by Haley Weir
Ari felt the only saving grace was that he would bow out quietly and never disturb her again. She wouldn’t have to look back on tonight, cringing and wondering if he was again thinking of someone else, because he had no intention of ever coming back. He closed the door to her apartment softly so as not to wake the neighbors, and was filled with regret. He wanted to turn around and comfort her when he heard the sniffles coming from down the hall. She was amazing. He was the one who was eternally flawed and damaged. He cursed the stars and the Cosmos when he finally made it to the roof and took off in flight headed for home. In a single moment, he destroyed his first chance at happiness in a long time. He truly believed he was destined for misery, and tonight’s screw up just confirmed it.
Chapter 4
Ry collapsed on her bed. How could she have been so stupid? She knew it wasn’t really Ari’s fault. She saw the pain on his face when he spoke of Siesha, so she knew how much this woman must have meant to him. If she really was the first woman to have been with him since Siesha was killed, then it was no wonder that Ari felt so strongly during sex. Ry could not deny that it still stung, though. Rosie would have told her she deserved better, but she didn’t think Ari was a bad guy. He was just dealing with some pretty heavy baggage. But she did still have some pride and dignity, so she could not get herself tangled in all of this. Until Ari was able to deal with his grief, so much so that he could be with a woman and not feel guilty about Siesha, she needed to stay away...or firmly place him in the friendzone.
Ry got up from the bed, dried her eyes, and then went to the bathroom. She paused in the hallway as she walked past the picture of her and Rosie. The corner of the frame’s glass was cracked, which must have happened when they were making their way to the bedroom earlier. Ari had picked it up for her and put it back on the wall without noticing the crack. Ry made a mental note to go to the store and get a new piece of glass for it tomorrow.
Ry figured that if Ari had wanted to, he could have come back and questioned her about having a twin sister, but he didn’t. There were a ton of reasons why Ari could have come back if he wanted to. He had said he was sorry several times, and she truly believed that he was. Maybe he would come back in the morning and they would talk it out and eventually laugh it off. Because laughter was key, right?
Ry stepped into the bathroom and plugged the tub. She began running the water for a hot bath, and took off the clothes that she had hastily pulled back on in the bedroom. When she sank down in the water, the warmth washed over her she imagined she was surrounded by Ari’s arms again. She couldn’t help herself. She felt so safe and protected with him, and after the night that she had, she desperately needed the solace that she had found in his arms.
Ry wasn’t sure when reality merged with her unconscious thoughts, but she was having the strangest dream. She was in the subway. Out of the shadows, a pair of red eyes glowed back at her. They were different than Ari’s eyes; they were evil, vicious, and they were coming for her. In the pupils of the eyes were the shadows of the men who had attacked her, and they were walking through the dancing flames, trying to get out and attack her. Ry was screaming for help, and then more shadows whizzed past her. They were huge and monstrous, encompassing her entire field of vision. But she saw that one of the shadows was cloaked in white, and somehow she knew it had a name. What was that name? If only she could remember it, the evil red eyes would disappear. Ry stretched toward the shadow outlined in white. Its form was that of a mythical beast, one that was not supposed to exist, yet it somehow did.
Ry knew that if she just touched the shadow she would be alright. She stretched forward, and when her fingertips reached the white, she was transported somewhere far from the reaches of the evil eyes. Flesh on flesh became her reality; lips and a strong body hovered over hers like a weighted shield. Whatever the white was, it was still there, surrounding the shield, protecting it...but what was its name? Ry felt the tremors in her body as her shield worked his magic over her. She climbed higher and higher and was just on the cusp of exploding into something beautiful when she began shrieking, “Siesha! Siesha!” She remembered her name.
Ry woke with a start and found herself in the tepid bath water. She climbed out and dried off, pulling a robe on her damp body. When she reached the kitchen, she squinted at the clock. Four forty-five a.m. She had only been asleep a few hours. Ry walked to the kitchen and brewed herself a cup of coffee. She was still reeling from her dream...or nightmare. She cupped the coffee mug in her hands. It warmed her and helped smooth the wrinkles in her fingers from lying in the water for so long. She decided to go up on the rooftop; her apartment suddenly seemed too small after having the enormity of a dragon in it.
Just as Ry walked into the living room and pulled on her slippers to go up to the roof and watch the sunrise, she noticed her phone was still sitting on the arm of the couch. She clicked off the t.v., which was still on the Food Network, and picked up her cell. There were no new messages or texts. Then, she thumbed through her contacts, looking for Ari’s name. Despite asking for his number, he hadn’t left it in her phone. Hurt and dread washed over Ry once again. Had he known he was only going to use her once and then ditch her? Was that what last night was about? She felt so stupid and foolish at the idea of being tricked.
Ry tossed the phone down on the couch, disgusted with Ari and herself. She made her way out the door and down the hall to the access stairs. Ry was grateful no one else was sitting in the chairs that overlooked the city. She didn’t feel like talking to anyone right now. All she did with her life was talk to people. She told them jokes and made them laugh, yet there were so few who would take the time to reciprocate and try to make her smile. They just took advantage.
