Gold(36)

“Especially human ones,” Adrien quipped.

Citrine made a low growl and crackling noises emanated from the desk where his hands were digging into it. If Adrien had to guess, his dragon claws were partially out.

“Don’t breathe fire or anything,” Adrien said lazily. “Calm down.”

Citrine stood, slamming both hands down on the desk with a thud. “How can I calm down when you two scare away every woman that comes within a hundred yards?”

“Exaggeration, Citrine,” Adrien said, liking the way the other dragon got all worked up. There wasn’t much else to do around here.

Citrine let out a long, ragged sigh, trying to calm himself.

“So Dante is going to be okay, even with that stupid ring on?” Adrien asked.

“It’s just a cat shifter,” Citrine said. “All he has to do is get the wedding over with and get home safely before anything happens. Of course, he could always just hurry and win his mate over.”

Adrien put a hand over his face. “Of course you wouldn’t mind that happening more quickly.”

“To put it mildly,” Citrine said, his voice terse.

“Even at the risk of his safety?”

“Dante will be fine,” Sever said. “He’s a certified badass.”

“That’s true,” Adrien said. “Whenever we went to patrol the borders or fight rogues, he was always extra energetic about killing. Very lethal. But he won’t have his dragon form.”

“I imagine he’ll still make do. The man is a monster when he wants to be,” Sever said.

“Good,” Citrine said. “So let’s focus on the matter at hand. Our visitor is arriving any minute, and I want you on your best behavior because we need her help.”

They all looked up as a knock sounded at the door.

Citrine smiled. “And there’s our first candidate for manager now,” he said. “Behave yourselves.”

Adrien stuck out his tongue, knowing it wasn’t dignified, but not particularly caring.

Sever studied his nails, which were short and carefully manicured.

There really wasn’t much to do around here.

Not since those insouciant, coarse metal dragons had recruited them, never mentioning the fact they’d be servants.

Well, not servants. But they were chained nonetheless. And they were nobles. Forced to serve common human wenches. It was an outrage.

Citrine opened the door, and a well-dressed, curvy woman with sharp brown eyes and dark skin looked at all of them blankly.

“What are you staring at, wench,” Adrien snapped.

Her head cocked, her eyes narrowing in on him, and then she threw back her head in laughter.

Adrien narrowed his eyes at her, glancing at Sever and then back at the woman. “She’s out of her mind,” he muttered.

“You’d think I’d have to be, wouldn’t you?” she asked, shoving a paper in Citrine’s chest and striding into the room on high heels as if it were nothing.

She looked around and then walked to Citrine’s desk, sitting behind it.

Citrine made a strangled noise as she leaned back in his chair, propping her feet on his desk.

“I beg your pardon.”

“Yes, you’d better,” she said. “Because I’m only here to save your sorry butts as a favor to Ella. With your reputation, no manager in the world is going to work with you. And the first thing I get when I walk in is a rude retort from one of your employees?” She laughed again, the sound somewhat caustic this time. “Yes, you should beg my pardon.”

Citrine was frozen, staring at her as if she’d grown three heads, and Adrien glared from her to his cohorts and back.

All of them were equally shocked, though Sever barely showed it. The shock of finding out his mate long ago was a fraud had pretty much shut him up inside.

Hopefully he’d pull out eventually, but Adrien didn’t have time to think about it now.

Just who did this human think she was, talking to them like that? No human, no female, had ever dared.

“You,” she said. “What makes you think you can talk to people like that?”

“I’d ask you the same thing,” he said. “You called our butts sorry.”

Citrine pulled a chair up next to him and sat with a tired grin. “She called right on that.”

The woman gave Citrine an approving smile. “So. I know you’ve had bad reviews, but they seem to be particularly awful lately. Tell me what’s happening.”

“One of our members is out at a destination wedding,” Citrine said.

“So you do long-term bookings and travel. That would be relevant information, if anyone wanted to hire you at all.” She laughed again, and Adrien twitched irritably.