Beaufort Creek Shifters (10 book series)
The Dragon’s Pretend Marriage Chapter 14

Brandi

"Why am I dumb?" I blubbered over a thick slice of garlic bread. "Why is being sad making me hungry? Why am I doing this, Lenny?"

My former roommate smiled apologetically. They placed their hand on my shoulder and gave me a friendly jostle, just a quick one. The motion reminded me that they would sit with me through my feelings.

And whatever came of them.

I raised the bread to my mouth.

Crunch.

A mixture of feelings assaulted me all at once. Tasty, buttery, flaky garlic goodness spilled over my tongue as sadness, anger, guilt, and remorse flooded my body. A muffled sob surfaced that was quickly silenced with a satisfied groan. I was an absolute mess. And Lenny was an angel for witnessing it.

I exhaled heavily through my nostrils while I finished chewing. An extra bite made it feel like cotton was growing in my throat. Another bite sent the feeling away. I lifted my glass of orange juice and tipped it back, fighting the tears that threatened to return. How could there be any more tears left? Milton had sucked them all out of me. I was dry. I was overdone and dry.

I didn't have anything left to give.

A shudder ripped through me. "This is so good. Oh, gods. It's so good."

Tears blurred my vision as I struggled to take another bite.

Lenny patted my upper back. "Honey, maybe you should let yourself breathe between bites."

"I don't wanna."

They chuckled and took the remainder of the bread from me. After they set it on the plate, they tapped the glass of orange juice. "Wash it down."

Another hum. Another gulp. Another sob threatening to break free.

Gods, how long was this going to last? It had been hours since I had left the penthouse. Lenny was kind enough to welcome me back into my brother's house. My phone buzzed excessively. It vibrated in my pocket. It made me want to scream. I sighed. "My mother won't quit."

Lenny frowned. "Won't quit what?"

"She won't stop texting me. I should have never taught her."

They smiled weakly. "What is she saying?"

"That I shouldn't have let that rich man go."

A look of disbelief filled their face. Then, they shook their head. "Well, I'm sure she means that in the nicest way possible."

"No, she absolutely means it in a gold-digger way."

Lenny laughed. "I mean, she's not wrong."

I stared at my former roommate. Or were they about to become my new roommate?

I guess that would depend on when the repairs would be done.

They waved both hands like they were shaking water off their fingers. "Hear me out-minus the gold-digger thing, you two were super attached."

My heart sank. "Lenny, it was all fake."

"No, it wasn't. I could tell."

"I appreciate the vote of confidence, but we were just really good at pretending with each other, okay?"

They shook their head insistently. "That dragon had eyes for you. Like he refused to look at anyone else."

"He was just playing his part."

"Brandi, he literally swept you off your feet. He bought you clothes. He took you out. He showed you off. A guy who's faking wouldn't do that."

I sighed. "Lenny, I hate to break it to you, but that was all stuff we planned together."

"And did he always want your input? Did he always want to spend time around you?"

"Well, yeah, but-"

They grinned triumphantly. "Would he stop when people weren't looking?"

My mind cracked open. I thought back to the arcade, to the ball pit, to the shadows of the clubs we'd attended. I thought back to the limo where the windows were tinted so dark that even a photographer's high-tech flash couldn't expose us. He kissed me. He held me. He had made love to me like I actually belonged to him.

My mouth dropped open.

Lenny sighed as if they had just won a game. "It's all coming together."

"No, nothing is coming together. I have no idea what to do."

"You can go talk to him."

Something inside me split. My inner wolf howled a melancholic tune. "I've already tried to do that, Lenny. He wouldn't listen to me."

"I believe you. I hear you." They pointed to the bread. "Want to keep eating your feelings?"

"Ugh, yes."

I felt so bad. Here was Lenny attempting to cheer me up while our home was getting fixed because my fake fiancé had decided to turn into a dragon on the second floor.

Which, in all technicality, was because some gross shifters were after me.

Loan sharks, I reminded myself. I'm glad they weren't actual sharks.

The front door swung open. My niece flew into the room with her arms wide, making airplane noises with her mouth. She launched into my lap and wrapped her little arms around my neck.

"Auntie Brandi! Are you still sad?" She held on to my neck while leaning back. Her weight barely made me move. "Will you be happy when Mommy tells you she's pregnant?"

My eyes flew from my skull. "She's what?"

Inez giggled and bounced from the couch. She ran back to the door where Tanner and Leah were walking inside.

She grabbed Leah's hand. "Mommy's having a baby!"

Leah blinked rapidly while glancing at Tanner. I had never seen my brother light up like this. His glistening skin hosted a reddish hue around his cheeks and neck. He spared me a glance, wiped the smile from his lips, and then looked away. He nodded.

My lips flattened. "You look excited."

"Have you heard from Milton?"

The question felt like a slap to the face. "No, I haven't. Have you?"

He looked at me with knotted eyebrows. If he kept making that face, it would get stuck that way. "Sort of. Not really."

"Why do you care?"

Leah bent to lift Inez. She sidled past the couch, waving for Lenny to join her, saying, "Can you help me with dinner?" Lenny nodded. "Of course."

