Chapter 4
Maya
“You are so sweet.” I told Bella, looking over her big blue eyes as she ate a half can of wet food. Her small tummy turned into a round ball after only a few bites. Honestly, it was really cute.
I looked up to see Sai was standing in the door of Marco’s office watching me. I didn’t really understand the expression he had on his face, but it was soft and filled with warmth. Making me feel flustered. Not in the same way as I did after riding his dragon… but still flustered.
Croy was sitting on the couch, his green eyes flashing up to me despite his attempts to focus. He had his Bluetooth in his ear, talking to someone in Los Angeles. Judging by his voice, he was super annoyed.
I understood that though. This was worse than school.
I’d officially decided I didn’t like school and I totally didn’t want to work.
Not like this at least. I wanted to paint and maybe bake.
I felt like it was a good range of skills, plus even if it wasn’t - I enjoyed it, so it was good enough for me. So painting and baking sounded perfect.
Oh! That’s an idea.
“Hey, Sai?” I asked as he rounded the desk, kneeling down on one knee so we were eye level.
Even after hours of work, he looked as handsome as he had this morning.
My eyes moved over his dress shirt that was tight across his chest, making me shift slightly.
My skin breaking out into shivers at the soft rumbling his dragon produced.
“Yes, kitten?” he asked, finally drawing my eyes up from where I’d clearly been staring at him.
We were nose to nose, breath catching, ears warming.
“Maya,” Sai chuckled softly with a dark undertone, “breathe, kitten.”
“How am I supposed to breathe when you're this close, smell like cinnamon, and are so flippin’ handsome?” I demanded, frustrated with his words. “You should just turn around so I can actually focus…”
Sai’s lips melded with mine as I inhaled sharply. My fingers hesitantly reached up to twist in his long hair which was now loose of its bindings. He let out a low growl against my lips, tugging me forward so his chest was between my legs.
When he finally pulled back I just blinked at him, not exactly knowing how the hell to go from there. Was it just me or was it really warm in here? I was so confused by these weird spikes of what I now knew to be lust.
My brain felt foggy and I was overwhelmed by this sense of security, affection, and desire. It felt freeing like I could let go because I knew Sai would handle stuff.
“Kitten,” Sai cooed softly, making me blink and I inhaled sharply, shaking myself out of it.
“Sorry,” I whispered as he shook his head offering me a stunning smile.
“No need to apologize.” He leaned forward, nipping my bottom lip and sending what felt like an electric current, small but powerful, through my body. “I like this look on you.”
“What look?” I asked softly as he shook his head.
“What were you going to ask me?” He tilted his head curiously, while moving past his comment.
Oh. I grinned, perking up. “Do you think we could create a craft store that is also a bakery…that people can bring their pets in? Or what if we had pets that people could adopt?”
Sai chuckled softly tucking hair behind my ear, “I’ve never heard of a place like that, but I don’t think it would be a problem if you really wanted it.”
Humming I nodded, “Maybe.” A new question sprang out of my mouth. “Do you like working here? I’m not sure I could get used to this. It seems a bit boring.” I blushed at the realization that I’d admitted that out loud, “Don’t tell Marco I said that.”
Sai’s eyes flashed to my lips, “No worries, Maya, I think he agrees. But to answer your question, no, this is not my ideal workday.”
Marco found his own company boring? Well, why the heck was he doing something he didn’t love? It was clear he and I needed to have a discussion.
“Well, what is?” I watched as Bella gave a lengthy stretch on the desk as the lamp warmed her fur. When Marco had adopted Bella, it made me fall in love with him just a bit more.
Not only had he saved her, but now I could prove that I was better than the woman that raised me. If I ever had children of my own one day, which was an odd concept to consider, I wanted them to have an amazing life. I never wanted them to question my love for them.
“When we first arrived from the Dreki realm, I found myself competing in human fight circles,” he explained easily, “by human standards I was underage though, so that had to stop for a time.”
“You enjoy fighting?” I asked curiously, trying to make sense of that.
I was learning that violence was normal and even expected for most shifters, but it was hard to swallow.
I could never imagine hurting someone…well, that I loved.
I had no issue with thinking that Becky Ash’s hair deserved to be burned a bit.
Something dark flashed through his gaze, “It’s a release, I grew up in a military-focused family.
Sent to a military school at age ten. So fighting and violence are something I’m familiar with.
