Page 17 of Dragon Thief of New York
Damian swallows thickly. “You were my fated mate before you were Otto’s, Kat. But as we told you, if a mate doesn’t enter the pools during Goddess Week, they forget everything about their mate and dragons.”
“You let me choose, and… I didn’t choose you.” My voice is barely above a whisper.
His head falls, shoulders slumping. “You didn’t really know me.”
I look at Otto. I wouldn’t have chosen him either, if he’d given me a choice. This man, Damian, gave me what Otto didn’t, and he suffered for it. I can see it in his eyes, in his defeated posture. “But you still remember me? How is that?”
“Dragons don’t forget. We only ever have one mate, and once we see them…”
“No one else compares,” Otto finishes for him. There’s something like sadness mixed with understanding on Otto’s face. “Oh, Damian.”
Damian shakes his head. “It’s fine, Otto. It was a long time ago. I’ve made peace with my fate.”
A long time. Law school. The week I…
“Shit, this is weird,” Lincoln says. “So, who are you supposed to be with, Mom?”
My gaze flies to my son, and I gasp. “Oh, fuck.”
Chapter 10
Damian
“Youokay?”ItouchKat’s arm in a move that feels more natural than it should after all these years. Her skin feels clammy and cold, and she looks as white as a ghost. “I know this is a lot to take in, but…”
She doesn’t respond.
“Mom?” Lincoln tilts his head, studying Kat with concern.
Kat shakes off my touch and shoots to her feet. “Fine. I’m fine. Great. Yep.” She goes to the fridge and pulls out a bottle of white wine. “Totally fine.”
My brows pull down, but I don’t push. If she wants to talk about it, she will. After pouring herself a glass, she sits back down witha glazed look in her eyes. She grabs her son’s hand and gives it a squeeze. “How was your algebra test today?”
“You’re just gonna change the subject like that?” He lifts a single eyebrow at her. “I don’t think my math test compares with two dragon mates.”
“Don’t avoid the question.” Her gaze hardens. “Did you pass?” She takes a sip of her wine.
Otto and I share a look.
“So, you can avoid things, but I can’t?” Lincoln asks with a half smile.
“Yep.” She picks up her fork and points it at him. Some of the color has come back to her face, but she still looks like she’s gonna be sick. “What’d you get?”
Lincoln sighs. “It wasn’t great. But Mr. Long told me I can do some extra credit. So, it’ll be fine.”
“Not a fan of math, huh?” Otto asks. He’s smiling, but he keeps looking over at Kat like he’s as concerned as I am by her quick change of subject and the way she’s avoiding the elephant in the room.
Lincoln shakes his head. “I’d prefer to be doing just about anything else.”
“Damian’s good with math. He’s an accountant.” Otto passes me a takeout container of something, and I dish some food onto my plate though I don’t have an appetite anymore.
“Ugh, that’s like the most boring job ever,” Lincoln says around a mouthful of food. “You’re like a nerd, aren’t you?”
“Lincoln O’Brian!” Kat’s cheeks flame a furious red. “Don’t be rude.”
“Yeah, but he’s a hot nerd.” Otto’s smirk quickly turns into a frown. “Oh, um, sorry. I didn’t mean to…”
“No, it’s okay.” Kat pushes the food around on her plate. The wrinkles on her forehead deepen. “That should make me jealous, shouldn’t it?”
