“Make it twenty-five and you have a deal.”
Her stomach clenched and her lips barely moved as she said through her teeth, “Fine. Three days per week.” She’d do exercises with him on the off days.
“It will have to be in the afternoons after my shift at the quarry. Aiden’s going to hate it, but I’ll convince her when she hears about the money.”
“One weekend morning?” Harlow needed to test her champion at various times a day.
“Fair.”
They both stared out across his property, at the back of the house behind him.
“I can’t believe you scored this position. You’re a phenom, Harlow. Fuck, if you ever get married, your husband is going to have his hands full.”
A small part of her flinched at the thought. He made marriage sound like a cage. If she was forced to marry, would she end up like Aiden, looking like the walking dead with a whelp on her hip? It wasn’t the whelp that scared her. She’d always thought she wanted children. She loved children. She just didn’t understand why that meant she couldn’t also pursue her interests. But she didn’t want to rock the boat and risk Brant backing out, so she changed the subject.
“Can I ask you something about being married?”
“Sure.” He shrugged.
“Did you ever tell Aiden about… you know?” Her eyes flicked to his, and she bobbed her brows.
He looked over both shoulders. “You mean about being bisexual?”
She nodded.
“We’re married, not mated. She knows. So does everyone at the pits. It’s not a secret. I have… partners. It’s not about exclusivity for us.”
Harlow nodded slowly. Their relationship wasn’t anything she pictured for herself, but if it made him happy, who was she to say anything about it?
He studied her face. “Wait… Harlow, is that why you’re not married yet? You’re not holding out for love, are you?”
She balked. “Is it so wrong to want a mate?”
“No, but… You’re almost five hundred years old. You know everyone in the kingdom. If your mate existed, you would have met them by now.”
She sighed heavily. “I’m not so sure about that. Maybe my perfect partner is from another kingdom. Maybe I just need to give fate time to bring us together.”
“You’re a hopeless romantic.”
“Maybe. I just don’t see what’s in it for me. I mean settling. If I take a husband just for the sake of having one, he’ll expect me to cook and clean and have his babies. I’m much happier on my own.”
“You don’t feel like you’re missing out on children?”
“Not at all. Dragons are immortal. I have plenty of time.”
“But dragon females are rare. You must know that every year you wait, people are going to pressure you to take a partner.”
“They already are.” She looked down at her fingers. “Actually, that’s why I’m doing this. I’m hoping to use the money I earn to rent my own place. My parents are starting to pressure me to marry. I figure if I move out and pay my own way, they’ll have nothing to say about it.”
He whistled through his teeth.
“Yeah. I know.” It was unheard of for an unmarried female to live alone. It wasn’t illegal; it just never happened. “Don’t worry about me. I have a plan. I’m going to be okay. And thanks to your help, my fighter is going to win.”
He studied her for a moment. “Goddess, you’re not just planning to train him. You’re planning to bet on him in the pits.”
She examined her nails. “Maybe, if he’s any good. Honestly, I think he has the makings of a champion.”
Brant rubbed his hands together. “I’m in, Harlow. I know that look on your face, and I can practically hear the coins clinking together inside your skull.”
