“Why are we leaving them alone?” her dragon protested. “She might win him back.”
“No, she won’t. Her father’s cruelty is unforgivable in Max’s eyes. Max loves Noel, and he’s changed his entire life to keep Noel with him. That’s part of the reason Max likes us so much. Because we care for Noel as much as he does.”
“And because we’re gorgeous,” her dragon said with a haughty sniff.
“And because we’re smart and beautiful,” Sasha said with a grin.
“Shasha,” Noel said. “Can we have a pond with fish?”
“They’re not very nutritious,” her dragon said, full of doubt. “A tiny mouthful and bones that get hooked in my teeth. They’re not much better than fish fingers. Wait!” She climbed up Sasha’s neck and onto her jaw, so she got an excellent view of the orange fish. “Do those fish have hands and fingers. Aw! They don’t.”
“Remember that people make fish fingers,” Sasha said. “Fish don’t have hands.”
“Well, I don’t get why they call them fish fingers. It makes little sense.”
“We’ll ask Max, but we have enough responsibility.” Sasha smiled at Noel. “Remember, we’re making a special garden to attract the bees and the butterflies? I’m sure Max will bring us back here again to visit the fish. It’s nice for every garden to have a point of difference. Ours will have pretty butterflies and bees to make our vegetables grow. This garden has fish.”
A hand crept around her waist. Its presence didn’t surprise Sasha since she’d detected Max’s scent.
“Is Jennifer okay?” Sasha asked. “I wanted to be jealous, but I decided you were kissing me rather than her.”
“Jennifer and I went out on two dates, not long after I moved back home from London. When she didn’t return my call, I assumed she wasn’t interested.” Max shook his head and showed his white teeth in a dazzling grin. “Most women would shout or cross-examine me. You stuck up for me, then you tell me you’re jealous. You are one in a million, Sasha. The more time I spend with you, the more I like you. And thank you for explaining to Noel about the fish. You handled him beautifully.”
“Can we go to the puzzle?” Noel asked.
“What’s that?” Sasha asked.
“It’s a labyrinth. The castle has a maze too, but Noel doesn’t like that as much. He became separated from Mum and Dad one time, and it took a while to find him,” Max said.
“What is the difference between the two?” Sasha asked, not knowing what either item was but not wanting to appear stupid. Soon, Max would wonder why she didn’t understand things most humans took for granted. So far, with the help of Justine, The Smart Computer, she’d muddled her way through most subjects.
“A maze is a lot of plants that grow together. There are paths with some dead-ends. The object is to find your way to the center of the maze. They build a labyrinth in the same manner, but the plants are usually ankle-height and there are no dead-ends. They’re a popular meditation tool since it is very restful to walk around one.”
Sasha enjoyed exploring and walking the labyrinth with Noel and Max. She was sorry when it was time for them to go home, but Noel was visibly drooping. He’d undoubtedly sleep well tonight. Max picked up his brother and carried Noel on his shoulders back to the car. Noel fell asleep during the drive home.
“Thank you for taking us out,” Sasha said. “I enjoyed it immensely.”
“I wish we could fly,” Sasha’s dragon said. “It’s a beautiful night.”
The second her dragon suggested a flight, Sasha felt twitchy in her skin. They were used to flying whenever they felt like it, and this enforced separation from her other self seemed unnecessarily restrictive even if it was for their safety.
“We’ll see,” Sasha said. “We must act with caution. You’ve seen what they do to their people with the weapons they call guns.”
Her dragon snorted. “Justine, The Smart Computer, told us those are fictional games we were watching.”
“We will ask her more about actual wars tomorrow,” Sasha said. “To gain a balanced opinion.”
“Very well.”
On arrival home, Max carried Noel inside and up to his bedroom. His phone rang, and he pulled it from his pocket to scowl at the screen. “I have to take this,” he said, his voice holding impatience. “Hello.”
“No problem. I’ll get Noel ready for bed,” Sasha said, having heard the arrogant voice at the other end of the conversation.
