Page 8 of Been There Dragon That
He knew she was out there, somewhere.
His soul sought the completion she would bring.
The magick-bender had promised him she would be here.
Except she still wasn’t, and his need for her grew each day.
ChapterThree
Rylee
Rylee sipped her latte, trying to enjoy the smell of fresh baked goods and roasted coffee beans. Sugar and caffeine. Legal drugs that make the world go round. Neither was really working well for her today.
She glanced out the window to the busy sidewalk full of people on their way to work or school or some other activity. Then checked her phone again for a text from Ayla, her best friend since she was twelve. Surviving junior high, high school, and college together as roommates creates a strong bond. She was more a sister than a friend, and Rylee could really use a sister’s input at this point.
She’d woken up this morning to a disturbing news article about a woman being killed in a hit and run. Normally, it wouldn’t have really caught her attention, but the woman who’d died was the secretary she’d caught her ex-fiancé fucking in his office.
Poor woman.
Was it a coincidence?
Was it not?
Was Jeff really mixed up in something shady?
Dangerous?
The coffee shop door swung open, and Ayla Randall walked in. Her shiny black hair was pulled back into a tight high ponytail, and she was wearing black blinged-out flip-flops, a long flowy red skirt, a wide black leather belt, and a white tank top. It was October, but it was Texas. The temperature outside was still averaging eighty-five to ninety degrees.
“All you’re missing is something blue, and you’d be rocking Snow White’s colors today.” Rylee stood up and greeted her best friend with a tight hug.
Ayla laughed and gave her a tight squeeze. “Good deflection, but tell me what’s going on. You don’t seem broken up enough for the he-cheated-on-me story to be the only one in play.”
They sat down, and Rylee pushed the extra latte she’d already ordered across the table to her friend.
“Ooooh, you are the best.” Ayla took a long sip and then sighed.
“I overheard Jeff say some things that made me wonder if he was involved in something shady. Something dangerous. This was the night before I walked in on him and Michelle in the office.” Rylee ran her finger along the handle of her mug, tracing the edge over and over and over. “I was already concerned I had made a mistake. Missed something.”
“But it wasn’t enough to call it off? You would’ve still married him, even worried about stuff like that? Rylee.” Ayla put her hand out and laid it across Rylee’s on the table.
“The cheating story was much more convenient than trying to explain to my parents I was concerned I might be marrying a criminal.”
“What exactly did you hear?”
“He was talking abouttaking care of someone. Like … getting rid of them.”
Ayla’s big blue eyes widened. Her already pale skin, blanched even more. She pulled her hand back and dug into her big boho purse. “The news this morning.” Ayla had her phone out in a second and had pulled up the news coverage about Michelle-the-secretary’s death. “Do you think this was on purpose?”
Rylee continued to fidget with her coffee mug’s handle and didn’t look up. “I’m worried. And scared. Then I was hurt when I saw what he was doing with her, and I realized he never really cared about me. Then I was angry, but still hurt. I was preparing to build a life with this man.”
Ayla grabbed Rylee’s hand again and squeezed.
“I feel so mixed up inside. I’m relieved he was cheating on me. But I’m still a mess over it. And now there’s this.” Rylee pointed back to the news photo on Ayla’s phone. “I don’t think this was an accident, Ayla.”
“The news says the witness they have says the car ran a red light. White man. Dark glasses. Dark hair and bearded. The traffic cam recorded the woman trying to jump out of the way, and the car turned toward her.”
“I know, it was on the news this morning when I was getting dressed.”
