Strung along - The Dragon shifter's human mate

Let's fake it baby

Jordan

I don’t have to look up to know that all of them are staring at me. Noemi let go of Greer’s arm, and from the corner of my eye, I see Valentina lean back in her seat to get out of the camera’s view.

What did I just do? F*CK. Hot and cold shills start creeping up my spine. I think I just tanked this entire operation. Because I was unfocused. And petty. SHE has been on my mind constantly, and I entered the interview unable to focus. So I was happy when I didn’t have to talk too much to the girl who powdered my forehead or that the first 45 min of questions were directed at everyone else, and I just had to give my two cents here and there.

And the first question that is solely directed at me I firstly share something very private but cute and secondly start bumbling like an i***t about the girl I (let’s face it) have at least a tiny crush on. The only thing that could have made this worse would have been me telling everyone she was my mate. Good thing she’s not going to see this. Then again, the folks at ’Stiltzer’ might. SH*T! My stomach drops to my knees, and my palms start sweating.

“JORDAN!”

“Hmm?” My gaze snaps up, and I meet Avery Grambs’ thickly framed one. “Sorry, I… got a little lost in thought.”

“We all could see that.” She chuckles jovially, but there is something in her tone that tells me she’s not done with us yet. That I just piqued her interest in something she didn’t think she could be into.

“My bad.” I give her one of my practiced pearly white smiles and lean back a little, trying to appear relaxed when all I want to do is jump up and leave the studio running.

Sila’s eyes are searing into the side of my face, and I can feel Greer try to reach out his ‘feelers’ to figure out what the hell is up with me.

But I focus on Avery, who leans in a little like we’re confidants and will share secrets now. A camera makes a wiring sound as it zooms in, and the light seems a little hotter all of a sudden.

“It’s alright.” Avery smiles again. “But what we all really want to know now is: When are we going to meet that woman?”

I chuckle, dragging my one hand to lie on my thigh leisurely. “Now I thought you were a little more smooth than that, Avery.”

“Come on, Jordan! You came on here with your siblings, who are happily taken. And then you reveal information like that and think we will not want to learn more about her?” She puts down her notepad.

“You can bite the bullet and tell… or take your chances with my colleagues. Who, as I’m sure you can imagine, will be all over you from the moment you set foot out this door.”

Something cold drops in my stomach at the threat. I’m sure she means nothing by it and is just actually trying to get a good story out of this. But the thought of those people who literally followed me into bathrooms and doctors’ offices when I was younger being on the girl’s case? My vision blurs and the edges turn red.

My hands ball into fists, and I feel a palm come down on my leg.

“I’d say we give him a minute to adjust to the new situation.” Greer leans in. “We… are all very excited to meet her. She’s supposed to come celebrate the winter solstice with us and … I guess after that officially introducing her won’t feel as weird.” He shoots Avery a warm smile while I try to even my breathing and unfurl my fingers.

“So you knew about this relationship?” Her eyebrows are raised in disbelief, and there is this twinge of anger in her voice.

My brother nods. “Yes, he confided in me a few days ago. But he didn’t have the chance to tell my parents or introduce her. So we both agreed not to mention her in today’s interview.” His eyes bore into me. Wow... I take back everything I ever said about my brother's poker face. He's good.“Like with all new relationships, emotions run hot.” He smiles warmly )or at least that's what it appears like).

We did no such thing. He’s saving my a**. Or his own. Or maybe he just wants to go home. But he could probably feel my anger when she tried to shake some more information out of me. Greer was the only one who acted, though. Valentina and Silas look as disbelieving as Avery but pull it together when the camera cuts to them a second later. Noemi is still hiding behind Greer, shooting me a strange look over his shoulder.

And the host throws me a long glance and then blows out some air. A second later, the broad smile is back on her face, and she chirps. “Well then, I hope I get that tell-all interview with you and that ‘very special lady.’”

It takes another 5 minutes to get back into the groove of the interview, and we wrap up 20 minutes later. But there is still this unmistakable tension in the room. The atmosphere surrounding our small group isn’t mostly relaxed, maybe a little anxious about the cameras present anymore. It’s dense with worry and anger and complete confusion.

Which gets aired the second we all squeeze into the car that will take us back to the palace.

“Who is she?” Silas glares at me, his hand possessively on his mate’s waist. Val’s face is a little pale, and there are bags under her eyes visible now that she took off the makeup. The only time I’ve seen her like this was when she came for trial prep. And I instantly feel like the biggest dumb a** piece of sh*t. This was their personal hell. They weren’t on there flaunting their relationship, showing me what they think I can’t have. Val was joking and teasing and batting her lashes at the camera like she did with the men who abused her for years. Noemi held onto my brother because the pure thought of anyone but him or our family nearby, staring at her, judging her, scares her so much that she takes a bodyguard to buy diapers.

I felt attacked and pushed into a corner by people who just had some of the worst 4 hours of their lives. I pettily overshared info because I didn’t want to feel like the weird older brother who can only hold on to a bottle but not a relationship. No matter how true that might be. Every time they held each other’s hands or moved closer for comfort, I felt mocked. Goddess, I’m such an a**hole!

The fact that I don’t have my mate around is not their fault. Their not knowing about her is not their fault. Going by behaviours I displayed up until four weeks ago is not something they did out of malice. And still, I feel like the victim. Being kicked in the gut every time, Avery directed a question at one of the two couples.

Once again, this is something that I need to fix. Not publicly this time… or at least not fully. I just blew something that should have been a quick ‘one-and-done’ into something close to uncontrollable. As the oldest, it’s my responsibility to find a way to control it now.

I square my shoulders. “She doesn’t exist.”

“What?!”

Val’s voice is a little higher than usual. “You went on and on in that interview about a girl that doesn’t exist? Are you out of your mind?!” Her nostrils flare angrily. “Why would you want that kind of attention on you when we were just now working on it to stop?”

“To move things along.” I pointedly avoid Greer’s gaze. If any of them can see through my bullsh*t, it will be him.

“I made up a girl they can obsess over from now on. A new shiny thing. But there is a catch.”

“Oh, do tell.” My brother growls, pulling his mate closer, and I see Valentina’s eyebrows shoot up in disbelief.

“We control the narrative because we made her up.”

“I don’t think I’m following.” Greer is the one who said it, but they all look deadly confused.

“We hire someone… give them a fake CV and get them to play the part. That way, we are the only ones that control the narrative.”

“Because we… made her up?”

“Exactly!” And it’s a way for me to spend more time with my mate and keep her safe from those people. They will see the coverage and think she’s doing her job, and I have a reason to move her close to me and keep an eye on her 24/7 so they can’t get to her. Controlling the narrative.

“I’ll talk to Cece as soon as we get back and get her input on it, but I think we should get the ball rolling as soon as possible.” I get a small nod from all of them. Of course they are all still skeptical.

“Do you have someone in mind?” Greer adjusts his position so he can put an arm around Noemi and pull her closer. “It’s really short notice. She would literally have to hit the ground running.”

“I do, yeah.” The twist in my gut is a weird sign of my unreasonable excitement to see her again. Even though I’m pretty sure she’ll have a lot of things to say about me putting her on the spot like this.

I’m still looking forward to it. Choice words and all.