Dragon's Choice

by Juniper Hart

  “Woah!” the driver exclaimed, impressed by her speed. “You’re quite the runner!”

  Kellie grinned and winked at the balding older man. “You should see what else I can do,” she mumbled, low enough so only he could hear.

  His bright red face was all the satisfaction she needed, and Kellie made her way toward the back of the cable car, collapsing ungracefully into a seat.

  She glanced out the windows of the picturesque city of San Francisco, and a twinge of nostalgia fluttered through her. Once upon a time, she had loved the California town. She had many happy memories of the place from her early childhood.

  But that had been before her father had remarried.

  Now, instead of being picked up in town cars, I have to take a trolley to lunch, Kellie thought bitterly.

  She pushed her ill thoughts away and closed her eyes. She needed all the strength she could get to make it through the afternoon.

  Soon, the car stopped in the financial district, and Kellie disembarked the trolley, pausing to get her bearings as she stared at the Hyatt Regency Hotel looming before her.

  This is such a cliché, she grumbled silently. Really? A hotel restaurant? A secret meeting so his wife won’t find out. What kind of woman keeps a man from interacting with his daughter?

  Of course, Kellie knew better than to question her father’s reservations aloud, and when she arrived at Embarcadero restaurant, she forced a smile onto her face.

  “May I help you, miss?” asked the maître d’hôtel, his French accent thick and exaggerated.

  “I’m meeting Senator Cole,” Kellie told him.

  The man’s eyes lit up as he glanced at his reservation list. “Ah, yes, the senator…”

  While he looked for her father’s name on the list, Kellie read his name tag.

  Marcel. Of course his name is Marcel. What else would it be?

  “Are you certain you are meeting with him today, miss?”

  Kellie’s brown eyes became mean slits of annoyance. “Yes,” she drawled. “I am quite sure.”

  I’ve been dreading this lunch all week. I marked it in blood red on my calendar.

  “I’m sorry, miss—ah! I see now!” Marcel announced, seeming exceedingly pleased with himself. Kellie exhaled slightly, although she wasn’t sure why she was relieved. Then Marcel frowned at the reservation list, and Kellie didn’t want to hear what he would say next.

  “He had a reservation,” Marcel began, “but he has apparently canceled it.”

  Kellie’s brow shot up. “What?” she snapped. “He canceled it?”

  The host seemed embarrassed at Kellie’s reaction, and she knew that it wasn’t Marcel’s fault, but she couldn’t contain herself.

  “When?” she demanded. “When did he cancel it?”

  “I do not know, miss… I am sure it was a simple miscommunication!” he offered feebly.

  Kellie, however, knew it was more than that. It was a deliberate slight, a slap in the face.

  She was livid, and she spun, ready to flee the restaurant. Before she could walk out of the hotel, the bar caught her eye.

  “Miss—” Marcel called after her, but she ignored him.

  The gym would have to wait until another day.

  Right now, more than anything else, Kellie needed a drink.

  He made me come all the way here, only to stand me up, she thought, color staining her face as she flopped down at the bar, her anger mounting. This is some power play again. That man is so infuriating!

  It had been an ongoing feud since Kellie had been accepted onto the volleyball team at college. Her father wanted her to quit and focus on her studies. He said the games took her away from classes too often.

  “You’re going to be a judge or a senator one day,” he told her. “This sports stuff is great, Kellie, really, it is! But it’s a hobby, not a career!”

  The words had stung. Kellie had worked incredibly hard to follow her passion, and he’d had no problem dismissing her as if she were a five-year-old who didn’t know any better. When she graduated, she planned to play professionally, and had already been scouted by the NorCal Wildfire team. That was news she kept to herself, though. If playing college-level volleyball made him upset, she couldn’t imagine how he would react to her other news.

  “It’s what I want to do!” she had protested. “Why can’t you be happy that I got accepted on the team?”

  Senator Cole had scoffed. “You expect me to be happy you’re throwing your life away? That’s more your mother’s style, not mine.”

