Page 42 of Dragon Rivals of New York

He doesn’t respond. I must have waited too long to answer, and he fell asleep. Cautiously, I move closer to Sora and wrap my arm around both her and Kyro. I’m not sure if he’s awake or not, but before I doze off, he slings his arm over me as well.

Chapter 20

Sora

“MissSora?”Alittlegirl in pigtails comes up to stand next to my desk.

I should start having them call me by my last name, but when I started here eight months ago, I still hadn’t changed it, and I couldn’t bear to hear my ex husband’s name every time a student addressed me.

“Yes, Madeleine?”

“There’s a strange man standing by the gate.”

I stop myself from cursing just in time. “Thank you for telling me, Madeleine.”

The students are all supposed to be working on an alphabet tracing page, but a few boys are goofing off in the back, so I stop at their desks before making my way to thewindow.

I told Jethro and Kyro I couldn’t take the time off work, but really, I needed some space after everything that happened this weekend. When I woke up at the sex club, Kyro showed us a pocket door that led to a little bathroom. Jethro showered with me, washing my hair again, while Kyro disappeared for a bit. When he came back, he was clean and dressed.

By that time, it was two in the morning. I was still a little shaky and more than a little overwhelmed, so I told them I wanted to sleep in my own bed and go to work today. I needed the normality. But I agreed to have Kyro pick me up after work, since it’s his day with me, according to the ridiculous schedule they worked out.

Is that how it’ll be if we all three mate? Would I just be passed back and forth between them, splitting my days and my heart? Separate lives with the occasional threesome? That’s not what I want.

“Miss Sora?” Another student grabs my attention as I walk past, and I stop to get them a fresh paper, since they pressed too hard when erasing and tore through the sheet.

When I finally make it to the window, I’m surprised to see a man I don’t recognize rather than Kyro waiting for me. There’s something about him that sets me on edge, a casualness that beguiles power. I can’t say how I can tell, but I know he’s a dragon.

His eyes catch mine and the look he gives me sends a chill through my blood.

Calmly, I walk back to my desk, dig my phone out of the drawer where I keep my personal things, and call Kyro.

“Keep working on your tracing,” I say to my class as it rings. “I’m just going to be in the hall for a minute.” There are windows on the doors, so I can still see in and keep an eye on them.

I should probably call the principal instead, but if I’m right, and that man is a dragon, Kyro and Jethro might be better fit to handle it. He picks up on the first ring, which is when I realize he’s going to be all the way in New Jersey and I should have called Jethro.

“Ara’ha? What’s wrong? Aren’t you at work?”

“Yeah, I am. It’s just…” How do I say this without sounding paranoid? “There’s a man outside staring at my window. He’s been there long enough to freak out one of the kids and—”

“I’m on my way.”

“You don’t have to do that. I’m probably overreacting.” Manny would tell me I’m being irrational again.

Silence.

I pull the phone away from my ear and realize the callended. He must have hung up. I should still tell the principal, but I hesitate and walk back to the window. A minute later, Kyro is strolling around the side of the building. He must not have been in New Jersey after all. That makes me smile. I like that he wanted to be close to me, but also still gave me the space I asked for.

He pauses when he sees the man, gaze narrowing. They talk for a few minutes and then the man leaves. But not before casting one last glance at me with a menacing look in his eyes.

A little hand tugs on my blouse. “Is it time to go home yet?”

“Not yet, Liam. How about you show me your paper?” I guide him back to his desk.

After gathering all the students’ papers and getting them in a circle for story time, there’s a knock at the door. It opens a moment later, revealing Mr. Renalds, the security guard from the front desk, and Kyro.

“Man here said he was givin’ a presentation to the class today, but you didn’t have any guests on the schedule.” Mr. Renalds keeps his hand on the doorknob. “You know him?”

“Yes, um, yes. He’s going to tell the kids about…” Shit. What kind of expertise does Kyro have? He runs a sex club, which he clearly can’t talk about. “Um…”

---