“These three were causing trouble. We stepped in to help.” Lloyd finally answered her question. He flashed her a smile, still holding the two whelps in his hands. They looked away, mortified that they were even in this situation to begin with.
“Yeah we saw the whole thing!” A few members in the crowd pitched in.
“The two guys were going at it and this guy just broke them apart just like that!”
“Then the skinny one tackled the third to the ground. It was insane.”
The woman listened to the crowd and nodded. “And what do you have to say for yourselves?” She addressed the whelps now, expecting an answer but they were silent. “I see… I think that’s proof enough of your crimes.” She shook her head in disappointment. “Would you two mind escorting them out for me then?” She asked and stepped forward, her hand resting on Lloyd’s arm. The large bracelets she wore on her wrist clunked together. Lloyd nodded immediately, feeling a surge of energy run through his veins as he marched to the exit and tossed the whelps outside.
Foster was bubbling with jealousy before he finally followed his step-brother, dragging the unwilling addict along. He ground his teeth together and kicked the whelp to the curb. “Don’t let us see you three in here ever again.” His voice was like venom as he made the threat. “Or you’ll all be sorry for it.” Without another word, he walked back inside, determined to talk to the gorgeous woman before Lloyd could get another chance.
She was still standing there when he got back to the bar. “Thank you again for handling the situation.” She smiled in response. Of all the curves on her body, her smile was definitely the sexiest, Foster thought. He shuddered, feeling a slight squeeze around his heart as he stepped forward and flashed her his best smile in return.
“There’s no need to thank us.” He said smoothly. He ran his fingers through his hair slowly in order to distract her as he stepped closer.
“Oh, but I do. We’ve been rather short-staffed lately. I only have one bouncer to take care of this whole place and it simply isn’t enough.” She shook her head in disappointment. “Why don’t you two come upstairs with me and we can share a drink together?”
By this point, Lloyd had returned. He was standing next to Foster, a glint in his eyes. “We would love to.” He answered honestly. He walked past Foster and took the woman by the arm, letting her guide him wherever she wanted to go.
Foster was seething with anger at this point. He couldn’t let his step-brother waltz off with this gem of a woman. Quickly, he caught up with them and grabbed her other arm.
She giggled, finding herself sandwiched by two incredibly handsome individuals. “I was going to offer you jobs as bouncers, but if you keep this up I might have to make you my escorts.” She tossed her hair back over her shoulder, showing off her delicate neck. The two men glanced down, their hormones raging with lust. Foster could picture himself gently running his lips along the side of her neck, leaving behind a trail of kisses until he reached her full chest. On the other hand, Lloyd was already imagining what it would feel like to sink his teeth into her, to suck on her skin and leave behind a hickey.
Finally, with naughty thoughts running through the minds of both dragons, they reached a narrow stairwell. Hesitantly, they let go of the beautiful woman and followed her up independently. Their eyes were glued to her voluptuous ass as it swayed back and forth with her every step.
On the top floor, the woman approached a door with the words Emily Moore stamped on the transparent glass. “Right this way, gentlemen.” She turned the knob and stepped in.
They found themselves in a small room with a couch, TV, and a floral rug. The light fixture was a sparkling chrome color, hanging on a thick chain. When Lloyd accidently slammed the door behind him, it swayed with the reverberation. “Please. Make yourselves comfortable.”
The two men looked at each other for a moment before they sat down on the worn-out leather sofa. They watched the woman as she walked into the adjacent room. The open layout of the space allowed them to see into the kitchen. It was moderately furnished with a stainless-steel refrigerator and an electric stove. “What can I get you boys to drink?” She asked as she opened a cabinet stocked with liquor bottles.
“I’ll have a vodka,” Lloyd answered.
“Any specific brand?”
“Whatever is your favorite.” He responded.
