Page 21 of Draco

I shook my head. “By the time we found out about it, it was already too late. There was nothing she could do.”

“I know.” He scooted forward in his chair, wrapping both hands around his hot mug. “And so does she. But she still blames herself, you know?”

“I could help her, if both of you wanted.” I took a sip of my coffee while the offer stood between us. I didn’t expect him to accept, and that was just fine. It was an offer among friends made with trust.

“Thanks, man, but she’d never go for that. Appreciate the offer, though.” He stared into his coffee like it held all the answers. “You going to go get her?”

I shook my head. “I’m just going to let her think things over for a while.”

He chuckled. “Headstrong, huh?”

I nodded.

“Didn’t I warn you she was going to run?” he asked, arching an eyebrow at his coffee before taking a drink of the steaming hot liquid.

“I don’t know, maybe. You talk a lot.” I smiled, and he laughed out loud. “Was that before or after you tried to bait Leif into a fight?”

“I wasn’t looking for a fight. I was genuinely curious.”

“…So looking for a fight, then,” I said, listening for her thoughts. Internally she was cursing me now, saying that it was all my fault. That when she saw me again, she’d make me pay for this. I grinned. I’d have to keep an extra close eye on her when I brought her back. I’d sleep with one eye open to make sure she didn’t gouge the other out.

“I guess. Any fun plans for the day?”

I shrugged. “Just trying to keep this crazy cat from sharpening her claws.”

“I’m going to tell her you said that.” He chuckled before draining the last bit of coffee from his cup.

“Not sure she could be more pissed off right now, so be my guest.” I swept a hand the general direction of the trap she’d caught herself in. Of course, he could sniff her out, but the gesture was more symbolic than anything.

“I’ll pass. She’s mad enough right now I don’t know that I’d escape intact. You better sleep with your eyes peeled.” He shook his head, and I chuckled that he’d said the same thing I’d been thinking. I wasn’t going to be safe in this house tonight.

“So why is she so hell-bent on escaping?”

I didn’t want to answer that. “She’s got problems with her old man.”

He leaned in, suddenly serious. “Anything criminal?”

I shook my head. We’d had similar thoughts. That if he’d hurt her or anything like that that we didn’t have to return her to his care. But the more she thought about him, the more I began to wonder if there might be something criminal hiding in there under everything. “Not that I’ve found. I’m still looking.”

He nodded. “Well, I have your back, no matter what.”

“You’re a better friend than I was.” When I’d discovered his relationship with Kat, I’d been less than helpful. I’d condemned him just like everyone else had done. I’d apologized later, but that didn’t make up for my fuck up.

He shook his head. “Don’t do that. You came through when I really needed you.”

And I had. I’d kept Kat from losing her head—literally. I’d sat with her while he came to. I’d kept her safe when he couldn’t, but I didn’t know that it made up for my first failing. “Tell her I said hello.”

He grinned ear to ear. “She likes you, you know. But don’t you dare forgetshe’s mine.”

I held both hands up. “All yours, brother.”

Luna’s thoughts filled my mind.I’m not going to let him think he’s on. I’m not!But a sudden blast of overwhelming need and loneliness washed through her.

All the hairs on my arms stood up as she began to cry softly. Tears of anger, tears of fear, tears of fury. She was so damn mad she couldn’t hold back the tears anymore and, for the first time, I wondered if I’d done the right thing.

After all, I’d found a way to totally trap the woman hell-bent on not being trapped.

Holy shit, I was an asshole. Still, I had a job to do, and she wasn’t making it easy. We both had things we needed to happen and wanted to happen.

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