Page 237 of Red Marked

“I can’t wait for this date.” He’s grinning so hard his face must hurt. “You have to tell me when. So I can make sure I’ve got the time off.”

“I will. We’ll chat. I’m waiting for that pic. The anticipation is off the charts.”

“Okay. Okay.” He backs away a step, then another. “I’m going to… My phone’s inside.”

She lifts her brows.

“I’ll see you real soon, Rift. Real soon.”

“Yes, you will.” She giggles.

He turns and jogs, and as he goes, he throws an arm up at the male in the booth at the gate.

“They’re good,” he shouts. “Let them through.”

The boom lifts.

Rift climbs into the back seat and pulls the door shut, and Flint drives through.

Nobody says anything until the building is out of sight in the mirror.

Then the shadows come over the road. I look up. Six dragons in formation, a mile above us, to bring us home.

Phew.

“Oh my gosh!” I clutch my chest. “My heart. You were amazing, Rift.”

She laughs. “I told you it would be easy. Males are like sheep.”

“Hey.” Flint laughs.

“You’re less of a sheep, boss. Don’t worry.”

“I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or not.” Flint looks in the mirror, smiling.

“It is.” Rift’s phone buzzes. She looks at it and chokes on a laugh. “He sent me a dick pic. Can you believe it?”

Flint snorts. Then I’m laughing too. It feels good to relax a little after being so wound up.

It isn’t over yet, but it will be soon.

“You’re probably going to have to go out with him now,” Flint says. He’s still grinning.

“I know. You will owe me big time for this.” She puts the phone down on her thigh. “The last thing I want is dinner with Winston. Let alone anything else. I’m going to have to find a way to let him down gently because he isn’t actually a bad guy.”

“No, no. It’ll be me who owes you.” I look at both of them. “I owe all of you.”

“I can’t believe your ex did that to you,” Rift says, making a face of disgust.

“The guy is a real piece of work.” Flint’s smile is gone. “He cried when he saw Star. Tears came out of the fucker’s eyes.”

“Really?”

“He had me so fooled.” I look out at the road. “There was this little nagging voice, though. I’m not sure I would have mated him. I like to think I wouldn’t have.”

“People like that are good at hiding who they really are,” Flint says. “He’s a first-rate narcissist asshole.”

“He blamed me for his mistake. For sending that email.” The trees blur past us. “He blamed me when he hit me.”