Saintess's Worthless Husband Turned Dragon Commander novel Chapter 138

CHAPTER 121 PART 1

Crystal Plaza Mall – 7:15 PM

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Marcus Steel watched Nicholas Lancaster organize his thirty enforcers with the efficiency born of decades managing criminal operations, and felt only mild irritation. The Lancaster brothers weren’t threats-they were expendable lackeys who’d learned their lesson after being crushed once. Even if they harbored resentment, they’d

never dare act on it.

Besides, Marcus was in an unusually good mood. Not because he’d humiliated Banyan Carmichael or made Nicholas kneel, but because Quinn Hartford’s Saintess aura glowed with genuine happiness warm golden light that pulsed with contentment he rarely witnessed. Her joy lifted his spirits in ways that power and victory never could.

“Nicholas,” Marcus said, his dragon eyes assessing the crowd forming around them. “Too many people. Reduce your entourage to four men-enough to carry bags and maintain basic security. Send the rest downstairs to wait quietly.”

“Of course, Mr. Steel.” Nicholas bowed deeply, grateful for permission to reduce the spectacle. “And Banyan Carmichael? What should we-”

“Dump him at the mall entrance,” Marcus interrupted casually. “Let him serve as a warning.”

Twenty minutes later, Banyan Carmichael lay at Crystal Plaza’s main entrance, both legs broken, face swollen from repeated beatings. Nicholas’s men had positioned him carefully-visible to everyone entering or leaving the mall.

Lance Casey walked past with shopping bags already accumulating, paused, and smiled with vindictive satisfaction. She pulled a coin from her purse, placed a small bowl in front of Banyan’s broken form, and dropped the coin inside with a metallic clink.

“There you go,” Lance said sweetly. “A beggar needs to start somewhere.”

Banyan could only sob quietly, pain and humiliation overwhelming his capacity for rage. “Th-thank you… thank

you…”

“You’re welcome!” Lance chirped, walking away without looking back.

Crystal Plaza – Third Floor – 7:47 PM

Once unleashed in Crystal Plaza-one of Grayson City’s premier shopping destinations-Quinn, Lance, and Anna transformed into forces of nature. They moved through stores with predatory efficiency, selecting clothes, shoes, accessories with the kind of focused determination usually reserved for military operations.

Marcus had assumed his dragon-enhanced physical conditioning would make keeping pace simple. He was wrong. Women shopping operated on principles that transcended normal endurance. After forty minutes of following them through twelve stores, even his supernatural stamina began flagging.

Fortunately, Nicholas Lancaster’s four selected enforcers took over bag-carrying duties, their arms laden with designer purchases that collectively cost more than most people’s annual salaries.

“I need coffee,” Marcus announced, spotting a Starbucks. “You three continue. I’ll watch from here.”

“Giving up already?” Quinn’s cold indifference cracked to show teasing warmth. “I thought you were invincible.”

“Against enemies, yes,” Marcus replied. “Against determined shoppers, I admit defeat.”

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He settled at a corner table with black coffee, his dragon senses maintaining awareness of Quinn, Lance, and Anna as they continued their retail conquest three stores down. Quinn’s happiness was unmistakable-her Saintess aura glowing brighter than he’d seen in months, her rare smiles appearing with increasing frequency.

She needs this, Marcus thought. Needs normalcy. Needs friends and laughter instead of constant corporate warfare and assassination attempts.

“Master, you’re distracted.”

Cosmo slid into the chair opposite him, having declined shopping in favor of staying close to her Dragon King. Her sharp eyes detected the subtle tension in his posture that others would miss.

“Just thinking,” Marcus admitted quietly. “About what comes next.”

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