“I wonder who that was?” her dragon asked, thankfully distracted from a night flight.
“Hang on, boss. Let me get my notes.”
Max left the bedroom, and Sasha listened for as long as she could. Thankfully, a dragon’s hearing was excellent. “He sounds like a nasty man.”
“Bruceous’s cousin,” her dragon agreed.
Sasha helped Noel to change into pajamas, and he was so tired, he fell asleep straightaway. Sasha walked down to the kitchen to make a cup of hot chocolate—a new favorite—and Max appeared as she pulled a mug from the cupboard.
“Is Noel okay?”
“He’s asleep,” she said. “We tired him out.”
“I was hoping to have a few days at home, but I need to take care of several interviews and write a story about the dragon people saw two weeks ago. Then, I have to head back to Edinburgh because my boss has a new story for me that requires my presence at the office. In these days of digital, I don’t understand why he can’t do this online.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Sasha said. “I’m here, and Noel and I are perfectly happy.”
“But my grandmother argues I’m always working and therefore I can’t look after Noel properly. Having to return to Edinburgh all the time is proving her point.”
“Have you talked to your boss?”
“He told me he understood and working from home wouldn’t be a problem when I attended the job interview. He seems to have done a three-sixty.”
“How did you get the job?”
“I applied after I saw it in the local paper.”
Sasha stilled, a thought occurring. Several times during outings with Noel, she’d sensed someone watching them. Even tonight, although that could’ve been the woman, Jennifer. “Does your boss know your grandmother or your grandfather?”
Max stared at her, his mouth agape. “I didn’t think of that, but surely my grandmother wouldn’t go that far to win custody of Noel?”
7 – A Bully and a Bribe
Max plonked his butt on the nearest chair and stared at Sasha. His grandmother couldn’t be so callous. He hated to harbor these suspicions of her, yet now that Sasha had mentioned it, his mind refused to leave the topic alone.
Sasha set a mug of hot chocolate in front of him.
“Thanks,” he said absently. “Mum and Dad left a large trust fund for Noel’s benefit. They explained it to me before they died and told me I had more advantages than Noel. This was their way of evening the stakes.” He lifted his gaze to Sasha’s concerned face. “Whoever has Noel living with them has access to the trust. All they need to do is present the relevant invoices to the lawyers who oversee the trust.” He shook his head. “No, I can’t believe that of my grandparents.”
“Money does strange things to people,” Sasha said. “Perhaps you should check it out with the lawyers and learn what type of invoices your grandparents are submitting for payment. Can you do that?”
“I’ll contact the lawyers tomorrow,” Max said. “Which reminds me. You need to ask for receipts and keep a record of items you buy for Noel.”
“I used the money you left to buy coffee for me and a drink for Noel. We’ll go on the bus this week.”
“Mum used to have bus passes,” Max said. “I’ll look for them later and leave them out for you. I’m sorry tonight ended on such a bum note.”
“It’s not your fault if you have to work.”
“If my grandmother is plotting, then I must bear part of the blame.” Max ruffled his hair, and his chest lifted in a hearty si
gh. When had his life run so far out of control? He felt as if he was on a runaway train with his jurisdiction over everything important, crumbling with each new revelation. Sasha was right, though. Now that the suspicions had raised their ugly heads, he had to investigate.
Sasha reached across the table for his hand. “You’re judging yourself too harshly. We should be able to trust our family.”
Max grimaced. “Instead of these heavy thoughts, I’d intended to flirt with you. Kiss you again. And ask more questions about the kissing books you’ve been reading.” His tone turned teasing. “When I’m searching for the bus tickets, I’ll keep an eye out for Mum’s e-reader.”
“Thank you. I find the books diverse here. More interesting.”
Curiosity rose in him for the nth time. Sasha didn’t speak much of her life before coming here, merely dropping a hint here and there. “Are your parents strict?”
“With me—yes. It’s because I’m the youngest of four and the only girl. My parents insist on knowing where I’m going and who I’m seeing.”
“How did you get permission to come to the UK?”
