The Dragon's Tattoo: A Dragon Shifter Romance (Bluewater Dragons Book 1) Page 6

  His shoulders slumped. “I’ve seen her around town. The guilt has been pretty bad. I should’ve told you years ago how sorry I was to force you to leave.”

  “You should’ve brought me home.”

  “I figured you would’ve asked if you’d wanted to come, to be truthful with you, son. Once you left, you never brought it up again.”

  I decided to cut him some slack. “I’ve always been worried about it. I hoped that I could either get some answers or time and distance or… something so that when I returned either it would go away, or we could make it work.”

  “And did you?”

  I shook my head, hating the fact that I had to say no. “Nothing changed. No news and she’s definitely still my mate.”

  “It drove a wedge between us. I just wanted you to know I only did it because I thought it was the best thing for you.”

  “I know you thought that. But you did things your way, and now it’s time for me to do things my way. I need you to understand that. I don’t believe fate would have chosen Skye for me if she wasn’t truly meant to be mine. I’m going to do anything I can to fix things and pursue a relationship with her.”

  He didn’t answer right away. “I still don’t think it’s a good idea, but you’re not sixteen anymore. You’re grown and can make those decisions yourself.”

  I was a bit more than grown, but he was right. It was my decision.

  My phone beeped on the picnic table where I’d left it before we shifted. I glanced down at it to see Jace had sent a message. You should come to the bar. I’ll give you a free drink.

  That sounded great, actually. “Well, I’m going to head out. I’ll talk to you later.” I clapped him on the back on my way back into the house. “It’ll be okay, Dad.”

  He stood and turned as I opened the back door. “It will be. You’ll make the right decisions.”

  I went inside to get my keys with a smile on my face. He was going to be supportive after all.

  Jace must’ve seen me pull in. When I got to Jace’s Place, he had a cold beer on the bartop waiting on me. “For you,” he said.

  “I was planning to come by,” I said. “Thanks for the beer.”

  In the early afternoon, the bar was totally dead. He walked around and hopped onto the stool beside mine. “What’s up?”

  “What do you know about Bret?” I couldn’t keep the growl out of my voice.

  His eyes flashed. “Ah, so you heard about him.”

  “Heard about him, saw him in action. Saw the pregnant girlfriend.”

  “Bret was a POS who had been cheating on Skye for a long time. They were engaged, and the wedding was just a few weeks off when he told her he’d gotten that other woman pregnant. He’d been paying for most of the wedding, and he ended up keeping all the scheduled stuff and married the woman he was cheating on her with—after getting her pregnant—in the same place, with the same caterer, and the same band.”

  Holy shit. Nobody had told me that. I stared at Jace with wide eyes. “You’re shitting me.”

  “Hell, no. Bret doesn’t come into the bar because I made sure he knew he wasn’t welcome.”

  “Why would you do that?” I set the beer down and gave Jace my full attention.

  “Skye and I aren’t close or anything, but I have looked out for her over the years. I had a strong suspicion she was the reason your arm was shining like the sun the day you kicked us all out of your birthday party.”

  “I’m going to make it up to her.” I didn’t know how to express how grateful I was that he’d tried to keep an eye on Skye while I wasn’t here. “Thank you.” Simple, but effective.

  Jace inclined his head, acknowledging my appreciation. “Good luck, though, man, seriously. Skye is known by most men in town for still being as tough as nails. She always was when we were kids, too. She’s beaten up most of the men that we went to school with that still live in town.”

  I couldn’t stop my smile. It seemed like not much had changed since we were kids. Well, clearly a lot changed but I was beyond glad that Skye was still her. I was ready to get to know her all over again.

  I hung out with Jace until the bar got busier, but I nursed the same beer the whole time. I had to work the next morning and had no desire to do it hungover.

  Spending the afternoon with Jace just reminded me that I hadn’t spent enough time with the rest of the clan. I sent out a text before bed that night inviting anyone available to a group shift at the bluffs. I’d already made sure Sammy would be able to be there to provide us with protection.

