Caught Between Dragons

by Meg Ripley

Becca sat up straighter, her interest piqued.

  Jeremy looked up into her eyes and sighed. “We’re going to Seattle.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  Victoria drove to the airport to see the three of them off the next morning. Becca hugged her tightly while Jadon and Jeremy unloaded their luggage.

  “Don’t let these boys get into any trouble while you’re there.”

  “You know that’s their favorite pastime,” Becca laughed, taking a deep breath to avoid shedding any tears. Saying goodbye to Victoria made her realize how few friends she had nowadays, and how sorely she missed them. “You’ll have to come up and visit us sometime.”

  “Of course,” Victoria promised.

  Becca admired how beautiful Victoria’s slim, muscular frame appeared in her designer athletic wear; it looked as if she was ready to both run a marathon and walk down the catwalk at the same time.

  Victoria leaned forward and kissed her cheek as Jeremy and Jadon walked over to say their own goodbyes. She hugged them each and whispered what looked like a stern warning in Jeremy’s ear before releasing him.

  As they entered the airport, Becca turned back to see Victoria waving them off before she got into her car and left. Jeremy and Jadon each took one of her hands as they picked up the suitcases and headed in with the bustling crowd.

  Every aspect of security they went through spiked Becca’s adrenaline. They’d been avoiding people for so long that every time strangers bumped into her, she feared they were members of the Order of Saint George. She knew such notions were silly, but that didn’t help to dispel the nervous knots that were tying themselves tightly around all of her internal organs.

  Jeremy squeezed her hand in reassurance as they finally boarded their plane and took their seats. They were seated in the middle of the plane and the brothers were on either side of Becca. She was secretly glad that they did not have window seats as she had never mentioned her general fear of flying and had no inclination to see the clouds they’d be passing through. She held tightly to their hands as the plane took off, her knuckles turning white.

  She thought of Final Destination and terrorist attacks until Jeremy’s voice distracted her. He was calmly talking about the available movies that they could choose from and what drinks they should order from the stewardess. Becca’s tide of nerves receded, and the rest of the four-hour flight was a pleasant and peaceful rest for her.

  Gentle hands shaking her shoulder woke Becca when they arrived at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. She stirred and stretched while Jeremy and Jadon retrieved their carry-ons from the overhead compartments.

  As they exited the terminal Becca looked out at the cloudy sky. It didn’t seem to be the most inviting place as far as the weather was concerned, but she knew this was supposed to be a safe place for them.

  When they picked up the rest of their luggage, Becca saw a man waiting with the sign that read “LADON.” He looked like a chauffeur and was dressed in a nice suit. She started to approach him when Jeremy suddenly yanked her off to the side.

  “What are you doing?” he hissed.

  Becca gestured to the man, “His sign says Ladon.”

  “Precisely,” Jeremy said. “No doubt he’s someone sent by my father.”

  Becca stopped suddenly, pulling Jeremy back with her. She put her hands on her hips and gave him a stern look.

  Jeremy threw his arms up in the air in exasperation. “Just because I agreed to come to Seattle doesn’t mean I’m ready to deal with him.”

  Pursing her lips, Becca allowed Jeremy to lead her off through the crowd so they could avoid the driver. Jadon followed with their extra luggage in tow as they skirted the sign of their father’s presence.

  When they got outside, Becca noticed how chilly it was. Unlike the Midwest, the fall air held not remaining hints of the summer past. The wind blew a gentle reminder that winter was fast approaching as Jeremy hailed a taxi and gave directions to a nearby hotel. Both Jeremy and Jadon sat back to relax during the ride across town, but Becca was not in such a mood.

  “What was that about?” she hissed to Jeremy.

  Jeremy shushed her gently, but this riled her up. Gently, he took her arm and pulled her back into the seat of the cab.

  “Please, I’ll explain when we get to the hotel.”