“It’s a long and complicated story.” Sasha didn’t avoid his gaze, yet the lift of her chin told him that was all she intended to say on the matter.
“Have you argued with your parents?”
Sasha hesitated. “Not exactly, but they want me to marry a family friend.”
Max stared, almost shocked by her revelation. “Is that why you left home?”
“I was angry when I left,” Sasha conceded, and it was apparent she measured her words. “This man is much older than me, and I don’t believe we have much in common.”
“Tell your parents no and explain why you and this man wouldn’t suit,” Max said. “Would they approve of me?”
Sasha grinned, the blast of humor taking her face from beautiful to stunning. Those gorgeous blue eyes of hers. That brown hair with copper highlights. He saw them in his dreams. “Do parents ever approve of a daughter’s suitor?”
Max grinned. “Am I a suitor?”
She wrinkled her nose, instigating an urgent need for him to breach the gap between them and claim her. Holding hands wasn’t enough. “No clue. Do you want to be? Is this a proper thing considering I’m working for you and looking after Noel?”
“It’s right if you’re happy with my attention. You should never feel coerced or frightened of me. All you ever need to do is say no, and the kissing ends.” His heart stuttered before racing into a frenzied beat. God, the last thing he ever wanted to do was frighten her or force his attentions on her.
“As the youngest in my family, I was the annoying little sister who insisted on tagging along with her brothers. I particularly used to drive Blaze, my oldest brother, crazy by following him. I promised to follow my other brothers instead of him if he showed me how to fight. That was when one of the other dr…kids tried to bully me. Let’s just say that Blaze did a stellar job, and I’m more than capable of looking after myself. If I hated your kisses, you’d know about it.”
Relief filled Max at her words. Once again, she met his gaze without hesitation. She radiated honesty and integrity.
“I need to leave early to get to the office on time. I’d better go to bed and grab a bit of sleep.” It was the last thing he wanted to do, but he stood and strode to the kitchen drawer where his mother had kept a selection of bits and bobs. As he suspected, the bus passes were there. Three of them. He pulled out Noel’s pass plus his mother’s and handed them to Sasha. “The bus passes. I haven’t used a bus for ages, so I’m not sure what you do. The driver will let you know.”
“I can ask Justine, The Smart Computer,” Sasha said.
“Ah! The e-reader is here too. It will probably require charging. Great. Here’s the charger.” He handed both over to her, hesitating because he wanted to kiss her again.
She grinned at him without warning. “Do I get a goodnight kiss?”
“Yes,” he said, reaching her side in one colossal stride. He held her close, content to cuddle at first. She sank against his chest, apparently happy with the physical contact too. After a long moment, he drew back and grinned down at her. “You’re amazing, Sasha.”
A beat later, he was kissing her, savoring her quick intake of breath and her shy return of the caress. She licked his lower lip and nipped it lightly. Heat, pleasure, and a desire for more surged through him, but he kept the kiss light so as not to test his willpower.
He withdrew a few seconds later, placed a kiss on her forehead, and stepped back. “Thank you for looking after Noel. I’ll call you every night, and hopefully, I’ll be home at the weekend.”
Max forced himself to walk away from Sasha. It was more challenging than he’d assumed, and it told him he was as attached to Sasha as Noel. When she was here, they worked as a team. Although he loved his younger brother, there had been the odd time when he’d resented having to return to Bamburgh. He’d wanted his independence again, but Sasha had soothed the restlessness in him with her smart and sassy personality.
He believed her when she told him she could look after herself. Max smiled, recalling her expression when she’d mentioned the man her parents wanted her to marry. She loathed the man. Lucky for him. He wondered if her parents would approve of him. Too bad, because he was awfully tempted to make their fake engagement into a real one. Sasha intrigued him, and every bit of information he uncovered about her only drove him to want more.
Yep, it seemed he wanted a woman.
Sasha.
* * * * *
The next week passed faster than Sasha liked because it meant the days were ticking by, and she wasn’t attempting to return home. Oh, it was easy enough for her and her dragon to understand the why.