  The entire clan paid a monthly fee to Sammy just so she’d make herself available for these times. It was a pittance per family, but enough to help Sammy supplement her natural herbs and home remedies business and make it worth her while to be our clan witch.

  Work the next day was much the same. Tons of tension between Skylar and me. I had no idea how to break the ice and begin bringing her around, but it would have to come down to time. What other option did I have?

  My mom took the idea for the clan shift and ran with it, I found out when I got home from work. I smelled the barbeque cooking the minute I stepped out of the car in the driveway.

  After walking straight through the house, I went out back to find most of the clan there, extra tables set up, and food everywhere. My stomach rumbled. “Oh, man. This looks amazing.”

  “Dig in,” Dad called. “We didn’t wait for you.”

  I grinned and did exactly what he suggested, filling a plate with barbequed chicken, steak, shrimp, as well as all the sides from potato salad to deviled eggs.

  A strong alpha connection was good for the morale of the clan. I mingled among my people, essentially my family. When I picked up a plate of desserts, I stopped in at a different table.

  “Anthony, I’ve been wanting to ask.” My father’s oldest friend, Howard, waved at me. He was also Tessa’s father.

  “What’s up?” I grinned at the table and squeezed in.

  “You’ve got a mate tattoo,” he said, pointing his fork at my arm. “Yet you have no mate.”

  “I always thought it would be Tessa,” his wife, Marjorie, said.

  Tessa snorted from the end of the table. “I thought it would be me, too.”

  I sucked in a deep breath and tried to handle it in the most diplomatic way possible. “In due time, everyone will know everything but, in the meantime, you should focus on what’s happening now, communion and family.”

  Most of the other clan members seemed satisfied by my words, but not Tessa.

  “Or you could be upfront and honest with us now,” she said. She stared at me with a challenge in her eyes.

  “I’ll tell what needs to be told when I’m ready for the information to come out. Being alpha doesn’t mean you’re owed any information about me.” I stood and stared at Tessa until she averted her gaze. “Your behavior is one reason you’re not my mate. You should be more respectful to your alpha.”

  Instead of deferring and looking contrite, she just looked annoyed, and I made a note to keep my eye on her.

  7

  Skylar

  “Girls’ night!” Kaylee’s voice drifted up my stairs.

  “Come in!” I yelled. “I’m just finishing up my makeup!”

  The minute I got off work, I’d gone to get my hair done, and it looked great. My normal girl at the salon had done it in intricate braids and twists. I had the entire weekend off, and I was ready to let loose and blow off some steam.

  Kaylee’s footsteps bounding on the stairs told me she was coming up to help.

  “In my bedroom,” I called.

  She came in looking like a million bucks, her blonde hair curled into something that looked right out of the fifties. She wore a slinky black dress that sparkled every time she moved, and higher than sin heels.

  “Is that what you’re wearing?” She looked so scandalized I couldn't help but recheck my outfit. I’d picked out a black skirt that hit right above the knee and a flowy blue shirt to match
. “You look like a bruise.”

  I burst out laughing, unable to argue her logic. “I suppose you want to pick out my outfit?”

  “Duh.” She walked down the hall. “Put on eyeliner, I’ll have something for you when you’re done.”

  I hadn’t planned on wearing eyeliner, but I knew she wouldn’t stop harping me until I did as she said. She was the master of girls’ night, after all.

  By the time I got both sides even without looking like a total raccoon, she’d found my sexiest dress. “Well,” she said with twisted lips. “You wore this one last time, and I had to make you then, too, but it’ll have to do.” She handed me the hanger with the slinky red dress. “We’re going shopping before our next girls’ night.”

  I tossed my shirt at her face and changed so we could head out. Bluewater had exactly one club and one bar, and they were next door to each other downtown. We parked in my dad’s shop parking lot and walked across the street and down the block to the club. “I brought my key.” I jangled my purse. “If we don’t want to do a rideshare, we can crash in the apartment above Dad’s shop.” Once upon a time, he’d rented it out, but it was currently empty and fully furnished. And the perfect place to sleep off whatever we drank tonight.

