Page 22 of Code Mages & Empty Pages
“No need. I’ll just make sure you get the technical stuff right.”
She laughed, and for a second, the lift felt a little less claustrophobic.
Dawn shifted on the floor, bumping her shoulder against the wall. “Do you ever read romance?”
I tried to play it cool. “Yeah, sometimes. LairMart apparently thought your book was a good fit for me a couple months ago.”
She raised an eyebrow. “And? Was it?”
I snorted. “No. It was unrealistic.”
She gave me a wicked grin. “Too many female orgasms?”
Thatalmostmade me laugh. “Nobody’s interested in a monster, anyway,” I muttered, maybe a little harsher than intended.
She just gave me a look but didn’t push. I rolled my eyes and turned in place, almost smashing my muzzle against the wall. Conall White’s cheerful tune kept playing, nerves ratcheting higher. “Merde! Can’t they turn off this fucking music?” The lift felt smaller by the second. My chest tightened.
Get it together, Atkins. Don’t fucking hyperventilate. Not in front of her.
But it was happening. I could barely get a breath in.
Dawn turned toward me, and something in her expression softened. “Hey, Lucien? Breathe, okay?” Her pronunciation ofmy name was perfect, and I liked it way more than I should. She offered her hand. I took it. “You’re alright,” she said, stroking my knuckles.
Wolves in my family weren’t expected to need comfort, but right then, with Dawn’s hand in mine, I felt good. Her touch calmed me in a way I’d never known.
If this were one of her novels, I wouldn’t be hyperventilating while a hot woman and I were stuck in a lift together. No, I’d have her against the wall, making the most of it. But this was real life. She was my colleague, and I had my urges under control. Rut or not, I wasn’t an animal, no matter what my useless piece-of-shit father wanted me to believe.
“Are you okay, Luc?” Dawn asked gently.
I just nodded and let her guide me down to sit beside her on the floor.
“Just breathe with me. They’ll get us out soon.” She started humming, soft and soothing, like you would to calm a child.
I closed my eyes and leaned back against the wall, focusing on her voice.“I’m sorry I’ve been weird to you at work, Dawn,” I said, eyes still squeezed shut. I couldn’t bring myself to look at her.
“It’s okay,” she said automatically, but I shook my head.
“No, it’s not. You didn’t deserve it. I’m just really messed up.”
She squeezed my hand. “Why do you say that?”
I told her more than I’d ever admitted to anyone. I talked about my toxic family, my father’s rules, and the Lupinian at my old job, until there was nothing left to say.
“I hated how they treated women. I tried to change things, but I couldn’t. In the end, I left because I couldn’t stomach it anymore.” A couple of tears slipped out, but I didn’t care if she saw. “I’ll never become that man,” I said, not even sure if I meant my father or that asshole at work. “I fix things, Dawn. That’swhat I do. I can sort out bugs, furniture, and heating systems. But I couldn’t fixthat. I hated myself for it.”
“Oh, Luc.” She sighed and traced her thumb across my knuckles, gentle. There was no judgment in her eyes.
“So yeah.” I tried to laugh, but it just came out flat. “I’d rather you think I’m distant than risk making you uncomfortable.”
She let a sly smirk curl her lips. “Thank you for admitting you’re too noble to tell me you find me hot.”
My eyes flew open. Dawn’s gaze was steady but playful.
“I’m joking, but… I’m glad you told me. That explains a lot.”
I shifted so I could look at her properly. “You think?”
“Yeah.” Her voice softened, and I was acutely aware of how close we sat. “I’m sorry you thought I’d mistake your friendliness for something else. Thereisa middle ground between ignoring someone and harassing them, you know.”
