Chapter 1 #3
There was a half grin on the storm dragon’s lips as he watched the way she gripped the device.
Maya looked down and saw that her knuckles were turning white because of how tightly she was holding it.
Instead of pointing that out, though, he asked something she felt she had already answered.
“So you don’t mind getting booted off the island for failing to commit to a mate? ”
Hoping to ensure that neither of the two guys would continue to pester her, she shot back, “It would be an absolute blessing.” As she finished, the storm shifter’s hand appeared on the device.
Instead of immediately removing it from her grasp, though, he asked, “Even if it means you will have to live alone for the rest of your life?”
After everything she had been through, Maya couldn’t see a future where she would ever trust anyone enough to get close again. Not wanting to articulate that and risk the possibility that one of them might want to prove her wrong, she simply replied, “I could certainly live with it.”
For some reason, that got to Naomi. “I don’t mind as long as you tell everyone that we have to deal with from here on out that you nixed the idea of ever getting into a relationship.
Forever. I swear, after we leave here, if I get one more guy asking me how to get close to you, I’m going to start killing them. ”
Maya’s expression was frozen as she looked at her business partner.
In the two years that they had worked together, Naomi had never mentioned guys asking about Maya.
At least not in that context. Where is all of this hostility coming from?
I’ve never encouraged any attention from guys, so why would they bother her about me?
When the storm dragon started laughing, Maya just looked at him, clueless as to what was so amusing. The blond was gentler as he asked, “That’s a bit extreme, don’t you think?”
Pent-up anger appeared on Naomi’s face as she gestured toward Maya. “Look at her, then look at me.” She then gestured to her tall, fit form. “Do you really think anyone is interested in anything with me, besides a romp in a bed, when there is a prize like Maya literally nearby all the time?”
“Naomi!” Maya exclaimed, feeling a jumble of negative emotions, yet unable to distinguish any of them.
Now that she had started, Naomi wasn’t about to stop.
Turning to her business partner, the younger shifter said, “During the morning of this last wedding, I had to ward off about two dozen guys, Maya. Even you aren’t so oblivious that you would fail to realize how many people take an interest in you. ”
How is that my fault? I don’t encourage it.
And it’s not like they are actually interested in me.
She tried to voice this, believing that Naomi was accusing her of making life more difficult.
“Well, that’s … it’s only because they know I’m an acceptable choice for those in the court. And with so many—”
“No, Maya,” Naomi had clearly been stewing for a while, and now she was going to let it out.
“That was on the low end of people who try to use me to get to you. At this point, I’m tired of being a consolation prize when they can’t get to you.
So, criticize me all you want, but I’m not going to be belittled by someone who does nothing to help the situation. ”
Maya’s words and thoughts were identical as she cried, “None of that is my fault.”
“Really?” Naomi gave her a look, as if judging her for being born a distant relation to the crown.
“Because I remember you saying that people constantly hit on you when I was considering becoming your business partner. At the time, you said it as a warning. How did you not put it together that people stopped after I started working with you?”
“I …” Maya thought back to the early days, when she had to fight Naomi’s family to let her become a part of the business.
She hadn’t wanted the gifted young shifter to have any misconceptions about the job.
It had been a warning, but more for such a talented, attractive shifter who was likely to attract just as much attention as Maya did.
It had not been meant to make Naomi think she was responsible for stopping the advances.
Maya tried to express that but really didn’t have the right words.
“I had noticed, but I thought that they finally took a hint. I didn’t realize they were making it your problem. ”
After a momentary pause, Naomi did what she always did—quickly dismissed the problem.
With a brief wave of her hand, Naomi said, “I get it. You probably haven’t really thought too much about it since it was no longer an issue you had to deal with.
Now you know, and I will keep turning them away. But don’t criticize me so much, okay?”
Maya wanted to apologize, to let Naomi know that the guys were fools for seeking her instead of making advances toward Naomi. Of the two, Naomi was much better suited toward being someone’s partner. All Maya could do, though, was to give a slight nod.
I really do need to treat her better when I get stressed. Once I get out of here, I will find a way to make sure Naomi knows just how important she is. And that the world is full of fools who will take her for granted if she doesn’t value herself more.
The moment didn’t last as the storm shifter let out a low whistle. “And here I thought we had drama to contend with.”
Maya wasn’t pleased with the way he had interrupted, but Naomi seemed happy for the distraction. She was even smirking at the weird shifter as she replied, “Do you really think there’s any business more likely to initiate drama than the wedding industry?”
The way the storm dragon looked at Naomi was strange as he replied, “That’s a fair point, but I will counter with what things look like when two people show up as significant others to someone we are treating. It usually results in us having a lot more work, usually bloody work too. Literally.”
Maya watched as the pair verbally sparred.
Naomi was smiling a little too much as she said, “And I will counterpoint that with the same scenario at the wedding.”
“Oooh, yeah,” the storm dragon’s eyes positively shone as he considered the scenario, then he had a momentary look of pain before admitting, “Okay, that’s more drama. Although, it would mean less work for you guys.”
Maya listened, a strange sense forming in the pit of her stomach as she realized that the two were flirting.
Openly. In front of the shifter that was obviously meant as Naomi’s mate.
However, Maya found herself listening to the back and forth, especially as Naomi was able to discuss some of the more horrifying events at weddings they had planned.
After she detailed one where an ex of a member of the family had tried to poison another member of the wedding party, Maya found herself getting hooked into Naomi’s storytelling with the occasional response from the storm dragon.
Maya’s mind was firmly back at the event, remembering the details as Naomi reached the end of that particularly nasty incident.
“No one actually got sick since one of our staff members realized something was wrong with the dishes before they went out. The only reason the people who were in the wedding party learned of the problem was because we had to offer different dishes. At a discount since everything we had available was cheaper. And the groom’s family tried to blame us for it. ”
Maya couldn’t help but mutter, “That was a mess. Serves them right that the judge ended up siding with us in the lawsuit they filed.”
“Yes, very fortunate,” Naomi said, looking away toward one of the windows.
Maya knew that Naomi had been instrumental in the final verdict, but she couldn’t fathom what kind of magic her business partner had used to get the desired outcome.
She had always had a way of swaying people that Maya simply couldn’t understand.
The storm dragon held up his hands, as if admitting defeat. “Okay, you win. I don’t want to compete with you when it comes to drama. Life-and-death situations are a cakewalk by comparison.”
The way he said it was so blasé, Maya couldn’t figure out if he was serious or not. However, the blond shifter didn’t have a problem with saying, “That’s probably the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever said.”
“Surely not,” Cosmo said, waving a hand. “And if so, give me a few minutes. I can come up with something far more ridiculous with minimal effort.”
With the conversation seemingly having devolved into the ridiculous, and a sense of being completely exhausted by seven days of nonstop work, no sleep, and dealing with people, Maya decided that she could use her situation to her advantage.
If only for a few hours of sleep. “Well, this has been … something, but I would really love to get the device back so that I can do something more useful. In the meantime, I think I’m going to go to bed. ”
When the storm dragon pointed out, “It’s the middle of the day,” she had an easy comeback.
“Not to me, it isn’t. I was just getting ready for bed when I was dragged outside and into this nightmare.
” It was a lie, especially since she had children to teach and time to bend, but she hoped that it would make the two guys less inclined to pursue her.
Especially since both males were showing an interest in her younger business partner.
If she made it clear she wasn’t an option, Naomi may realize she had alternatives.
With nothing else to say, she turned and headed to a small staircase just outside of the room. The voices of the remaining three shifters followed her, but Maya’s thoughts were already too far away to hear anything they were saying.