Sold To The Dragon Princes: The Novel

by Daniella Wright

  “Of course not, daddy.” I say, ever the picture of innocence. He smiles fondly at me, and I quirk my lips in a smile that does not quite reach my eyes.

  “Oh, I should know better. You’ve been on your best behavior since enrolling in the university…” He trails off, and though I couldn’t agree more, I simply wave a hand dismissively. His fretting seems to ease off, and I breathe a sigh of relief, taking this as my opportunity to slip away.

  “Bye, dad,” I say simply, and he offers a wave as I slip out the door.

  It was growing nearer and nearer to time for the home game, and I needed to wear something that suitably screamed team spirit. I meandered in the direction of the dorms, looking up as I hear a masculine voice call my name. I look up, narrowing my eyes in annoyance upon seeing Jason some yards away. He waves, playing innocent for a moment, but as I continue to watch him, he crudely grabs his groin. He makes use of his free hand to make plenty of rude gestures, and I decidedly ignore him, turning my back towards him and continuing towards my dorm. I can hear him shouting after me, but I block out his voice, opening my door and slipping into my dorm. I slip my backpack off my shoulders, breathing a sigh of relief to have the majority of the day over with. I have around an hour before the game starts, which is less time than I would like, but it gives me time to find something to wear. I step into my bedroom, and rummage through my closet, thanking my lucky stars that I have one of the few single dorms. Though I had not before considered it, it likely helps to have my father in such a high position.

  I grab a cute outfit in the team colors, taking a moment to freshen up in the bathroom before tugging on the new clothes. I glance towards the clock, cursing how little time I had to make it to the game before it started. I brush my fingers through my hair, pulling it up into a low ponytail before slipping out the door. I rush towards the gymnasium, spotting my dad lingering outside the door, as if waiting for someone. I exhale a sigh, realizing that someone is likely me. I approach him with a carefully schooled expression, and he smiles, grabbing me in a particularly embarrassing hug.

  “I thought we could sit together, for the game.” He beams, and as much as I want to deny him, I know that’s not really an option. Instead, I quirk my lips in a hopefully believable smile.

  “That’d be great, daddy. You don’t often attend these games, do you?” I murmur, allowing him to take me by the arm as we step into the gymnasium. It’s packed to the gills, but we manage to find a place on the bleachers.

  “I thought it would do well for the team to see that they have my support.” He announces with a smile, though I’m more certain he’s here to make sure I’m on my best behavior. We watch as the cheerleaders do a small routine before the team scatters onto the field. I see Jason with one of his teammates, locked in what seems to be heated conversation. They break apart, and Jason looks into the crowd as if searching for someone. His eyes meet my own, and he breaks into a devious smirk. My eyes follow his every move as he takes his place on the ball court. I know he knows I’m watching him, but more than anything, I’m aware that my dad is beside me, and he probably knows too. I swallow a thick lump in my throat, trying to ignore the rippling in his muscles as he reaches up to slap the ball from the air, tipping it towards the home team. He succeeds, and his smile is nothing short of cocky as he rushes across the court to join in on the action.

  The game seems to stretch on for an eternity, and by the time it’s over, the team is covered in sweat. Jason had been shooting me secretive little smiles throughout the game, and as the game ends in our favor, he does something that drives the crowd wild. He pulls his jersey off, thumping his chest and roaring victoriously. The other girls in the crowd scream, and it’s all I can do to ignore the rush of heat flooding to my cheeks among... other places. My father is tense at my side, and rises to his feet, shouting reprimands to the star player. Jason simply smirks, throwing his jersey over his shoulder and blowing me a taunting kiss. It’s an unmistakable action that’s likely noticed by the entire crowd, but I can hardly find it in me to care. My cheeks simply flare up even hotter as I offer my father an apologetic look.

  “That boy is bad news, Jenny.” He rumbles unhappily. I can’t bring myself to disagree. Jason Smith is definitely bad news, but the stirring between my thighs is also unmistakable.

