many times to repair, and a scar sliced his right eyebrow rakishly into two, drawing attention to his smoldering, dark chocolate eyes.
“Miss,” he rumbled, feigning detachment. He extended his big paw of a hand, and Ember’s fingers trembled as she reached for him. They touched, his palm warm and rough, and a shimmer of awareness, of rightness, rushed through her.
“North.” She swallowed, her mouth dry. Hailey scooted to her emptied seat, and Ember stepped to the side, reluctantly releasing his hand.
“You know each other.” Hailey beamed at them as North helped her exit the limousine. “That’s great because --”
“Hailey!” A black-haired woman launched into the air and clasped Ember’s friend. The two women hugged as though they hadn’t seen each other for years, their dragon mates looking on bemused.
Ember glanced up at North. He watched her, his expression guarded and unreadable. Once he allowed me to see his feelings . She took a deep breath, counted to five, and released it. “Why didn’t you come after me?” She asked the question that had haunted her for years.
“Come after you, miss?” North’s cool voice shredded her carefully manufactured composure, his indifference hurting her more than any silver chain ever could.
Except he isn’t completely indifferent . “You can act like you don’t know me all you want, but your body doesn’t lie.” Ember gazed pointedly at his groin.
Rage contorted his handsome face, raw and intense, and she stepped back, fear coursing through her. Then as suddenly as his anger had appeared, it was hidden from her, his expression clearing.
“You’re a hot chick. I’m horny.” He shrugged his broad shoulders. “Maybe after this damn tea party is done, we’ll fuck.”
Ember winced at his crassness. In the past, he would have never talked to her like that.
In the past . She lifted her chin. When I was beautiful. But I’m not beautiful any longer, and I want him one last time. I’ll take his anger over his pity .
The dragon shifters moved toward the door to the Lair, the Bronx dragon’s club, and Hailey beckoned to her. Ember shook her head, unable to sit quietly at the same table as North and pretend nothing was wrong. “Why wait until after the party?” She met North’s gaze squarely, challenging him as only a mate of an alpha could. “Unless you have to work?”
“Bruiser, you’re in charge,” North barked, and a man’s head snapped up.
No, not a man. A wolf . They were surrounded by wolves. Strange. North must have built himself another pack. It is for the best. No reminders . Ember hugged the tote containing her little dog closer, feeling agonizingly alone.
“Come with me.” North took her arm, pulling her into the empty club. “Unless you’ve changed your mind.” His lips twisted. “Again.”
“I never change my mind.” Her stilettos clicked on the tile floor. Laughter echoed through the space, originating from a spot too far away for her to embrace.
North snorted. “You said you’d love me forever.” He held a door open.
She brushed against him as she passed, needing to touch him, and he jerked away, proving he wasn’t immune to her. “I never changed my mind.”
Ember set down Killer’s tote, her small dog yipping his discontent, and she gazed around her with dismay. Restraints dangled from a black padded wall. A punishment bench dominated the room. Displayed on a table was a collection of whips and floggers. No chains. No silver . She relaxed. I can do this . “Is there anywhere else we can --”
“No.” North crossed his arms, standing in front of the closed door. “Don’t worry, beautiful. I should whip you, but I won’t… not this time.” He tugged his shirt over his head, revealing a chest covered with muscles and a mat of brown hair.
There won’t be a next time . She stared at the five deep scars crossing his tanned skin from his right shoulder to his left hip. “Where did you get
“Miss,” he rumbled, feigning detachment. He extended his big paw of a hand, and Ember’s fingers trembled as she reached for him. They touched, his palm warm and rough, and a shimmer of awareness, of rightness, rushed through her.
“North.” She swallowed, her mouth dry. Hailey scooted to her emptied seat, and Ember stepped to the side, reluctantly releasing his hand.
“You know each other.” Hailey beamed at them as North helped her exit the limousine. “That’s great because --”
“Hailey!” A black-haired woman launched into the air and clasped Ember’s friend. The two women hugged as though they hadn’t seen each other for years, their dragon mates looking on bemused.
Ember glanced up at North. He watched her, his expression guarded and unreadable. Once he allowed me to see his feelings . She took a deep breath, counted to five, and released it. “Why didn’t you come after me?” She asked the question that had haunted her for years.
“Come after you, miss?” North’s cool voice shredded her carefully manufactured composure, his indifference hurting her more than any silver chain ever could.
Except he isn’t completely indifferent . “You can act like you don’t know me all you want, but your body doesn’t lie.” Ember gazed pointedly at his groin.
Rage contorted his handsome face, raw and intense, and she stepped back, fear coursing through her. Then as suddenly as his anger had appeared, it was hidden from her, his expression clearing.
“You’re a hot chick. I’m horny.” He shrugged his broad shoulders. “Maybe after this damn tea party is done, we’ll fuck.”
Ember winced at his crassness. In the past, he would have never talked to her like that.
In the past . She lifted her chin. When I was beautiful. But I’m not beautiful any longer, and I want him one last time. I’ll take his anger over his pity .
The dragon shifters moved toward the door to the Lair, the Bronx dragon’s club, and Hailey beckoned to her. Ember shook her head, unable to sit quietly at the same table as North and pretend nothing was wrong. “Why wait until after the party?” She met North’s gaze squarely, challenging him as only a mate of an alpha could. “Unless you have to work?”
“Bruiser, you’re in charge,” North barked, and a man’s head snapped up.
No, not a man. A wolf . They were surrounded by wolves. Strange. North must have built himself another pack. It is for the best. No reminders . Ember hugged the tote containing her little dog closer, feeling agonizingly alone.
“Come with me.” North took her arm, pulling her into the empty club. “Unless you’ve changed your mind.” His lips twisted. “Again.”
“I never change my mind.” Her stilettos clicked on the tile floor. Laughter echoed through the space, originating from a spot too far away for her to embrace.
North snorted. “You said you’d love me forever.” He held a door open.
She brushed against him as she passed, needing to touch him, and he jerked away, proving he wasn’t immune to her. “I never changed my mind.”
Ember set down Killer’s tote, her small dog yipping his discontent, and she gazed around her with dismay. Restraints dangled from a black padded wall. A punishment bench dominated the room. Displayed on a table was a collection of whips and floggers. No chains. No silver . She relaxed. I can do this . “Is there anywhere else we can --”
“No.” North crossed his arms, standing in front of the closed door. “Don’t worry, beautiful. I should whip you, but I won’t… not this time.” He tugged his shirt over his head, revealing a chest covered with muscles and a mat of brown hair.
There won’t be a next time . She stared at the five deep scars crossing his tanned skin from his right shoulder to his left hip. “Where did you get
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