She was right of course. Bernie used the excuse of needing to finish feeding Xavier to wait until Polly had started her work. Her heart pounded as she carried the baby up the stairs. What should she say? That she didn’t want to be friends, that she wanted to be all over him all the time and to be lovers forever? That as she got to know him better, the more she admired him and the more she liked him? That they had an emotional connection that couldn’t be denied?
Or maybe just be simple about it. Just say that she wanted to give being a couple a shot.
He was still in bed when he called for her to enter. A book was in his hand and he grinned lazily at her as she came over to him.
“Does little Sir have a dirty diaper that Daddy has to change?” He reached for Xavier.
“No. Mommy has to talk with Daddy.” Bernie settled down next to him, chewing her lip.
Tyler took the baby and cuddled him into his chest. “What’s up?”
“Oh… well. I guess I need to say a few things to you.”
Tyler nodded.
“First off… First off, I suppose I need to say that I lied to you. I didn’t lose your number. I thought that I’d look pathetic if I called you and I didn’t want to be one of those women that begs and begs her man to love her. I was seeing my mom and dad rather than you and me.”
“You were afraid of being hurt.”
Bernie looked away. “Yeah. I guess I was.”
“Well… ironically, that’s why I left. The connection between us was so intense. I thought that I would follow my normal pattern and hurt you. I’ve broken a lot of hearts over my lifetime, Bernie. I’m not proud of it. In fact, if I think too long, I’m disgusted by who I can be.”
“You left because you were afraid of hurting me?” Bernie’s eyes narrowed. She knew she had no reason to distrust what he was saying but it sounded like so many of the lines she had been fed, she wasn’t certain how she could accept it.
As though he understood her doubts, Tyler smiled again. “Yes. I was afraid of hurting you. But I was also getting so deep that I was afraid of getting hurt, too. I have fallen in and out of love so many times… I didn’t recognize the real thing when it hit me.”
The air left her lungs. Was he saying that he loved her? No… he couldn’t be. Not yet, at least. Heat rushed to her face and she looked away, uncertain how to proceed from here. Tyler’s gaze remained on her face. Should she say that she loved him, too?
Is what I feel love?
“Are… are you sure that it’s love? I mean, dragon culture is that whoever you first sleep with is your one true mate. We have a child together. Are you sure that this isn’t just lust and you have to tell yourself that it’s love because of the shame put on you by your culture?”
Tyler glanced away and shrugged. “I’ve had those. The first girl… I convinced myself that I was in love with her, even though I didn’t particularly like her. But she was hot and seductive and knew exactly what she wanted from me. And I won’t say that I’m not at fault for the women whose hearts I broke. I have convinced myself that it’s love, that it’s not like the others. So, maybe you’re right. But I don’t think so. You are… the most amazing woman.”
“I’ve never been in love.” She quickly moved back, putting more distance between them. “I’ve never even thought I was. I don’t know if I’m wired that way. I don’t know if I’m capable of having romantic love.”
Tyler nodded slowly.
“But…” She moved forward again. Her heart still pounded and her throat felt dry and sticky. “But if there is someone I can fall in love with, it’s going to be you. I’m afraid, Tyler. I’m afraid of being hurt and I’m afraid of hurting Xavier if I make the wrong choice.”
“I understand.”
She closed her eyes. He didn’t understand. Not when she didn’t understand, either. “I want to take the risk. I want to try to fall in love with you. I know that you wouldn’t hurt me if you could help it.”
“But pain is a part of life and the worst hurts come when people aren’t trying to hurt you.”
He did understand after all. Bernie kissed him before she could stop herself. Her eyes drifted shut and zings of pleasure zipped through her. Her eyes fluttered shut and it was only when Xavier kicked her in the face that she remembered he was there. She withdrew, rubbing her jaw and glared at the baby, who grinned a toothless grin at her.
“Do you think it’s a sign?”
“A sign that we should move in together?”
Bernie jumped. They’d certainly gotten there in a hurry! “We’re technically already living together.”
