A Second Chance Mate

Mysterious Lady

Stephen's pov

"Uh…. I… I really should go…"

Wow! Her voice was so sweet. A shiver ran down my spine and the hair on the back of my neck rose. I presumed that I was staring at her longer than I should have, but I just couldn't look away from the demi goddess that was standing in front of me. There was just something so enchanting in those troubled eyes. She seemed to overtake all my senses. There was a baffling force pulling me towards her. It was so strange. Something I never experienced in the past.

Although I didn't sleep around, I did have a fair share of women in my life and one thing was certain. None of them ever made me feel like this. This little lady dragon had the power to instantly make me forget my problems for a while. What a mysterious lady.

I couldn't decipher what it was but knew that there was something special about her. Ever since our gazes met, my dragon was going crazy. He desired to grab her and feel the smoothness of her skin. Perhaps inhale her scent and taste her sweetness too. Yet I knew better than to forcefully touch a woman.

But… Why couldn't I take my eyes off her? Why wouldn't my heart stop racing? And why the hell was my dragon going crazy?

"Sorry," she whispered, lowering her gaze.

Dumbfounded, I stared as she scurried away and slammed the door shut behind her. I assumed that it was her room. Where else would she go? I sighed. I was too mesmerised by her to react when she took off.

Wait… did she just run away from me? Dang! That was a first. I've never had a woman run from me. They would fling themselves at me.

Chuckling to myself and shaking my head in disbelief, I slid my hand into the pocket of my trousers and walked away. My beast protested, but I knew I had to stay in control. I couldn't barge into a stranger's room, regardless of how my dragon felt.

She might have been too reluctant to approach her boss's husband. In either case, I thought it was a good thing. I couldn't have any kind of relationship with her or anyone else because of the circumstances I was in. For a year, I was constrained by a contract. Maybe if I make it through this year, I can go for that enigmatic woman.

But oh God… a year sounded like a long time. Suppressing my dragon around her for 365 days wouldn't be easy. Nonetheless, I knew I could do it. My father coached me, after all. Controlling our beasts was part of the drill. I started to tread in his footsteps from a young age. Back then, I wanted to be like him. He was my hero. My immature mentality forbade me from seeing him in any other way. It took a lot for me to eventually realise how wrong he was.

I shuddered at the recollection. I was young and stupid. All I wanted was for my father to love me. It wasn't until I learned what he had done that my desire to be accepted by him ceased. After that, I just couldn't be his benefactor. So I fled with my brother, making sure that he or his people wouldn't be able to find us. I didn't want my innocent little brother to fall into the trap I fell into.

I moved closer to the Royal Palace and got a job at a private firm. It was a relief that my father didn't carry out his illegal activities in the city much, hence cutting down the risks of being found. And we were closer to the biggest hospital in the kingdom. I was sure I would be able to save my brother, but the problem was I didn't have enough money to afford the life saving surgery. My kid brother needed new kidneys. For some reason I would never understand, his kidneys failed. I wanted to blame my father and his illegal activities. Who knows? Maybe my brother accidentally ingested one of the poisons my father and his men handled.

As I approached the room she was setting up for my brother, Seth, my lips formed a fine line. Before moving him, I wanted to make sure that he would feel at ease in his new room. The poor child was suffering enough already. I let myself in. The room was big and well furnished. A sizable window was draped with lacy white curtains. I gazed around with a quaint smile curved on my lips. The only solace I could reasonably draw from this arrangement was that he would be able to enjoy a better room and a more comfortable living environment than he had in the mediocre flat I managed to rent. Perhaps, he would eat better too. Cooking healthy food for every meal was a struggle for me.

Well, I guess the contract marriage wasn't that bad for us. The only thing I had to be cautious about was leaving my wife before a year passed by. According to the contract, I was free to leave her when a year had passed. I would have to immediately reimburse her for every dollar she spent on Seth and I if I tried to leave before that. I couldn't afford that. Perhaps my father could, but he was the last person I wanted help from.

A sigh escaped my lips. My desire to kick my shoes off and lay down on the bed was great. I didn't want to sleep in the same room as her. This marriage was nothing but a burden to me. Yet, I chose to do it for the sake of my brother. His life was on the line and to save him, I was ready to do anything. Even marrying my boss against my wishes.