“And for you?” She looked over at Foster. Her blue eyes twinkled as she took in his delicate features. Her long, tear-shaped earrings hung off her earlobes. A matching necklace wrapped around her neck, its pendant snuggled between her breasts. She noticed him staring at her before she grinned, her round cheeks turning pink. Trying to remain subtle, she batted her long eyelashes and looked down, appreciating his clean-shaved look and lithe figure from the corner of her eye. For a split second, she wondered what it would be like to run her fingers through his full head of hair before she reminded herself that she had only just met this man.
“I’ll have a whiskey.” She nodded and poured the drinks before bringing them into the living room.
“Anyway, I never did catch your names.”
“You never asked.” Lloyd pointed out.
“I suppose you’re right.” The woman laughed, her chest quivering with the effort.
“I’m Lloyd.” The woman looked at him and grinned. He had a rugged handsomeness that the other man was lacking. His face was square in shape with a broad forehead and a chiseled, well-defined jawline. His light, deep-set green eyes and neatly-trimmed facial hair softened his expression a bit. Gentle flecks of gold decorated his iris. His nose was large and crooked. It looked like it had been broken several times. Still, such imperfections gave it a sort of endearing quality. Emily wondered how he had broken it, but with his powerful neck, broad shoulders, and muscular physique, it wasn’t hard to guess he had probably been in a few brawls. All of this only added to his already unlimited manliness.
Eventually, she stopped staring and nodded before turning to his companion, waiting for an answer.
“I’m Foster.”
“It’s nice to meet you Lloyd, Foster.” She smiled, dazzling the two dragons with her beauty. “My name is Emily and I’m the owner of The Den.” She leaned back in the loveseat, crossing one leg over the other, causing her white dress to hike up her leg, exposing her thigh. Foster eyed the hem of her dress as he fidgeted in his seat, feeling his arousal grow as he tried to picture what kind of panties she was wearing. Boy shorts or a nice tiny thong? Maybe she wasn’t wearing any panties at all…
“It’s a pleasure to meet you too, Emily.” He managed to spit out the words even as the blood from his brain rushed down his body and gathered in his dick. He shifted, trying to get in a position that would hide his growing erection.
“So, you own this place then?” Lloyd asked as he sat up, his hands on his knees. His square face was cool and collected. His light green eyes sparkled as he stared at the attractive woman.
“Yes, sir.” Emily grinned before her face darkened and she looked down, running her hand over her thigh. Her bright red fingernails grazed her skin. “But possibly not for long. Money is tight around here and I don’t know how long I’ll be able to keep those doors open.” She sighed and looked up at the chandelier. “That’s why I’m so short-staffed. I’ve had to let a lot of people go and still, things aren’t improving.”
“That’s too bad.” Foster frowned, seeing the woman’s plight. “Have you tried anything else?”
“I’ve tried to stock up on some cheaper alcohol, but then the patrons aren’t happy with it. I can’t catch a break… Honestly, soon I would need a miracle to keep this place running.”
“So why did you offer us jobs as bouncers?” Foster asked, raising an eyebrow in question.
“Oh. That was more of a joke. I couldn’t pay you two even if I wanted to…” She looked around her home, her light blue eyes darkening as she spotted a part of her rug that was a lighter color than the rest. “I’ve even started
to sell some of my own furniture to help keep The Den alive, but the bills just keep stacking up.” As Emily said all this, her words took on a heavy tone. The depression of her situation was starting to show and even her bubbly and confident personality wasn’t enough to keep it at bay. “Anyway… don’t let me get you two down with my problems. I just wanted to thank you for handling the situation downstairs.”
She got up and walked to the kitchen, pouring half a can of cola into a tall glass and then adding in an ample amount of flavored vodka. She leaned against the wall and looked at the two men sitting on her couch. “I’ve never seen you two here before, are you guys new?”
“Yeah, it’s our first time here,” Foster answered before Lloyd could even part his lips. He glared at his step-brother, feeling a sense of jealousy raging within his chest. It was in the shape of a small pebble and the more Emily and Foster looked at each other with that deep-set passion in their eyes, the more it grew. It quickly turned into a stone and then a rock and finally, a boulder. It was starting to weigh Lloyd down as he ground his teeth, his fists tightening by his side.
