18. Dragon #3
Ah, not sexual preferences. Which was good because Horse and I obviously weren’t ever going there.
I mean, I was pregnant. Pregnancy meant that sex was over.
Right? Also, girly southern belle things?
Wait. Was that a baby shower threat? I’d gone to one once.
It was a nightmare. If not Nix and Sunshine, who could I stay with?
My parents. That would be…The shame of being an unwed mother would be all my mother ever talked about.
No, she’d interrupt to talk about why I was so skinny and try to get me to eat more carbs.
I didn’t need more carbs. Except that I was pregnant, and pregnant women didn’t weigh anything, as evidenced by Horse carrying me up thirty-four flights.
Felicia? She was living with her boyfriend, Pete or Jack, or someone new, and she thought dusting once a year was clean.
Minx had her own place, but the girl wasn’t the kind I’d bring trouble to.
Not that she couldn’t shoot your trouble, but she might shoot the neighbors too.
Jezebel was better at handling her psychological issues than I was.
Dirk and Daniella? Nothing against them, but she’d spend all her free time trying to teach me music.
It wasn’t my thing at the best of times, but when I was nauseous and fainting? I’d probably kill her.
He cleared his throat and then shrugged with his large shoulders. “Why do you hate me?”
The question was water dumped over my head. “What? I don’t hate you.”
He raised a brow and took a step closer to me. “Is my hair too dark for you? You prefer blondes? I could go grab a bottle of bleach. No problem.”
I took a step away from him, wary.
“I don’t hate you,” I said, crossing my arms. Did he have crackers? I could really use some crackers before I threw up on him. Also standing was feeling overrated.
He raised a dark brow. “I thought you were the honest one. Come on, Trixie. Let it out. Get it off your chest. Tell me why you really wouldn’t want me, even if I was the last man on earth.”
I winced. “I didn’t mean that. You drive me crazy, but you’re clearly great at running your team. They’re almost as loyal to you as Nix’s people.”
He smiled. “I see. What about me drives you so crazy that you’d rather walk out of here than accept my muscles to protect you?”
I glared up at him and took two steps closer until we were chest to chest, and I had to tilt my head way back to glare into his eyes.
“You’re too tall.”
His brows shot up. “Excuse me? I thought you’d say disrespectful to women.”
“And you have the best equipment, but throw it away as soon as a new shiny object comes along.”
He frowned. “You’re talking about women?”
“I’m talking about that beautiful Hunter assault vehicle that you practically threw away because it wasn’t as appealing for the camera.
You want to talk about women? Fine. You never hire real women for your team.
You’re fine ogling women, but you can’t work with them.
Don’t say Tammy and Tess. You know that they’re Candy you hired as a sub-species to the rest of your crew. ”
He stared at me. “You don’t care that I sleep around?”
“As long as it’s not on a mattress I pass out on. Like I could judge someone else for that. At least you don’t date children. Twenty-two? I’m too old for this. Anyway, those things about you annoy me, but I don’t hate you.”
He studied me for a long time before he nodded. “Fine. You’re right. I have a hard time working with women. When I’m responsible for women, I don’t like to put them in danger. Do you remember Nitro?”
I blinked at him, surprised that he admitted his blatant sexism. “Of course I remember Nitro. That was a terrible accident.” A lot like the one I’d had at seventeen, but I’d walked away. Eventually.
He cleared his throat. “And Dirk was responsible. I’d tried to hire her, but he got her first. That’s why he quit leading his crew and joined Nix. That’s why I would hire you because you’re the best, but I would hate every second of it and probably develop ulcers.”
I pulled back and nodded, not sure what to say when he put down truth that loaded with feelings. “You’re still cold-hearted about your engines.”
He laughed and ran a hand through his silky dark hair. “Fine. I’m a sexist pig, and I don’t have enough sentimental feelings for machines. Are those good enough reasons for you to put your life in danger before we’ve figured out who’s trying to hurt you and your baby?”
I scowled at him before I went and sat down on the bed. “Fine. But you’re going to have to get me some crackers. All the crackers because staying here with you is insane.”
His expression turned deadly serious as he dropped to his knees and gazed soulfully into my eyes. “Crackers I can do. I’ve waited my whole life to go crackers with you.”
I snorted and pushed him away, then after a second, scooted back on the bed and curled up on the extremely good pillow.
“I’m going to sleep it off, and you’re going to get me crackers.
Also water. I’m still slightly dehydrated from all the vomiting.
Also need to flush my system from the drugs.
” My eyes were drifting shut, so I didn’t see him, but I felt his hand squeeze my shoulder for a second, connection that grounded me and made me feel safe.
“You’ve got it, Trix. Sweet dreams.”