  The driver, an elderly man that looked to be of Hispanic descent, eyed the trio in the rearview mirror. Becca sat quietly and waited. She felt like they were being more cautious in this “safe haven” then they were while they were on the road. She could feel the tension between Jeremy and Jadon as they watched out the windows for any signs of being followed.

  Becca sulked all the way to the hotel, but still let them register under her name rather than their own. She smiled at the front desk clerk as she took the key cards and headed over to the elevator.

  Jeremy and Jadon followed her in silence as they exited the elevator on the top floor and Becca led them down the carpeted hallway to room 839. The key card clicked into the slot and the little light flashed green, allowing Becca to open the door for Jadon and Jeremy.

  Safely inside their room, they all dropped their bags on the floor. Both Jeremy and Jadon collapsed on the beds and waited for Becca to join them. When she didn’t, Jeremy sat up and eyed her where she stood at the foot of the bed, hands on her hips.

  “What’s wrong? Not tired?”

  “I’m plenty tired,” she said, “but I want to know what is going on. Why are you avoiding your father?”

  “Becca, sweetie, it’s a long story,” Jeremy said as he extended a hand towards her, inviting her to come into the bed.

  She remained stubbornly in place. “We have all the time in the world.”

  Book 4

  CHAPTER ONE

  “So, let me get this straight,” Becca said after Jeremy finished explaining. “Your father disowned Jadon because he wanted to go into the military, and you left to start the business in order to take care of Jadon. And you haven’t spoken to him for almost a century?”

  Jadon remained especially quiet. Becca could see in his face that he felt guilty about everything his brother had gone through for him. It was the same look he had when they had rescued Becca and he explained how it was his fault that the Order of Saint George had kidnapped her in the first place.

  “How many wars have you fought in,” she asked Jadon.

  He shrugged his shoulders, “I re-enlist every thirty years or so. Different branch each time.”

  Becca knew he was lying about how much he remembered, but decided it was best not to press. He had probably seen far worse atrocities than she had ever experienced. Instead she turned to Jeremy.

  “And you have started up how many companies?”

  “A fair few,” he admitted. “I don’t keep them too long, sell them off after a decade or less and keep myself from getting too involved. But I make a fair amount doing it. Jadon is usually still collecting retirement when he re-enlists too. We’ve done pretty well for ourselves, and our mom left us a huge inheritance that our father couldn’t touch.”

  Becca nodded, remembering the lavish New York penthouse with priceless artwork casually hanging in the halls. Their mother had been well off before she had met their father, and she had made sure that she had put a failsafe in place for her children to ensure they would always be taken care of.

  “So why would your father want to see you now?” Becca asked in reference to the driver who had been waiting for them at the airport.

  “Who knows,” Jeremy said. “Could be because Victoria called him and asked him to reach out, or that he actually wants to reconnect with us. Either way, he’s still the prick who cut us off for wanting to make a difference in the world. He’s pretty old fashioned; he just wants to seduce his princess and make sure he has an heir and all of her money.”

  Becca sat down and took Jeremy’s hand and reached out for Jadon, who switched beds to sit on her other side and take her other h
and.

  “Look,” she said, “I may not have much of a relationship with my family, but I’m at least on good terms with them. Maybe a hundred years is long enough that you should at least give him a chance.”

  Jadon squeezed her hand in silent agreement, but Jeremy was unmoving. He stared straight ahead at a spot in the carpet. His jaw clenched and unclenched as he mulled over the proposition in his head. Becca could see him struggling with his own stubborn pride as he debated if it would be worth reuniting with his father.

  They sat there for a moment longer before Jeremy’s phone began to ring from the bedside table. Jadon reached over and answered.

  “Hey Victoria...yeah, the flight was fine, yes…what?...ok...yeah, don’t worry about it...yes...thanks...yeah, thanks so much...bye.”

  He turned off the phone and looked over at Becca and Jeremy’s expectant faces.

  “She scheduled you an appointment with a therapist for later this evening,” Jadon told Becca hesitantly, gauging her reaction.

