Page 35 of Dragon Thief of New York
“Sorry.” His gaze softens. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Don’t leave the apartment, don’t let anyone in, and don’t use the oven.”
“But—”
“You heard me. You almost smoked us out last night. If you’re hungry, microwave something or eat something cold.”
“Okay, fine.” He doesn’t look happy about it, but he doesn’t keep arguing with her.
She’s a good mom, but it’s clear she carries a lot of anxiety and puts a lot of pressure on herself. It makes sense. She’s had to be everything to this kid for so long. Has she had any support or help?
As soon as Lincoln’s door closes, Kat marches to her room. She pulls a pair of well-worn tennis shoes from the closet and sits on the bed to put them on.
“Can I ask you something?” I sit down next to her, our thighs touching.
“Sure.”
“Have you had any help?” My hand drops to her knee, and she stills with her shoes half-tied. “With raising Lincoln, I mean? Do you have family around or something?”
She goes back to tying her shoe. “My parents and brother live in Arkansas. We go out to see them as much as we can. And they come out here. But…”
“It’s not the same.” I rub gentle circles on her knee. “Why didn’t you move back there?”
She gives me a dry look I’m not sure how to interpret before letting out a sigh. “I like New York.” She finishes tying her shoe, then leans back on her hands, looking up at the peeling paint on the ceiling. “Maybe I also felt like I had something to prove,” she admits in barely a whisper.
“I can understand that.”
We sit silently for a few minutes, listening to the stomping of feet from the apartment upstairs and a burst of laughter from Lincoln down the hall.
After a bit, I kick her foot with mine. “So where are we going?”
She stands up, holding her hand out to me. “We’re going to find Damian.”
Chapter 18
Damian
She’snevergoingtoremember me. I refill my glass of bourbon, down it, then give up and drink straight from the bottle. It’s still early, but I don’t fucking care. The booze isn’t doing anything. Dragons have a high alcohol tolerance. Sadly.
I can’t get Kat’s horrified expression out of my head. I never expected her to forget right then, while still lying naked next to me. If I’d known, I never would have had sex with her. Who am I kidding? I’d still have stolen that moment for myself. Nothing would make me trade that away. It was pure heaven to be with her like that again.
And that’s why I don’t deserve her.
If given the chance, I’d make love to her all over again even if it meant having to see that terrified expression on her face. Selfish. I’m so fuckingselfish.
“Fuck!” The last of the bourbon swishes as I wave it through the air. “The goddess should just smite me right here and put me out of my misery.” I raise the bottle and look to the ceiling. “Hear that?!”
Of course, no one answers.
My apartment has always felt empty, but now it feels like a tomb. The sparse furniture, too pristine compared to the lived-in comfort of Kat’s home. This place drips with wealth, but not love. It’s heartless. Just like I am.
So different from Kat and Lincoln. The connection the two of them have is so loving and warm. Truly familial. I want that so bad. But what kind of relationship can I have with my son if his mom doesn’t remember me?
It’s better if I stay away. They don’t really need me. I’ll only complicate their lives. I’ll fuck everything up.
Like I fucked up this morning.
I finish the bourbon and open a bottle of scotch. A floating feeling settles into my muscles.Finally.My head feels a little lighter, and I lay back on the couch, remembering the tight squeeze of Kat’s pussy around my cock. I haven’t showered, unwilling to wash her away. With my eyes closed, I can see herhovering above me, glistening with a light layer of sweat. She throws her head back as she cups her breasts. I’m never going to forget how she looked this morning. The sounds she made. Fucking hell, she was so perfect.
