ROMANCE: SHAPESHIFTER ROMANCE: Dragon Baller's Bride (Dragon Shifter Alpha Male Romance) (Paranormal Romantic Suspense) (30 page)

W
hen Emily gets
a job at UCLA, she feels like something is finally going right in her life. Without a college degree, and after several run-ins with the law, she never thought she’d get a decent job again so to find something was a true blessing. Her love life had been just as bad as the rest of her life, and she has sworn off men.

Justin has not had much luck in life either, and after his longtime girlfriend Angela dies in a tragic car accident just weeks before their wedding, he sinks into a deep depression. Still working at Mark’s shop, it is the only thing that keeps him from losing it completely and Mark is still his mentor and ensures he at least stays out of trouble with the law. While being a certified mechanic now, he has lost all joy in life.

On her way back from work one day Emily gets horribly lost, and Justin runs into her and helps her find her way. After finding her alone in a coffee shop several days later, looking lonely, Justin joins her for coffee and they start talking. Finding friendship in their shared misery, it doesn’t take long for Emily to realize there is more to Justin than meets the eye and she decides she wants to get to know him better. When he reveals what he truly is, can she accept it as just another aspect of her life or will she decide her life was better without him?

W
ith a sigh Emily
left the administrative building at UCLA, happy to finally have found a job that might provide benefits at some point down the road, but not looking forward to the long commute. When her car had finally died a few weeks ago she had dropped it off at the mechanic, who had informed her it would be several thousand to fix. Knowing it would take her months to save up that kind of money, and it wasn’t worth it to begin with, she had sold it for parts which had paid for her past due rent. Now that she had a job, she hoped she would be able to afford some kind of transportation soon, even if it was just a bike, since it was over thirty minutes to walk to work.

Emily had only been in Los Angeles for a few months and so far she wasn’t sure if she liked it. She kept getting lost, with everything looking the same to her, and the people weren’t as friendly as she was used to from the mid-western and southern towns she had lived in before. After her last trouble with the law she had decided to come out west in the hopes of getting a fresh start and it appeared that she might be able to get that now that she had gotten a steady job. Without a degree, and with a record, it was hard to find and she would have taken just about any job if it meant putting food on the table and paying the bills.

Walking back through town she suddenly realized she had absolutely no idea where she was, and she started to panic. The part of town she lived in wasn’t the greatest and she had to walk through a good bit of it to get home, which scared her more than she’d care to admit. She heard loud voices and after walking in that direction, she realized it was coming from the shop where she had brought her car when it had broken down. She recognized Mark, the owner, yelling at one of his mechanics. She recognized him but they hadn’t spoken when she had been there before.

“Justin, you have to get your act together! The next time you go out and get drunk I will whip your butt, is that clear?” Mark said in an angry, menacing voice. Emily realized there was more to Mark than she had thought, as he had been very kind to her when they had talked before. Justin appeared to look apologetic and apparently slightly scared at the mention of a whipping, and he nodded.

“I’m sorry. It’s hard! I thought we’d spend our life together! That man is lucky he’s in jail for killing Angela in that car wreck, because if he wasn’t I’d have killed him myself. We were supposed to be married a year today, I’m sorry if that makes me a little upset!”

“You are allowed to be upset but you are not allowed to ruin your life the way you have been. She would want you to move on and find happiness, you know that. She helped you get your GED and she pushed you to get certified. Don’t let that go to waste.”

Justin seemed to deflate before her eyes as he sat down on a bucket. “I know. I’m sorry.”

“You’re forgiven, but if you ever come home the way you did last night I will make good on my threat.”

“I know you will. I should get back to work,” Justin said before getting up and walking towards the front of the shop. Emily decided it was a good time to make her presence known and she walked in with a slight smile.

“I’m sorry, I seem to be incredibly lost. Could you help me?”

Justin looked up at her and smiled, before getting up from where he had been kneeling. He looked her up and down and nodded. “I sure can. Where are you going?”

“I’m trying to find my apartment. I just came from UCLA.”

“You were in here not that long ago, weren’t you?” Mark asked as he came over. “I thought you lived a decent walk from here?”

“I do. I think it was about twenty minutes but I can’t remember how to get there. If you could remind me how to get to that big gas station, the BP, I’ll know my way from there.”

“I’ll walk with you,” Justin said as he put down the rag that was in his hands. “You don’t mind, do you Mark?”

“No, that’s fine. You be careful miss.”

Justin and Emily started walking down the street, going in the way she had come for two blocks much to her annoyance. She really had been going the wrong way and she knew she had to start looking for more landmarks.

“How much of that conversation did you hear?” Justin asked.

“Just the last part I think. I’m sorry about your loss.”