  And if Mom was still in the country, I would be telling her this news face-to-face instead of you, she had thought bitterly, wisely holding her tongue.

  Her father was the one with the golden ticket, after all.

  Kellie had been sure that the senator would eventually come around to see things her way, but as time went on, he seemed more determined to fight her dream, and it had taken Kellie almost a year to understand why: her stepmother, Andra.

  That awful woman has been in his ear since the day they got married, Kellie thought sourly. Seeing me succeed in anything makes her volatile. She wants me to submit like a good little debutante, but I won’t have any of it.

  Kellie was certain that her father’s slight that afternoon was a result of Andra’s hissing.

  Just because she’s resigned to her fate as a trophy wife doesn’t mean I have to fall into the same trap, she grumbled to herself. I can play volleyball and focus on my degree. It’s been working for two years, and I’ve still managed to keep my 4.0 GPA.

  But explaining any of that to her dad seemed an exercise in futility.

  Senator Cole had been cryptic about their meeting that day, but Kellie knew he was on the brink of cutting off her tuition money and allowance. He had made veiled threats in the past, and Kellie could sense the end was near.

  It was bad enough that she wasn’t allowed to stay in the house in Knob Hill when she came home from school, but things were getting out of hand.

  I am going to wring that witch’s neck the next time I see her, Kellie vowed, inadvertently scowling at the bartender when he appeared before her. What can he possibly see in her? She can’t be that good in bed.

  Kellie looked at the drink menu, but she already knew what she wanted. Something strong.

  “Rough day already?” the bartender asked, and Kellie eyed him warily. The man had a charming smile, and if she hadn’t been in such a foul mood, she might have chatted him up.

  “Double gin and tonic,” she snapped.

  His smile froze on his face, and he nodded, turning to retrieve her drink.

  Kellie instantly felt guilty at her rudeness, but his feelings were not her immediate concern.

  I should tell Dad to take his money and stick it where the sun doesn’t shine, she thought furiously, accepting the glass from the bartender’s hands.

  But Kellie knew there was no way she could afford her school tuition without the senator’s help.

  “Thanks,” she muttered, taking a sip from her drink and willing her nerves to settle.

  The bartender glanced at her, as if gauging whether she was being sincere, but Kellie darted her dark eyes downward to her drink. She wasn’t in the mood for conversation.

  I am doing it, she decided firmly. Tonight, I am calling him and telling him I want no part in any of it. He and Andra can keep their money and their opinions to themselves. I’ll figure out a way to pay for my senior year alone. The girls at Kappa will help me form a fundraiser or something.

  The idea filled her with a bit of shame, but what choice did she have? She was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

  “Hi there.”

  Kellie turned as a man slipped onto the stool next to her, offering her a wide smile. His salt and pepper hair indicated that he was likely thirty years her senior, and she scowled slightly at the intrusion. Her first instinct was to tell him to leave, but something stopped her from immediately rejecting his advances.

  “Hi,” she
said slowly, studying his face.

  “Can I buy you a drink?” he asked, grinning with a smugness that made Kellie want to slap his cheek.

  “Sure,” she purred. “Double gin and tonic.”

  He chuckled and signaled the bartender.

  “Sam, get this beauty a drink, would you, my man?” he called, and Kellie’s repulsion toward him grew with each word he spoke.

  Sam cast her a worried look.

  “Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked, and Kellie’s eyebrows shot up.

  “Pardon?” she replied, surprised by the question.

  The gentleman at her side seemed to tense as Sam cast him a meaningful look.

  “Maybe we should go somewhere else,” he suggested, sneering slightly. “Seeing as Sam can’t handle a simple drink order.”

  Kellie eyed the attractive server, and her instinct kicked in again—Sam was trying to warn her about the man beside her.

  Her gaze locked onto his grey eyes, and she gave him the smallest nod of her head to let him know she had acknowledged his signal.

  “I’m sure Sam can handle a drink order,” she said smoothly.

