Page 60 of Firedrake Betrayal
I slide my palm around the nape of Jade’s neck. “He hurt you. Of course, I went to fucking kill the old goat.”
“Ah, romance,” Da chokes out.
“Shut up before I kill you,” I threaten him before refocusing on Jade.
“He’s your father,” she says softly.
“He’s a piece of shit who only ever helped himself, is what he is.” Then I kiss her. “I’d like to get back to that killing now.”
“After he tells us something we don’t know. Let him go, Isaiah. And you, Almeth.” Shep points at the dining table. “Sit. Start talking.”
“I came to help,” my da says, massaging his throat when Isaiah releases him. “No need to treat me like I’m a criminal.”
“Then you can help by sitting your ass down and telling us everything you know.” I round the couch and stalk toward the dining table.
I’d hoped Jade would stay where she was, away from Da, and where it’s safe, but she follows.
Da has a greedy look in his eyes as he moves to the table. As soon as he sits down, and Jade approaches, her blue ribbon friend appears, slowly circling her right wrist.
Da eyes the thing and sits back in his seat.
Jade is coming into her powers, and Da knows it. He won’t try to slip into her dreams and feed on her again if he wants to survive. Unless he’s stupid. But he’s greedy, and his eyes have always been bigger than his stomach.
“Talk.” Wood scrapes across hardwood floors as Shep drops into the seat beside Da, taking the last seat at the table. There are only four chairs, so the dragon remains where he is, and Isaiah stands behind Da.
Da peers over his shoulder at Isaiah. “Can a man get a drink around here?”
Isaiah shows him his fangs.
Da turns back to the table. “You could have just said no,” he mutters, crossing his arms.
I jab a finger at him. “That collector knew about Jade. You had something to do with it.”
Da bristles. “I did not?—”
“You’re sitting in a room where everyone has a reason for wanting you dead. I’d start talking if I were you,” Shep demands.
Da clears his throat. “Can I at least get some water?”
A bright orange flame ignites the collar of his white button-down shirt. Da yelps as he bats it out.
Dominik lifts a brow. “Or I can set you on fire? What will it be?”
I stifle my jealousy at his fire ability, missing my own. It’s been too long since I handled flame. Too fucking long.
Da finishes putting out the fire Dominik started on his shirt collar. “I might have been doing a little bit of work in Chicago.”
“What work?” I demand.
“I picked up a jewel on my travels and heard about a man who could give me a good price for it,” Da says.
Why do I think ‘picked up a jewel on his travels’ means out of someone’s pocket and into his?
I briefly meet Shep’s eyes. Nigel, the jewel trader and the man who had Jade stuffed in his attic. Coincidence, or was there more at work here that Da is keeping from us?
“You heard about Jade?” I ask.
Da shakes his head. “Just the jewels. He let slip something that made me wonder. I had a bit of trouble at the same time. A collector was breathing down my back, wanting something I’d promised him but couldn’t deliver.”
