Page 24 of Draco's Defiance

“Honest.” Guiding her around to the seat he’d just fucked her over, he tugged her down to the seat beside the one he settled in. “I’m being honest.” He hoped his candor would encourage the same from her. Draco wanted to know what the hell had just happened. Why had the session they were both enjoying come to such an abrupt halt?

“Wanna tell me what happened back there?”

Draco would find out who Alex was, but he couldn’t mention the moron’s name. He’d never be able to explain how he’d discovered it without requiring a much more profound conversation.

It’s too soon for that.

He was certain about that much. Whatever was developing between him and the lovely Moira, she wasn’t ready to know who he really was, and he wasn’t ready to tell her.

“I don’t really want to talk about it.” Oh, God. Her face fell. He wants me to explain, but I can’t.

“I think you’d feel better if you did,” he coaxed. “Anal sex can be spectacular. You shouldn’t let whatever someone else did ruin th—”

“You don’t understand.” Her tone was terse as she cut him off. How can he possibly understand?

“So, help me to understand?” Placing his hand over hers, he waited as she grappled for the right words, realizing the hypocrisy of his demand. He wanted her to open up to him about her most personal secrets when he wasn’t prepared to do the same about his.

Too soon. The words bounced around his head like a mantra. I’ve never told any girl about my dragon. If I tell Moira, I’ll be no better than Balthazar and the rest of them. I’ll be allowing my hormones to make decisions for me and that’s not smart.

Each of his brothers had recently fallen hard and fast in love, and each had confessed their family secret to their new lover. Even his little brother, Cole seemed to be hook, line and sinker for his therapist. Draco had to be the one of the four who showed some grit when it came to women.

“Why do you care?” She glanced up eventually, her brow furrowing. “I mean, I appreciate everything you’ve done, but...you don’t even know me.”

Because I want to know you. The answer came from his subconscious in an instant, but he held it in.

The ridiculous romance-fueled insanity that had swept his brothers away wasn’t happening to him as well. Not Draco. He wasn’t that sort of man. He was sensible, sane. In control.

“Because you seem like a good person.” Inwardly, he cringed at his nonsense explanation. A good person? Since when had he been interested in them? “And I care, Moira. Is that so wrong?”

He couldn’t believe what he was saying. His sycophantic platitudes were starting to sound like Balthazar.

He cares? Moira blinked at him, evidently uncertain. She wasn’t the only one. What does that mean?

It was a good question. Draco had invited her there for sex with a dose of legal advice on the side. There were never supposed to be any feelings involved. There were certainly never usually any feelings involved in encounters like theirs in his experience.

“It’s not wrong.” She sighed. “I’m sorry. I must sound neurotic. It’s just...this thing that happened to me, it really screwed me up.” That’s one way of putting it. A fresh line creased her brow, suggesting she was only offering him the briefest of explanations.

“I’m sorry that happened to you.” The strangest thing was, as he offered the apology, he realized he genuinely was sorry. Fucking Moira had been a delight, but he’d never meant to trigger a trauma from her past.

“It’s not your fault.” She hugged the blanket tighter around her.

“I could have been more considerate,” he admitted.

Draco was starting to wonder if his coffee had been drugged. He’d never known himself to act this way around a one-night stand. Hell, he didn’t act this way around anyone. Draco was the definition of ‘treat them mean and keep them keen.’ Normally by now, he’d have asked her to leave, but he found he had little desire to suggest the solution to Moira.

He wanted her to stay, wanted to understand who had caused her harm and even more worryingly, he wanted to make it better.

“You were doing your thing.” She managed a smile. “Being in charge and all that, which I loved by the way.”

“I’m glad you did.” Snaking an arm around her, he pulled her toward him. “Your pussy is absolutely delicious.” Her arousal was still drying on his skin, the thought stirring his recently dampened arousal.

“Don’t.” Fresh embarrassment bloomed on her cheeks.

“Why not?” He leaned closer. “It’s true.”

“No one’s ever done that to me.” She looked down shyly. “But I really enjoyed it.”

“Good.” He kissed her temple. “You deserve it.”