The Dark Thrall: Mating Olivia

Chapter3

Chapter Three

I’d already dealt with what happened from moving too fast with another shifter and after we’d been together, he had rejected me. My wolf hadn’t understood. Hell, I hadn’t understood.

“Orders up, Liv,” Jose called out, saving me from having to say anything else. I turned away from Killian and Jay, hurrying back to the back counter. I put the coffee pot into the coffeemaker on the counter before grabbing their plates.

The smell of cooked meat made my stomach rumble. I thanked Cook, but he didn’t look at me. His eyes were glued to the dragons that sat in the back booth. His lips were pressed into a thin line and I knew that he was worried about how they were talking to me.

“Hey, don’t worry. After we get them out of here, we’ll head home.”

Jose turned to look at me and I gave him a half-smile. I knew he wanted to get home to his mate. She had been having a lot of trouble dealing with their empty house now that his youngest son had moved out. Granted, she stayed busy helping me. But it wasn’t the same and I could only imagine how she was feeling. “Sounds good. It’s been a long shift.”

“It’s always a long shift for you.” I teased, his grin deepened before I turned around heading towards my table. “Don’t worry, now that Miguel will bring you guys grandbabies home soon enough.”

“Liv.” He called out and I let out a laugh, knowing that while his wife may not enjoy the quiet. The older man was soaking it up. I could only imagine how loud it would be after raising five boys.

I sat down the plates in front of the two dragons, Killian’s eyed the plate licking his lips. “I’m starved, this looks good.”

“Thank you, Olivia,” Jay said. He didn’t look at the plate of food. His eyes stayed focused on me and I had to fight the urge not to stand proud. I knew that my figure wasn’t perfect, my waist wasn’t trim and my hips flared out too much. But when he looked at me, it felt like it didn’t matter. That he was seeing me in a light that others didn’t. “It does look good enough to eat.”

I gulped hard, looking away from his intense stare. If I had thought that Killian came on strong, it didn’t compare to the intensity of Jay.

“If you guys need anything, just let me know.”

Jay lifted an eyebrow, his lips tilting into a half smile that made his sharp features look almost deadly. “We will.”

Turning away from them, I hurried towards the kitchen. Pushing open the swinging door, “Hey Jose, I’m going to step outside for a minute.”

“Sure thing, Liv.” He said, cleaning up the grill.

I walked over to the row of lockers where my bag was stashed away. Opening the small navy door, I reached into the front pocket, grabbing my cell phone. I tucked it into my apron pocket before closing the door and making my way to the back door.

Pushing open the heavy metal door, I sucked in a lungful of the cold night air. Letting it wash away the feelings of desire that coursed through my body. I didn’t need to be with anyone. I didn’t need the distraction of those dragons. Closing my eyes, I lifted my face towards the moon. Feeling the rays play over my skin.

I didn’t know if humans felt the same call to her as we shifters did. But I couldn’t imagine not wanting to feel the cool caress of her against my skin. It was almost like being recharged from the inside out.

I didn’t need to be with those dragons. No matter how much my wolf was telling me otherwise.

I knew that listening to her would hurt me again. I couldn’t let that happen. Now it wasn’t just me that would get hurt. Pulling out my phone, I swiped my thumb over the cracked screen. The background picture made me smile, reminding me of why I was doing everything that I was doing.

Pulling up my messages, I tapped out a quick text before tucking my phone back into my pocket. I let out a deep breath, smoothing my hands over the front of my sweater. I turned around, heading back inside.

Jose was finishing cleaning up the kitchen as I walked past him. I returned to the front, looking over at the dragons sitting in my section. I grabbed their ticket, tucking it onto the plastic tray before walking over to them.

Killian looked away from Jay, watching me over the other man’s shoulder. There was a heat in his eyes that I could feel moving along my skin. I could feel it on a primal level. These men were not my mates. It didn’t matter. I knew that if I got the chance, I would sleep with them both.

I shook away the thought, sitting the tray down onto the tabletop. “If you gentleman don’t need anything?”

Jay turned to face me, sliding out of the booth as he picked up the ticket and the tray. I started to take a step back to give him more room to get out of the booth. He was faster than me, he stood tall above me. His body pressed against mine.

“I’ll take care of it.” His voice was a deep, almost rumbling growl and I felt dizzy with need. A whine slipped past my lips and I closed my eyes.

I knew that he was flirting in the strange way that dragons flirted. But for me, that was dangerous. I wasn’t some easy fling that they could enjoy for the night. I came with baggage and heartache. I took a half step back, careful not to breathe in the warm sweet scent of the dragon in front of me.

I had let my wolf take over before, but I wouldn’t be doing that again. My heart couldn’t take it.