Tyler caught her hand. “I’m serious. Move in with me. For permanents. Or I could move in with you. I don’t want to miss a day while we’re figuring this out. I mean, we’re already going to be close due to our custody agreement, right? And this way neither of us has to lose any time with Xavier.”
It was a good point. But Bernie still hesitated. She wasn’t ready to make this big of a commitment, not yet at least. He must have seen the pain in her eyes because he released her hand.
“Just think about it, please.”
“I’ll think about it,” she promised. “But we haven’t even agreed to start dating, so…”
“So, I’ll take you on a date tonight. If you’ll have me.” His grin was infectious. “We’ll figure it out. Hey, I just realized—maybe it’s my calling to be a stay-at-home dad. What do you think about that?”
It sounded wonderful. But she couldn’t say that, so only laughed as if it were a joke.
Chapter Fourteen
Tyler
Tyler bounced Xavier gently, trying to get him to fall asleep. It was time for his nap, but it was very clear that the baby didn’t want to sleep. His big eyes kept fluttering closed, only for him to spring them back open and release a protesting growl. Tyler half-expected for smoke to start blowing out of his mouth, although Xavier was far too little for his fires to have sparked yet.
The doorbell rang and, hoping to stop it from ringing again and startling Xavier, he hurried to answer it. Gilbert stood on the other side. He grinned at Tyler and the baby.
“Come in.” Tyler stepped back to let him in. “What’s up?”
“I’m just wondering if Polly is working today.”
Tyler couldn’t help but get a wicked grin at that question. “Oh, so you came all the way over here instead of just phoning to see if she’s here? Planning on asking her out on a hot date, are you? Well, I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask your intentions before I can give her the day off.”
Gilbert rolled his eyes. “Yes, that’s exactly it. I’m looking for a hot date in the middle of the day. No, Ty, I’m not going to ask her out.”
He petered out, looking over Tyler’s shoulder. Tyler turned to see Polly in the living room, dusting. Tyler grimaced but sighed in relief when he saw that she was wearing earbuds. So, she wouldn’t have heard any of that. Good.
“Polly!”
She jumped and turned. Fishing one of the earbuds from her ear, she cocked a brow at him. “Yeah?”
“Come over here, Gil has something to ask you.”
Polly’s brows pulled into a deep V, but she marched over. She gave Gilbert a wide smile. “What is it?”
“Well… well, my housekeeper quit last month. I’ve been trying to keep things orderly by myself but the mess is starting to overwhelm me. I was just wondering if I could hire you for the day to come help me out.”
Oh, brother! Yeah it was a huge house and that was difficult to keep up with, but this was the fourth time this year. He needed to just admit that he wanted to spend time with Polly and that this whole housekeeper business was just an excuse.
Apparently, Polly had similar thoughts. “This is the fourth housekeeper this year that has either quit or you've fired. I think you need to start examining the common denominator in this equation and figure out why you can’t keep them.” Polly shook her head, not looking very happy. Which was odd, because she was us
ually more than happy to help Gilbert out. “I’ve got a lot of work around here, with Bernie and the baby—"
“And you know Bernie would be horrified to hear you talk like that.” Tyler frowned. “She does a lot of work. Just yesterday, you were complaining that she does so much that you’re running out of work to do.”
Polly sighed. “Sorry. I’m just not in a very good mood today. Yeah, I’ll come over and help you clean up, Gil. But seriously, you need to get something figured out. I can’t keep working for free for you. Unless you want to start paying me or marry me, you need a full-time housekeeper.”
Gilbert shifted from side to side and let out an embarrassed laugh. “Please, if I married you I wouldn’t expect you to clean house. You’d be free to follow your other interests.”
“Sometimes I wonder if I have any.” Polly closed her eyes for a moment. “Sorry. Bad day. Let’s go.”
“Polly—” Tyler was about to tell her she didn’t have to go if she didn’t want but his phone started ringing at that moment. He answered it quickly. Xavier’s nose wrinkled and he grumbled but relaxed back to sleep. Tyler rocked him gently as Gilbert and Polly left and he answered the phone. “Hello?”