  Becca was silent as she took in the news. A part of her knew that she should probably go see a therapist, but another part of her was wary about the stigma that comes along with it. She didn’t want to end up being one of those people who goes to a therapist and ends up getting put on a bunch of medications to keep her too mellowed out to function.

  A small voice in the back of her mind was offended that Victoria would line up a therapist for her, as if she was actually crazy or something. Becca acknowledged that Victoria’s intentions were not the least bit malicious, but part of it still felt wrong.

  Becca nodded and stood up from the bed. “Well, I guess I’d better shower and get ready for that appointment.”

  She stood in her underwear in front of the bathroom mirror, hands braced on either side of the sink. She looked at herself for a long while, scrutinizing every inch of herself. She noted the freckles on her shoulders and arms from being out in the sun so much this summer. She scrunched her nose, puffed out her cheeks, and wiggled her ears while she thought about Victoria and her perfect model figure. Becca’s plain brown hair seemed even plainer in comparison to her platinum blonde.

  Becca cupped and squeezed her breasts. They were large, but it was nothing to calm her doubts about whether or not she was attractive. On top of all of this, she was now beginning to question her own sanity and couldn’t think of a reason as to why Jeremy was in love with her.

  She didn’t want to think badly of Victoria, but her way of helping Becca just seemed to be intrusive. The doubt still crept into her mind that perhaps Victoria was trying to emphasize Becca’s instability to Jeremy. Perhaps the fight that they had had back in Kansas City wasn’t about whether or not to go to Seattle after all.

  Becca shook her head to dismiss the ideas. She knew they were farfetched and that Victoria wouldn’t do such a thing. There was a knock on the door that drove them completely from her mind, and Jeremy came in.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “Nothing,” Becca insisted as she stood up straight.

  “It’s okay.” Jeremy took her in his arms and hugged her tightly. “I know you’ve been through a lot. I’ll always be here for you.”

  Becca breathed in the scent of his shirt as she hugged him back. Jeremy kissed the top of her head before releasing her. Stepping back, he pulled his shirt over his head and she appreciated for a moment how delicious he looked, barefoot wearing just a pair of dark jeans riding low on his hips. His hair was long enough to fall in his eyes and, combined with the dark stubble on his chin, contrasted his bright blue orbs.

  “Well,” he said with his familiar smirk creeping onto his lips, “are you going to turn the water on?”

  CHAPTER TWO

  Jeremy’s hands were slick with soap as he slid them over her body, embracing every curve. The steam made the air thick and heavy, a labor for Becca to breathe as she gasped beneath his touch. His fingers teased as they danced between her thighs, not quite reaching inside of her. He dragged them up over her stomach where he turned his hand to push up between her breasts and reach around the base of her neck.

  He pulled her back against him, his hardened cock pressed into the small of her back while he nibbled her ear. The shower rained down on her breasts, her nipples hardening as the familiar sensation grew exponentially erotic with the addition of Jeremy’s touch. His hand slid from her neck to cup the side of her face as she turned toward him.

  Becca reached up to pull his face towards her own. She kissed him deeply and then nibbled on his neck and shoulders, across his collarbone. Her lips continued to move downward as she tasted the wet skin that he relinquished to her. She was hungry for him and eager to please in the light of her doubts.

  Jeremy groaned as her lips reached the base of his shaft, her tongue slowly working its way up, circling and flicking his tip. His hands shook as he caught hold of her chin and raised her head so that he could look into her eyes.

  Their eyes locked and she stuck out her tongue, grazing the very tip. Jeremy’s eyes closed; his head tilted back and he let out a tight-lipped groan. She smiled as her worries evaporated with the steam around them. There was no doubt in her mind that he was all hers as she pushed him up against the wall of the shower and began to devour him. She nipped at his thighs, getting a rush from the vibrating shudders that ran through him before she slipped his pulsing member back into her mouth.