  Sam didn’t respond, turning away from them, but not before Kellie saw another glint of worry in his smoky eyes.

  Whatever he’s worried about, he doesn’t need to be. It’s not what he thinks, Kellie thought smugly, eyeing the stranger with interest.

  “What’s your name, sweetie?” he cooed condescendingly, and Kellie’s grin widened.

  “Jennifer,” she lied. “How about you?”

  The man chuckled and extended his right hand. “I’m Gary.”

  Kellie didn’t believe for a second that his name was Gary, and when she shook his hand, she noted the ring on his left finger.

  What a despicable pig, she thought, but she hid her disgust from him. Someone should teach him a lesson.

  The idea of teaching him a lesson made her smile. That was exactly what she was going to do.

  “Nice to meet you, Gary” she told him coyly as Sam placed another drink before her. She wanted to explain to the handsome barkeep that she was not interested in the older man sitting at her side. She couldn’t think of any way to do it, though.

  Anyway, I don’t owe him an explanation, Kellie thought. He’s not my father. And even if he were, I still wouldn’t owe him an explanation.

  She slightly narrowed her eyes at the man sitting next to her. But Gary sure does look like my father if I squint a certain way.

  No wonder she couldn’t stand the sight of him. Kellie’s father had cheated on her mother with Andra and it tore her family apart. She had no patience for men like Gary.

  “I’ve never seen you here before,” Gary continued, inching close enough to Kellie that she could smell his aftershave.

  At least he doesn’t smell like Dad, she thought, smiling to herself. But I still can’t wait to wipe that smug look off his face.

  “I’ve never been here before,” she told him.

  “I guess you’re here on business, then?” he said, and Kellie felt her brows raise.

  “Yes,” she replied slowly. “I am.”

  Gary’s hazel eyes glimmered with interest, and Kellie noticed that Sam stayed within earshot of their conversation.

  He really wants to know what’s going on here, she noted, biting on her lower lip as she darted her eyes downward.

  “Well, I have a room upstairs,” Gary told her, and Kellie was almost stunned by his forwardness. “And a fully stocked bar.”

  She wanted to point out that she had two full drinks before her, but she held herself back. Kellie was still trying to craft a plan that would make him think twice about ever inviting another woman up to his room, while his ring indicated he had a wife at home.

  “That sounds wonderful,” she purred, putting her hand on his arm.

  Gary looked like he might burst with excitement, signaling Sam for the bill, and Kellie avoided looking at him, mostly aware of what he was probably thinking.

  Why do you care what he thinks? she scolded herself.

  She pushed the idea of Sam out of her head and focussed on Gary as she finished the rest of her first drink with a straw.

  I may not get to yell at my father right now, Kellie thought, but I’ll get my frustrations out one way or another.

  Gary led the way up to his suite on the fourteenth floor, and Kellie’s finally devised the perfect plan to deal with the man.

  “Right this way, sweetie,” he cooed, and Kellie tried not to sneer at him. His endearments were getting under her skin, but she said nothing as she entered the room, casually looking around the suite. “Let me get you a drink.”

  Kellie shook her head, coyly cocking her chin to the side.

  “I would rather move into the bedroom,” she replied sweetly.

  Gary’s eyes seemed to glow, and he nodded eagerly. “Oh, yes,” he said. “How much?”

  “What?” she asked, laughing. “How much for what?”

  “For an hour? I want full service.”

  Kellie froze, and her lips parted as she realized what he thought about her. Fury boiled her blood. Suddenly, Sam’s apprehension became clear.

  He thinks I’m a hooker, she thought, rage mounting inside her.

  “Let’s talk price later,” she answered, walking into the bedroom. Gary hurried after her like a puppy, and Kellie began stripping the sheets from the bed.

  “What are you doing?” he asked, licking his lips.

  Kellie playfully shook her head.

  “You’ll see,” she answered. She pointed at the mattress, now bare except for the top sheet. “Lie down,” she ordered, her voice taking on a firmer tone.