Ry hated when she got in sullen moods like this. It always made her life harder for the next gig. But with the night she had, she felt entitled to her bad mood. Ari had just come in, used her for food, her phone, and sex. Anger surged inside of her and Ry jumped out of her chair. She took a deep breath and glanced out over the horizon. The way the sun was coming up, pink and gold hues sent tendrils of light between the buildings, causing shadows to play on the upper and lower levels of the city. Ry wondered if she would always stop and look at the shadows, wondering if the sky was full of dragons.Ry felt her heart beat faster as she finally turned away. She had a plan.
He had used her phone and that meant there would be an outgoing number in her call log. She was going to track that number, find him, march over there, and give him a piece of her mind. They were supposed to be friends, right? Well, maybe they shouldn’t have jumped the gun into friends with benefits, but everyone makes mistakes. Even though he was clearly hurting, there was no way he was going to get away with the bang and bounce routine.
Ry descended the steps into the apartment building and went to her bedroom, pulling on the clothes she was going to wear for that night’s gig. She quickly finished off her coffee and pulled her phone back out, now fueled by caffeine and the resolve to do what she was about to do.
She hit the redial button on her phone and after a few rings, a sleepy voice answered. It was deep and rough. She suddenly realized just how early it was.
She bit her lip wondering if she should just hang up. “Hello?” the man said again.
“Uh, hi.” She was committed now. She had already woken the person whom Ari had called last night. “Ah, who’s this?” she asked.
“Well, since you are the one waking me up, I think it’s only fair that you should explain who you are first.” Whoever he was, she found it curious that his tone was annoyed and amused at the same time. .
“My name is Ry,” she said, and cleared her throat. “Riley.”
“Do you have a last name, Riley?” he countered.
“Yes, but it isn’t important. Who are you?”
“According to my…” she was sure he was going to say mate, but instead he said, “girlfriend, last names are very important.”
“Well, you have a very wise mate,”
she mused. She waited to see how he would react to her word choice. After a moment, he laughed softly.
“Yes, she is indeed. My name is Drake. How may I help you, Ry?”
“I was just wondering if Ari was home. Umm, Arrlien? He called this number on my phone last night, but he didn’t leave me with his last name, or tell me how to get in touch with him. He said he has brothers, you, Scyros, and a man named Crylaine. I am assuming based on the way he talks about you all, he lives there with you?”
“Indeed, he does. Might I ask how have you come to know our Ari, Riley?” He sounded bewildered, like he never expected his brother’s name to come up in conjunction with a woman.
“He saved my life last night in the subway. I was hoping to stop by today and say thank you,” she lied. Then, she launched into her story before she could stop herself. When she realized she was babbling, she stopped abruptly.
“Really? How very interesting. Well, you are more than welcome to stop by. Scyros just got home and Laine is just getting up. But I suspect even after just going to bed, Ari will be happy to see you.” He gave her the address, and she told him she would pick up breakfast on her way over as a thank you and apology for the early hour.
“Ah don’t mind the hour, Ry. It’s all in a New York minute, is it not? This is a city that never sleeps, anyway.”
Ry chuckled, and they hung up the phone. She was quick to grab her purse and head out the door. It wasn’t until she paid the baker and walked out of the store that she took a moment to wonder what in the world she was doing. She didn’t know these people, and they certainly didn’t know her. Yet, Drake seemed so keen on eliciting every detail from her about who she was and what relation she had with Ari. She told him about the attack in the subway, and about coming home with him to feed him. She left out the part where he flew her home as a dragon and that they had sex. She figured that there were some things one simply didn’t disclose to a complete stranger, especially over the phone.
Her steps faltered as she cut through Central Park. She had chosen one of the main pathways that was already starting to show signs of life from early morning joggers. She felt more secure that way, and in addition to the bag of bagels she held in one hand, she had fished her pepper spray out of her purse. She would never let herself be as unprepared as she was last night. Ry felt the heaviness of fatigue as she recalled the events of the last few hours. She had barely slept since the whole ordeal. She wasn’t sure that she was thinking clearly. She should be home, resting for a few more hours before her set that night.
Standing still, Ry tried to make a decision. She looked down at her phone. Dragons were expecting bagels for breakfast now, and it felt rude to keep them waiting. Especially since she had woken one up and made a promise. Ry took a step toward her destination, and then another, and then she sighed and resigned herself to see this through. At the very least she would be able to speak her mind to Ari. Then, if need be, she could turn around, walk away, and never look back. But she truly hoped it didn’t come to that. She liked him for reasons she hadn’t quite figured out yet. She had the strangest sense that under all the sorrow, there was kind, genuine, funny man. She wondered if she could bring that out in him again. As a friend, of course.
She stared across the street at a large brownstone townhouse. There was a wrought iron fence adorned with flowers and ivy that stood in front of the walkway, and a white, crushed stone path leading to the front door. Ry crossed the street and pushed through the fence. She climbed the steps, caught her breath, and gathered the courage to knock. As she reached for the brass knocker handle, the door swung open and an elderly man in a suit and tie opened the door for her.