  “Perfect! Girls’ night!” She waved her hands in the air, and I couldn’t help but catch her excited mood.

  As soon as we walked in, someone yelled my name. “Nurse Skylar!”

  I looked around until my gaze landed on one of my patients’ moms, who I’d meant to call already. Things had gotten a little crazy and I hadn’t. “Hey, Bri.” Kaylee and I walked over to the table where Bri was already a little glassy-eyed.

  “Join us,” she said in a loud voice. “It’s my little sister’s twenty-first birthday.” She stood and looked around. “She’s over there dancing with her boyfriend.”

  Kaylee shrugged. “Sure, thanks. Twenty-first birthdays are a lot of fun.” A server came by. “We’d like Jell-O shots, and keep ‘em coming, please.” Kaylee slapped a twenty down on the server’s tray. “That’s part of your tip in advance.”

  The lady looked at the bill with wide eyes. “Part?”

  I leaned around Kaylee and grinned at her. “Oh, yeah. Kaylee and I both waited tables in college, so we always tip well.”

  She winked at us. “I’ll take extra good care of you.”

  That was the point. Kaylee leaned back and winked at me.

  The server returned in no time with a tray full of plastic cups with red gelatin.

  “Excellent,” I cried.

  Kaylee threw her hands in the air and whooped, but Bri looked apprehensive. “That’s got to get expensive.”

  She jumped when Kaylee slapped another twenty on the table. “It’s on me!”

  With her job, she was free with the money and not afraid to talk about it. Kaylee entertained people online for a monthly subscription. Adult entertainment. She was damn good at her job, and as a result made quite a good income.

  I’d long since stopped arguing with her about paying for everything. Every once in a while, I’d buy her something as a thank you, but she would insist on paying for most, if not all, of our girls’ nights.

  We giggled our way through the tray and ended up ordering another. The night was exactly what I needed. A night to unwind.

  Before I knew it, I had a healthy buzz and all three of us joined Bri’s sister on the dance floor.

  A couple of guys tried to dance with me, but it wasn’t a big deal. I smiled and pushed away from them, working my way between Bri, Kaylee, and Bri’s sister, whose name I still didn’t know.

  After a while, I had to break for a drink. My throat was nearly sore from laughing so hard during our dance. Kaylee had been dancing like a big dork, doing the robot and the sprinkler among other dances that made me laugh.

  Back at the table, one of the guys that had tried to dance with me walked up. “Hey, baby.”

  I chuckled and looked around for the server. She caught my eye right away. I lifted my glass, which had contained an appletini, and indicated I wanted another. She nodded that she understood. I’d been raised by my father and a shop full of mechanics, so I knew not to leave a drink at the table to be roofied. I’d finished my drink before heading out to dance and would finish this one before going back to join my friends.

  When I turned, the man was still there. He smiled, but his gaze was glued to my chest. “Would you like to dance?”

  “Thanks, but I’m here for girls’ night,” I said over the music. “I appreciate the offer, though.” I edged to the side, putting some space between us, but he advanced when I retreated. Damn it. Guys like this were so annoying. I was entirely capable of handling myself, but it took away from my night.

  “A pretty little thing like you. Why don’t you smile?”

  And with that, I was done being nice. “Look, you’re handsome enough, but your attitude sucks. Leave me alone, please.”

  The sleazy smile on his face faded and it darkened. “You bitch.” He didn’t say it loudly. I couldn’t actually hear it over the music, but it was easy to read his lips.

  I opened my mouth to tell him to fuck off, but then he disappeared. Damn. How many appletinis had I had? Speaking of my drinks, the server walked up with her jaw hanging. “Here,” she said.

  After taking my drink, I followed her gaze to find the asshole on the floor halfway across the room with Anthony standing over him.

  Dr. Mason. Dr. Mason stood over him.

