Page 93 of Always Say Yes to a Dragon

Udar snickered. “Oh, I doubt she’scheap. You like gold too much to go for acheapmate.”

I flushed. Cheap wasexactlywhat I was. Money had been my biggest consideration my whole life. It was the first thing I thought about when it came to clothes, activities,anything.How much will this cost? Can I afford it? What bills do I need to take care of first?

“But she isn’t your mate yet, is she? She still has options.” Udar turned to me, eyes glittering. “I can afford anything a mate might desire,andI can provide the kinds of deep conversations Az can only squint at.”

Az stood, his chair clattering to the ground behind him. “Quit trying to steal my mate,frumser.”

The other three dragons in the room glanced over. Throat dry, I wanted to scream at them to do something. EverythingIsaid just ratcheted up the tension.

“I’m sure you boys can get along for a few more minutes,” Az’s mom said before turning back to Tika.

Tika shot her brothers a sympathetic look.

“Theft?” Udar lowered his voice a notch. “It isn’t stealing if she comes willingly.”

“Come on,Arum.” Az placed a hand on my shoulder, and I stood on shaking legs. “Let’s get out of here.”

That sounded like the best idea I’d ever heard. Then I could wrap my head around what the hell just happened, and what Az had said. We could talk about it, and…

“Enjoy the human while you still have her. Elle, I’ll be ready when you get bored with this idiot,” Udar snapped out.

Az’s hand left my back, and thepopof bones and wings changing form echoed in the massive room. I scrambled backward, away from the elephant-sized red dragon charging for Udar.

Udar, too, burst into his larger form, the subtle sheen of magic glittering over him. I dove for the corner as claws and teeth flashed.

22

Az’zael

Between one blink and the next, I was on him. Muscle and bone screamed for release, and I let them burn into my four-legged form.

Udar met me, purple scales flashing. I raked my claws along his side, and he flashed out to bite me. I blocked, bit, clawed.

The confined space kept our movements close, pinned in on each other. Chairs crashed. Dishes shattered, but Udar’s face stayed infuriatingly intact. I tasted blood. Someone shouted. I didn’t care. Udar had been begging for a beating all night. I gave him one, until he was a choking, bleeding mess on the floor.

I returned to my two-legged shape, wrapped the half-robe Tika handed me around my waist—my parents kept a few on hand for anyone who transformed without consideration for their clothes—and glanced around. Where the hell was Elle?

There, frozen in a corner, skin ashen and hands trembling.

She remained stiff as I placed a hand on her back. Instead of letting me steer her to the nearest server, who was already striding over, two drinks in hand, Elle walked right out of the dining room and into the empty hallway.

As soon as the doors shut behind us, she whirled on me. “What thehellwas that about?”

I blinked. “Udar’s a rude asshole.”

“That might be true, but youattackedhim.”

I drew back. “I had to defend you. He was trying tostealyou.” I had held back from punching him multiple times tonight already. It wasn’t my fault he’d been begging for it ever since he laid eyes on Elle.

“I can’t be stolen like a—a necklace or something.”

“Some ‘hussy’ stole your mother’s ‘boyfriend’today.” Though I suspected Betty was better off for it. “I knew Udar would try to lure you away.” My fangs burned with the need to sink into her and stake my claim.

Her mouth opened and closed a few times. “Lureme away…?”

A sick feeling churned in my gut, my fire reigniting. “You weren’t tempted, were you? I’ll be a better mate than him. I’ll keep you in silks and jewels, and you’ll never want for anything.”

Elle muttered something under her breath. “Is that what you’d want if I married you? You’d pay for everything, and in exchange you’d get to dress me up and trot me around like I’m some kind of—of discount trophy wife?”

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