All I asked for was an advance or a loan. I saw my sick brother's life deteriorate and was desperate to save him. Yet the ultimatum she offered in exchange for sponsoring the surgery that would save my brother's life was marriage. I refused at first but eventually gave in. Having to witness the agony he suffered daily was tough. At least I managed to talk her into a contract marriage and not a permanent one.

I slumped on the bed. The mattress was soft and comfortable. Perfect for Seth.

"I hope he's having fun with Theon," I mumbled to myself.

Theon was the neighbour's child who resided in the unit next to the one I rented. Prior to the dramatic change in our lives, they had planned a sleepover. After learning that we would be soon relocating, Theon begged me to let Seth stay for the night. I had to give in after seeing the hopeful glance Seth was staring at me with. My brother never had any friends of his age when we lived in our town and I really wanted him to have the childhood I never got to have.

During the few weeks we moved there, we became good friends with our neighbours. Seth and Theon quickly became close, which I was thankful for. It showed Seth that there was a world outside the one we had been living in. And also helped me dodge a few occasions where he would badger me with questions.

Why did we leave? Where was our father? Is he coming to see us?

I didn't know how to explain the truth to him so I told him that we needed to be closer to the hospital. That response seemed to please him.

Closing my eyes, I turned to the side and hugged the pillow. I would have to go back to fetch him and the rest of our stuff in the morning. Although I knew that she was expecting me to sleep with her, I wanted none of that. She may be my wife in the contract but the idea of sleeping on the same bed with her was just awkward. She was my boss, and way older than me. At seventy, I was considered rather young for a dragon. But Jenna must be at least close to 200. I couldn't understand why she demanded that I marry her when I requested the advance.

She could have imagined I would stay, but my intention was to leave as soon as a year had passed. I could never fall for Jenna, that was for sure. Much more so, with that charming lady residing in the same building as us.

A smile curled on my lips as I thought about her. I never thought I would run into such a woman here - a lady who could grab my attention by simply existing.

Darlene. What a lovely name for a stunning woman. My heart started to race and butterflies fluttered in my stomach. How bizarre. I never felt this way towards anyone. If only I wasn't bound by a contract…

I knew Jenna was coming when I heard her shoes clicking down the hall. I feigned sleep by tightly closing my eyes. She might then leave me alone. The door opened. I didn't budge one inch as she approached.

Please leave… I prayed.

She clicked her tongue before muttering under her breath. "I guess I'm sleeping alone tonight. But who sleeps with their shoes on?"

Silence followed until she sighed heavily. "I can't touch dirty shoes. I just washed."

I heard her leave and silence followed for a while. Assuming that I had managed to avoid her for the night, I cheered for myself. However, I heard her footsteps followed by her voice after some time, so I stayed put.

"Stephen is worn out. Remove his shoes and keep them beside the bed," she yawned. "I am going to bed. I'm exhausted."

Oh, so Jenna asked someone to remove my shoes. I stayed put while the worker came to do what she was told. I didn't want them to realise that I was awake. Nonetheless, I was curious about who it was. Was it Darlene?

My dragon kept urging me to sneak a peek, but I was determined not to. It was a risk. She gently removed my shoes and then carefully peeled the socks off my feet. My lips parted when her soft fingertips briefly brushed against my ankles. There was something magical about it. Something I never felt in the past.

What was that? I thought it was a jolt of pleasure. But how does anyone do that? Was that even possible?

My dragon roared with much zeal, but I suppressed him. Regardless, I wasn't able to quell my erratic heart. It kept telling me that it was her.

I lay silently as she covered my body with the duvet. The feminine sigh that escaped her lips confirmed my speculations. Jenna had ordered Darlene to remove my shoes. It didn't sound right to me because she had just retreated to her room, after probably working the entire day. Still, to tell the truth, I would rather have her remove my shoes than anyone else.

Although I was pretending to sleep, I was carefully listening to her every move. The desire to take hold of her and relish the softness of her body was overwhelming, but I behaved. Without moving a muscle, I kept my eyes closed until I heard her walk away.

I sneaked a peek just in time to catch a glimpse of her rear. She switched off the light and closed the door behind her. Stupefied, I stared at the closed door. What she made me feel during that brief moment was phenomenal. Bewildered by the new emotions rising in my chest, I tried to decipher what was happening to me. She most certainly had a mystifying power on me. Was she a sorceress? I shook my head. She didn't give me that vibe. She was certainly a dragon.

"Who is she?" I whispered to myself, as my forehead creased in confusion.