“How did you-”
“Small town,” Krystin said. “Mrs. Santos called Mrs. Kerrington who called my mom who called me. The gossip chain is faster than the speed of light. Now spill. Someone broke into your apartment?”
We migrated to the reading nook even though it wasn’t Sunday. Even though this wasn’t an official book club meeting. They settled onto the couches while I tried to figure out where to start.
I told them everything. The man breaking in. The gun. The knife. Mal appearing out of nowhere and beating the guy half to death. The police. The lies about self-defense classes.
They listened in silence. Their expressions growing more and more concerned.
“Jesus,” Krystin said when I finished. “Are you okay? Like genuinely okay?”
“I’m fine. Shaken, but fine.”
Bella’s eyes were shiny with tears. “I’m so glad you’re okay. I’m so glad he was there.”
“Me too,” I admitted.
“Okay, new topic before we all start crying,” Daphne announced, pulling out a book. “We need to discuss our current read because I have questions.”
“We’re doing book club right now?” I asked.
“Emotional processing through fictional romance. It’s healthy.” She held up the book. A dragon shifter romance with a shirtless man and a woman wrapped in wings on the cover. “Specifically, I need to discuss chapter thirty-two.”
Krystin perked up. “Oh god, the wall scene?”
“The wall scene,” Daphne confirmed. “I’m just saying, I don’t think it’s physically possible. The angle alone-”
“It’s totally possible,” Krystin argued. “You just need upper body strength and the right leverage.”
“But she’s described as being fully vertical while he’s-”
“It is realistic. I could demonstrate if needed.”
We all screamed.
All four of us. Jumped about a foot in the air and spun around to find Mal sitting in the corner of the reading nook, half-hidden in shadows, reading our book club book. The dragon one. The one with the explicit wall sex we’d been debating.
“What the fuck!” Krystin clutched her chest. “How long have you been there?!”
“Since you arrived.” He turned a page calmly. “I did not wish to interrupt your discussion. It was quite enlightening.”
“You were just... sitting there? In the dark? Reading our book?” My voice had gone up an octave.
“Yes. It is quite good. Though I have notes on the male lead’s courting techniques. He is far too indirect.”
Daphne’s mouth was hanging open. “You’re reading our book club book?”
“I have read all of your book club books.” He said it like it was obvious. “The vampire one was decent, though the political intrigue was lacking. The demon one had excellent world-building. The werewolf one was anatomically questionable in several places. And this dragon one-” He held up the book. “This one understands the emotional beats of courtship quite well.”
I stared at him. “You’ve been reading all of our books?”
“Of course. I wish to understand you. Your interests. What you find appealing in romantic partners.” He stood, moving out of the shadows and into the light. “This male character, for instance. He is clearly trying to prove himself worthy of his mate. Demonstrating his strength, his ability to provide and protect.The wall scene you are debating is not merely about physical pleasure. It is about showing her that he can support her weight, that he is capable of caring for her in all ways.”
Dead silence.
“That’s... actually a really good analysis,” Daphne said weakly.
“The emotional subtext is quite clear.” Mal walked over to our group. “Though I maintain that real dragons would be far more possessive than this character. The claiming would be more immediate. More primal.”
