. Lost so much. Sometimes when he looks at me, there’s this shadow in his eyes like he’s terrified of feeling anything again.”

“But?” Romi prompted softly.

“But then there are moments when that shadow lifts, and he looks at me like...” Sabine hugged her knees to her chest. “Like maybe I could help him remember how to be happy. I just want to show him it’s okay to open his heart again, you know?”

“Mmm.” Clover’s expression softened as she topped off their wine glasses. “But love isn’t a one-way street, sweetie. It’s not just about helping someone through their pain. You have to be willing to accept their love too.”

The words hit Sabine like a gentle thunderbolt. She’d been so focused on helping Ren heal that she hadn’t considered... “I guess I didn’t think he’d actually love me back. I was just ready to love him, whatever that meant.”

“Girl.” Romi lobbed a balled-up napkin at her head. “That dragon’s flames literally dance when you walk into a room. His whole body turns toward you like you’re magnetic north. And don’t even get me started on how his eyes go all molten gold whenever you smile. Trust me, he’s already halfway to completely gone over you.”

“You deserve that kind of love,” Clover added. “Just as much as he deserves yours.”

TWENTY-ONE

Sabine let that sink in, warmth spreading through her chest that had nothing to do with the wine. She’d been so caught up in wanting to heal Ren’s broken heart that she’d forgotten her own heart deserved cherishing too.

Three bottles of wine later, they sprawled across Sabine’s living room floor, surrounded by empty pizza boxes and chocolate wrappers. Romi had somehow ended up wearing one of Sabine’s decorative throw pillows as a hat.

“You know what?” Sabine announced to her ceiling fan. “Ren is really pretty. Like... criminally pretty. His jawline should be illegal.”

“Text him!” Romi fumbled for her phone. “I’m texting my mate. He needs to know how pretty he is too.”

“No, no, terrible idea...” But Sabine already had her phone out.

“Do it!” Clover had her own phone in hand. “I just told Rook his muscles have muscles. And that I want to bite them.”

“Oh my god.” Sabine dissolved into giggles. “What are we, fifteen?”

“Shh, I’m composing poetry.” Romi squinted at her screen. “Dear sexy mate, your eyes are like honey, and I want to lick?—”

“NO!” Clover and Sabine shouted together, then collapsed laughing.

“Fine, fine. But Sabine needs to text His Majestic Hotness. It’s like, a rule.”

Sabine’s fingers flew across the screen before her common sense could object:I miss youuuu

“More!” Romi encouraged. “Tell him about his arms!”

You’re so hot it should be illegal. Those shirts you wear? Criminal. I keep wanting to peel them off you slowly...

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