Not like he knew anything about that emotion. But, he did understand the deep-seated need for connection. He’d sought it with her. Only to be used, but still. He played a part in her story and she in his.
“I need him to get me into hell and back first.”
Portia raised an eyebrow. “I can’t believe you’re going to trust him.”
“I’m not. But, I don’t have another choice. He’ll get me down to Azynsa or every gold dragon from here to eternity will hunt him down.”
“It’s your ass.”
There were a lot more asses on the line that just his. “You’ve fulfilled your debt to me. You can leave if you want.”
“What? You said I could stay if I got Jett for you.”
“You can. My warriors are prepared to protect and provide for you as long as you need. They’re out on the training field battling for your favor as we speak.”
Portia glanced toward the covered window and frowned. “Don’t they all hate me for what I did to you?”
“Some do. But, it’s not in the gold dragon nature to hold a grudge. Besides, I believe the power of your allure is back. I still don’t feel it, but Gris and Zon have been beating the others back all morning. Which is why I asked them to organize the tournament.”
Portia pulled the letter opener from the back of her pants and set the tip, which had been sharpened, directly over his heart. “So, you’re just giving me to the winner?”
The door to the office swung open and Gris stared long and hard at Portia’s defensive stance before saying anything. The man had a sixth sense when it came to this woman. “Sir?”
“Good timing.” Cage used the distraction to disarm Portia. “The team has the rogue and are on their way back in. Please escort our guest to wherever she chooses to go and inform the warriors the tournament is off. She doesn’t not wish to…utilize their services.”
Gris nodded, but not at Cage. Was that relief on his face? Couldn’t blame him. Baby-sitting wasn’t exactly in his job description.
Portia looked between the two of them. “I didn’t say that. They can fight for me or whatever.”
Gris growled quiet and low. “It’s your choice, succubus.”
Maybe Gris wasn’t the right dragon to watch over Portia in Cage’s absence. He had some serious hate going on for her. Zon might be better for this particular chore.
One more thing to add to his to do list for the next few hours as he prepared to go to Africa. If he was going to trust Gris to take over the Wyr, it was now or never.
“I’ve got a lot to do before I leave tonight. You two work it out. I’ve got my guide and one way or another, will be in hell by tonight.”
Gris glared at Portia to hide his concern, unsuccessfully, but he tried. “Yes, sir.”
The two left biting at each other with words and growls and glares. They were either going to kill each other or end up in bed together.
Within the hour his team had Jett wrestled into the red dragon’s guest suite, and chained to the wall. Yes, the red dragons were kinky bastards. That particular attribute was about to come in handy.
Cage cleared the room when he entered, of course, under protest from the team. But, Jett wasn’t going anywhere. Those chains had been forged by the First Dragon himself. No one man, or dragon, could escape them.
He propped himself against the edge of the bed, crossing his legs as if this was a conversation about the weather, not his mate and every gold mate’s life out there.
“What will it take, rogue?”
Jett didn’t struggle against the chains. He did watch and wait. “I wondered when you’d quit hiding behind Portia’s skirts, as nice as the view of her plump ass is, it’s a wonder you came out at all.”
Maybe he should have brought Portia in to torture this asshole a bit.
“Yes, something we can agree on. You used her, she used me, now I get to use you.”
A puff of smoke drifted up from Jett’s nose. “What is you actually want, gold?”
“For you to name your price. Everyone has one.”