“Uh, hi!” she said brightly. Probably a little too brightly since it was so early, but her nerves were getting the best of her.
“Good morning, Ms. Riley. Drake said we should be expecting you. Do come in.” The man stepped aside and held the door for her. She stepped in the foyer and was greeted by an opulent set of stairs and a sitting room to the left. In between the two was a long hallway and the man gestured for her to walk with him. She glanced around, noticing there weren’t any photos of loved ones hanging on the walls and wondered why dragons don’t take pictures.
“Because they wouldn’t fit inside the frames,” the gentleman said quietly next to her. He was smiling, and his dark hair and skin was hidden in shadow, but she could tell he had caught her looking and guessed what she might be thinking. Ry couldn’t help the giggle that escaped, either because she was so exhausted, anxious, or both. The gentleman took the bag of bagels from her and gingerly set them on the counter when they pushed through into the kitchen. Several people were already sitting at the kitchen table. The gentleman looked at the bagels with mild disdain and Ry wondered if she had somehow insulted him by bringing them. She was hit with the aroma of coffee and freshly cooked bacon that made her mouth water, but her stomach forgot all about that when she grew even more nervous under the gaze of three massive men. They were so close in resemblance that they had to all be brothers. Two women also sat at the table, chatting lightly with one another.
One of the women rose and walked over to her, and the man sitting next to her followed. He was by far the largest, and she guessed he must be Drake.
“Morning,” Ry greeted, and stuck her hand out.
“Good morning,” the woman smiled and met the handshake. “I’m Claire, and this is my mate, Drake. He tells us you are aware of the family dynamic?”
“Yeah. I guess so,” Ry replied, shrugging. The closer Drake got, the more she felt like pulling out her pepper spray. He was huge, and although he was smiling, he was still intimidating.
“Good morning, Ry,” Drake said. “I must say, we were all surprised when you said you are acquainted with our Ari. We are intrigued to hear the whole story of how the two of you met, and he came to tell you that we are dragons.”
“Sure. That’d be...great.” For once, Ry didn’t want to be in the spotlight as she shook his hand and looked around at his brothers. Where was Ari? Was he still sleeping? She broke in a cold sweat, realizing she probably should not have come. This was a mistake; she was messing with people’s lives and secrets. “I brought the bagels.” She gestured over her shoulder where the man who had greeted her at the door was slicing and toasting them.
“Thank you, that is ever so kind. The way to a dragon’s heart is…”
“Let me guess, through his stomach?”
“Precisely.”
“Isn’t the saying ‘the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach’?”
“Well yes, but dragons eat men too, so…”
“Drake, honestly!” Claire slapped him on the arm as the whole table began to laugh.
“I don’t know, my guess is you have a particular flavor, unlike a New York everything bagel. Some dragons might like the lean ones, some like them with some extra fat on them. I suppose humans are like steaks for you.” Ry couldn’t help but wring her hands together with the pepper spray between them. In the blink of an eye, the entire room was laughing at her joke. It helped put her at ease a little. She had been so nervous she thought she was going to be sick, now she felt a little better to be included with the joke.
“When I asked Ari about you briefly, he didn’t give me many details. He never said you were a comedian.” Drake was still chuckling.
“Actually, I am. I do standup comedy.”
“Really? That’s fascinating. Come sit and tell us all about it while we wait for Corey to finish breakfast.”
Ry turned to Corey, prepared to offer help with the bagels but the look he gave her when she looked between he bagels and the knife quelled her thought to do so. He must be the kind of butler who thrived on serving others and taking care of the family.
Ry walked up to the table and slipped the pepper spray into her pocket as she was introduced to Laine, Jennifer, and Scyros. She heard a familiar voice behind her coming from the doorway.
“What are you doing here?”
Ry turned and looked at the disheveled Ari standing in plaid sleep pants and a white t-shirt. He looked as sexy as he had the night before in his leather and jeans, and she even found this look of vulnerability even more erotic.
“Good morning, Ari. You don’t call, you don’t write. What’s a girl going to think after a night like that without any way to get in touch with you? Friends don’t walk out on friends, right?”
Chapter 5
Ari stood dumb struck in the doorway as he took in the sight of Ry and his family together. Never in a million years had he guessed he would see her again; especially not here. He hadn’t given her any way to get in touch with him, or told her where he lived. How had she figured it out?
“You kicked me out, remember?” He did not mean to blurt that out, but it just came out.
“True. But to be fair, I had a pretty valid reason to be upset.” She dropped her hands to her sides after shrugging. Ry looked everywhere around the kitchen, avoiding eye contact. Ari was keenly aware of his brothers and their mates staring at them with rapt attention. He wished they would clear out.
“Do you all mind giving us some privacy?” he said through gritted teeth.
“Oh. I’m sorry Lord Arrlien, but breakfast is ready. It’s going to get cold. Please do have a seat.” Ari sighed deeply. Corey had the worst timing ever.
