Chapter 10
Lucan
She wasn’t fine. Not even close.
I could see it in her rigid shoulders and the way her fingers pressed too hard against her glass.
And I was about to make it worse.
The thought of coming clean about being the man in the woods had been circling my brain since I’d arrived, but I kept putting it off. I told myself I’d wait for the right moment, or maybe not say anything at all. Except that was bullshit, and I knew it.
What would happen when we ended up in bed together? Would she recognize me then?
I shouldn’t even be thinking so far ahead. She didn’t know what or who I was.
My dragon stirred, and I had to push against the surge of heat that rolled through my chest.
The pressure didn’t ease.
Keeping a secret so big was the exact opposite of what a mate deserved. I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to find the right words. There was no good way to do it, no script for ‘hey, remember that traumatic encounter with a naked stranger in the woods? Yeah, that was me.’
I cleared my throat. “Sometimes I pull night shifts.”
The distant look she had on her face evaporated, and her full attention was on me. How could it not be when the proclamation was so out of place?
“Especially this time of year, when the forest is dry and the fire risk is high.” I kept my tone conversational, as if I were talking about something mundane instead of the moment that had probably scarred her for life.
“And part of my job is to make sure someone isn’t about to burn down half the forest.”
“Okay…” Her brows furrowed in confusion, and two creases formed between them.
“And sometimes, when I’m on patrol, I get bored.” I paused, willing myself to find the courage to tell her, even if it meant getting a glass of water in my face. “So I pretend I’m on Naked and Afraid to liven things up a bit.”
Her lips parted slightly as she blinked several times. At least she hadn’t lifted her glass to douse me yet.
“Unfortunately, one such night, my app alerted me to smoke, and I went to investigate without stopping to grab my clothes.”
Her expression didn’t change immediately. Then understanding dawned. Her eyes widened slightly, her mouth opening as if she were about to speak but couldn’t find the words.
The color drained from her face, then rushed back in a flush that spread from her cheeks down her neck. Her hands flattened on the table, fingers splayed.
I waited, watching emotions flicker across her face too fast to name. Shock. Disbelief. Embarrassment. A flash of anger.
“It was you?” Her voice came out barely above a whisper.
I nodded, doing my best impression of sheepish regret.
It was the kind of look that said I knew I’d screwed up and hoped she wouldn’t murder me in public.
“I’m so sorry. That was wildly unprofessional, and I’m honestly shocked you didn’t go to the sheriff.
Though I’m happy to report that your campfire was adequately set up to prevent forest fires, so at least there’s that? ”
The laugh that escaped her was strangled, caught somewhere between hysteria and amusement. She pressed a hand to her mouth, her shoulders shaking slightly, and I couldn’t tell if she was about to cry or lose it completely.
Then her eyes narrowed, the laughter cutting off abruptly as something else clicked into place. “The knife.”
Of course she’d go there. I should have expected it.
I laughed, trying to keep it casual. “Yeah, I found it earlier that day. Figured I’d give it to you as compensation for the emotional scars I caused.”
Her stare burned hot enough to blister. “And now you want to buy it from me? For more than it’s worth?”
I didn’t break eye contact. “Yes.”
She leaned back in her chair as if I’d pushed her. Her hands dropped from the table, her entire posture closing off. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“I’m not.”
“You just happened to find a knife worth almost twenty grand lying around, decided to give it to the woman you traumatized in the woods, and you want to buy it back? That’s your story?”
“That’s what happened.”
“Right.” She shifted forward as if she might stand, her muscles tensing in preparation.
Our server appeared, setting down loaded fries in the center of the table and our meals in front of us with a bright smile. “Need anything else?” She glanced between us.
“We’re good,” I said, though that was a generous interpretation of our current situation.
The server disappeared, and Liz stared down at her chicken sandwich like it still had feathers.
I picked up a fry, attempting to project calm even though my dragon was clawing at my ribs. She was pulling away, shutting down, and every instinct I had screamed at me to fix it.
But I couldn’t explain the real reason for the knife. I couldn’t tell her about hoards or mates or the fact that my dragon had known she was ours the second I’d caught her scent. Not yet.
I picked up another fry, forcing myself to chew slowly. The silence stretched, and I could feel her coiling tighter with every second that passed.
“Liz.” I kept my voice steady. “I know this is a lot. I’m not asking you to trust me. At least eat.”
She didn’t look at me, and her jaw tightened. Her gaze stayed fixed on her sandwich. For a moment, I thought she would grab her bag and walk out anyway. Then she reached forward and picked up the sandwich, taking a bite with all the enthusiasm of someone chewing cardboard.
I took that as a win.
The noise of the restaurant filled the space between us as we ate, and I tried to focus on my burger.
She took small bites, her shoulders still locked, her posture screaming that she was only here because leaving would make a scene. Every few seconds, her gaze flicked toward the door like she was calculating the fastest exit route.
My dragon didn’t understand why she couldn’t see that I just wanted to take care of her. I forced myself to stay calm, because pushing her now would be disastrous.
When she set her sandwich down after eating maybe half, I knew the meal was over. I wiped my hands on a napkin, trying to figure out what to say next. Nothing came to mind that didn’t sound like I was lying out of my ass.
She folded her napkin carefully. “I should get going. Beck looks like he could use a break.”
“Liz.” I reached into my pocket and pulled out the cashier’s check, setting it on the table between us. “I know you don’t trust this. I don’t blame you. But the money’s real. It’s already been pulled from my account.”
Her eyes dropped to the check, then snapped to my face. “No.” The word was final.
“Just take it.” I resisted the urge to reach forward and push it toward her.
She stood, her chair scraping against the floor. “I’m not doing this.”
I remained seated, watching her. “Doing what?”
“Tying myself to another man.” There was anger threaded through her voice and hurt in her eyes. “I’ve already been burned once by someone I trusted. I’m not making that mistake again.”
I knew she had a history, and had probably been hurt, but hearing her say it out loud made my chest tighten. I wanted to tell her I wasn’t like that, that I wouldn’t hurt her, that she could trust me.
But I couldn’t. Not honestly. Because I was hiding something big from her, and that was exactly what would scare her off if she knew.
I held her gaze. “You’re not wrong. Trusting me would be a risk. I get that. You can hold on to the knife and take the check to the bank tomorrow and verify it yourself.”
She shook her head, the motion sharp and dismissive. “Keep it.”
“Liz.”
“I should find Beck.” She didn’t wait for a response and walked away, weaving through the tables toward the bar where Beck was pouring drinks.
I sat there, staring at the untouched check on the table.
At least she hadn’t tried to give me the knife back.
My dragon roared, wanting me to follow her and do something other than sit here like an idiot while our mate walked away.
But I didn’t move.
I’d already done enough damage for one night.