Trusting The Betrayed (Rogue Dragons Book 1)

by Emilia Hartley

  When they closed up for the night, Nellie asked if they could go out again. While Nellie seemed to have infinite energy, Evangeline craved her bed. She wanted to bury herself in plush pillows and faux fur…

  Or the arms of a considerate man.

  Her loneliness was catching up to her. She’d tried to focus on herself, but there were only so many self-care routines she could do before the hollow silence of her apartment caught up with her. Days like this, working twelve hours at the parlor, were her only reprieve. Chatter and the hum of her machine filled the empty spaces for a little while.

  “Are you sure you want to go home?” Nellie asked, like she could read her mind.

  Hell, she probably could. Nellie was capable of so many things that Evangeline never would have dreamed of. For Nellie, magic was real.

  Evangeline wished she could borrow a bit of that magic and conjure herself a warm body to cuddle that night. But as she took in the street, her gaze caught on a familiar truck. Window rolled down, Casey waved to her.

  Nellie made a sound of disapproval. “I don’t like his kind.”

  Evangeline cocked her head. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Well, I, uh…His timing is bad. You just broke up with Trevor and now this guy is trying to scoop you up? I don’t buy it.”

  “He’s not trying to scoop me up,” Evangeline assured Nellie. “Though, I wouldn’t mind scooping him up.”

  Nellie opened her mouth, but Evangeline didn’t stick around to hear what her friend had to say. Evangeline usually didn’t mind her friend’s overprotective nature, but for a single night, Evangeline wanted to throw caution to the wind. Maybe nothing would happen, and she would part ways with Casey after saying hello.

  Then again, maybe he would invite her back to his place for a cozy night together.

  “Don’t forget to wear protection!” Nellie shouted when Evangeline was halfway across the street.

  Immediately, Evangeline’s cheeks turned red-hot. The urge to whip around and hiss at Nellie nearly pulled her to a stop, but Evangeline kept her head high and gave Casey a soft smile and wave.

  “What brings you to the Grumpy Sailor tonight? As you can see, we’re closed.”

  Casey drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. “Didn’t intend to end up here. Just kind of happened.”

  “Oh,” Evangeline blurted out.

  “Looks like I came along at the right time, though. You hungry?”

  Her stomach answered with a loud growl before she could say anything. Casey laughed and reached over the passenger seat to open the door. She bit the inside of her cheek as she debated his invitation.

  She had work in the morning again. A good night’s sleep was more important than dinner and conversation. In the end, the dinner and conversation option won. She darted around the front of the truck, running through his headlights, and climbed into the passenger seat.

  “What’s open at this time of night?” he asked as he took the truck out of park. “I’m not a fancy man, so strike out those options. I’m more of a midnight pancake kind of guy.”

  “If you turn onto Rohan Street here and take a left when you reach Joestar Street, you’ll find a twenty-four-hour dive with the best burgers this mountain has to offer.”

  “Now you’re talking my language.” He cast a glance in her direction, doing a double take like he couldn’t believe she was there.

  She swallowed, trying to calm her raucous heart. Being around Casey made her feel all aflutter, like every bit of her would break into butterflies and drift away. It was a dangerous feeling, one that would blind her to the traits she should be on the lookout for. After falling into so many pitfalls with her exes, she needed to be wary.

  Evangeline didn’t know how to balance her attraction with the right level of wariness. The two didn’t seem to mesh well together, though she’d never been the kind of person to show any kind of caution. That was something she’d learned later, from Trevor and the men that came before him who watched her with hawk eyes, waiting for her to mess up.

  She sighed, hating how every thought of her past made her feel dumb.

  How had she ever loved those men? Why did she still hold fond memories of them despite everything they’d done to her? Was she really such an empty person that she would take anyone to make herself feel whole?

  She wanted to think her grandfather had raised a stronger woman, but she was doubting it now.

  “You look like you’re thinking awfully hard over there. You better be deciding on your burger toppings because we’re not staying to eat.”

  Her head snapped up. “What’s that mean? Are you attempting to kidnap me?”

  He parked by the diner’s glowing windows. The soft light illuminated his face and made him seem softer. “I would never take you anywhere against your will. I just wanted to be alone with you. That’s all.”

  After he got out of the truck, he came around to her side and helped her down. “Hey, I can see your freckles today.”

  She swallowed. “Yeah, uh, some guy complimented them, so I felt better about showing them off today.”

  “What a nice dude,” Casey said with a wide grin plastered onto his face. “You need more men like that in your life. Men who make you feel good even when you’re not doing anything for them.”

  His words struck her, like she’d never considered a relationship like that before. She’d always put a hundred and ten percent into every relationship. Yet, now that she looked back, she realized she’d never gotten that back.

  At the counter, Casey ordered a cheeseburger with extra bacon and grilled jalapenos. She raised a brow but decided against warning him about this diner’s jalapenos. He could experience them for himself. She asked for a plain burger with pickles, onions, and their house special sauce. At the mention of the special sauce, he asked to have it added to his burger as well.

