Chapter 17
Atlas
“This is a bad idea,” I state simply as we began our departure. It was only about an hour flight but we had to circle the airport a few times since we were going into the larger LA airport. My security team had already let me know the media had been informed of our arrival. This was why we fucking stayed in Washington.
Henry interrupted me momentarily by raising the volume on the news. The stock market was about to close for the day an excited look came over our betas face and he stood, pointing at one of the companies running in the banner.
“Do you fucking see that Marco?” Henry grinned. “What did I tell you? Didn’t I tell you this was going to be their week?”
Henry really, really,reallyliked investing. I muttered a curse to myself as Maya shifted, I really needed her to keep sleeping so that she was more well rested. I worried about her. You know, considering she fucking died less than 12 hours ago.
“I know,” Marco grinned watching the screen. “I believed you enough to buy shares in it, didn’t I?”
“How much did it go up?” Sai asked, aimlessly wandering the cabin.
Henry opened his tablet, “For our share? Like a few hundred thousand per share. No big dealbutit is nice to know my program worked.”
I frowned thinking about how the negative aspect of money was how much we had to fucking worry about people paying attention to Maya.
“We will be fine. I would never let anything happen to her,” Marco stated, finally answering my question as I look down at her little sleeping face. Her lashes fluttered with turbulence so I shifted her slightly. She sat up rolling her shoulders back and pushing those perky fucking breasts out while stretching. My eyes traced her slender neck and that mating mark made me fucking groan.
I was wondering how long it would be until the mating heat hit her hard and I was hoping it would be prolonged for a bit. I just didn’t think she was ready for that completely. I would love to tell you that I was strong enough to resist her, but if Maya crawled onto my lap and asked me to fuck her, I would. In a fucking heart beat. I didn’t think any of us were strong enough to not give her what she asked for, let alone that. Maya turned and met my gaze, her eyes hooded slightly as my lips tilted up. I’d felt protective over her from the start but this morning had really changed something.
My dragon felt semi-sated after he broke both of their necks. Well,wedid. It wasn’t enough though, and trying to push it under my skin wasn’t boding very well. The only thing that was helpful was that she was so relaxed and calm. I could tell she authentically felt peaceful and I worried about how she was dealing with this so well. It didn’t seem natural. Still, on some level, I had to trust her.
But the bad idea aspect of today?
The media. I did not, I repeat,did notwant her in the eyes of the media. She spoke softly, pulling me out of it, “you look sad, why?”
“Not sad.” I rubbed a thumb over her cheekbone. “Just concerned. You are going to have a lot of pictures being taken of you here in a moment.”
She nibbled her lip, “is that bad?”
“No.” I shook my head. “I just don’t like the security threat it poses.”
She climbed on my lap, her eyes intelligent and bright. The woman was a magnet and I felt like she moved a million miles an hour. I was selfish and I didn’t want to share her. Maya licked her lips subconsciously. “Don’t worry, Atlas, we’ve got this.” I loved hearing the wordwefrom her mouth because it made me know she was accepting this bond.
The plane landed as I locked my hands around her as she laughed at the bounce. My eyes immediately shot to the line of media against the fence of the private airport. Everyone started shifting as Maya pulled on her shoes and I helped her tuck this cute purple hat around her ears. She blushed a bit and I nearly shook my head, I still wasn’t sure how it was possible for someone to be equally adorable and sexy at the same time.
My brain immediately flashed to her in that lace pair of panties with a fucking bow in the back. I would love to unwrap that present.
“She’s going to be warm,” Ledger pointed out and I nodded.
“It’s chillier than normal but we can change once we get to the house,” I muttered. She stood and when the plane came to a stop, I grasped her hand in mine and led her to the door. Marco offered me a look that was meant to be reassuring, but I still wasn’t positive. This entire thing, having her this exposed, made me nervous as hell. I know he said it wasn’t about that and this was more about relaxing. But I still didn’t like it.
What was wrong with relaxing at our house?
Or never leaving her fucking bedroom?
As soon as we stepped out, the cameras and voices started. You have to understand, me founding a security company wasn’t out of interest. It was a necessity. Marco’s business had boomed, and along with that, the twins were usually swarmed with people. Add on Henry’s young, record breaking, medical career and Sai’s fighting, and we were a bit of a known thing. I watched Maya, and instead of looking nervous, her lips pressed into a surprised smile. Marco had a hand on her lower back as they walked next to one another.
I knew in the eye of the public, they’d be a couple. That didn’t bother me,noactually it did. It did bother me because she was mine also. Dragons were complicated like that, possessive despite knowing they had to share.
Almost as if knowing what I was thinking, Maya looked back at me and flashed a smile, offering a hand. I met Marco’s gaze and the boy I’d first become best friends with, was there with an amused grin. He shrugged and I shook my head, taking her hand as people over the fence flipped. I could practically hear the 5 o’clock news already.
“Maya,” I spoke, “Humans are a bit different with their relationships.”
She laughed softly, “you mean having six mates isn’t standard?”