Page 37 of Second Chance Dragon Chief

“Absolutely not.”

Adrenalin shot through his veins, and if his dragon were alert before, now it was practically ready to burst forth in protest.

Danger.

“Why not? It makes perfect sense.”

“Are you kidding? It’s too dangerous. Besides, what would they want with you? What would be the draw?” Dax asked.

She explained patiently, “Look, you said they want to get into The Tree, right? To deal out of it?”

“Yes, that’s what Marius said.”

“So, I meet up with Marius under the guise of negotiating some deal that would allow him to deal out of The Tree. Everyone knows my bar is the main hub in town,” she said, pausing for a second as she scanned the faces at the table. “No offense,” she added, acknowledging that their shifter bar was not even in the running.

“None taken,” Dayton said in his most cordial and charming voice.

‘We just need to spread the word a bit first amongst the local underground scene. They will be on the lookout for us then. It will be irresistible if they want in on the action as badly as you say.”

Not too shabby, Bloom.

But he wasn’t going to say that out loud. His dragon was already freaking out. “I don’t like it at all,” he finally said.

“It’s actually not a bad idea, boss,” Jack said evenly.

“But how could we be sure they’d take the bait? We know they’d go after the ladies here. That is already proven.” he said.

“Oh, come on. You know they would. Besides, if you are worried about what might happen, I’m sure you guys would be able to find a way to be all around, which I’m sure was already your plan if you had Chris meet him. The moment they show up, boom, you spring into action. I have full confidence in all of you,” she said smiling as she waved a hand at the collected pack.

“Oh, really?” He doubted it. There was no way she fully trusted them at least. If she did, there would be no need to offer herself as decoy.

“At least there’s one fae who does,” Dayton quipped.

“Half fae,” she corrected him.

“Right, sorry.”

“Man, this must be one amazing drug,” Clint interjected.

“Why do you say that?” Bloom said.

“Just seems to be a hell of a lot of fuss over it.”

“Well, let’s make sure no one else finds out how ‘amazing’ it is,” Dax said. “So, maybe your idea is a good one,” he said as they locked eyes. “But I am going to be within ten feet of you the whole time,” he added.

If he had to have her there, he was going to personally make sure she was safe and nothing happened.

“Well, yeah,” she said. “That was part of my plan.”

He looked down at her lips and saw she was looking at his, even as she ran a hand through her hair. Warmth shot through him in a wave.

If they had not been surrounded by the pack at the Den, he was pretty sure they would have been having what people liked to call ‘a moment’.

As if the rest of them sensed it and just couldn’t stand the tension either, Jack quickly raised a toast, “To the new plan.”

“To the plan!” the rest chimed in as they clinked their bottles together.

Bloom leveled a gaze at him. In the space of a short week or ten days, it was like the last two years had disappeared. He had to push his dragon down to prevent himself from pulling her into his arms right then and there.

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