  “You’d think I’d get sick of burgers by now. That’s all the guys have eaten for three days. Guess I’m a simple man.” He shook his head, as if being simple was a bad thing.

  “Just because you’re satisfied with simple things doesn’t mean you’re dull or anything like that.” She shrugged. “If anything, I think it means you’ll be happier than the rest of us.”

  He snorted before giving her a side-long look. His expression softened. “Guess it ain’t all bad then.”

  She had a feeling he was talking about her, in a way. Though, she couldn’t quite decipher what he meant. He clearly enjoyed her company, because he had sought her out this time. To think that she would be rescued by a stranger only to have him become a friend… and possibly more.

  “What did you do before you came here?” she asked to fill the time while they waited for their burgers.

  Leaning against the counter, he flexed his hands to show his calloused palms and fingertips. “I built things. Worked for a construction company. Mostly houses and garages. If you need a house, I’m the guy to call.”

  “Well, I don’t need one right now. Maybe we’ll need one in the future, but…” She froze, realizing what she’d just implied.

  Her heart slapped her sternum. She didn’t dare look at him for fear of what she’d see on his face. Had she seriously implied they would be together? That they’d want a house together? What was wrong with her?

  She forced herself to step away from the aura of heat that radiated around him but mourned it once the conditioned air swept over her skin. An invisible force tugged at her and begged her to lean into Casey. She needed to get to know him better, though. She needed to know what he was like when he was angry, when he was disappointed.

  Then she would be able to tell if she could have what she wanted or if she should run in the other direction.

  “I can build you a house. All you have to do is say the word,” Casey said as he paid for the grease-covered burger bags.

  She turned on her heel and marched back out to the truck, her pulse hammering in her ears. She couldn’t hear him following but could fe
el his heat on her back. Part of her yearned to steal a glance at his face to see what kind of expression he wore, but she didn’t dare risk it.

  He drove through town, barely uttering a word before he found a place to park. It was a little pull off, just outside of town, the kind that tourists liked to use for photo opportunities. The sun had set, but she stared in awe at the sprawling lights of homes as the streets below led further and further away from the town center.

  “This is beautiful,” she whispered.

  “You act like you’ve never seen this before. You’re the local.” He pulled a fry from the bag and popped it into his mouth.

  Evangeline shrugged. “I have my nose buried in sketchbooks and skin all day. If I’m not layering graphite, I’m layering ink.”

  “Well, I’m glad I got to show you something new. Maybe I’ll be able to show you more.”

  “You would have to stick around to do that. You keep talking like you’re going to up and vanish soon. If I’m going to be honest, I’m not looking forward to it.” She slowly unwrapped her own burger.

  Soon, the interior of the truck smelled like meat and onions. She turned sideways, tucked her feet beneath her, and relaxed into her seat. Though the space was small, and Casey was a rather large man, the truck didn’t feel cramped. Instead, the space seemed more intimate than anything else.

  She didn’t mind eating in silence. If she stretched her toes, she could nudge Casey’s arm. He didn’t move away when she did it, but instead leaned into her.

  “What made you crash into my life?” she asked, all of a sudden.

  Casey paused. “Are you asking why I intervened the other day or why I’m in town?”

  “Both.” She also wanted to know if she could convince him to stay.

  “Well, the first part of that is easy to answer. I wasn’t about to let that prick manhandle you. Seeing him put his hands on you…” Casey growled, a sound deep and dark that spoke of things she didn’t understand.

  The growl should have bothered her, but it didn’t. No fear arose, no alarms went off in her head. Instead, she felt protected. Casey would keep her safe against the world’s trash. At least, that was how it felt right then.

  “As for why I’m here, I’m not sure I can talk about it with you.” He stared down at the bag in his lap.

  Evangeline wrinkled her nose. His avoidance made her think he was here to work things out with an ex or trying to get custody of his kids. Guys always left information like that out when they were trying to get with a new woman.

  She sighed and shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

  Casey might have picked up on her unease because he said, “I came to help a friend. Guy left kind of abruptly and I’ll admit it hurt, but I wanted to make sure everything was okay. Now I’m trying to put him back together while managing another dude’s mess and dealing with my own shit.”

  “That’s…an information bomb,” she blurted out.

  He huffed a small laugh before his eyes slid to her. When their gazes met, an electric shock darted to her core and ignited a fire. She wanted to lean over the console and take his plump lower lip between her teeth. Everything about him was carved perfectly. She wanted to explore his body to see if it was as hard and cold as marble or if he would cradle her gently.

  “You don’t have to worry yourself about any of it,” he said.

  She sat up straighter. “What if I want to worry about it? What if I want into your life?”

  She expected silence, but instead he groaned and closed his eyes. Pressing the back of his head into the headrest, he sat like that for a second too long.

  “Don’t say things like that,” he growled. When he opened his eyes, they seemed to glow from within. “It’s not safe to get attached to people like me.”

  She stared, her lips parting. Hadn’t his eyes been blue? Now, they seemed to dance with shades of emerald and aquamarine.

  Nellie had warned Evangeline against Casey and his friends. She was starting to get the hint that they were like Nellie. Maybe they weren’t witches like she was, but Casey wasn’t completely human, either.

