“Maybe I’ve changed my mind. Maybe I’ll take him.”
Before I had a chance to think about my words and the heat behind them, I blurted, “I already told you I changed my mind.”
Malin spread his hands, smirking. “Fine. But he was originally for me.”
“I realize it was a mistake.” Kirion in Malin’s hands? Whatever had I been thinking?
“Why? Because I’m too immature? Not ready to settle? Or because maybe it’s you who really wants him?”
I turned away, but I could still see him in the mirror, scowling. My unhappy, bored son who’d lost his favorite father at age ten and never recovered.
Malin continued. “He’s my age.”
“Technically, two years older.”
“That’s quite an age gap, don’t you think? Dad?” He put his emphasis on that final word. “I know you don’t even want me here. That’s one reason I stay away. Now you’ve brought in someone else. You’re pretty fucked up, aren’t you?”
“Enough!” I raised one fist but not high enough that he could see it. I’d never laid a hand on my son and I never would.
He clomped past me. “Fine. I was just leaving. I’m flying out to the coast tonight. Meeting friends. Good talk, Dad.”
I said nothing as the door to the gym swung closed. The lights seemed to darken for a moment, but I knew it was just my imagination.
11
Kirion
Iraised my bandaged hand into the air, staring at it. My first injury in captive luxury.
It had been my own fault. We had been talking about me having no rights, no future, and Tane asking if he should send me back to Rohan. I couldn’t go back. It would be awful. Rejected and sold again would be an even worse fate. What if whoever bid this time wasn’t as nice as Tane? Or as handsome?
The fact that Tane had considered returning me to the wolves terrified me. Maybe I had no real future by the definition most people thought of it, but I could make things work here. I hadn’t been here long enough to really fit in, but already I had freedom to roam the house, an unlimited credit card and the promise of safety from others. Including Malin.
He told me several times now that he hadn’t bought me for himself, but after I hurt myself, he’d rushed over to me in real concern. Later, he’d helped me, half drunk on some really fine Scotch, to a warm couch before a fire and covered me with ablanket. These weren’t the actions of a man who wanted to send me back home.
When he’d come to my door later in the afternoon, I’d been on my computer looking up everything I could find about the man. Articles. Bios on various platforms. Photos of him at different ages. Those led me to websites of some of his businesses. I even found information about his wedding. He’d married quite young. His mate was older. A rare dragon omega. Malin had been born, or rather, hatched within the first year of their marriage.
As Tane stood at my door asking if I was all right and if I needed anything, the strangest feeling came over me. Head to toe, my skin warmed as I breathed in his garden scent. My lungs filled with it. My mind spun, my thoughts muffled.
Did I need anything? he’d asked. I didn’t know. I couldn’t think. His dark gaze pulled me in and I had to look away from him. I almost fell over. Right into him. He didn’t seem to notice as he kept talking.
Finally, I forced myself to get a grip on reality. I answered his questions. I asked him ifhewas all right. That was when I heard him say something about being at dinner at seven.
Why did he want to eat another meal with me? Why did he want to share so much of his home with me? He hadn’t bought me for himself.
He kept saying I could live there and still be on my own even if I couldn’t ever drive or get a job or be in public since I didn’t have a real I.D. for dragon country.
I sat before my computer now, staring at a photo of Tane when he was about to turn thirty and had just lost his mate. It was taken at a business function without his knowledge. Why he was out in public during his grief period, I didn’t know. Maybe he wanted the distraction. His wealth showed that he workedhard. Some articles I’d read said he was a self-made success so his wealth wasn’t generational like Rohan’s.
Touching my fingertip to the screen over his image, I wondered what he’d gone through. Inside him, he had a broken bond. Some described that sensation like a fire blistering deep inside, at least in the first months of a bondmate’s death, the pain subsiding only under heavy medication, or alcohol. Or complete distraction. Had he thrown himself into his work? It seemed obvious. Plus, the garden. That was his safe space. He’d seemed proud he’d made it all himself while had yet to brag about his work and his wealth. Odd. My father could not stop bragging about his own wealth. Showing it off. When I’d grown up I’d realized he was a terrible pack leader but people followed him because of the money. They believed if he had millions, he knew what he was doing and was the best man to uphold pack law. Or make new pack laws.
I sighed and leaned my forehead on my good hand.
I spent the rest of the afternoon and early evening thinking about everything I’d learned. I couldn’t get Tane out of my thoughts.
When I went downstairs and passed the second landing, the door to Malin’s room was open. I heard him loudly talking and realized he was on a chat.
“…probably gonna use his omega wiles on my dad. Such a mutt. Hopefully Dad’s smart enough not to fall for it. He’s too old anyway. He doesn’t want more kids. He just wants to be left alone.”
