Page 20 of Draco Family Duet

Leaning my back against the counter, I stuffed my hands in my pocket. “I think Maggie’s theone.”

“The one?” His browsrose.

I rubbed my mid-section where the strange feeling grew more pronounced by the hour. “Yeah. I’m thinking she might be made for me. There are all these little signs.” My voice cracked, the words practically stuck in my throat. Dragons were known for their courage and bravery. Now, I was neither brave nor courageous. The thought of Maggie being my mate had me both fearful and hopeful. After all, our one weakness was our mate. All these hundreds of years, I’d felt practically immortal. Maggie would changeeverything.

“Wouldn’t that be a good thing, sir? After all these years, you could have a family.” Fredo stopped working to give me his fullattention.

“I already have Mishal.” I shrugged as I tried to pretend finding my mate was no bigdeal.

“Yes, and he’s almost never around. When he is, you two bicker like children.” He rolled his eyes. “A happy home filled with the pitter-patter of tiny feet could be a nicechange.”

“Maggie does have small feet,” I mused while scratching mychin.

Fredo shook his head. “That’s not what Imeant.”

“Oh, I know what you meant,” Igrumbled.

“Then you know the importance of continuing your blood line. And if Maggie is the one, having your children matters to her too.” When I began to scratch again, he suddenly gestured to my face. “May I ask why you stopped shaving? It’s clearly annoyingyou.”

I shrugged. “Maggie likes it. I just need some time to get used toit.”

“Oh, sir…” He coughed a few times and I was convinced he did so to cover hislaughter.

“Something funny,Alfredo?” I glared athim.

He practically shook from his effort to hold the laughter in. “No, sir,” he gritted out as he hastily finished assembling the tray. There were two sandwiches, potato salad, a plate of cookies, and two drinks. “Take it.” Fredo pushed the tray toward me, then rushed from the room and ducked into the pantry where he erupted inlaughter.

By the time he returned, I was tapping impatiently on the counter. “Better?”

He dabbed at his eyes. “Much,sir.”

I held out my hand. “Keys.”

Fredo fished them from his pocket, then dropped them into my palm. “Will you be going over the wall?” His headtilted.

I snorted. “No, I plan to go through the bedroom door.” Then I picked up the tray and stalked toward Maggie’s hiding spot. When I reached the door, I knocked lightly a fewtimes.

“Coming!” She sounded so happy, my heart raced. I couldn’t wait to see her face, spend more time with her. As the door flew open, she grinned, and I started walking into the room, the food held out in front of me like some peace offering. A second later, she registered I was the one holding the tray, not Fredo, and her face fell. Maggie squealed and slammed the door in my face, which would’ve been bad enough, but our lunch flew backwards from the force of the wood slamming intoit.

I could see it all happening in slow motion, but I was completely powerless to stop it. The sandwiches on fine china plates simply slid off the tray. Our homemade lemonade splashed down the front of me. Oh, but the potato salad did the most damage as it hit the hardwood. The bowl shattered while the contents splattered on my pants. The din of silver clattering on the floor rang in my ears almost as loudly as hersqueal.

“Fredo!” I called as my frustration began tobuild.

“I heard. I’m coming, sir.” Seconds later he appeared at my side. “Oh my.” He looked me up and down, and then scanned the walls and floor. “My, my,my.”

Maggie slowly opened the door while biting on the side of her finger. “I’m sorry,” she whimpered. Then she dropped to the floor and began pickingup.

I squatted down with her. “Don’t. You could get cut.” Still she ignored me. I could feel the anger rising in my chest as the burning began. “Stop!” Ishouted.

“I’ll be fine,” she argued, completely unfazed. She didn’t jump when I snapped. Hell, she didn’t even look atme.

Of course, Fredo couldn’t stop staring. The color drained from his face as his eyes widened. “Sir, you should go to yourroom…”

I knew what he was getting at. Soon, I’d go full-on fire-breathing dragon, if I wasn’t careful. My fists were clenched at my side. How could she treat me like this? How could she argue and ignore me and be so damn stubborn? I must some kind of glutton for punishment because for some fucking reason, I still wanted her. I blew out a breath. It came out as pure steam. Whipping around, I practically raced to my bedroom and slammed the door.Shower or burn room? Shower or burn room?In a minute, I wouldn’t have a choice. I fumbled with the key around my neck, struggling to first get it out of my collar, and then into the lock. Finally, when I heard the click, I pulled the door, which looked deceptively like an ordinary door. Instead, it was twice the thickness, and about ten times as heavy, since the second side was entirely made of steel. I slipped through the opening, yanked the door shut behind me, and twisted the dead bolt. I was too blinded by my fury to find a keyhole. When I made it down the flight of cement steps and reached the bottom, I kicked off my shoes, thinking I might be able to salvage my clothes later. Before I could finish undressing, I’d completely lost control and busted out of a perfectly good, albeit incredibly soiled,outfit.

Kicking it with my giant clawed feet was a huge failure, so I whipped the clothes in front of me with my tail. They’d be obliterated first. A huge roar escaped my mouth, followed by a stream of fire, which traveled from my belly, up my long, thick neck on its way out. I let out all my rage, all my anger, and pushed aside all my fear while I burned every flammable item Fredo had stocked in the room. When I was done, I dropped from exhaustion, my torso hitting the floor when my bulging muscular legs gaveout.

My head felt like it might split open. My heart ached in my chest. Still, the unsettling flutter inside me grew more insistent. I’d never been more miserable. If this was what it was like having a mate, I wanted no part ofit.

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