“We’re actually from out of town,” Foster said smoothly.
“Where are you from?” Emily asked, cocking her head.
“Queens.”
“Ah, not NYC natives then. But not too far.”
Foster nodded with a smile. Emily returned the gesture before downing most of her drink in one go. “Well, I do owe you guys, so feel free to come back whenever you’d like. I can’t pay you, but I can throw a free drink or two in your way.” She finished her glass and set it down on the counter with a small clunk. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some work to do.”
The two dragons nodded hesitantly before they got up and straightened themselves out. Emily walked up to them, offering her hand. It was only as she stood before them that she realized how much taller they really were. They towered over her even as she wore four-inch heels. “I hope to see you again.”
Foster nodded and squeezed her hand in a polite handshake. He stepped aside, reluctantly allowing Lloyd to express his salutations. The dragon prince grinned and leaned down, his lips approaching Emily’s earlobe. “You’re very beautiful, Emily.” Before she could say anything, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her body close to his.
Her eyes grew big and her cheeks grew rosy at the proximity. “T-thank you.” She stammered, her words lost in her throat. As she looked into Lloyd’s gentle green eyes, she saw a spark flashing through them. Her heartbeat quickened as she rested her hands on his chest, feeling his rock-hard muscles through his thin shirt.
“You’re welcome.” He smirked down at her, squeezing her a little tighter before he finally let go. He gave her a suggestive wink before following Foster out the door. Emily was left standing in the middle of her living room, her mind buzzing with excitement. The blood in her veins felt like they were laced with pure adrenaline. She had the urge to rush out the door and ask the two men to stay the night, but at the same time, her feet were rooted to the ground. She stared at the door, her heart hammering in her ears, drowning out every other sound.
On the other side of the door, Foster was livid. “Why did you do that?” He hissed in Lloyd’s direction.
“Do what?” Lloyd asked, an innocent expression on his face. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked down the stairs, acting like he had done nothing out of the ordinary.
“You know damn well. Don’t get too confident. That girl is mine.” Foster threatened.
“I wouldn’t count on it. I’m the one that made a move. All you did was sit there with a hard-on, looking nervous. You shook her hand for crying out loud. Tell me again how a real woman like her would want to be with a coward of a man like yourself?” Feeling smug, Lloyd weaved through the crowd of dancing individuals and disappeared.
Chapter Three
Foster arrived at The Den the following evening. He was dressed in a lavender dress shirt, his sleeves rolled up to the elbow. After a little bit of research on his phone, he had learned that girls were totally into sharply dressed men.
Feeling confident, he fixed his bowtie, making sure it was perfect before he immersed himself in the buzzing nightclub atmosphere. The dancefloor was even more crowded than the previous night. It was a Saturday after all. Men and women grinded against each other. The smell of sweat permeated the room, filling every corner. Around the perimeter of the room, whelps were hugging the walls, looking wary after yesterday’s incident.
Foster grinned, about to head toward the stairs when he noticed Lloyd already standing there, his hand on the railing, ready to ascend. Quickly, he rushed forward and grabbed Lloyd by the shirt, pulling him back. Lloyd stumbled, but landed on his feet, quickly pivoting on his heels to face his attacker. “What do you think you’re doing?” He growled at Foster when he laid eyes on his step-brother.
“No, what are you doing here?” Foster countered.
“I’m winning a bet.”
“Well, there are plenty of women over there.” Foster pointed his finger in the direction of the dancefloor.
“But the girl I want is up there.” Lloyd’s voice deepened as he squared off to Foster. “And I don’t appreciate you coming between us.”
“Me?” Foster scoffed. “You’re the one getting in the way. I obviously saw her first.”
