by Lilly Wilder
He caught me before I could trip. The strength of his arms bulged through his every muscle as I rested my hand on his forearm. “Are you okay?” He asked as he motioned to my injured finger. He took my hand with the utmost gentleness. It was strange for such a hulking individual to have a feather-like touch. “Let’s get this taken care of. I wouldn’t want to get blood all over the place.”
I followed him back to his office where he closed – and locked – the door behind him.
Goosebumps traveled along the length of my arm when I realized I was alone with this man.
Suddenly, he picked me up by the hips and set me down on his desk.
“You know, there are… chairs,” I said nervously.
“Yes,” he responded as he looked through his drawers. “But this makes it easier for me.” A second later, he was between my legs. “Give me your hand.”
I did as he asked.
He peeled away the backing from the bandage and wrapped it around my finger. “You should be more careful next time. I wouldn’t want you hurting yourself.” His voice was soft and tender. His eyes were kinder, too, like he was looking at me in a brand-new light.
“I don’t understand,” I whispered aloud. “What changed?”
“Hmm?”
“You’ve changed.”
“Have I?”
His closeness was throwing me off my guard. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on edge as our gazes crossed. I found myself getting lost in the depths of his eyes.
Our faces gravitated toward one another like a couple of magnets. I held my breath.
His warm breath brushed against my lips and it sent a spark of excitement straight into my heart. It skipped a beat before charging into an impossible tempo that left me light headed.
What was going on right now?
There was a knock on the door and our moment of magic was shattered by the sound. My cheeks burned with the realization that I had nearly kissed my boss – the man I was supposed to hate. Quickly, I dropped down from his desk.
“Thanks,” I said before I left.
Back in the copy room, my whole body felt like it was up in flames. I couldn’t get Lyle’s face out of my head.
“What’s wrong with me?” I whispered as I ran my fingers through my hair. “I shouldn’t be feeling this way.”
Just then, one of the interns walked in.
She was the sort of girl that looked all put together. Her clothes hugged every inch of her body like they had been custom made just for her. On the other hand, I looked like a soup sandwich in my baggy blouse and too long dress pants.
“Hey!” She said with a flick of her bangs. “You must be Lyle’s personal assistant.”
“Um… yes, I am.” I didn’t think to ask how she knew.
“I applied to that position myself,” she continued. “But I guess you were just better qualified.” She sighed. “I bet it must be a dream come true working for such a handsome billionaire.” There was a dreamy look in her eyes. “What’s it like?”
She turned on me so suddenly that I didn’t know what to say.
“Oh, come on, don’t hold out on me.” She stepped forward, practically cornering me against the wall. “What’s he like? Does he ever hit on you?”
“Um… I hardly think it’s appropriate for us to talk about such things,” I said. This felt like a trap from the HR department and I wasn’t about to fall for it. “And for the record, Lyle is a professional. He does not flirt with his employees. So, quit dreaming.”
The woman frowned and a moment later, she was gone.
I felt like I could breathe again. What was that all about? Was she really fawning over Lyle or was there something malicious in her actions?
It wasn’t unlikely that she found him attractive because he was, well, sexy as hell. The thought filled me with a fit of jealousy that threatened to make me sick. What did it matter anyway? It’s not like I stood a chance with the guy. Besides, he wanted nothing to do with me – that much he had made clear a long, long time ago. I just wasn’t his type and I wasn’t about to change my ways to please someone so arrogantly selfish.
With this thought in mind, I went back to fixing the copy machine. It took some elbow grease but I finally managed to get it working again. Then came the boredom of waiting for all the pages to print. Time crawled by at a molasses pace. I yawned and leaned against the wall.
When I closed my eyes, there he was. His chiseled face haunted me followed by the coolness of his eyes. Did he want me or was he just playing a cruel game?
I tried to steel my heart, but I couldn’t keep lying to myself. I liked Lyle – more than I wanted to admit.
***
Finally, the day came to an end and I clocked out of the system. Although I was no longer getting paid, I checked my inbox one more time and started to respond to a few straggling emails.
Most of them consisted of setting up meetings for Lyle. Just looking at his schedule made me feel tired. Most of his days were booked solid.
I stared at the screen as if that would help make some space.
“Still working?”
When I looked up, there he was. He had ditched his coat, leaving him in a light blue dress shirt that complimented his olive-toned skin. His sleeves were rolled, revealing the bulk of his forearms. Even as he relaxed against the doorframe, I could see his muscles rippling underneath the skin.
I gulped, trying to keep a hold of myself. “Just responding to a couple of emails,” I said, wetting my lips. “I’ll be done in just a minute.”
He stepped into my office and grabbed an apple I had taken from the breakroom. He bit into it. The juices ran down his chin and nearly fell onto his shirt before he wiped it away with the back of his hand. There was just something so carnal about the way he did so that had me burning up.
All I could imagine was his tongue between my folds. I wanted to feel him lapping at my juices, eager for every last drop.
I held my breath as he rounded my desk and leaned over. It almost looked like he was about to run his hand underneath my skirt but instead, he simply threw away the half-eaten apple in the trash.
“If you’d like, I can give you a ride home?”
