Benson #2
The look she gave me like she wanted to smack me was almost endearing. “I said yes three times. Yes. Yes, I’m broke. Yes, that’s the mess I inherited.” She snickered and moved away from me, pinching the bridge of her nose.
“There’s more?” I whispered, still trying to process that it was actually true.
She sighed and sat on the arm of one of the huge chairs. “For the record, I’m only telling you because I know you and you’ll dig and dig until—just leave it alone, okay?”
“I’ll try,” I hedged, sighing when she gave me another look. “You don’t think it’s a security issue or like—”
She snickered but then chuckled a bit before it snowballed into a full laugh.
“Yeah, I’d say it’s a fucking security issue when the Queen of Thovudin is so fucking broke—in massive debt even that she has to use her second dragon’s magic for an alter ego to participate in dangerous, illegal, underground fights to fucking survive. ”
My brain exploded. There was nothing else—no other way to describe what happened. My brain just exploded—unplugged—whatever the right term.
I realized I was sitting without making the decision.
I also didn’t care but needed to hurry because we had a meeting.
“Part of me really thought you were going to tell me I’d fucking cracked from the stress and like what was wrong with me?” I whispered. “And then you tell me you’re in debt?”
“Not that much anymore.” She smirked and gave a half shrug, honestly looking like she was glad to have someone to say this to now. “I’m a damn good fighter. Myriam is smart and—we’ve been raking it in.”
But then she glanced away.
I growled. “And how pissed is the entire underworld of the capital that you’ve been doing that well?”
“Not thrilled, and it’s worse.”
“Because the elders own those places.” I snorted when she did a double take. “I’m not dumb, Sagan. I missed a lot and a lot is always kept from me, but I’m not dumb. Your father—no one touches those, and it’s like the worst-kept secret.”
“Yes, well, I plan on touching them big time because three of the ‘owners’ have given orders to abduct me as Mystic Frost and rent me out as a sex slave. So they’re moving into not just prostitution, but sex trafficking, and I’m not going to let that happen.”
Yup, that was more than my poor brain could handle with everything else going on. I slapped my thighs and stood, staring at her as I tried to even start to process all of this.
“Okay, well, I’m going to need a bit with all of that, a few fucking bottles of alcohol, and like a lobotomy at this point,” I told her and headed for the door… Ignoring when she chuckled.
It was weird to have some of her prospective mates at the meeting, but they were taking on projects and being useful, so that was nice at least.
“Now that the runway is able to be used again, the focus is the second hangar that needed more repairs,” Ayao reported.
“The main hangar was in better condition, so it wasn’t the priority.
The underground fuel tanks that had been leaking have been replaced since they weren’t able to be repaired and in a new area since it will take time to handle the ground where fuel was leaking.
“Two planes have been cleared, but the third plane would cost about as much to repair as replace. Given what I found quickly from the list of what’s needed—it’s valid.
The plane is just too old. And the fourth—” Ayao cleared his throat and looked pained, glancing at Sagan who didn’t react. “Is obviously no longer so—”
“To keep with the protocols in place that if we ever need to evacuate. there needs to be so many planes,” Sagan said. “There is room for a fifth? With the candidates here, we don’t have enough.”
“You have room for up to eight planes once the second hangar is fixed,” he replied.
I mentally gulped. That was already quite the price—buying planes wasn’t cheap.
“Do you feel comfortable getting quotes and handling gathering the information from different companies to replace the two planes for now?” she asked as she jotted down notes.
Ayao looked like he was going to say something he shouldn’t, which was what annoyed me about him. He had too short of a temper and a complex about—a few things.
Raquel cleared her throat. “The queen wisely checks if we have the needed experience and our abilities. It’s never a slight, but she uses it as a learning experience.”
Sagan blinked at her. “Of course. Nothing good happens when people feel pressured into tasks they’re not ready for.
” She glanced over at Ayao and raised an eyebrow.
“Please stop taking it all so personally. I have no idea how to purchase a plane. I will be asking for help.” She gestured around to all of us.
“I ask for help all of the time. I don’t know your comfort level. ”
“And you should be grateful she cares when so many of us are used to ‘just figure it out’ mentalities that lead to mistakes,” Joris added. “I appreciate the support and worry that I could bite off more than I can chew. It’s really helped me build my confidence on what I can actually handle.”