  Understanding slowly lit up Gary’s eyes, and Kellie watched as he grew sweaty with excitement.

  “Yes, ma’am!” he said, jumping onto the bed.

  “Strip,” she demanded. Her cold gaze studied him until he began to obey.

  As he fumbled with his shirt and shoes, Kellie reached for the linens discarded on the floor. Gary sat in his boxers, but she shook her dark hair.

  “What does the word ‘strip’ mean?” she snapped. “Naked!”

  Eagerly, Gary slid his underwear off.

  “Good boy,” Kellie murmured coldly. “Very good.”

  “Your turn!” Gary called, but Kellie ignored him, approaching the unsuspecting fool.

  “On your belly,” she growled, and Gary stared at her uncomprehendingly.

  “What?” he asked, amusement and uncertainty coloring his irises.

  “You heard me!” she yelled.

  To her pleasure, Gary jumped. He did not protest, flipping onto his stomach, white rear exposed.

  Kellie grinned. Now the fun is starting, she thought. Without warning, she straddled him, knocking him flat.

  “What are you—?”

  “Shut up!”

  Her words were like whiplash as she began to bind him with the bed sheet, relishing his clueless excitement. In seconds, he would be helpless and unable to move, precisely where she wanted him.

  Gary was almost quivering when she finished, expecting to receive the service he was planning to pay for, but Kellie simply rose, leaving him on the bed.

  “What are you going to do next?” he squeaked, and Kellie snorted.

  “I’m going back to the bar to finish my drinks,” she retorted. “Next time, you should at least give the girl the benefit of the doubt before you assume she’s a prostitute. And after this, I think you should go home and apologize to your wife.”

  Gary struggled to look behind him as Kellie snatched up her purse, ready to leave. It had given her a mild satisfaction, but she was still angry both with Gary and her father.

  Kellie eyed the lecherous pig on the bed. It was the best she could do with what she had. She was sure the ties would hold long enough for Gary to think about what he had done. Perhaps it would even make him think twice about propositioning girls half his age at hotel bars.

  “Wait a second!”
Gary screamed. “You can’t leave me here!”

  “I’m sure housekeeping will find you soon enough,” she replied flippantly. “You won’t starve to death.”

  Kellie turned around to walk out of the suite, but as she did, she heard a crash.

  Gary had thrown himself onto the floor of the bedroom, still bound.

  “Untie me!” he howled. “Right now!”

  “Or what?” she jeered. “You’re gonna tell your wife on me?”

  Gary seemed to freeze from his spot on the floor. He glared up at her, as if he could kill her with his eyes.

  Kellie continued on her way to the door. Before she could get out of the suite, Gary released a shriek of frustration so loud, it made Kellie’s skin prickle.

  She began to turn around. “Stop being so melodramatic—”

  Another crash from the other room interrupted her sentence, and Kellie felt like she had turned to stone.

  “Hello?” she called, cautiously walking into the sitting area.

  “Help me!” Gary screeched. “I’m being held prisoner!”

  Kellie turned around the corner, her heart freezing inside her chest.

  The door to the entrance had been knocked open, and looming inside the front was a massive beast, one that Kellie had never seen outside of fairy tale books before: a dragon.

  She gasped and stepped backward as the creature breathed heavily, its grey eyes boring into her as smoke emitted in short puffs through its snout.

  Slowly, the dragon drew closer, a massive tail wrapping around its body. The creature poked its head into the bedroom, leaving an opportunity for Kellie to run.

  She did.

  Kellie flew out of the suite and toward the stairwell, lest she take the elevator and risk the animal trapping her. She ran as fast as her legs could take her, but even as she climbed down the stairs, she could sense the beast on her trail.

  Don’t look back! she told herself. Keep going!

  “Jennifer!” a voice screamed. “Jennifer, wait!”

  Hearing her fake name made her want to turn around. The voice was definitely not Gary’s, but who else could it be?

  Actually… there was only one other person who could have heard her introduce herself as “Jennifer.”