“They scientifically can’t,” Dae adds in hopes of helping. “It is not in their genetic capabilities.”
“Whatever he’s doing in there with Karry-”
“Wait.” Coming to a complete abrupt stop, not far from the room, I chomp. “Hold the fucking clippers.”
“Is that another Sleeper phrase like ‘hold the phone’ because I do not see you actually holding anything.”
“Karry Baumgartner? As in the actress Karry Baumgartner?! As in the one who plays Lady fucking Red in all the superhero movies?!”
“I don’t think that’s the character’s middle name, Lady Roy.”
Z’s head momentarily falls back in frustration which prompts me to turn back the direction I was storming.
More grumbled swear words spew from me in my final steps.
Upon our arrival, Z quickly commands, “Do not open that door, Gene.”
His hand curls around the knob on a defeated sigh.
“Do not let her in.”
“Open the door, Genie Gene,” I forcefully demand.
Contemplation begins to stir on his discontent face.
“She is technically not a Draak,” Z reminds out of desperation. “Therefore, you have to listen to my request before hers.”
His spouse argues on my behalf. “Yeah, but she is a Fated Mate, so she’s a Draak.”
“Not unbonded.”
“Shit may just stay that way if I don’t get the fuck in there and find out what in the fuck is going on.”
“Open the door, Genie Gene,” Dae instantly instructs.
I shoot her a silent look of gratitude while her other half presents the opposite.
The butler opens the door and waves a hand to politely usher us inside.
As soon as we’re across the threshold, they look over from the leather couch they’re lounging and laughing side by side on.
Holding my temper is the intent yet losing my shit is the reality. “What the fuck is going on in here?!”
A.D.’s expression indicates his true level of shock at my presence. “Tiny Toes?”
“Don’t fucking Tiny Toes me! What the hell are you two doing in here? Alone? Oh, I’m sorry ‘in private’?” Stomping closer, I toss a bitter smirk at the redheaded woman who seems unphased by my presence. “I’m Ana, by the way. His-”
“Fated Mate,” she finishes in a way that surprises me.
Fuck. Me. She’s a shifter, too?!
Her bracelet-bearing hand waves. “Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you, too.” Cocking my head at him in sarcastic fashion, I bite, “Nice to know she fucking exists outside her movies.”
Karry mutters something that can’t be heard due to A.D. noisily rising to his feet and extending a cautious palm my direction, “Whatever you’re thinking is going on, isn’t.”
“I think my Fated Mate is trying to have his fucking Leprechaun’s Breath and dip his dick in it, too.”
“That sounds unsanitary,” Dae quietly interjects.
“How do you two know each other?” My arms fold firmly across the sleeveless blouse he picked out. “How long have you been meeting in secret? Why are you meeting in secret? Why wasn’t I allowed to fucking know?!”
“Seriously, A.D.? She doesn’t even know that I’m your ex-girlfriend?”
Karry’s words widen my gaze in outrage, and his in horror.
“You’re having a secret fucking meeting with your ex fucking girlfriend?!”
“She just swears so much,” Dae tries to whisper.
“What the actual fuck, A.D.?!”
“I-”
“Is this the first time?!”
“No, but I can explain-”
“Fuck that!” my hands are thrown into the air at the same time I shout. “You should’ve fucking explained the first time you did it! This is not something you should’ve kept from me! You shouldn’t be sneaking around and hiding shit! Especially not this! I told you from day fucking one, not to lie to me-”
“I didn’t fucking lie!”
“What the fuck do you think omitting the truth is?!”
“Protecting you!”
“Hurting me!”
“You should probably have this conversation in private,” Z suggests in a concerned tone.
“No, no, A.D.’s private time is clearly booked the fucked up.” Karry is thrown a narrow glance prior to me meeting his hazel stare once more. “I’ll just go to my room and wait my turn like a good little mate who can’t handle anything on this side of The Fog that isn’t sunshine and rainbows and faking orgasms.”
Billows of glittery, gold smoke flood from him on a clipped, “Anais.”
The flashing of my middle finger is followed by me swinging my body around and stomping out the direction I came.
Fuck this.
Fuck him.
And fuck The Goddess of Fate for pretending to change my luck rather than actually doing it.
I will never understand why The Great Ones hate me so fucking much.
I try to do the heroic thing, and I’m punished.
I try to do the right thing, and I’m punished.
I try to do the romantic thing, and my Fated Mate tells everyone in the room that I can’t satisfy her.
I fucking swear, The Great Ones just wake up in their ancient temple or coffins or clouds or whatever and say, “Whose turn is it to ruin Auran’s life today”?
Sweeping the yellow rose petals off of the seat Ana was intended to occupy and into a garbage bag is interrupted by a loud, exasperated sigh, “First you offend Lady Roy, and now me, Master Draak?”
Gene’s voice relocates my stare up to his.
“Does your offense know no bounds?”
My shoulders immediately sag towards the sand.
Right.
Serving is what he lives and breathes for. He had an anxiety attack when I insisted, I cook a meal for my female all on my own and only stopped spiraling when I promised he could handle all of the clean up when we eventually made our way back to the estate. Gold had me convinced that once she had been wined and dined and properly tended to, we wouldn’t be making it back to our room until after we had bonded. For a moment…for just a fucking moment…I was convinced that he knew our Fated Mate better than I did.