Sagan beamed at him, and I wasn’t the only one who shot Joris a look like they wanted to smack him.
Ayao took it in stride and calmed down. “I’m fine with handling the intros and estimates if I know better what you’re actually looking for.”
She smirked at him. “I have no idea.” She gave a half shrug. “See how easy that was? I have no idea about what planes I should even start with. I would think to ask the Alphas if they have purchased any recently and what they have had good experiences with.”
“There are a few I recommended to your father last year that have better security features,” I added, swallowing loudly when I remembered her financial situation, but also people froze at me admitting that.
“But also your advisor purchased several last year for his company. I remember your mother saying they were exceptional.”
“Thank you,” she took that in turn and then gestured for Ayao to speak with me then. “Now you don’t have to spin your wheels and waste your valuable time when helping me. That is always my goal.”
“I apologize,” he said, sounding like he meant it. “I’ve only heard you ask me repeatedly and it felt…”
“Then you need to clear out your ears because she asks everyone,” Thorn muttered. I wasn’t actually sure why he was there besides he managed to get in and wanted to spend time with Sagan.
Who clearly wanted no part of him. That was fun.
Zevran went next talking about the Alphas and Alpha Mates all agreeing to wear some sort of design from Andra. Since some proceeds were going to charity to help the country, they agreed. The candidates were as well—all good news that made Sagan happy.
Onyx updated everyone on the situation in Protesia now that it was made public. It was beyond crazy to think something like that could even happen.
“Good,” Sagan muttered and focused on Toni. “Let’s get something put together thanking the king’s people for their help with the planes and our problems while mentioning how well our people were treated helping them.”
“Forgive me, but I think that might be the wrong message to send,” Alpha Dray interjected.
“Understood,” Sagan replied but kept focused on Toni. “Also, Bodach reached out to offer support with our food shortages. So let’s make that known and we appreciate our neighbors for being so understanding of the troubles nations face while talking to the Alphas about how they want to handle this.”
“I think that—” Dray started to say.
“I’m sorry, Alpha, I think you’re under the misconception you’re here as my advisor or that I was asking opinions instead of here to report on what you’re working on for me and Thovudin,” Sagan said evenly.
“I have advisors. I said I understood where you were coming from—not that I agreed or would change my plan.”
I wasn’t the only one who had trouble curbing their reaction. She’d just thrown down for Dray to step back over the line and into his place.
Wow.
She didn’t even wait for his response before focusing on Joris for his update on the temples situation. Dray swallowed down his annoyance, but it was hard to be an asshole when she was right.
Lunch was delivered and the reports given about the elder houses in the capital were promising.
Sagan launching an auction website to handle their belongings was beyond smart and the goodwill she would receive donating the proceeds to the programs the elders had pushed to cut funding to… Chef’s kiss.
“Where are the dumplings?” Onyx asked as he lifted the empty platter and glanced between our plates. “This thing was full of dumplings or am I hallucinating?”
Everyone kind of shrugged, but I had to cover my face because I was losing the battle with laughing.
“You ate a whole platter of dumplings?” Onyx asked me. “Is that what’s amusing?”
“It wasn’t me,” I chuckled and then burst out laughing when Sagan simply reached for her drink and said nothing. “Talk to the dumpling vacuum over there.” Her lips twitched and then I really lost it.
“I don’t know what you mean,” she lied out her ass.
That was it, I had to push my chair back and lean over I was laughing so hard. It took me a few moments and I ignored everyone looking between us with confusion. “It was the only time I saw your mother lecture you about your table manners.”
Her face softened. “And your mother interjected for them to let me be a kid and have some fun.”
“She loved you so much,” I whispered. “She would bring that up every time we had dumplings. Father too. He would joke that nothing was more impressive than how quickly you could eat dumplings and no one would even notice.” I pointed to the large platter Onyx was holding still.
She snickered and then chuckled. “I didn’t eat the whole platter.”
“Half?” I pushed.
She ran her tongue over her teeth and looked equal parts amused and ready to pound me. “I didn’t count.”
Yup, I lost it, and again when she ordered someone to smack me.
“You’re such a snitch,” she grumbled good-naturedly. “Seriously? In this group?”