Abby and Harley exchanged a look. “I’m going to hit the bathroom,” Kara said a few minutes later. I’d only told her that Maddox had been accepted to a law school in another state and it had broken us up since there was no way I’d leave Black Claw.
Once she was out of earshot, I leaned across the table toward Harley and Abby. “How did you deal with it?”
They both laughed and exchanged a look. “I knew because our father is one,” Abby said. “So, it was no shock for me.”
“It was a total shock for me,” Harley said after a snort. “It nearly undid us. But I loved Stefan too much to let it split us up.” She looked horrified after she said it. “Not that you don’t love Maddox,” she exclaimed. “I didn’t mean it that way.”
“No, I understand. I do love Maddox.” I looked around to make sure Kara wasn’t on her way back. “But he sprang it on me, and it scared me. Then, after I rejected him... I don’t think he wants to give me another chance.”
Abby tapped her drink to mine. “Beth, the dragon is like part of their soul. Imagine having a part of your soul that can communicate with you. Yes, they have names and memories. They’re separate beings. But at the same time, they’re not. They truly are their dragons and their dragons are them. They’re kind and loyal.”
Harley nodded. “So protective. And fierce. There’s nothing better. Having the opportunity to be with a dragon, to love one?” She shook her head and exchanged a glance with her sister. “It’s a blessing.”
Kara walked out of the bathroom but stopped to speak to someone she knew.
“I’m really sad you couldn’t accept Maddox for who he is,” Abby said. “Did you know he got accepted into law school in California?”
My jaw dropped. “You’re joking. That’s the cover story I told my parents and Kara. I had no idea that was actually true.” The coincidence was uncanny. Of all the cover stories I could’ve pulled out of my ass, that was the one I’d gone with? The truth, somewhat.
My heart fluttered. I knew he would’ve been thrilled with the acceptance. But also, my stomach twisted into knots. California. Why did it have to be so far away? Someone turned an upbeat song on the jukebox, and it mocked me. I wasn’t in the mood for a dance song, and every beat of the bass made my heart lurch. I was about to finalize the disaster I’d started nearly a month ago.
If I didn’t fix what I broke, I could’ve lost him for good. Long distance was a possibility. I could’ve handled that. What I couldn’t have handled him was going to California thinking I didn’t love him. I had to fix this. I had to prove to Maddox that I loved him and his dragon.
24
Maddox
I looked around the back yard and smiled at my family. They’d surprised me with a big party to celebrate being accepted into two different law schools. As I watched my mom and dad, aunts and uncles, cousins, sister, and grandparents, I couldn’t help but still feel an ache. There was a hole inside me that held a spot for Bethany.
And Tiffany.
Definitely and Tiffany. I missed hearing her chatter on about things that were important in the eyes of a toddler. Not to mention the feel of her skinny little arms around my neck and how she’d asked for her dinosaur.
Artemis would’ve given anything to stomp around the yard with her and roared like a dinosaur so she could laugh and play. Anything.
But that was over. Maybe one day we’d meet someone who could make us half as happy as we’d felt with Bethany and Tiffany. Possibly have a child of our own to roar for.
Nothing could fill that hole, though.
“We are so proud of you,” Dad said. He and Mom sat across from me with Jury and Abby beside me at the picnic table. If our family grew any more, we’d have to buy even more tables for the manor’s back yard.
Since the weather was fully into summer, the kids had set up a slip and slide. Of course, when it came to playing in the water, I considered myself just as much of a kid. I’d been in and out of the water all afternoon.
Finally, Jury and I had tired enough to go inside and change into dry clothes and eat lunch. When I was distracted, I did okay, but now that I was sitting quietly, all I could think about was Bethany.
The sound of a car coming up the gravel driveway made my ears prick. The wind was going in the wrong direction to get a whiff of our visitor beforehand, so Grandma walked through the house to greet whoever it was.
My face must’ve been animated when Bethany walked onto the back deck because Mom’s and Dad’s eyes both widened, and they whirled in their seats to see who I was staring at. My heart thumped, and Artemis whimpered inside me. We’d craved the sight of her, but it had been over a week since we’d caught a glimpse. She’d come in to sign some papers relating to the kidnapping, but that had been the only time.
She’d made no other attempts to reach out to us. If I’d thought it would do any good, I would’ve texted or called her, but I didn’t want to keep beating a dead horse. She’d given me a small, grateful smile that day at the station. I’d figured that was going to be all I got.
Bethany spotted me immediately. She smiled, and I expected to feel more rejection coming off of her.
I stood