“I thought she was the one but Mark is right, I need to move on. I’ve been having a bit of trouble with the law the past year and I think he’s reaching the end of his patience.”

“Would he really whip you?” Emily asked, looking sideways at Justin as if not quite believing it.

“Oh yes. I live with him. I had planned to move out with Angela, but when the accident happened, I went off the deep end a bit. He’s been trying to reign me back in but I find that playing with the law is much more fun. Even if it gets me whooped every once in a while.”

“He’s done it before?”

“He took me in when I really needed someone. Set me straight. Then since last year it’s kind of been going downhill. I got arrested for public intoxication about two months ago, he really whooped me good after bailing me out. I couldn’t sit comfortably for days.”

“It clearly didn’t stop you,” Emily laughed.

“Nope. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t tell you that. It’s not lady-like conversation.”

Emily snorted before laughing and shaking her head. “Don’t worry about it. I’m here now because I ran into issues with the law in every other town I’ve lived in so far. Finally found a job, thankfully.”

“A bad girl, I like it,” Justin smirked. “Look, this isn’t the best part of town. If you ever have to walk this at night, come to the shop and one of us will walk with you. A lady should not be walking this alone. We’re here, I hope you don’t have far to go?”

“No, just up the street. Thank you Justin. Good luck with Mark,” Emily smiled as she crossed the street and started towards her apartment building. Justin was nice, but clearly troubled and the last thing Emily needed was to get involved with someone like him. He also clearly isn’t over his ex-girlfriend yet, and that is something Emily isn’t sure she can deal with as she never wanted to be the rebound girl for anyone. It was clear Mark cared for him, but it was also clear that Justin would never be a law abiding citizen, which she could not help but think was incredibly sexy.

Shaking that thought from her head she walked into her apartment and fell down on the bed with a sigh. She didn’t really have much furniture, but as it was a studio apartment she could just sit on her bed to watch TV, or eat as she didn’t have a kitchen table either. She planned to use her first few paychecks to go to the Salvation Army and see about buying a couch and maybe a table and chairs and some kitchen supplies. One plate, one cup, one bowl and one fork just wasn’t enough if she ever planned to have anyone else in her apartment, though she wasn’t sure if she ever would. When she had been there to buy her bed, she had seen that she could get all of that for less than fifty dollars, which was perfect for her. She didn’t need anything fancy, just something functional which was exactly what that was.

T
he first few
days at work were exhausting for Emily and at the end of the workweek she found a small coffee shop halfway to her apartment to just relax for a bit. She had gotten paid for her first few days, much to her surprise as she had expected some delay, and the dollar she spent on coffee she felt was very well spent. Watching people coming in and going out, while sipping her coffee and accepting the refills the waitress kept bringing, she started to relax slightly. She also felt the weariness of the week hitting her and knew she would have to go home somewhat soon if she wanted to make it there at all.

“You look like you could use something stronger than coffee,” a voice said, which startled her out of her musings. Looking up she saw Justin standing next to her table, smiling down at her. She motioned for him to sit.

“Feel free to join me,” Emily said with a forced smile. She wasn’t really up for company but she didn’t want to come across as rude either.

Justin sat down and Emily looked at him, as if waiting for him to start talking, which he didn’t. The waitress came over to bring her more coffee, also bringing Justin a cup which he took with a smile.

“What are you doing here?” Emily finally asked.

“I was walking past and saw you sitting here, staring into blank space as if you have the weight of the world on your shoulders.”

“I feel like that, especially after the long day I’ve had. Shouldn’t you be working?”

“I had to run an errand for Mark, I was on my way back. Are you alright?”

“I’ll be fine, just need some sleep.”

“Do you work tomorrow?”

“No, I have the next two days off. Thankfully. I’m ready to sleep in and just relax, knowing that I still have a job to get to on Monday.”

“Would you like to go get lunch tomorrow?” Justin asked, and Emily looked up in surprise.

“Look, you seem nice but I’m not in any place to be dating anyone right now. Neither are you, it was very clear you aren’t over your ex yet. Besides that I can barely afford groceries, so this coffee is a splurge.”

“Don’t worry about paying for it, and let’s not see it as a date. You are right that I’m not quite ready to date yet, but you seem like a nice girl and we could just go as friends. I have tomorrow off as well and could do with some distraction. Please?”

“As friends,” Emily said firmly, sighing as she put some money on the table. “Noon?”

“Yes. I will come to the gas station and meet you there, we can walk together.”

“Alright. I’ll see you tomorrow. If I don’t leave now I won’t make it to my apartment,” Emily said as she stood up, taking her bag and putting it on her shoulder.

“I will walk with you. You look dead on your feet and I want to make sure you get there alright.”

“Won’t Mark get mad if you take long?”

