7. Chapter Seven

"Who were you talking to?"

The step-monster lingered in my doorway. She looked stunning in her ball gown, with her hair twisted into an updo. The plunge in her dress put mine to shame, and probably cost more than our mortgage.

"No one," I said, straightening up against my headboard. My heart was pounding in my chest. I prayed she couldn't sense any of my fear.

I was shocked to see Dorran standing in my room during the ball that was meant for him. Not as shocked to know that, Stasa put something into my drink.

Well, it wasn't too shocking, considering.

However, I never realized how insecure she was until that moment.

I'd caught her eyeing me in my doorway when she asked to borrow my mother's shoes, with her freshly dyed hair and painted-on lips.

Normally I would just let her have them because it was easier but not my mother's shoes.

Though I sensed that my stepmother was pissed I wouldn't let her borrow them, we both knew all of my mother's belongings had been left to me in the will.

They were mine, and I would not let any of them touch her things.

I didn't care how many times they piled chores on me or spiked my drink.

"I heard voices. Are you sneaking people in here?" She widened the door. "Are you sneaking boys in here? I'm sure you know how babies are made, Amara, and I won't help you if you become pregnant."

I swallowed the urge to roll my eyes.

Stasa's boyfriends stayed over whenever she felt like it, and I knew for a fact, that Zella snuck out every weekend.

"I know."

She stopped by the window, and easily lifted it open. She eyed my wrinkled dress. "Too bad you didn't get to attend," she said.

"Did The Dragon Prince find a mate?"

She huffed. "No, he must have had other things to do than pick his queen tonight. He wasted everyone's time."

She walked toward the door. "Have you looked through the applications?"

"No ma'am—,"

"Do it tonight. I want you to have interviews lined up for tomorrow. We need to fill the open position unless you want to work all the shifts, Amara." She went to close the door but stopped. "And if I hear someone in here again, you'll be out on the street. Do you hear me?"

"Yes ma'am."

She shut the door, and I relaxed into my bed. Dorran would get me in trouble if he continued sneaking into my room.

After his concern and the way he took care of me, the fiery look in his emerald eyes, I was starting not to care about the consequences.

My stomach twisted as I sat down a plate of chili cheese tots on my customer's table and walked back toward the kitchen.

It'd taken a few hours after the step-monster left before I was able to go to sleep, and even though it'd been hours since I threw up, the smell of food still knotted my stomach.

Frankie wiped his brow and leaned back against the kitchen counter. "The rush seems to be over."

I tied the top of the trash bag and hauled it over my shoulder. "I'm gonna take my fifteen. I need a break from all the smells."

I pushed open the backdoor and dragged the trash out into the alley. Hauling the trash over the side of the metal dumpster, I walked over to the small bucket I used as a chair and sat down.

Resting my head against the brick, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

"Resting on the job, Little Mouse?"

I shrieked and knocked my head against the brick.

Dorran stood over me, shadowing me from the sun, a wicked smile splayed across his face.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"I came to enjoy some food and caught your scent. You seem to feel better."

Using the brick wall as a crutch, I stood up and glared up at him. "You've never eaten here before. I've worked here for years."

Dorran shoved his hands into his pockets. "Maybe I came on your day off."

"I don't have a day off."

Something traveled over his face. "You mean you're being forced to work every day?"

I folded my arms over my chest. "I only have a few minutes before I have to go back inside." I didn't like his persistence in me admitting my personal life to him.

Dorran tilted his head to the side, and his dark gaze traveled down my work outfit. A white T-shirt and short black shorts. "Well, why don't I come inside and eat then?"

Before I could stop myself, I chuckled. "The Dragon Prince wants to eat at our establishment?"

The corner of his mouth turned up into a smile. "You think I'm too good to eat here?"

Shrugging, I walked toward the back door when I heard my stepmother's voice from inside. "... where is she?"

I halted in my tracks. My stepmother rarely came to the diner unless to check on me. Dorran stopped behind me, his scent heavy in the air. "Oh no ..."

The back door opened, strong hands gripped my waist, and I was pressed against the wall within seconds.

Dorran's body covered mine; his wings spread wide and formed a barrier around us. Time stopped.

I stared at his broad chest covered in a white t-shirt that looked molded for his body. His dark wings shadowed us, but the sunshine leaking through gave me enough light to see his face.

His strong jaw.

The angle of his brow drew shadows over his mossy-colored eyes.

My stepmother stopped on the other side of the dumpster and scoffed. She mumbled something under her breath, but I couldn't focus, his body was too close to mine.

Dorran lifted one hand that rested beside my head and ran the pad of his thumb along my jawbone softly. "I want to know about you."

The back door slammed when my stepmother walked back inside.

"I'm nothing to write home about."

