Page 11 of Dragon Thief of New York
Her eyes catch mine. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m still pissed at him. But…” She trails off leaving the thought unfinished.
“So, that guy is your fated mate and basically like my dad now, is that what you’re saying?”
“He wishes.” Kat’s laugh is stark. “He’s a decade younger than me and not my type at all.”
“What’s your type?” I ask before I can catch myself.
“Yeah, Mom, what’s your type?” Lincoln raises his eyebrows at her. It seems like he’s teasing her somehow, but I don’t get the joke.
She ignores our line of questioning. “Look, kiddo, just because Otto and I are fated mates or whatever the shit this is, that doesn’t mean we actually have to be together.” She pauses and looks at me. “Right?”
I wish we weren’t so close to the front door, because I’m pretty sure Otto can hear every word of this conversation.
“Like I said before, you don’t have to be with anyone you don’t want to be with. But…” The pain I felt when I lost her feels newly sharp and raw. “It’ll be hard for you to stay away from each other. And until you get your transformation under control, it would be best to have him nearby.”
“Why?” Lincoln asks.
“His presence will help calm your mom’s dragon nature.”
“Ha!” She looks at the door. “How come I feel a lot calmer around you then, Smokey?”
“Smokey?”
She shrugs one shoulder. “I like giving nicknames.”
Knock. Knock. Knock.
“Can I come back in now?” Otto says from the other side of the door.
Kat looks at me for a long time, like she’s trying to ask me a question I don’t have an answer to.
“Give him a chance,” I whisper. “Just get to know him.” My voice is pitched low, a note of sadness creeping into the words that I hope she doesn’t notice.
She opens the door.
“Oh, good.” Otto steps inside. “Pretty sure your neighbors were five seconds away from calling the cops on me for loitering.”
“Maybe I should have let them,” Kat says, but there’s no bite to it. She actually smiles.
“Trying to get me in handcuffs, beauty?” Otto’s flirty smile makes his boyish dimples appear.
Lincoln groans, the sound breaking a little of the sexual charge between Kat and Otto. But not enough to make me forget it’s there. “I should go. Let you get acquainted.”
“No!” All three of them respond at the same time.
“If they’re gonna be all sappy and flirty, I’m gonna need a buffer,” Lincoln says.
“We’re not flirting!” Kat stomps off toward the kitchen. “I’m ordering Thai.”
“I’m paying.” Otto chases after her. They bicker over who’s going to foot the bill while I stay by the door with Lincoln, listening. To my knowledge, Otto doesn’t have much in the way of resources, but I understand his urge to take care of his mate. Sounds like Kat won’t make it easy for him, though.
I pull my wallet out of my pocket. “You know what your mom typically orders?”
“Yeah.” Lincoln watches as I take out a black credit card and hand it to him.
“Get enough for all of us. All the things your mom likes best.”
He takes the card, pulling his phone from his pocket. “On it. I’m an expert at ordering takeout.”