“I will simply explain that I made sure you got home alright and he’ll probably give me one of his rare smiles. I got into trouble last night so it’s probably a good idea for me to do something right. I think he is close to losing it.”

“Got drunk again?” Emily asked as they walked out of the coffee shop and started towards her apartment.

“Yes. I didn’t mean to but I went out with a few of the group and it just happened.”

“I’m surprised you can sit,” Emily said with a sideways glance, trying to see what he’d say.

“It’s not comfortable. It helps me forget though, and for a moment I forget all the crap I’ve been through. Mark understands that, but he knows how destructive alcohol can be, he’s seen it end everything some people have worked for. He knows how hard I’ve worked to improve life, and he has been like a father to me for so many years that I think it’s hard for him to see me go down the bad path of life again. I deserved every lick I got for worrying him the way I did, but I don’t know if I could ever go back to being as law abiding as I was when I was with Angela.”

“I’m sure he understands that. It sounds like as long as you flirt with the law but don’t break it, and as long as you don’t get drunk, he doesn’t have a problem with what you do. Besides, women find a man who flirts with the law sexy while those who break it are just idiots. We don’t like drunks either.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Justin said as they got to the gas station and she started to walk towards her apartment. She knew he still saw the lunch as a date but she really didn’t want to date anyone at the moment and she hoped he wasn’t getting his hopes up. She also wished he would stop drinking, as that was something she would not put up with even in friends, and hoped that Mark would be able to get him to see sense when it came to that. She had once been with a guy who had a problem with alcohol, and when he had lost control a few times while under the influence she had left him. She would never again be with someone who couldn’t control their alcohol consumption, as it would only lead to problems, and she would not make an exception for Justin. This Angela girl sounded wonderful but Emily didn’t want to feel like she was constantly competing with her either. He needed to start letting go and start moving on, or Emily would always be just a friend even if she was ready to date again.

The following afternoon Emily got to the gas station right at noon, and Justin smiled when he saw her crossing the street. There was something about his smile that drew Emily in, and she felt butterflies in her stomach. He guided her in a direction she had never been in before and she gladly followed, trusting that he knew where they were going. She had not been able to get to the store for groceries yet and hadn’t eaten breakfast, which got her hoping that the restaurant would be good and not some small cafe somewhere. She was pleasantly surprised when he guided her into a Chinese restaurant and soon they were seated in a booth.

“I love Chinese,” Emily smiled after looking over the menu. It had always been one of her favorites, but she hadn’t been able to eat it much over the years.

“Good. I love that they give you a lot of food for very little money. That’s my kind of restaurant,” Justin smiled back.

“I’ll agree to that. I usually have leftovers, which is always good. It’s like getting to enjoy it a second time, without having to pay for it. What are you getting?”

“Szechuan chicken I think, how about you?”

“Sesame chicken,” Emily smiled. “With fried rice. I think that’s the only way to eat it. Chopsticks?”

“I never learned how to eat with those, especially rice,” Justin laughed. “I once tried and the floor of the kitchen ended up covered in food that I had dropped. Let me guess, you use them?”

“Absolutely. I’ll teach you,” Emily smiled before taking a set of chopsticks out of the sleeve and breaking them apart. She handed them to Justin before getting another set and slowly showing him how to hold them. She had him practice with picking up his napkin, and when their food came she took away his fork and spoon with a grin. “Chopsticks only. You can do it, you got white rice and it sticks.”

All throughout lunch they talked about inconsequential things and laughed at Justin’s attempts at eating with chopsticks. It made the lunch last much longer than it normally would have, but Emily found that she enjoyed it much more than if they rushed through their food. She had to admit he was pretty good at eating with chopsticks by the end of lunch, and she hoped they got to do this again sometime. While Justin had smiled, and he had looked fine, lunch was the first time he had truly laughed in her presence and she thought he had a wonderful laugh. It made Emily want to smile, and while she already thought he was sexy, she felt he was even more so when he was laughing.

After lunch, they walked down the street and Justin held his arm out for her to take. Emily hesitated, knowing just a friend would never do such a thing, but her will to be closer to him won in the end and she took his arm. As they walked arm in arm, Justin started pointing out things along the street. He mentioned a grocery store he recommended as being cheap, as well as one to avoid. When they came close to the gas station, with Emily still carrying her box of leftovers, she hesitated before deciding that she might as well invite him up to her apartment. She wasn’t ready for the day to end, but she also didn’t want to keep carrying the food around. “Would you mind coming up for a minute while I put this in the fridge?”

“Sure,” Justin said with a smile, and she led him to her apartment, smiling in slight embarrassment before opening the door. She knew it was a pathetic apartment, but if they were going to be friends he would see it eventually.