Lloyd laughed, the sound emerging from deep within his stomach. “Please. You wish you saw her first. Now lay off. Emily is mine.”
“I already told you yesterday, she’s mine.” Foster pressed his chest against Lloyd’s. Even though he was much smaller than his step-brother, this didn’t seem to concern him. “And if you don’t get out of my way, I’ll have to force you.”
“Ha. You think you can beat me in a fight, do you?”
“I know I can. You don’t scare me.” Without another word, Foster swung his fist. It smashed into the side of Lloyd’s face. His head jerked to the side and he grinned. His crooked nose looked even worse as he tilted his head and laughed.
“You know, you really shouldn’t have done that.” Suddenly, Lloyd pounced on Foster. The two of them fell to the ground. Foster felt his body being crushed by Lloyd’s as he rammed his knee into Lloyd’s stomach. Lloyd cringed, losing his focus. Foster took his chance to squirm out of harm’s way before Lloyd’s hand wrapped around the collar of his shirt, yanking him back.
The younger dragon gasped for air as his step-brother kept a tight grip on his collar. He reached back, pulling on Lloyd’s dark hair with all his might before he swung his leg back, kicking him right in the crotch. “Son of a bitch.” Lloyd groaned, crumbling to the ground.
“Not so tough now, are you?” Foster swung around, looking at his step-brother with a deep grin etched on his face.
Lloyd’s eyes burned with contempt before he lunged forward, his arms wrapping around Foster’s waist, pushing him to the ground. They slammed into the staircase railing, which cracked under the pressure. Together, they tumbled off the stairs and onto the ground with a loud thud. They continued their fight, throwing punches back and forth.
People were swarming around them, trying to pull them apart, but the two men were too enraged. They lashed out at anyone that tried to get in their way. They crashed into chairs and tables, destroying them in the heat of their fight. “She’s mine!” Lloyd bellowed as he slammed Foster’s head into the corner of a table.
Foster’s forehead began to bleed, a line of blood running down his face before he turned and rammed his fist into Lloyd’s face. The coppery taste of blood overwhelmed him as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. It was quickly dyed crimson. “Then prove it. Come at me and prove it.” Foster challenged, even though he was breathing heavily, trying to compose himself.
“What’s going on here?” Emily’s sweet voice suddenly rang out, slicing through the tension that had built up between the two dragons. She looked back and forth between the two men, eyeing their minor injuries.
They just looked at
her before staring at each other once more, ready to pounce at any moment. “Gentlemen. Gentlemen. There’s no need to fight.” Slowly, she stepped between them. She held out her arms, her fingertips resting on their chests. Almost instantly, they calmed down. Their bodies relaxed and their muscles loosened up. The urge to fight vanished from their bones as her electrifying touch coursed through their veins. It seemed like Emily’s presence alone was enough to calm them down. “Now, can either one of you tell me why you two just destroyed my nightclub?” Her voice was tense and irate as she turned on the dragons, her hostility bringing them back to reality.
Foster looked away, feeling embarrassed for his actions. He avoided her eye contact at any cost, his cheeks turning red. Lloyd picked at a thread in his pants, trying to occupy himself as the woman reprimanded him. He no longer had any desire to fight his brother.
“We… we can explain.”
“You better damn hope you can.” She pulled her hands away from their chest and folded her arms. “Upstairs. Now!” Her voice was authoritative as she ordered the two dragons into her apartment. Foster and Lloyd, despite being powerful beings had no choice but to obey.
***
The atmosphere in Emily’s apartment was thick and heavy. The dragons refused to look at Emily directly as she poured herself a drink. With her arms crossed, she stared at them, her foot tapping against the hardwood floor. “Well, are you two going to tell me what happened down there?”
Lloyd and Foster exchanged glances before the younger dragon cleared his throat, trying to find the right words to explain their situation. He wrung his fingers together before he finally looked up at Emily, feeling the heat of her gaze. “We’re really sorry about what happened. We got in a little argument –”
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