Dorran slowly pulled my lower lip down with his thumb and groaned deeply. "I'll be the judge of that."

Shifting, his heat warmed my skin, and lust pooled in my lower stomach. I knew he could sense it, it was written on the smug smile on his face.

"I need to get back inside before she comes back looking for me."

"Can I come see you tonight? You owe me an explanation on why you're running from me."

"My stepmother heard us talking last night," I whispered. "If she finds you in my room—,"

"What will happen?" he teased. "She'll kick The Dragon Prince out of her house?"

"No," I said. "She'll wait until you leave and punish me; kick me out, or whatever to get me away from you. She doesn't want me to be happy. She feels stuck with me, and I think she hates that I'm going to inherit the restaurant—

"Where is she, Frankie?"

Dorran lowered his wings and stepped back from me. Reaching over, he opened a window that was locked and offered me his hand. "Go through here. It's the bathroom, right?"

I nodded.

Dorran's rough palm enveloped mine, and he used the other to help shove me through the small space. His fingers slipped along my upper thigh causing a deep heat to puddle in my veins.

When I turned around to thank him, he was leaning through the window, closer than before. "I will see you tonight, Little Mouse. You let me deal with your stepmother. You'll be safe with me."

He slammed the window and disappeared before I blinked.

The bathroom door opened, and my stepmother filled the doorframe. "Where the hell have you been? I've been searching for you," she said.

I splayed my palm across my stomach. "My stomach is still upset from last night."

She quirked an eyebrow. "Hmm. I want to see the applications that you have picked out. I'll be conducting the interviews."

Great. She"d pick based on looks.

"Sure. I'll email them over to you now," I said, digging my phone from my back pocket. With shaky hands, from being so close to Dorran, I emailed her the ones that sounded the best.

She lingered in the doorway. "You're being more weird than usual," she said. "Your fifteen-minute break is over. I need you out front."

The door slammed behind her.

Sliding my hands over my hair, I walked through the kitchen to see Frankie eyeing me suspiciously. I ignored his stare and walked back onto the floor.

My entire body was hot.

Each step I took reminded me of how rubbery my legs were.

I could still taste and feel his breath on my skin.

Why he was pursuing me was still the elephant in the room. But I would be stupid not to at least entertain the idea that The Dragon Prince could be interested in me.

What was the worst that could happen?

Zella took a picture of the meal I cooked for the night and proceeded to post it on her social media account. I couldn't even care. I couldn't stop thinking about Dorran coming to see me.

I shoveled another bite of casserole into my mouth.

"Where is the fire, Amara?" Stasa asked. "You're shoveling it in like you haven't eaten in days. That'll go straight to your thighs." She smiled. "I would watch it. You wouldn't want to miss your chance with The Dragon Prince."

Zella laughed. "Right, because he's going to choose her out of the entire Kingdom."

Stasa chuckled. "Did you dump the entire container of cheese into this casserole, Amara? Geesh," she said, holding up her fork and watching the cheese fall to her plate.

I took a slow bite, enjoying the cheesy goodness, and trying to calm my mind. I needed to get a shower before he showed up. I couldn't smell like burgers and fries this time.

"I'm glad they postponed the ball," Zella said. "I just made another thousand from my post about the ball, and I want to go get different shoes. Will you take me, Mom?"

"Sure," she said, patting her mouth with a napkin.

I grabbed my plate and put it in the dishwasher. "I have tons of laundry to do," I announced. "I'll do the dishes after that."

I raced up the stairs, tugged off my t-shirt, and kicked off my shoes. Something flickered on the other side of the room, and my window caught my attention.

Slowly, I walked over to see nails hammered into my window. I tried to open it, but it didn't budge. The step-monster nailed it shut.

I let my T-shirt drop to the floor.

I was trapped in here. That had been my only way out at night since I was a child.

I took off the rest of my clothes, grabbed my towel, and walked toward the bathroom. I often hid my tears in the shower. They washed them away as if they never happened.

It was the one time that I didn't have to worry about being seen as weak. I wouldn't let them see me cry.

The house was quiet as I walked across the hallway after my shower and slipped back into my room.

The moonlight pierced through my window, and the stars were bright in the sky overlooking the houses across the street.

A breeze blew into the room, brushing my bare skin, and I halted in my tracks.

Dorran's shadow moved from the corner of my room, and his laugh grounded me. "Your stepmother is creative, but I guess she never thought it was a dragon coming into your room. She'll have to do better than nails to stop me."

My fingers clung to the towel wrapped around me, my heart hammering in my chest.

Dorran stepped into the moonlight. "Don't worry about your stepmother. I put a thought or two into my father's head, and now he's making an announcement. We're safe for now."

His eyes lowered to my towel, and he smiled. "Perfect timing, I see."