After putting the food in the fridge she turned to see him taking inventory of her apartment. “We have an extra couch at the shop that’s not being used, I’m sure Mark wouldn’t mind if you took it,” Justin said easily.

“Are you sure? I know I don’t have much, I planned to get one at some point. I just used the bed for now.”

“I’m sure,” Justin said as he turned to look at her again, motioning towards the door. “Come on, let’s go see about that. I’m sure there are some guys free to deliver it.”

Emily couldn’t believe her luck that she might be getting a couch, and would actually be able to have people at her apartment, and while walking to the shop she kept looking at Justin as if waiting for him to change. “Have you ever done graffiti?” Justin suddenly asked, causing her to jump slightly.

“No, I can’t say I’ve ever done that.”

“Some of us were going to decorate an overpass later. They just painted it. Want to come?”

“If I get arrested I could lose my job,” Emily said with hesitation, though it did sound fun and it meant spending more time with Justin.

“We rarely ever get caught, and if I get arrested I will lose the ability to sit. I have no intention of that happening, so let’s focus on not getting arrested,” Justin said with a cheeky grin, which almost made Emily’s heart melt. She knew she should say no. She knew she should walk away from this guy who was the typical bad boy, but she found she couldn’t. “I’ll take you for a spin on the back of my bike in return.”

Emily’s mouth almost dropped open before she nodded frantically. He was a biker, and she was fairly certain he had no idea how much of a turn on that was for her. “I’m coming,” she said a little bit too eagerly, which caused Justin to chuckle. They had arrived at the shop and stopped talking about it while Justin walked over to Mark. When she saw him nod she couldn’t help but smile, and when Justin showed her the couch she easily agreed. “Some guys are supposed to be here soon, they went to pick up some parts. Mark said they can deliver it as soon as they get back. Do you want a drink while we wait?”

“Some water would be great,” Emily replied before she sat down on the couch, finding it very comfortable. Justin threw a bottle of water at her before joining her on the couch.

“Do you need anything else for your apartment?”

“I’m fine Justin.”

“That’s not what I asked,” Justin said, giving her a pointed look that had her squirming slightly. Apparently he had picked up some looks from Mark. He was very close to her and she smiled sideways at him before shaking her head.

“I don’t need anything.”

“Are you lying to me?”

“Justin,” Emily said, trying to sound irritated though she loved that he cared enough to make sure she was alright. She had not had anyone care in a long time and wasn’t used to it.

“Emily. What else do you need?”

“A kitchen table and chairs. Dishes and silverware,” Emily said after several minutes of silence. She hated saying it out loud and knew if he offered any of those things she would decline no matter what he said.

“We can go see if we can find those cheap if you’d like? We have dishes but I have the feeling you would decline anything else I try to offer.”

“You are correct and I’ll need to wait until next payday,” Emily said honestly. He had seen where she lived and he knew she hadn’t had a job for very long, which made her not care if he knew she was poor.

“Fine, but we will find you what you need. I’ll keep an eye out for anyone selling anything. There are the guys so I think we have to move.”

Soon they were walking to her apartment, four guys carrying a couch behind them much to her surprise. She had expected them to have a car or something, but they truly intended to hand deliver the couch to her apartment. It made her feel slightly uncomfortable, but when they had put the couch down in her apartment she couldn’t help but smile. “Thank you guys. I would offer you a drink but I don’t have anything,” she said apologetically.

“It’s alright,” one of the guys smiled. “You’ve made Justin smile, that’s payment enough. He’s like a little brother to me and he’s needed a good smile. Are you joining us later?”

“She is,” Justin said, punching him in the upper arm. “And I have not been that bad.”

“You have gotten more whippings than anyone else in the group. That’s a sign that Mark truly cares about you and that you are truly going the wrong way in life. You have not smiled because you haven’t had much reason to smile. She makes you smile, so even if you’re just friends I approve of the friendship. Which means it’s time to go cause some trouble. We have to go make sure Mark doesn’t need anything, meet you there in an hour?”

“Sure,” Justin replied.

“That’s Josh. He’s been there from the moment I started living with Mark. He used to live with Mark too, until he got out on his own two feet. It’s why he calls me his little brother. He still comes for all the holidays, and he helps me stay out of trouble when it looks like I need some help. He still causes just as much trouble as I do, don’t let him fool you,” Justin said by way of explanation once they had sat down on the couch and the other guys had left. Emily nodded, glad that he had explained as she had wondered how that worked.

“He seems nice. So does he get the belt treatment?”

“He would if he needed to be bailed out. I can’t remember that ever happening though. He’s the master at graffiti, he taught me everything I know.”

“Good, I’ll get to see a master at work. How far from here is it?”

“About a twenty minute walk so we have time. You should wear something you don’t mind getting dirty and shoes you can run in, just in case.”