  She swallowed. She could have told him that she knew magic existed but couldn’t tame her heart long enough to find her voice. For some reason, she felt better knowing that Casey was something other than human. It kind of washed away the rest of her worries. If that was his biggest secret, then he couldn’t be hiding anything that awful from her.

  “What is it that you’re trying to get back from your ex?” Casey asked out of the blue.

  She scowled. Her heart settled as indignation wrapped around it. “I kicked him out not too long ago. He up and left with my grandfather’s ring. Probably snatched it while I was in the shower and couldn’t stop him. I usually have it on me at all times.”

  “Grandfather, huh? So, you’re not a daddy’s girl?”

  She shook her head. “Parents weren’t in the picture. They dropped me into my grandfather’s lap, and he did the rest of the work. He was my rock. He didn’t give a fuck about social norms and encouraged me to do whatever made me happy and healthy. If I was busy bleaching and dying my hair, then I wasn’t busy stealing or getting into drugs. You know?”

  “I like the sound of this man. I’d like to meet the guy who helped you become who you are.”

  She cleared her throat as tears swelled. He’d been gone for half a decade now and talking about it still made her cry every time. “He didn’t get to see me open my own shop, so I named it after him.”

  Casey reached across the console and pulled her into a hug. She rose to her knees to wrap her arms around him in return. The tears flowed, a torrent she couldn’t stop. While Casey held her, she didn’t feel so bare. The spot where the ring should have been was warmed by Casey’s touch.

  “I think he would have liked you,” she whispered.

  Her grandfather hadn’t liked anyone she’d brought home. To think that he would have approved of Casey meant a lot. Maybe it even meant she was on the right track this time. Except he would leave once he fixed his friends’ problems. She would never ask for the problems to stretch on, but she did wish for a bit longer with Casey.

  “I can’t imagine any father figure approving of me,” Casey said, one hand still on her lower back.

  She stared down at him in the dark and watched Casey’s eyes glow brighter. His pupils narrowed and his lips parted. His hand on her back tightened, pressing her closer. She dug her nails into his shoulder. Need swelled inside her, almost too much to ignore.

  Almost.

  She peeled herself away from him and sat back into her seat. Despite everything she wanted, this was still moving too fast. She couldn’t risk her heart all over again. Not when she was infamous for throwing it to the wrong guys.

  Casey seemed alright on the surface. He was quite a bit nicer than some of the other guys she’d dated.

  “Did you know that on my first date with Trevor, I tried to get out of his car, and he grabbed my pony-tail to make sure I couldn’t leave?” She shook her head.

  Something cracked. Her head shot up at the alarming sound. Though she couldn’t see anything visibly broken, she knew she’d heard the sound all the same. When her gaze lifted to Casey’s face, his features had darkened.

  “I didn’t know I could hate the man any more than I already did,” Casey said, grinding each word out from behind his clenched teeth.

  Evangeline pressed her lips together, guilt rising in her gut. She turned her attention to the scenery out the window beside her while wishing she could have kept her stupid mouth shut. Her confession had upset Casey, and she didn’t know how to make it better.

  He reached to take her hand in his, gently tugging until she looked at him. The darkness that’d overtaken him a moment ago had disappeared completely. In its place was a fierceness that warmed her heart and almost chased away her guilt.

  “You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m mad at Trevor for the way he treated you. A man like that never should have been allowed n
ear a woman. The only reason I haven’t thrown him off the mountain is because I’m here with you. That’s more important to me.”

  She chewed her lower lip. The subtle motion caught his attention. His gaze drew her closer, an orbit she didn’t want to escape. He filled the space, so powerful and so tender all at once.

  “I should take you home,” he whispered.

  She nearly groaned. Her core throbbing with anticipation. “Yeah, home. I should sleep.”

  That was the very last thing she wanted in that moment, but it was probably for the best. Her heart moved too fast. It attached itself to men she barely knew. She had to take this slow and make sure Casey wasn’t just a brute who could say a few nice things. She couldn’t forget the threat he’d given Trevor.

  Did she really want another man so prone to violence?

  So long as it was Casey, the answer seemed to be yes. Which was a fairly good sign that she needed to sleep on it.

  “Do I need to take you back to your car at the shop?”

  “I walk to work, actually. I live in an apartment downtown, so the walk isn’t all that far. Saves on gas, you know.” She directed him to her apartment.

  She almost protested when he turned the truck off, but he told her he only wanted to make sure she got up to her apartment safely. When he knew she was inside, he would turn around and head home.

  Evangeline could have told him that no one could get into the stairwell up to her apartment because even that door required a key, but she didn’t mind the company while she unlocked the door in the dark. He followed her up the stairs where she fumbled with even more keys. When she got the door open, she didn’t want to tell him to leave.

  Instead, she invited him inside. She could offer him a drink, at the very least. She owed him for buying dinner and not asking her to pay him back for her portion.

  Behind her, Casey whistled. She spun, but he was busy taking in her apartment. He wandered from painting to painting on the walls and stopped to examine a set of Russian nesting dolls she’d painted.