Fired by my Grumpy Dragon (Grumpy Monster Bosses #3)

THIRTEEN

Loren

There’s a long silence that stretches on and on while Kivrayn and I both stanchly refuse to look at each other. I’m certain I hear him grind his teeth, and I have to admit, I’m holding back the smile that wants to spread from ear to ear.

This is even better than I’d hoped. His reaction is perfect. And if he thinks I’m going to let him win here, he is so wrong.

Eventually, the quiet young man in the medical scrubs leans down and whispers in Jenny’s ear. She gives him a nod, and he moves behind the chair to take the handles. “It seems like we have an impasse. Feel free to stay and argue between yourselves if you like. You can let Haris know when you make a decision.”

The nurse wheels her out of the room, and the door closes behind them with a soft click.

Tick, tick, tick. The antique clock on the mantelpiece is the only thing in the room making a noise.

Finally, Kivrayn launches to his feet, growling. “This is ridiculous. You’re going to lose. You’re just doing this to piss me off.”

I stand to face him. “This is going to be news to you, jerk features, but the entire world doesn’t revolve around you. Pissing you off is a perk, but I’m doing this to win the job I now desperately need after you fired me with not even a formal warning.”

His snarl bares sharp fangs. “How many warnings do you need? I had literally finished telling you to touch nothing and I turn my back for one second. One second! And there you are, pawing it like a naughty toddler.”

“Maybe I wouldn’t have if you didn’t insist on stalking me like a creep and micromanaging my every move.”

“Oh, so it was some kind of stupid payback? How’s that working out for you, Ms. Carandang?” He smirks. “Do you feel like you paid me back, hmm?”

God he is infuriating!

“No, so isn’t it lucky I’ve got this opportunity to make up for that.” I snatch my handbag, throwing it over my shoulder with so much flare, it twists to thunk into my butt. I keep my chin held high as I spin and head for the door, my ponytail flicking around behind me. “I hope you enjoyed this tête–à–tête, Kivrayn. When I acquire the collection, I’ll be sure to think of you.”

I stride from the room without waiting to call the butler to lead me out. Of course, I forget the way I came in, so I take a random right turn when I get to the end of the corridor, trying to look as if I know where I’m going.

After a while, I slow when I realize Kivrayn isn’t following me.

This definitely isn’t the way out. But when I look back down the corridor, it doesn’t look familiar either, so I keep going, hoping if I keep traveling in the same direction long enough, I’ll get out into the garden .

When I come to a gilded door, I try the handle. It’s unlocked. I don’t remember going through any doors on the way in, but I followed the butler. Maybe he opened it for me, and I was too distracted to notice.

I can still remember the smirk on Kivrayn’s face when he thought he got one up on me. Ugh! What a jerk. What I need is a word with Jenny alone. I made her laugh before. I know I could win her over if I can find a way to appeal to her. She likes me. She likes me more than Kivrayn, anyway. I’m sure of that.

Who could like him ?

I push the door softly open, peering around into a sun filled room. The slant of the light through a large, paneled window momentarily blinds me. Dust motes rise from the deep red carpet and drift in the air lazily.

I sense a need to be quiet before I spot her.

Her chair is empty beside the large, padded armchair where she sits, sunlight falling across her face. Jenny’s head is tipped to rest against the back of the seat. Her mouth is slightly open.

I didn’t really look at her before.

Now I creep forward a step or two, really taking her in. She looks older than when I saw her last. It must have only been two years ago, when I first moved to Heartstone. She seems to have aged ten years or even twenty in that time, her face deeply wrinkled now, when I remember only light creases at the corners of her eyes and bright red lipstick from then.

Now Jenny wears no makeup, and I have the feeling she wouldn’t want me to see her like this, looking so vulnerable.

I turn to go when she sits with a start, eyes opening to fix on me.

I give her a guilty smile. “Sorry. I got lost on the way out.”

Jenny draws in a deep inhale. “What time is it? I’m always so damn tired these days, but I hope you weren’t wandering the corridors for hours. Where’s Haris?”

“I’m not sure. I didn’t wait for him. Frankly, I just wanted to get away from Kivrayn, the other agent.”

Jenny snorts. “I know who he is. Last time we met, you were working for him. What happened?”

I sigh. Coming a little closer, I sit on the chair opposite her and wonder how much to say. “We didn’t see eye to eye.”

Jenny grunts. “There’s too much of that—” She’s cut off when a violent cough wracks her body until she gets red in the face and starts wheezing. Alarmed, I look around.

“You want me to call someone?”

She shakes her head, pointing at her glass of water.

I hand it to her and help her drink. After a while the cough subsides, and I find a tissue to give her.

She sighs. “Too much of that going around too, but what I was trying to say is that you two need to work this out. I won’t have anyone else fighting over my things. I’ve given up on my children. They’ve resisted every effort I’ve made to try to teach them how to be decent humans. But you, girl, I have more hope for you.”

I open my mouth to tell her there’s no hope of Kivrayn becoming a decent human when he’s not even human. I close it again without speaking. This isn’t the right time to argue with her.

“How do I do that when he won’t even listen to me? ”

She barks a laugh. “Tell me when you’ve worked it out, dear. I’d like to know the secret before I die.”

She rests her head again, shutting her eyes. I don’t like the look of the deep furrow between her brows. I’m not sure what I can do, though. So I get up to go. She doesn’t notice me slip out the door and I don’t ask where I might find the butler.

Some of the satisfaction I felt at being able to have my revenge on Kivrayn is soured after speaking with Jenny. She’s always seemed so full of life. So uncompromisingly fierce. Now she just looks like a weak old lady. A weak, sick old lady who is suffering.

I wonder how much pain she’s in. What’s wrong with her?

I didn’t have the courage to ask her.

A sad smile curves the corners of my mouth when it occurs to me she’s probably facing the pain of her illness with the same stubborn tenacity she approached the rest of her life and career with. Fitting but bitter evidence that maybe I was wrong. Maybe that fierce lady is still there beneath the veneer.