Page 67 of The Dragon Warlord
“That spanking was painful and l-l-look a-at me now.” I give a watery smile. I know how I must look, teary-eyed and red-faced, but inside I’m a lot calmer. I’m not looking forward to my plan, but I’m willing to try it if it’s going to be what’s best for River.
His frown deepens.
“I didn’t say I would stop. Justless. I’ll go to the very edge of where the bond will let me and back off there.”
“Do you know what I think is going to happen?” he says.
“What, sir?” I shift a little in my seat. Nope. There’s no comfortable square inch on my arse. I give up and accept that my arse is going to throb and burn all night.
“You’re going to fuck up your bond again.”
“It’s not like it’s stable to begin with.”
“True, but it’s been a lot more stable. River touched his bite a while back—accidentally—neither of you noticed.”
“H-He did?” I place a hand at the bottom of my ribcage to steady my diaphragm.
He nods. “More things are leveling off. This is going to set it off again, but I think this disaster will be good. What I tried to tell you earlier about tossing goals out the window will make more sense to you once you experience it.”
“Hmph.” I cross my arms and cross my ankles. “I feel like I’ve gotten backward advice.”
“How so?”
“You’re telling me that my plan is terrible, but that I might as well do it. That doesn’t make any sense.”
“Okay, don’t do your plan. Do what I think you should do.”
“And what’s that?”
“Wait to okay it through your other men if that’s the agreement, and then fuck River into the next decade.”
I glower at him. “I’m not ever fucking River. We’re related.”
“No, you’re not.”
“The bond—”
“You know my thoughts on that. Anyway, see? You’re not going to take my sound advice, so go do your thing.”
“This is the worst, sir.”
He raises one imperious brow. “The worst?”
I sigh. “Maybe not the worst. I don’t feel like I want to shake River awake and demand that he spills his secrets anymore, so that’s a good thing.”
“Then it was the right move. I’m glad you came. I’ll see you in two days.”
“Two days?”
“Your standing appointment. It’s me again.”
“This should count,” I complain.
He laughs because we both know it doesn’t.
11
River
