caradocdearsâ:
âKnowing the people we spend the majority of our time around, I wouldnât be surprised if you decided you were going to be mad about both things and then never mention it to me until it is an emotionally convenient time thatâs widely observed,â Caradoc suggested, years of seeing that exact thing play out made him consider it less of a suggestion and more of a deeply cynical expectation. âIt isnât really my business who or what you spend your time with as long as you pay your tab. I try to avoid guessing at things like relationships too much. Keeps me from getting too messy if it goes arse over tits.â
Caradoc shrugged. âBusiness is business,â he agreed, âand if everyone showed up to their appointments and obligations on time, weâd be living in a very different world. Iâd be rich, first off. Such is the way of this whole shitty thing called life.â
Quirking an eyebrow at the question, Caradocâs hands automatically smoothed over the shirt he was wearing in an attempt to smooth down any wrinkles that may have appeared. It was an unconscious, nearly automatic gesture he performed a dozen times a day. Just because the Dragon attracted a certain clientele didnât mean that Caradoc had to stoop to that level. âItâs been fine,â he answered evenly, âhavenât even had to break any bones today. That is always a good sign. Lonely though? Well, thatâs information youâd have to pay for, mate.â
.
âWhat an astute decision for a bartender,â Reggie teased. Honestly that was probably for he best. Reggie had multiple people in his life, and while he didnât necessarily consider any of them serious, he did know that from the outside, it probably looked confusing as well. Some parts were easy to quantify. Others... Not so much. Caradocâs strategy was probably a good one with as many people, hookups, and messy relationships flitted through his door on an average day. Plus, he was right. The Order wasnât much better.
âWouldnât be all be?â Reggie said dryly. Actually if everyone showed up and paid what they owed and had the money to handle their own lives, his would look very different. Best not to dwell there.
His eyes lit up. âOkay, now youâre putting an offer on the table, and Iâm dying to know. What does one have to do for that kind of information? Not require bones to be broken obviously, but what else? I suddenly feel a deep need to know what makes a guy like you toss and turn at night.â




















