“More than Hailey?” Jury covered his face with my pillow. “That’s harsh.” His muffled voice was light and teasing, however. He wasn’t mad.
Neither was I, not really. More aggravated at the complete lack of privacy. If it wasn’t for Bethany—and now, also Tiffany—I would’ve already accepted the California law school.
Not to mention, I’d never been one to kiss and tell. Jury and I had our fun with the girls in town and even a few towns over, but I didn’t like to compare stories like they were some sort of conquest or something.
“Look.” I faced them and buttoned up my uniform shirt. “I like Bethany. I like her daughter. That’s all there is to say right now. We’re taking things one day at a time. Slowly.”
Jury peeked out from under the pillow and his face was far too smug. “See? Things can happen super-fast. It wasn’t long ago you two hated each other, right? Just like a week ago?”
Told you.
Artemis and Jury were both far too self-satisfied about the whole situation. “You can both shove it.”
Rico held up his hands. “Hey!” he exclaimed. “I’m concerned for you, cousin, but why the attitude?”
“Not you,” I grumbled. “Jury and Artemis.”
When they realized I meant Jury and my dragon, they both burst out laughing.
“When are you going to tell her?” Rico asked when they stopped laughing.
I paused in the middle of buckling my belt. “Fuck,” I whispered. “I hadn’t thought about it.”
“How could you forget about something that important?” Rico and Jury exchanged a look. “That’s kinda big.”
“I don’t know. When I’m around her, everything feels so natural. It just slipped my mind.” I sat on the bed and put on my socks, but my body reverberated with shock. How would I tell her? It could ruin everything. I’d heard stories of mates being torn apart because the female couldn’t handle the news.
The whole situation made me melancholy.
Are you ashamed of me?
I’d never felt anything but uplifting emotions from Artemis. Sure, he got angry sometimes, but usually only if I was already angry. And he occasionally was irritated, usually at me for being a bonehead. But sadness wasn’t anything he’d ever expressed before.
A wave of mourning washed over me, but the emotions weren’t of my making. Artemis was sad that he thought I wanted to hide him.
“Just because I hadn’t thought about it doesn’t mean I’m not going to tell her,” I told both Artemis and my cousins. “It won’t be easy though. I’m a little worried she won’t understand.”
I wouldn’t have chosen her if I didn’t think she would understand.
Artemis was right.
“She’ll understand,” Rico said. “The cases of the humans rejecting the dragon shifters? All those old lores? When have you heard of it happening in the last several hundred years? All the stories are old. I think they’re made up to make sure if a dragon finds his mate, he proceeds with caution to minimize complications.”
He was probably right. “I haven’t ever known it to happen,” I admitted. “But I’d rather it not go bad before it gets better, either.”
Rico and Jury nodded their agreements.
“This older woman has been hitting on me and it’s kind of freaking me out,” Rico said.
Before I could ask him who she was, my phone beeped my final warning. I liked to set reminders, so I got out the door on time. Otherwise, I always ended up procrastinating and got to my destination late. “We can catch up on you two later, okay?” I asked. “I gotta get to work.” They hauled their asses off my bed as I put my gun, pepper spray, and handcuffs on my belt.
“Okay, but we’re going out. This weekend.” Jury pointed at me until I nodded.
“Okay, fine. You got it.”
Once they had my assurance, they finally left. I grabbed my wallet, phone, and keys, and followed them out a few minutes later.
Since I lived so close, I liked to walk to work. My truck was back at the manor house in the barn, anyway, where I preferred to keep it. If I needed it fast, it was an easy walk to a path that led up through the woods to the manor. It would take a normal human a good half hour or more to walk it, but it only took me minutes if I let Artemis help me a bit.
All week, every shift, I gave myself plenty of time and walked slowly to work. That way I could call Bethany and see how her day was going. Today was no different, and why I’d been so insistent on getting out the door on time.
She picked up on the second ring. “Hey, Maddox.” Her smooth voice warmed me and lifted my spirits.
“Hey, you.” I tucked the hand not holding my phone into my pocket. “How are you? How’s Tiffany feeling?” It had been several days since her dose of antibiotics, and my quick internet search had told me it should’ve at least begun to help.
“Like a new kid,” Beth said happily. “She’s totally back to normal. Of course, we have to give her the full run of antibiotics, so the ear infection doesn’t take hold again, but she’s wonderful.”
Knowing Tiffany felt better made me happier than I’d expected it to. “I’m so glad to hear that. I’ve been thinking about you both.”
She giggled and the sound made me want to compose poetry. What the hell? I’d never been sentimental like that before. “You just saw us yesterday.”
I scuffed my toe on the sidewalk as I worked my way slowly toward the station. “I know, but it was nice seeing you. You’ve been on my mind.”
“Well, about that.” Some static came over the line and Beth’s voice muffled. “Sure, honey. Get a yogurt cup.