“Ty, you gotta get down here.”
It was a familiar voice. Tyson? One of the members of his club. “What’s happening?”
“There’s a vote going on at the club right now. Since you haven’t been around lately, Bill’s making a motion to kick you out. You gotta get down here right now. He’s being weirdly persuasive.”
Bill, persuasive? That was a laugh. And yet, Tyson sounded sincere. Furthermore, if it was Tyson and not Jackson calling, that meant Jackson wasn’t there. It could be that none of Tyler’s friends were. And if they weren’t there, then Bill might get the votes necessary to get him expelled.
The club was the closest thing to a clan he was going to get. He couldn’t lose it like this. Not to some idiot who thought that he was the most important person in the world.
Tyler hurried upstairs and put Xavier in his crib and woke Bernie up from her nap to briefly tell her he was going out. Then he rushed to his bike and drove to the bar. When he raced up the stairs to the club’s space, he froze in the doorway. It was utterly empty.
His fires blew low. So, it was a trap. Great.
Something hard hit him in the back, causing him to stumble forward. When he turned, Bill with a half-dozen of his cronies streamed into the room. Bills face twisted into a leering grin as he rolled his shoulders.
“Now, Freeman, we’re going to take care of you for good.”
“Thanks.” Tyler’s voice was somewhat dry. He swallowed hard. “But I’ve already got a girlfriend, I don’t need to be taken care of at all.”
Bill snarled as he stalked forward. “I am sick and tired of you running your mouth off, Freeman. You think you’re so smart, you think that you control everything just because you know people’s secrets. But you’re nothing more than a pathetic loser who bullies other people to make himself feel more powerful.”
“Funny, I was going to say the same thing as you.”
Bill cracked his knuckles. “I’m going to enjoy teaching you a lesson. You’re going to get what’s coming to you and then we’ll see who’s running off his mouth.”
Tyler backed away, keeping an eye on Bill’s cronies as they all came forward. He couldn’t afford to focus all his attention on Bill, otherwise, he’d end up flanked. He was already outnumbered. His fires burnt harder. This was not good. Not good at all. He swallowed as he shot a glance at the windows. He’d be able to get there, wouldn’t he?
“If this is about Bernie still, she made it very clear to you that she doesn’t want you, Bill. I know you had your heart set on her but in the end, she didn’t choose you. Be a gentleman and bow out, okay?” Tyler tried to keep his voice low and soothing. “It sucks to be rejected. I know that. But there are lots of girls out there and there are lots of them that would climb all over themselves in order to get your attention.”
Bill twisted his shoulders from side to side, limbering up his spine. He didn’t reply to Tyler. He leapt forward suddenly. Tyler tried to avoid the massive fist that came to his face but was unable to do so. It hit him hard in the stomach, making him hunch over. All the air left his lungs and he wheezed.
“Here’s the thing, Freeman. You’re too weak to protect her. She belongs to me, whether she likes it or not.”
His flames roared. Smoke curled from his nostrils as Tyler straightened. His fist swung, cracking Bill in the chin. Though his lungs still ached and he couldn’t expand them properly, he followed it up with another blow to Bill’s stomach. He aimed too high and his knuckles crunched against Bill’s ribs instead. Pain rang through his hand.
Bill’s cronies jumped in. Two fists dug into his kidneys, making white spots explode before his vision. They kicked his legs out from under him and twisted him to the floor, holding him in place as he kneeled before Bill.
He had to get away from here. Tyler yanked on his arms, trying to twist and free himself like Shane taught him. He ought to have paid more attention to those lessons. He never thought he’d need them.
Bill’s foot connected with his chest. The blow nearly yanked him from the cronies’ grips but they tightened as Bill started raining blows down on him. His vision was white and black streaked with red. He felt bones snap under the relentless pounding. His heart skipped beats, stalled and pounded hard. He couldn’t breathe. The world was spinning out of control around him and all he could think of was them.
