Nash put his glasses back in place when the man faced the ring. The female gabbed away, unaware of the exchange.
Abi sat up straight and opened his eyes, although he kept his gaze downcast. To the observer, he might seem timid. It was the exact part he needed to play. “My chair is hard, Daddy.” Even the whining was perfect.
It didn’t take long for Abi to figure out his part. He would excel at it from here on out.
Nash opened his arms. “You can choose my lap, baby.”
The truth was Nash needed Abi close. With so many predators in the same space, Nash’s protective instinct had kicked in full force. It didn’t matter how capable Abi was of protecting himself. Nash’s dragon didn’t get that memo, and he really didn’t care.
Abi scrambled to sit on Nash. He sat sideways on Nash’s lap with his legs on the seat he’d just vacated so no one sat next to them.
He laid his head on Nash’s shoulder and wrapped his arms around his neck.
“How come it’s not okay for me to get all jealous and protective, but it’s okay for you?” Little smartass would have an agenda for snuggling. Because, of course, he did.
Nash rubbed Abi’s back. “Everyone is a fucking predator.”
“Kind of like us.” Did Abi just sniff Nash’s neck?
“I’d never prey on anyone here. Not like they would on us.” Nash wanted to say to Abi. Between Abi’s size and the way he was always leaning into Nash, as if seeking protection and warmth, he appeared vulnerable. Many people would take that for weakness. It would be their mistake, but no one knew that. Nash would like to keep it that way.
“No, you’d just set them on fire given half the chance.” Abi definitely sniffed him.
Not that Nash had fire, but that wasn’t really the point of the conversation, so Nash didn’t correct Abi.
“And what would you do, little mate?” Nash sighed at the intimacy. He’d longed for it since the first moment they’d met. Nash didn’t care if it was real or fake.
It was too bad that there were people around. Nash would rather have had Abi alone in their hotel room.
“I would turn into a venomous snake and bite the last guy who called me his mate. Daddy.” Abi bit Nash’s neck. He didn’t break the skin, but it was a close call. If he had, Abi would have started the bonding process.
Maybe it was deliberate, but Nash didn’t think so. Abi fought the mating pull too hard, which clouded his intentions. The bite was meant as a warning, but it had the exact opposite effect.
“That’s where the mating bite will go, Abi.” Nash’s cock grew hard.
Abi let up but didn’t let Nash go. It wasn’t until someone tapped Nash on his shoulder that Abi released him and laid his head down again. He tightened his hold around Nash and wiggled around, brushing against Nash’s erection.
Nash’s smile was strained when he met the gaze of a man in a gray suit. Nash eyed the gun holstered on his belt.
“Mr. Mallor has invited you to his skybox.” The man stepped back. “If you would like to accept his invitation, please follow me.”
This was exactly what they’d come here for, but Nash had to play it right. Timing was everything. They couldn’t seem too eager. “Does the invitation extend to tomorrow?”
Nash wished he could get a read on the man. If Mallor recognized him and had ill intent, perhaps Mallor’s man would know it and give something away, but his expression was stoic. “The invitation is for anytime, sir.”
Nash nodded. “Please give my apologies. Tonight is for my boy and me. But we’ll see him tomorrow night if he’s amiable.”
The man nodded and left them.
Abi stiffened during the conversation, but he relaxed again when the man left. “Why did you turn it down? This is what we wanted.”
“I didn’t know if Mallor suspected us. It could have been a trap.”
“Do you think it is?” Abi stiffened.
“The guy had a gun. He could have forced us to go with him, but he didn’t. That tells me Mallor mentioned nothing to him other than the invite.” Nash rubbed Abi’s back. “When you find out where they’re keeping the fighters tomorrow, find Mallor and do a little spying.”
“Roger that, Daddy.”