  “Oh, dammit,” he moaned as he pulled her off of him and stood her up, firmly bending her over so that the hot water ran over her back, her hands grasping onto either side of the hot and cold water knobs.

  Now it was his turn to tease her has he ran his hands over her exposed bottom, squeezing and pinching. Then his lips followed as he kissed and bit the cheeks, reaching a finger toward her core to feel her slickness.

  Becca gasped as his teeth grazed her skin. The hot water spilled down her back and over her head, her hair a dark, wet curtain that kept her from seeing anything around her except for the rush of water swirling across the bottom of the bathtub toward the drain. The sound of the water beating down on her back made it impossible to hear anything from Jeremy. With the effective loss of two senses, she felt every touch with twice as much intensity.

  Jeremy’s mouth disappeared and his hand held her hips tightly as he stood and she felt the hardness of his cock tapping playfully against her. In greedy anticipation, she lifted herself up onto her toes and he obliged by sliding himself into her, pulling her hips forcefully against him.

  Her gasps were loud and followed each thrust of his hips. The water drumming on her back made his grunts sound distant as they echoed off of the tiled walls. Her legs ached with pleasure as each thrust wound her tighter and tighter inside and her moans deepened, begging for release.

  The rhythm slowed as Jeremy tried to hold himself back and extend the moment. Becca felt herself teetering on the edge of her orgasm and begged to be finished as he slowed further and gently pulled out of her.

  Jeremy pulled her back up and turned her around to face him. Still blind from the water, she obeyed as his hands pushed her hair back from her face and he kissed her deeply. Her arms snaked around his neck as she pulled him closer, her body begging for him to finish what he had started.

  Scooping her up, Jeremy held her by the back side of her legs as he lowered her onto him. He directed her rhythm, speeding up until she was bouncing on top of him, the hot water splashing off of her back and shoulders as their mouths devoured one another.

  Becca knew she was at the edge of her orgasm and could feel the knots of tension in Jeremy’s shoulders. She gasped as she tried to control herself and wait for him. She bit her lip and her brow furrowed until she heard Jeremy’s ragged breaths and his voice, barely a whisper above the water, “Ready?”

  She nodded, her body shaking in his arms as he lifted her up and held her for a second. Becca opened her eyes and looked into his, framed by his dark wet hair. As soon as they locked onto each oth
er, he brought her down hard and fast, thrusting deep inside her as the breath caught in her throat buckled into a long, deep moan that matched his own.

  The world spun around Becca as she plunged into her ecstasy, her body clenching around Jeremy as he held her, shaking with his own orgasm. Their breathing came in heavy and halting gasps as they held each other and rode out the wave of endorphins that washed over their bodies.

  As their muscles relaxed, their gasps turned to giggles as they kissed underneath the falling water. Jeremy placed Becca back on her feet, holding her close as she buried her face in his chest. After a minute, he kissed the top of her head and reached over to turn off the water.

  “I don’t want to get in the way of your appointment,” he said as he handed her one of the fluffy white hotel towels.

  CHAPTER THREE

  “So glad you could make it,” the therapist said as he shook hands with Jeremy, Jadon, and Becca all in turn.

  Seeing him, Becca understood why Victoria had called and made the appointment for her: the therapist had the same platinum blonde hair and a smile that seemed to have teeth too large for his mouth. Dr. Victor Drake was Victoria’s older brother. He was slightly shorter in stature with more broad shoulders, but there was no mistaking the resemblance between them.

  “Now,” he said as he clapped his hands together and gestured towards the door, “as great as it is to see you guys again, doctor-patient confidentiality requires for you two to step outside while I meet with Ms. Turner.”

  Jeremy and Jadon nodded as they took their leave to sit in the waiting room down the hall from Dr. Drake’s office. As the door closed behind them, he motioned for Becca to take a choice of the armchairs or the leather couch.

  “So,” Victor said as he took his place in the office chair he pulled around from his desk, “I’m sure by now you’ve guessed why my sister wanted you to come see me, since we can talk about your experiences unedited.”