One: she relished looking after Noel, and each day was a new adventure. She and Noel were learning lots of astounding things every day.
Two: the more she learned about Max and the more she chatted with him, the more she liked the sexy man.
Three: if she returned home now, her parents would force her to marry Bruceous. Of that, she had little doubt.
And four: each time she and Noel walked outside, she sensed someone was watching them. Following them. So far, she hadn’t glimpsed the person, but they’d soon slip. She’d ignored the intrusion while keeping a close eye on Noel.
But as the days passed, guilt battered her because her parents would be worried—her brothers. At first, her parents would’ve been angry because they’d think she’d disobeyed them. Now, they’d have reached the concerned stage.
“To be fair,” her dragon said, “We have visited the beach most days. We can sense the barrier, which means there is no way to return to Perfume Isle.”
“True.”
“Can we read the latest kissing book now?”
“As soon as we drop Noel off at kindergarten,” Sasha promised. “We need to mop the floor and clean the kitchen, but I’m certain we can fit in some reading.”
“Are you ready to leave, Noel?” Sasha said.
“Don’t wanna go.” Noel folded his arms, and he hunched inward.
Surprise filled Sasha. Noel was such a cheerful kid, and he loved playing with the other children. “Why not?”
“Don’t like Darren. He’s mean.” Noel’s eyes turned glossy, and a tear slipped free.
“A bully,” her dragon said. “We can fix that if we shift to a dragon and scare him.”
“We can’t threaten a child. Think of a way to fix it while we’re in our human form. There’s no reason why we can’t let you show through my eyes when we’re speaking with Darren and his mother.”
“Ooh, plan. I get to be a baddie. I like it.”
“Noel, would it help if I stayed at kindergarten with you for a while? We’ll talk to the teacher or Darren’s mother if the teacher can’t help.”
Noel’s doubt slid across his round face and settled into a huge frown. “Not going.”
Sasha crouched in front of him and placed her hands on h
is thin shoulders. “Sometimes, we have to do things we don’t want to do. It helps us when we grow older and teaches us a life lesson. Did you know my mother told me that?”
“Yeah, when she first introduced the idea of Bruceous for our husband. Blah!” Her dragon did a barfing sound that made Sasha want to giggle.
“Shush, we have to concentrate on Noel right now.”
“Tell him he’ll disappoint Max.”
“You know how hard Max works?” she asked Noel.
He didn’t react, but his gaze tracked to her face and remained. “Max wanted to live and work in London, but he changed his life around so he could look after you and spend time with you. Max has to work to pay for things like kindergarten.” Did he understand? “If Max didn’t go to work, you wouldn’t have nice food and trips to the castle. You wouldn’t have books and coloring pencils or crayons.”
“That’s not working. Bribe the kid,” her dragon said.
Agreeing, Sasha tried a new tack. “If you go to kindergarten today, I will do my best to make Darren stop being mean to you, and we’ll do something special this afternoon. How does that sound? A surprise.”
Noel brightened. “Surprise now.”
“No,” Sasha stated. “If I let you stay home today instead of going to kindergarten, you don’t get a surprise. Instead, we’ll do jobs, and I’m afraid I’ll have to punish you. No beach visits, either.”
Noel stamped his foot. “Not fair. Want surprise.”
“Those are the Sasha rules,” Sasha said, speaking in a stern voice when she wanted to give him a quick cuddle and fight his battles for him. It wouldn’t help him, and she sensed Max would agree with her. “How about this? It’s kindergarten this morning, and I’ll help you with meanie Darren. If this doesn’t work, we’ll bring in the big guns and consult with Max.”
“Want surprise.”
“Only if you go to kindergarten,” Sasha countered calmly.
Noel stared at her, his cheeks turning pink. Sasha returned his intense gaze, wryly thinking she’d stepped into her mother’s shoes. Instead of agreeing with Sasha, Noel finally stomped to the bag he took with him to kindergarten and picked it up.
Sasha (Dragon Isles Book 4) Page 9
