Chapter 7 #2
While he’d aimed for nonchalance when she’d refused what she was pretty sure was going to be an uncharacteristic display of comfort, she hadn't bought it. There had been pain in his eyes when she’d taken that step back.
It wasn't her goal to hurt him, she wasn't the kind of person who wanted to lash out and hurt someone back because they’d hurt her.
His dismissal of her a few months ago had hurt both because it reopened old wounds where she felt less inside her family because she didn't have as much to offer, and created new ones because she’d been sure there were feelings growing between them.
But she didn't want to punish him for it, she just wanted to move forward.
Floundering wasn't a fun way to live.
Finding her footing again was imperative, and Cassandra feared she couldn’t do that so long as she was around Dragon.
He was dangerous to her because she cared deeply for him and wanted to shoulder some of his pain, even if he didn't believe her shoulders were strong enough to do that.
But he was also dangerous to her because he showed her moments of softness that weakened her resolve.
No weakening.
She liked Dragon far too much, and her traitorous little heart was all too ready to forgive and move forward.
Well, she’d probably already forgiven, because she did get that she wasn't part of Delta Team, so her voice didn't matter, but Dragon’s easy dismissal had hurt too much for her to put herself back into that situation for it to happen all over again.
Maybe Dragon had feelings for her, but he was never going to open himself up to it, so even if she wanted to give them a second try, it was never going to go anywhere.
“Monique’s calling,” she said to Dragon when he came out of the bathroom.
“Am I okay to answer? No one will be tracking us or anything?” Cassandra was so far out of her comfort zone that she had no idea what to do.
Just because her parents and siblings had all served it didn't mean it was her area of expertise.
“You can talk to your sister.”
With a happy little squeal, she snatched up her phone. It had stopped ringing, but she returned her sister’s call and relaxed further when Monique answered.
“Are you okay?” her sister demanded without hesitation.
“Can I take it you know what happened last night?” While she hadn't called anyone, she’d been too tired, too lost in her own head, she shouldn’t be surprised that Dragon had made sure her family was aware of the break-in.
Just because she didn't want them to worry didn't mean she wasn't relieved, she wasn't built for keeping secrets.
“Yeah, we know, and we’re all worried sick.”
“Sorry.” Having her family worry about her sucked. They’d done that enough these last few months, and while she got family worried about family, she wanted them to see her as strong enough to handle anything rather than the weak link.
“Don’t be sorry, but tell Dragon to bring you to my and Jax’s place. We’ll go out to my animal sanctuary. It’s remote and no one will think to look for you there.”
That was actually a great plan. Cassandra didn't want to put anyone in her family in danger, but the sanctuary was beautiful, and it was where she’d first met her half-sister so it held a special place in her heart.
She knew Monique loved any excuse to get out there, so it wouldn't really be like she was putting them out.
“I don’t want to put you guys in danger,” she admitted. If she was doing this, she needed them to know they could opt out.
“Pfft,” Monique said dismissively. “Jax will watch your back, you know he’d love nothing more.
And I love having a sister, so any excuse to spend time with you I’ll take.
Besides, I truly don’t think that anyone would think to look for you there since the sanctuary isn’t connected to you in any way. ”
“All right,” she agreed, decision made. Staying with Dragon would keep her physically safe, but there was no way to protect her heart when he showed her moments of gentleness like he had this morning.
Those little moments would build up quickly the longer they spent together, and she wasn't sure she could make it out the other side with her resolve intact.
“Ask Dragon if he can fly us over there on his plane before he heads back home,” Monique said.
“I will, we’ll get ready and head right over.” Now all she had to do was break it to Dragon that she wasn't going to be staying with him. He wouldn't like it, that was for sure, but she didn't think he’d kidnap her and take her back to his house against her will.
At least she was fairly sure he wouldn't.
She hoped.
“See you soon. Love you,” Monique said.
“Love you too.”
As she set down her phone, she looked over to find Dragon standing on the other side of the bed, staring at her with an expression she couldn’t read.
He was good at that, shutting down whatever he was thinking, keeping his expression blank.
While she had no intel to back it up, Cassandra couldn’t shake the feeling that it was something he’d learned long before he and his team were experimented on.
“Umm, Monique said I could stay with her and Jax out at her animal sanctuary,” she began a little more tentatively than she would have liked.
This was her life, and she was in charge of it, but she knew she’d be hurting Dragon’s feelings by rejecting his protection.
“I think it should be fine. I’ll be safe there, and you know Jax is trained enough to protect me.
The cameras he put up when he was worried about Monique’s safety are still there, and I'm sure he can link you in on them so you can watch them if it will make you feel better.”
For a long moment, Dragon didn't say anything, and she tensed, half expecting him to pull out his own vial of sedatives and knock her out so he could take her back to his mansion with him.
Then he gave a single nod, walked over to grab their bags, then waited for her by the door.
Wait.
Was he going to agree to take her there without an argument?
It was what she wanted, but for some reason, it hurt a little to know that despite his insistence yesterday that he was watching over her himself, whether she liked it or not, all those hours he sat in his car outside her house, now he was prepared to just walk away and wash his hands of her.
Her hurt made no sense because it was what she wanted, for Dragon to go back to his life and leave her alone, yet her eyes stung as she searched for her shoes and shoved her feet into them.
Since Dragon had her bag, all she had to do was grab the stuffed bunny from the bed. It was stupid that, as a twenty-four-year-old woman, she still got so much comfort from the toy, but she clutched it tightly as she walked over to join Dragon by the door.
Again, she expected him to say something, but he merely opened the door, angled his body so it blocked hers, scanned the outside of the motel, and then led her to his SUV.
This afternoon, he didn't pause to open her door for her or do up her seatbelt. She missed that tiny concession, a small way for him to take care of her without speaking a word, but there was no way she’d admit that out loud.
Neither of them spoke in the car, and she assumed Dragon knew where her brother lived because he didn't ask for directions, just started driving.
Despite his silence, Cassandra knew that not only did Dragon not like this, but that her rejection had indeed upset him.
It would help if he just told her that, opened up just a little bit.
It felt like another thing that she had to keep to herself, the knowledge that she could see more of him than he wanted her to.
The weight of all the emotions she held in was becoming too much. How much more could she hold in before the inevitable happened and she broke?
Each day, it felt like she got a little closer to breaking, and each day she pretended that she hadn't.
Lost in thought as she was, Cassandra wasn't prepared for Dragon to suddenly stiffen beside her, his nostrils flaring as he obviously caught a scent he didn't like.
Opening her mouth to ask what was going on, before she could get the words out, the car swerved wildly, veering sideways and slamming into a fence.