But enjoy it? No, not really.” His voice was soft and thoughtful as he ran a thumb over my pulse point gently.
I nibbled my lip, “That makes sense. I think.”
Sai lifted a hand to my cheek and rubbed a thumb over my jaw, “I know violence bothers you, kitten. You won’t ever have to see anything like that.”
I blushed thinking about him all sweaty while fighting. I had no idea where the image came from. I swallowed trying to hide my reaction.
A low rumble broke from his chest. That sexy sound had me looking up at him, my head tilted slightly in thought.
“I wouldn’t mind seeing you do something you enjoy.” I explained softly.
Sai ran a hand over Bella’s soft fur and spoke softly, “I haven’t in quite some time.
That was one of the reasons we left Los Angeles three years ago.
Even though we traveled back and forth a lot before this past year.
When the human law enforcement found out I was part of the local fight circles, they tried to blame Marco. Tried to separate us.”
Separate them? I frowned realizing that I could have run the risk of never meeting these amazing men if they hadn’t left Los Angeles.
“You mentioned a realm, the Dreki realm? Does that mean you weren’t born here?” I asked curiously, wishing I had a larger grasp on this universe.
Before he could respond, the twins' voices sounded as they both appeared in the door.
“We have food.” Anani flashed me a smile and I was up immediately.
I gently placed a sleeping Bella on her soft pillow and left the drawer open. We walked from the room, well Sai did, seemingly okay with the pause in our conversation but I stopped, looking at Croy.
He seemed tired and I hadn’t considered how much of a strain moving his entire life in a blink of an eye would have caused. Putting out a massive tanned hand, I curled mine within his offered one and he kissed it gently, his green eyes searching mine.
“I understand what you’re saying,” he drew lazily to whoever he was on the phone with, “but I already explained I am not interested in working for them. Even for a season.”
A voice started to talk and he sighed, “Listen. I need to go, I have an important dinner. I’ll talk to you later.” When he hung up I immediately smiled, his large frame standing fully above me as his hands wrapped around my waist.
“Croy?” I spoke softly as his eyes trailed across my face.
“Yeah, sugar?”
“Thank you for coming back here with us,” I went up on my tiptoes to brush my lips across his as he wrapped his arms fully around me, bringing me up to his chest.
“I’d follow you anywhere.” He admitted softly, searching my face as I offered him a small thankful smile. “I did want to ask you something though.”
“What’s that?” I tilted the hand that I had running through his hair.
“Do you want to go on a date soon? Just the two of us? Maybe dinner and a movie?” He offered.
“A date?” I grinned fully at his honest and open expression. “Yeah, I would love that.”
Croy smiled, setting me down as a question popped into my head. “Who was that?” I asked curiously. “On the phone.”
He chuckled, “Someone who wants me for a season of a tech documentary that Discovery is working on. I’m not interested though. That sounds exhausting. Plus, then I would have to be away from you.”
I ran my hand over his chest, “And you want to be close to me.” I didn’t ask because I knew.
Instead of answering, Croy dipped his lips down to mine in a gentle cool kiss that had me sighing into it. His grip slid up to hold my jaw as he devoured my mouth gently but with depth, making me shiver as that molten pulse of heat echoed through me.
I felt my nails dig into his chest as I gripped his shirt tighter. My chest warmed as I whimpered against him, pulling back as he let out a low groan.
“You are fucking delectable,” he mumbled, rubbing my nose with his.
“Your chest is rumbling,” I whispered as he tilted my head back slightly as if he was going to kiss down my throat.
“My wolf is…eager to meet you.” He spoke softly, as his eyes traced my neck and quickening pulse.
I wasn’t scared of Croy. I knew none of my mates would ever hurt me. However, I did feel an exhilarating thrill of adrenaline at the way he was looking at me. The soft dangerous noise coming from him made my toes curl.
Croy, despite his elegant disposition, had a side to him that was very...well, wolf-ish. Animalistic. Just like my dragon mates, I found myself wanting to poke at it a bit. Encourage it. Wasn’t that terrible of me?
“Can I see you shift?” I asked as his eyes snapped up to my gaze from my neck.
“Absolutely.” He answered, and then his green eyes lightened, “Tomorrow morning I wanted to help you with trying to shift and maybe catch you up with any questions you have about all of this. If you are interested in that of course…”