  “I know, daddy.” I manage, watching as the crowd disperses. The team is gathering in the locker room, and before I can summon images of what’s going on in there, I stand from the bleachers to slip away as well. “I’m going back to my dorm. Goodnight.” I tell my dad weakly, and he stares uncertainly at me before reaching out to ruffle my hair.

  “Goodnight, sweetheart.” He murmurs. I slip away from him, paying very little mind to where I’m going. All that matters is getting out of this gymnasium, and as far away from Jason Smith as possible.

  CHAPTER TWO

  As I’m walking away from the gymnasium, I find myself getting rather lost and shoved around in the crowd of people leaving at the same time. I stumble to the side as someone rudely shoulders past me, slamming into something solid and warm.

  “Son of a…” I begin, rising up with the intent to give my assailant a piece of my mind. They’re gone before I can see the guilty party, and my anger is fueled by a rumble of a laugh from whoever I had bumped into. I turn to face them, knowing it’s irrational to be angry, considering I’m the one who hit them. I fail to see what’s so funny about the situation however. When I turn, however, I am met with perhaps the most gorgeous man I have ever lay eyes upon. I recognize him immediately, though I can’t place the name as quickly. He’s the very same man Jason was bickering with before the game, and he’s known through the University as being a sort of rival for the other basketball player.

  “Are you alright?” He says with a small smirk, but as I consider him, he seems to school his expression into a more neutral expression. He quirks a brow as I continue to stare wordlessly at him, running a hand through his shaggy black hair.

  “I’m… fine.” I finally manage, and he rumbles another laugh.

  “That’s for sure.” He murmurs quietly, and I’m unsure of whether or not he intended for me to hear him. I feel my cheeks reddening once more, and curse myself for how easily embarrassed I seem to be. I can’t ignore how appealing the shaggy haired man is, however. He’s fresh from the shower, droplets of water beading down his neck from his still wet hair. The other basketball players keep their hair cropped short, and now that I think of it, Ricky seems the only one with hair that reaches below his eyebrows. There’s something about him, something unidentifiable even though he seems rather subdued in our interaction. He simply allows me to take him in, even as I feel my eyes travelling further and further south. My eyes jolt to his face once more as he flicks his tongue out to moisten his lips, and I swear my legs will buckle beneath me if I don’t tear my eyes away from this fine hunk of a man. “You alright?” He asks quietly, and I draw my lip between my teeth, smothering any inappropriate replies.

  “Fine.” I repeat, and he grins a secretive little grin. There’s some sense of mystery that radiates from his aura, and I feel myself drawn to his dark eyes and sly smile.

  “Good.” He says, and I wait for him to continue. He seems to have no intentions of doing so, and I draw my lip between my teeth, wondering if there’s something I can say to prolong the conversation. I want to tell him that I think he’s particularly ‘fine’ himself, but I don’t have the nerve to do so. He seems to sense my unease, and offers me an easy smile. I return the expression uncertainly, and I part my lips to speak but before I can, he interrupts me. “I should be getting back to my dorm room.” He says, and that seems to be the end of our conversation. Before he can walk away entirely, I call out after him.

  “Wait!” I implore, and he pauses, turning to consider me with curious eyes. “Isn’t there usually some kind of party after these games? Aren’t you going?” I inquire uncertainly, and he responds with a dismissive chuckle. I narrow my eyes at the n
on verbal response, crossing my arms over my chest and tilting my head imploringly at him. He quirks his lips in a broad smile, and his eyes seem to twinkle with mischief in spite of how subdued he has been throughout our interaction.

  “Parties aren’t really my scene. The other guys tend to get too wasted, and I’m just not feeling it. I’m sure you can understand that.” He murmurs slyly. I can’t help the shocked bulging of my eyes at his dismissal of what are perhaps the biggest parties on the entire campus. A party that was partly in his honor-- no! Not one party, but a series of parties throughout the season, for him and his teammates, and he chooses not to attend. While I certainly understand my own reasons for not attending, namely being the reason that I’m forbidden from them, I can’t understand why he would choose to spend an evening alone in his dorm.

