Speaker 1: Dragon called a slow burned, sexy paranormal romance written by
Carl Lockhart and Cassie Alexander, read for you by Victoria
may Hi. This is Cassie Alexander and welcome to chapter
forty four. Ast was from the Knight's exertions, he told himself,
just a reminder that he needed to get back to
training harder rather than wasting his time with humans. She
knew who he was, what he was, and he had
gotten exactly what he wanted her acknowledgment that together they
were a bad idea, even though he wanted her more
than he'd wanted anything ever before in his life, lust
raised through him like wildfire. He knew how good they'd been,
and he needed it again. But instead of yanking the
car over, he rung the steering wheel until his knuckles
were wine, forcing himself to stay on the road. Damien
glanced over at her and saw her staring straight ahead,
completely resigned. It was like a wall had come down
between them. Fly over it, his dragon suggested. Intensely concerned,
he swallowed as his pride raged inside himself, not knowing
what to do. He shouldn't have to explain himself. He
should just get what he wanted at all times. It
was what he deserved, and that kind of thinking was
why he'd left the realms. If he'd really wanted to
be an asshole, he could just go back there and
be king. He wheeled his car into the lot in
front of her apartment, parked, and started talking before she
could reach for the door handle. My people are working
on technology to predict when the gates will open, so
we can get to them faster and close them in time.
Andy looked at her hands in her lap instead of him.
I'm not sure I know what you're trying to say.
He searched, desperately for any kindness in her tone, that
I won't always have to be dangerous. She looked at
him then, her brown eyes dark like wet stone and
every bit as unforgiving. No, so just a jerk, then, Andy,
He said, his voice low. I was trying to keep
you safe. Her smile was bright and brittle, and you did. Congratulations.
You were right. You are dangerous to people who might care,
she said, and he knew she wasn't talking about the
monsters he had hurt her. Most people have to work
themselves up to that caliber of dangerousness. It takes a
lot of practice, but no, you Olympic level right off
the bat. The thought of anyone else hurting her, especially
other men, made him murderous, no matter that he was
among their number. He inhaled deeply so as not to yell,
and the air still smelled like her apples, saltwater, caramel.
But we just he said, slowly, spreading his hands wide,
indicating the space in the car they'd occupied. Their bodies entwined.
Her hair was spread over her shoulders, and the blue
streak followed a line he'd kissed from her throat to
her breast. Olympic level too, Yeah, Andy granted, But Damien,
I'm telling you no, And it felt like the first
time he'd really heard it, maybe in his entire life.
Suddenly there wasn't enough air for both of them inside
the car, and inside of him, his dragon was roiling,
just like his stomach. No, he asked her, louder than
he'd meant. It's not just my last name, she said,
shaking her head at him, But he knew that that
wasn't really how one was supposed to say her name.
She was telling him the family name given to clueless outsiders,
the name given to those who couldn't be bothered to
learn the difference. She was telling him. He wasn't anything
to her, and it hurt. He watched her try to
hide herself with her coat beside him, divorced from emotion.
He would feel it all later in a rush. But
if he let himself feel it now, with her still
so close, maybe she was right. Maybe he would always
be dangerous. But god damn it, he did not want
it to end with her like this. Here, he said,
his voice guttural, handing his coat over. She took it
from him and used it like a sarong, kicking out
of the last of her dress. Thanks, she said. When
she was done, I am going to go now. He
watched her inhale as she chose her next words carefully.
I don't regret a thing. She swung her door open
as he swung his too, stepping out, Even though he
didn't know what to say or do to change her mind.
This isn't the end, and Andy. He didn't shout, but
he projected his voice loud enough for her to hear.
She didn't turn around, She just kept walking away from him.
Go to her, his dragon commanded. Now it wrestled with
him fighting him for control in a blind rage, and
he wanted with all his soul to let it win,
but he choked it back. We can't. This is for
the best, he told his dragon, adding for now to colment,
because it was true. There was no way he was
going through the rest of his life without her. Whatever
he had to do to make her trust him again,
to make her feel safe around him, he would get
it done. He watched her ass sway as she started
up the stairs to her apartment, and then saw her
stop on the final one to look back at him.
She was fierce and beautiful, and she was his, and
there was no way in hell this was over in
in