The kitchen door swung closed. Silence crawled through the room, an awkward pressure accompanying the lack of sound.

Tanner sank into the couch next to me. "Listen, I'm sorry, Dee."

I folded my arms. "For what?"

"For saying that you and Milton weren't meant to be together."

"I don't know why you're sorry for speaking the truth."

He sighed. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders. He jostled me until I loosened up.

I hated how he could get away with that. It made me grunt. "You don't get to use your big brother privilege just because you feel bad."

"Dee, you were right."

I slumped into the couch, trying to avoid the pressure expanding in my chest. The tears were coming back. A little too quick for my comfort.

I tried to turn away. "Whatever."

"Leah and I were basically faking it. I mean, it wasn't the same as your situation, but..." He exhaled loudly. "But we did end up working out. I can't judge you." "No, you can't."

He sat up, locking my head under his armpit. "I can, however, judge you for being a huge dingus with those loan sharks."

"I swear to the gods, Tanner if you mess up my flowers-"

He poked my nose. "What? You'll bite me?"

I growled. "Last warning, loser."

"I'm not afraid of you."

My next growl was far more primal, leading to me tearing my maxi dress as I shifted into my wolf form. Tanner lunged from the couch and shifted into his form, circling me as I tried to tackle him. Every time I snapped at his tail, he pranced off with his tongue lolling jovially out of his mouth.

Leah appeared in the doorway and pointed. "Take it outside!"

Tanner barked and headed for the door. Inez raced after us, shouting about playtime as she struggled to pull open the door. Lenny jumped in to aid Inez. The four of us piled onto the porch and then ran into the street where many of the shifter kids were already playing.

Inez and Lenny shifted. The bird of paradise flew above the road where Tanner and I tumbled, wrestling just like we had when we were kids. Inez yipped and barked while trotting around us. Her fur puffed up around her face and her tail rose high into the air, wagging excitedly.

It was essential to play with my family. We were wolves. We needed to play often and loudly with each other. Especially when we disagreed. Though it was hard to put my feelings together after letting them splatter all over the living room floor, it was easy to wrestle with my brother. It was satisfying to grab Inez in my jaws and carry her down the street to where the other pups were tumbling around.

Pregnant, huh? I projected to my brother. When's she due?

Tanner sighed and said, Eight months.

What happened? I thought she couldn't get pregnant. I frowned internally. I mean, I think I can take a guess but-

My brother chuckled. Dr. Windsor had Edward come in. She studied his DNA and tapped into some ancient magical aid.

I stepped toward him while saying, Ancient magical aid? Like Viagra for shifters or something?

He sneezed in his wolf form and then nudged my face with his nose. No, ma'am. More like encouraging Leah's eggs to actually attach to the wall of her uterus.

Wow, you sound smart, I teased. Did you get that from sailing up the coast?

I will end you, ma'am, he joked. Don't make me tackle you again.

I sighed. Actually, I'm tired. I'm heading back.

Dee?

I paused near him, trying my best not to look totally exhausted. Yeah, Tan?

I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said what I said.

I bowed my head. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about the loan.

Let's call it even, okay?

I nodded and turned around, jogging back to his house. Leah needed congratulating. I had to process the fact that I was about to be an aunt to two kids instead of one. I had to get my mind wrapped around the fact that my family was expanding much faster than I had anticipated.

And I wasn't sure if I was ready for that.

***

Dinner sat heavy in my gut. I went upstairs to the spare bedroom and slid into one of the available cots. The empty cot near the window would be Lenny's whenever they got back. I wasn't sure where they were. Everyone had gone their separate ways after dinner. Except for Leah and me. We had talked on the porch for a while about her pregnancy. I asked her every question in the book about how Dr. Windsor had pulled it off. Other than the ancient magic thing, she wasn't quite sure either. New technology, she called it. I supposed that was as good an explanation as any.

My hand swept over my gut. I tried to imagine my belly protruding from my body. I tried to picture the sensations I would feel. It wasn't like I had a good basis for it. What did it feel like to be pregnant? Was it joyful like people said? Or was it just annoying? I hummed while staring at the ceiling.

A new sensation settled in my heart. It sat right next to the betrayal I felt about Milton. He had fought with me instead of fighting for me. What had gotten into him? Did he really think so little of me?

The sensation doubled, lacing my heart like a vise. Except it didn't squeeze. It didn't grip me. It didn't hurt.

It just made me want Milton.

I frowned while rolling to my side. As I tucked my hand under my pillow, I tried to imagine myself as a mother. I tried to think about what I would do or say. And every image that came in response had the same figure in the background. Milton.

Green eyes, dashing smile, spiky red hair with black highlights-yeah, that was him. He wore a gorgeous grin. He exuded pride. He seemed to be happy. My frown deepened.

It was wrong to think of him this way. Why would I picture him as a father when he didn't even want to be with me? Why was I breaking my heart like this?

I want him to be the father of my kids.

Tears sprang to my eyes. The yearning grew stronger, a painful ache that forced me into a fetal position. I cried until my throat hurt. I cried until my head pounded. I cried until I didn't have anything left to cry.

And only when I was done was I able to fall asleep.