  “But… why? Aren’t your teammates expecting you?” I sputter. He considers me for a long moment, and I realize belatedly that I may seem a bit too invested in his desire to attend a silly college party. I try to rein myself in, but before I can dismiss the issue entirely, he shrugs a shoulder.

  “Yeah. I’m sure they are, or, would be if I’d ever attended one of the post game parties. I just… don’t care.” He says coolly. I stare at him in shock, and he averts his eyes, brushing a hand through his shaggy black hair once more. What seems to be casual disregard for what the rest of the team thinks of him is surprising, but rather attractive if I’m being honest. I wish for a moment, I could go against what was expected of me. I wish I could, for one night, go to one of those wild parties. I wish I could lock lips with this mysterious stud of a man, maybe take him home with me. I just wish…

  “Anyway. I’m heading off for the night. You’d better get to your dorm, too. Wouldn’t want to get caught up with the wrong company.” He says coolly, and I can’t help feeling as if he is trying to get away from me. Before I can get too swept up in my insecurity, he offers me a sly little wink before slipping away.

  I watch him go, the stirring between my thighs growing ever more obvious. I draw my lip between my teeth, following him with my eyes until he disappears into the darkness altogether. I belatedly realize that he likely had a point, telling me to had back to my own place. Though the university has always been relatively safe at night, I didn’t want to take any unneeded chances. I stare after him for a moment longer, a shiver shooting down my spine. I turn in the direction of my dorm, and though I wish I could say otherwise, my thoughts won’t stray from not just one, but two basketball players.Jason should be the last thing on my mind, but I can’t help thinking of him as well as the man who had just slipped away. The short haired basketball player is more obvious about his attraction to me, if a bit cruder about it. It’s nice to be openly appreciated, even if it’s for something as shallow as my looks. However, I can’t help feeling as if Ricky is keeping a wild beast pinned down inside him. There’s something about the way he looked at me, the way he allowed me to simply take in his perfectly sculpted form… I can’t help but wonder what he looks like under that basketball jersey. I imagine more cleanly sculpted abs, lean muscle where Jason, from what I’ve seen, is somewhat beefier. The thought of being pinned between the two of them flashes briefly through my mind, and I swallow the lump forming in my throat. I’m a good girl, for the most part. At least, i try to be. I listen to my dad’s wishes, and try to follow each of them to the letter. I would never do anything to ruin his reputation, and I know that dating either of the basketball stars would lead to an inevitable scandal. The fact of the matter is, I shouldn’t be thinking about dating either of them, let alone be torn between the thoughts of both of them.

  I guess I never really outgrew that rebellious phase. Not really. Just like the beast that I’m certain lies in wait, deep within Ricky Mason, there is a beast that lies within me. A beast that longs to entangle with both of the men, to sink it’s teeth into their supple flesh, to do nothing short of devouring the two of them. As I try to avoid getting swept up in these crude thoughts, all I know is that I have to do everything in my power to restrain the beast. To restrain myself. I’m not a kid anymore, not some foolish teenager. I can’t go chasing every bad boy who catches my eye.

  Swallowing a sigh, I meander in the direction of my dorm, finding boredom in the still of the night. Though there is the steady bass beat indicative of a party in the distance, it only reminds me of how I am strictly forbidden from attending any of these parties. It was always the same spiel. Parties lead to drinking, drinking leads to sex, and sex leads to scandal.

