Page 42 of Taught By the Dragon
Wait, no.He most definitely wouldn’t do either of those things.
Bronx finished washing the dishes, and he turned to look at the two females sitting on the couch. Violet was explaining some complicated relationship web between the characters on the show, and Percy drank it all in. She probably didn’t realize it, but the guarded look was gone, replaced with curiosity and a little annoyance.
When Violet finally stopped, Percy asked, “Why the fuck would she come back home if she knows that guy’s going to kill her?”
Violet snorted. “They almost always come back. It just means some sort of major thing is going to happen soon—either a showdown, someone gets hurt, or they kill off the character.”
Bronx smiled. He’d always avoided watching the soap operas in the past. But when Violet had learned that her mother had watched them, she’d pestered him constantly. Eventually, he’d caved and had no choice but to sit through them to make sure she was old enough.
And he’d secretly become hooked himself. Sometimes a person just wanted to escape into the ridiculous.
Percy grunted. “Well, I won’t feel bad if she dies. I don’t care if she has like four kids and a three-legged dog. If she’s an idiot, she deserves it.”
Bronx couldn’t hold back his laughter. Percy turned around and narrowed her eyes. “What? You support the idiot?”
He put up his hands. “No, no, I agree. But sometimes it’s fun to root for characters to be killed off. One female on that show, in particular, deserves it. And yet, she always seems to be the one who survives.”
Violet shrugged. “If a character can stir your emotions, Dad, then it’s a good thing.”
He rolled his eyes. “Sometimes I wish I could go back to the day I’d never seen that show.”
Violet pointed at him. “Liar.”
He grinned. “Okay, maybe. But only because watching them helps me know you better, Vi.”
Violet gestured toward Percy. “And now Percy. I mean, her comments are classic and make me laugh half the time.”
He met Percy’s gaze. “Yes, I’ll admit her biting quips make it more enjoyable.”
Percy’s cheeks flushed. “I don’t really have a filter—as Violet calls it—yet. And since I don’t think I’ll be punished here, I speak my mind.”
And just like that, Bronx’s amusement faded, replaced with anger.
He burned to ask about her punishments, more of what she suffered.
However, Percy turned back toward the TV and went back to asking Violet questions about the show.
His dragon said,She’s not ready yet.
I know, dragon. Although it’s getting harder and harder to be patient.
Because you want Percy to find her place on Stonefire, to be able to start over. And to do that, she will have to confront some of her past.
Start over, yes. But it’s her choice of where.
His beast grunted, and Bronx braced himself for a fight.
But thankfully his dragon remained silent, and he went back to tidying up the kitchen.
Once the show was over, he watched Percy hurry from the room and lock herself inside her bedroom.
He itched to go talk to her some more but tamped it down. He had plenty of work to do—going through both more information about the facility and notes from Dr. Rossi—and Percy obviously wanted to be alone.
Maybe if he were more than her teacher, he’d say fuck it and knock on her door.
But he wasn’t. And so Bronx busied himself with work, doing his best to forget Percy’s laughter and the light brush of her fingers against his.
ChapterEighteen