  “What the hell?” I walked over with the server trailing behind me. When I got closer, I saw Anthony’s foot was planted firmly on the asshole’s neck. Even over the noise, I heard a low rumble come from Anthony, and it vibrated through me. He leaned over and said something in the guy’s ear. I couldn’t hear most of it until the end when he said, “...burn you to a crisp.”

  I exchanged a glance with the server and realized Kaylee and Bri had walked up behind her. All three of them had matching shocked facial expressions.

  “Are you okay?” Anthony put his hand on my arm and peered down at me. “Did he touch you?”

  I shook my head and tried to remind myself that I was an independent woman who didn’t need a man to fight my battles.

  But shit, seeing him scare the balls off of that guy had been so freaking hot. It set me all atingle. “I had it handled,” I said.

  Anthony stepped back. “I’m going to pretend you said thank you.”

  “Thank you,” I said. “But I had it handled.”

  He rolled his eyes. “I have no doubt you could have taken care of yourself. But I happened to be here, so you didn’t have to.”

  Anthony grabbed the guy by his shirt and yanked him to his feet. “Get the fuck out of here,” he said loudly enough for all of us to hear. The creep shot me a dark look before hurrying across the dance floor and out the front door.

  “Can I buy you a drink?” Anthony asked.

  I still had a full appletini in my hand, but after all that shit, I needed another. Throwing my head back, I downed the sweet, green drink and handed it to the server. “Okay. Buy me a drink.”

  Anthony grinned and led the way over to the bar, where he ordered me another drink and himself a beer.

  “So, how’s your night going?” he asked while we waited.

  “Well, it was going great until just a minute ago.” I rolled my eyes.

  His face fell a little. Oh, no. He thought I meant it was going well until he came along.

  “No, I meant I was having fun until that dick wouldn’t leave me alone.” I wasn’t sure at all why I was trying to reassure him. I didn’t even like him… or his chiseled jaw.

  “Can we go somewhere quieter to talk?” he asked.

  Oh, fine. Geez. “I guess.”

  He looked around. “Any suggestions?”

  “There’s a balcony upstairs, come on.” I didn’t want to see if he’d heard me, I just led the way. Kaylee winked at me from the dance floor as I passed her. I stuck my tongue out at her and
crossed my eyes.

  When we stepped out on to the balcony, I was glad I’d had a few drinks already. It was chilly out. “So, what do you want to talk about?” I asked.

  “I just wanted to know how you’ve been. I understand if you feel like I don’t deserve to know, but I might remind you that at one point you were my best friend.”

  I eyed him and sighed before taking a long sip of my drink. “Might I remind you that you left me and acted as if I never existed.”

  Anthony stared off, looking down at the view of the town. “I have a lot I want to tell you. I’d really appreciate the opportunity to explain everything, so it makes more sense.”

  He didn’t look at me for several seconds, giving me time to consider. It intrigued me, the idea of knowing what had been the driving factor behind his decision not to reach out to me at all.

  “Can I take you out to lunch one day soon?” He still didn’t look at me, as if he sensed that I needed time to figure out what I wanted to do.

  Not knowing what in the hell had happened had bothered me for years. If I was honest with myself, it never really stopped bothering me. But was it worth knowing to have to suffer through lunch with the man that caused me nearly as much hurt as Bret had?

  I hadn’t been in love with Anthony when he’d left, but the kiss we’d shared just before had definitely tugged at my heart. I had loved him, though. How could I not have? We’d been inseparable since before we were potty trained.

  In the end, curiosity won. “I’ll give you a chance to explain yourself.”

  His smile was bright enough to light up the balcony. I looked at him and pretended it didn’t make my heart race. I also pretended it hadn’t given me special feelings before, when I’d been so sure I wasn’t in love with him. When we’d been just best friends. Practically family, even.

  “Monday. Can we go to lunch together?”

  I nodded and sipped more of my drink. How much of my decision to go to lunch with Anthony had been bolstered by the alcohol? Oh, well. I was in now.

  “Come on,” he said. “I’ll walk you back to your friends. I was hanging out with Jace next door, but if you need anything, any of you, come on over. I’ll stick around a while.”