  I try to push the thought from my head, opening the door to my dorm and stepping inside. I nudge the door closed behind me, for the first time cursing the loneliness of being alone in this dorm room. A roommate would likely be irritating, but at the very least I wouldn’t have to deal with the overwhelming silence that permeated the entire place. Even a dog would be nice, but pets were strictly forbidden-- though that seemed a more likely rule to break than the dating rule. Deciding that homework can wait, I decide to turn in early, as lame as that may seem. Raging hormones can be rather exhausting, I’ve realized as of the last few moments. I strip out of my clothes, not bothering to change into a pair of pajamas before tucking myself beneath my covers.

  CHAPTER THREE

  The morning finds me rushing to get ready for class, and cursing the homework I had not completed the night before. I hear a knock at my door, and as I pull up my jeans, I stumble towards it. I grab the knob, twisting it and pulling it open. I stare through wide eyes at the figure standing outside my doorway, at the foamy toothbrush in my mouth drops free as my lips part in surprise. Jason smirks, crouching to pick up the toothbrush. He looks up at me, tilting his head curiously.

  “Rough morning, babe?” He says slyly. I snatch my toothbrush from his hand, tossing it in the confines of my dorm and stepping out the door. He watches me all the while, and I feel inexplicably exposed beneath his gaze.

  “I’m not your babe.” I spit, perhaps a bit too late. He grins good naturedly, offering his arm to me.

  “How about letting the star player of the basketball team walk you to class?” He suggests, and I roll my eyes in spite of the stirring in my gut. I resolve to ignore him, edging past him to make my way to class. He falls into step beside me, and I try not to show just how frazzled his presence is making me. “That wasn’t a no.” He says observantly, and I scoff, though I do not dismiss him. It couldn’t hurt for him to simply walk me to class, and perhaps it would be enough to get him off my back for a while. The walk is silent for the most part, but as we grow near the building my next class is in, he clears his throat somewhat awkwardly. I consider him from the corner of my eye, and he brushes a hand through his short cropped hair.

  “Is there something on your mind, Jason?” I drawl, and he chuckles in response.

  “You.” He says bluntly, and though I feel a warmth pooling between my thighs, I try to dismiss him.

  “What’s new?” I retort. He seems all too amused by the situation, as if somehow sensing my discomfort. I am entirely ready to ditch him so I’m not late for class, but as I move to slip away, he grabs me gently by the hand. I hesitate, my breath catching in my throat as I turn to consider him. He stares earnestly at me, for once without his signature smirk. His smile is genuine, and he releases my hand, drawing his hand back towards himself.

  “Go out with me.” He says, apparently unable to articulate himself past that single demand. My eyes widen in surprise, and I am simultaneously enthralled and horrified. Though he’s always shown an interest in me, or more specifically, what lie beneath my jeans, he’s never outright asked me out before. I was certain he knew of the scandal that would arise, I know he’s aware of how much my father hates him. Hell, I’ve never even shown any indication that I might return his interest. In fact, I’ve done just the obvious. Which is what should make this so easy.

  “Ok.” I blurt, internally cursing myself for my idiotic response. His eyes light up, and he pumps his fist victoriously. My hea
rt flutters in my chest, and I exhale sharply. “But I have class now. We’ll discuss it later.” I tell him under no uncertain terms. He nods, offering me a wink before slipping away. I swallow the vestiges of regret that linger at the back of my throat, knowing that it’s too late to take back the acceptance at this point. I turn, slipping into the building and off in the direction of my class. Though I’m certain I will be unable to focus on the subject, it will at least give me some time to gather my thoughts.

  Class seems to pass all too quickly, but I suppose time flies when you’re miserably caught in your own mind. The teacher assigns some homework, and thankfully doesn’t mention the work I neglected to turn in. I follow the surge of students rushing from the classroom, trying not to agonize too much. However, the plan of dismissing my thoughts of cute basketball players is dashed as I, once again, slam into a familiar figure. He looms over me, quirking his lips in a curious smile. I feel dread pooling in my gut, and I realize I feel almost guilty for accepting Jason’s date proposal. In spite of how irrational it was, I felt as if I were somehow betraying the man before me by accepting his rival’s invitation.