Bernie and Xavier. His girlfriend… his mate… and his son. They had just reconnected, they had just started to find a way to be together. And now this big, dumb asshole was going to take it all away from them.
With a roar, Tyler threw his head back. Flames burst from his mouth. They burned the insides of his cheeks and scorched his eyebrows. But Bill stumbled back, yelping. Tyler reached deep inside, fanning his fires hotter. Scales covered his skin and his clothing started to pull apart at the seams.
“Stop!” someone shouted behind him. The cronies were yanked away and Jackson leaped over his head to punch Bill in the face.
Tyler collapsed onto the floor. It was over. At least, he thought it was until he heard someone speak.
“Call the woman. This will be resolved and she needs to be here to bear witness.”
Chapter Fifteen
Bernie
Xavier’s fussing woke her up. Bernie yawned as she retrieved her baby. She blinked blearily for a few times as she cuddled Xavier close to her. As much as she knew she needed it, napping during the day never felt all that great. Her mouth was dry and she was in desperate need of some juice or water. And maybe something small to chew on.
“I hope you had a better nap than Mommy did,” she cooed to Xavier. “And that’s a dirty diaper.”
She quickly threw open the curtains to let in some nice sunshine and fresh air. Then she changed the diaper and headed downstairs. She heard voices murmuring from the living room and when she glanced in she saw Polly and Gilbert. They sat close to each other on the couch and it looked as though Polly had been crying. Bernie tried to duck out before they saw her but Polly glanced up and met her eye.
She smiled and held out her arms. “I need some baby snuggles.”
Bernie gave her Xavier, then hesitated. Should she ask what was wrong, or just let it go as private business? She cleared her throat and Polly shot her a warning glance. Right. So, she needed to not bring up those tears.
“Where is Tyler?” she asked instead.
“Oh, he went out.”
Bernie frowned. She remembered that now. He had woken her up to tell her that he was heading into town. “He’s not back yet?”
Polly shook her head. “Well, I guess he might have come back while we were talking and decided to stay outside. I don’t know. Why?” A smirk grew on her lips. “Is there something that you are in desperate need to tell him?”
“Nothing that desperate.”
Heat rose to her cheeks. Here she was, trying to be nice and give Polly a break and Polly threw that right back into her face. Well. Bernie supposed she had it coming, with all the back and forth that she and Tyler had done since she arrived. “Do you mind watching Xavier for a bit? I’m feeling a bit gross and I think some fresh air will help with that.”
“Of course.”
Gilbert slipped his finger into Xavier’s hand and smiled, though it looked wistful. “I’ve got to be going soon, so—”
“I’m capable of taking care of a baby.” Polly’s tone grew a little lighter. “After all, I’ve been taking care of you and Tyler for a couple years now. Xavier is much less demanding.”
Bernie relaxed to hear her joke and smiled along with her. “Thanks. I don’t want to take him outside today, it’s a little cool. And I think that he might be getting a bit of a cold, he’s been stuffed up lately.”
Gilbert shook his head. “Dragons don’t get sick.”
Xavier sneezed.
“Although I guess at this age he’s not a true dragon yet. Not until his fires spark.” Gilbert grimaced and ducked his head bashfully. “So, I guess he could be getting a cold.”
Polly patted Bernie’s hand. “Don’t worry about it, I’ll take good care of him until you get back. Go. Enjoy the sunshine. Get some vitamin D.”
“Thanks.” Bernie hesitated still. Even after all this time here and the more frequent times when she had left Xavier with Polly or Tyler while she went and did something else, it was still hard for her to leave her baby. “I have my phone if you need me.”
She left before she could change her mind. She was only going for a little walk, after all. The cool air filled her lungs, helping to wash away the exhaustion that still clung to her body. The neighborhood was quiet. The police presence that had been hanging around was no longer necessary, as the traffickers that Bernie had helped put away were all pleading guilty. It had been decided that they no longer posed a danger, and for that she was grateful. She had enough to worry about without criminals added on top of it all.
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