Page 118 of The Dragon's Mate

The icy smile turned a few degrees colder.“We need to speak about tomorrow. I’ve spoken to the captain of your precinctand he’s agreed to give you a few hours off from work to join me.”

Bren’s brows creased. “What are youtalking about?”

Annoyance flashed across his father’sface. “Do you even look at your email, Bren? I had Theresa send you the emailon Friday.”

“I was busy with my job,” Bren said. “Ifyou have something you need to discuss with me, you could try reaching outyourself instead of having your assistant email me.”

“If you responded to my texts, I might,” Robertsaid. “The charity luncheon is tomorrow. It starts at eleven thirty and goes untilthree. Wear a suit.”

“I’m not going,” Bren said.

“I need your support on this one,” Robertsaid. “I’m making the announcement about introducing the bill to the Senate.I want my family with me.”

Kaida’s stomach dropped as Bren said, “You’reactually doing it. You’re putting forward that ridiculous bill.”

“It isn’t ridiculous,” Robert said. “It’sa necessary step to protect humans from the paranormal.”

“Forcing the paranormals to be tagged likeanimals and registering on a list isn’t protecting humans,” Bren said. “Thereis no point to this bill, and you won’t get it passed. There are paranormals inthe Senate for God’s sake. They’ll never vote for it.”

“I don’t need them to,” Robert said. “Boththe House and the Senate have more humans than paranormals.”

Bren scoffed. “It still won’t work. Hell,it won’t even make it past the subcommittee and you know it. You’ll never haveit passed into law, Dad. Stop wasting your time.”

Bren’s father’s face was a deep dark red thatmade Kaida think of wine that had long gone sour. “You’re wrong, Bren. Thediscovery that dragons exist has made humans nervous.”

“What’s the big deal?” Tyler looked up fromhis cell phone. “I think dragons are cool and so does everyone else at my school.”His gaze drifted briefly to Kaida before returning to his dad. “They’re, like,super chill.”

“You have no idea what they’re like, Tyler,”Robert said. “They’re dangerous. They’re monsters who are a danger to thevery fabric of our society. The fact that they lied about their existencespeaks volume about their character. They need to be monitored and controlled forour safety.”

“Maybe they didn’t say anything because ofpeople like you,” Tyler said. “Besides, they’re not dangerous.”

“See if you’re still saying that when theyburn everything you love,” his father snapped.

Tyler rolled his eyes and returned tolooking at his phone.

“This bill is important to me as is havingmy family there to support me when I make the announcement,” Robert said. “Youwill be there, Bren. You and Tyler both.”

“I can’t.” Tyler’s tone teetered onexasperation leaning toward outright disrespect. “Oh my God, I told you, like,how many times that I have a chemistry exam tomorrow afternoon. I can’t missit. It’s my hardest class.”

“You can do a make-up exam,” Robert said.

“No!” Tyler glared at him. “I’m notmissing the exam.”

“Is a chemistry exam really the hill youwant to die on?” his father snapped.

Tyler folded his arms across his chest. “Guessso.”

Robert’s cell phone rang, and he snatchedit from his pocket. “For God’s sake.” He jabbed at the answer button. “Theresa,what is it?”

He listened before muttering a curse andending the call without saying goodbye. “I need to go into the office. Bren,make sure you’re there by -”

“I’m not going.” Bren’s voice was low butfirm. “I don’t support the bill, nor do I support the HAPI group. They’redoing some illegal shit, Dad, and if you align yourselves with them -”

His father slammed his hand down on thekitchen table. “Enough, Bren! You know, just once it would be nice if one ofmy children would look past his own nose and support my efforts to fix this messthe world is in.”

“Paranormals don’t make the world a mess,”Bren said. “It’s the people who work for and volunteer with HAPI that arefucking everything up.”

“Your bleeding heart sentiments are gettingreally old,” Robert said. “Neither of you want to be there tomorrow? Fine,don’t be there. I don’t need my constituents seeing what utter failures both ofmy sons are. Tyler, let’s go.”

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