“After you nearly ran me over? Not going to happen.” I closed my laptop and pushed past him so I could grab my jacket. He beat me to it and held it at arm’s length so I couldn’t reach. “And especially not now when you’re being a jerk.”
He grinned and lowered it. I was about to snatch it away from him but he pulled away at the last moment. “You’re so quick to anger,” he whispered. “But I kind of like it.” His voice was low and sensuous.
As I tried to come up with a response, he eased the sleeves over my arms, just as Vern had on the night of the gala.
Guilt stabbed into my chest. That’s right – Vern.
I had been so caught up with my new job and my new boss that he completely slipped my mind. Clearly, he was the better of the two and yet, I couldn’t keep my eyes off the billionaire. He was like that forbidden fruit I could not have. That only made me want him all the more.
“Thanks,” I mumbled underneath my breath. “But I’m not going to forgive you.”
“You aren’t going to let that go, are you?”
“Nope.” I walked out of my office. Lyle was hot on my tail. As I locked the door, he hovered right behind me. When I turned around, he pushed me against the wall. I gasped, eyes going wide. I looked around but the hallway was empty.
“I’m not a man who takes no for an answer,” he said.
I pushed him away by placing both hands on his chest. It was obvious he had allowed me to move him because if he had wanted to resist me, I would have been powerless to stop him. “And I’m not the type of girl that falls for a guy like you.” I tried to keep my voice steady. “As far as I’m concerned, you’re just my boss and nothing is ever going to change that.” I held my head up high and turned on my heels.
> It was difficult to say those things when the lustful side of me wanted nothing more than to fall into bed with that man. Could you blame me when he was so damn sexy? I mean, it’s not every day that you meet a Greek God.
These thoughts burned at my cheeks and I had to push them away. Already, the fantasies were starting to fester and as a result, wetness gathered between my legs. It got worse as my mind undressed him. First went his shirt, revealing a chiseled midsection. Then his pants. And of course,…
Ding!
The elevator arrived. I quickened inside. The doors were about to close when someone stuck their hand between them.
Lyle.
He invaded the space, his thick presence making it hard to breathe. My heart thumped against my chest, threatening to explode.
Then, he positioned himself a little closer and I could feel the heat radiating from his body. He was like a human furnace. I wanted to melt against him and ease into his embrace, but I couldn’t. He would only hurt me as he did all those years ago.
Thankfully, the elevator reached the bottom and we both went our separate ways. I held onto my purse tightly as I walked down the street towards the bus stop. Overhead, the sky was dark with clouds. I prayed the rain would hold off for the next few minutes.
I waited for the crosswalk. A chill rolled down my spine, making me shiver. I glanced over my shoulder. For some reason, it felt like someone was watching me but as far as I could tell, I was the only person there.
The light failed to change so I looked both ways and crossed to the other side. My instincts were telling me to run. Something wasn’t right. I kept looking over my shoulder but there was no one to be seen.
“It’s fine…” I told myself but I wasn’t convinced.
My heart was pounding by the time I caught the bus. The driver nodded and offered a smile.
I settled into the back and looked out the window. I couldn’t be sure but it looked like something – or someone – was lurking in the shadows of where I had stood only moments before. I swallowed back the lump of fear.
It’s all in your head. I tried to tell myself. Or, is it?
Chapter 14: Lyle
Something told me to follow her so that’s what I did. I waited until she had a bit of a lead before I trailed at the distance.
She kept looking over her shoulder but she wasn’t glancing in my direction. Instead, she kept checking the other side of the street. Oddly enough, all the street lamps were off, casting everything in a deep, dark shadow. This was not a coincidence. Someone had tampered with those lights and I had a good hunch on who that someone was.
I waited until I was sure Ari wouldn’t look back. Only then did I hasten into the darkness. I plucked a thin individual by the collar and slammed him into the brick wall. “What do you think you’re doing?” I snarled.
The man grinned, exposing a row of sharp teeth.
I ducked just in time to avoid a crushing blow to the head. A second later, I was struck in the gut by someone’s knee. I was able to hold my stand and pivot the momentum into my attacker. With my hand around his neck, I threw him to the ground.
The thin individual looked thunderstruck like I had just turned water into wine.
“You’re making a mistake,” growled the one I currently had pinned underneath my body. “She is ours.”
“And yet, you did not make your mark in all these years. What are you waiting for?”
My rival grinned. “You.”
It was then that I noticed movement further down the street. Ari was no longer in my sights. My blood ran cold when I realized that these two members of the Aetos were just a distraction.
I left them in the dust, their laughs penetrating through my skull.
How had I allowed myself to become such a fool?
I jogged towards the bend. To my relief, Ari was nearing the bus stop. I watched her as she fidgeted from one foot to the other. She craned her neck, hoping to spot the oncoming bus but the road was deserted.
“She’s a pretty one, isn’t she?” Came a deep, gravel-filled voice.
“Hector.” I straightened to my full height and rolled back my shoulders. “I should have known you were behind all this.”
“And yet, you choose to get involved.” His serpentine tongue flicked from his mouth and passed along his lips. “You Ragnis always want what you cannot have.” He stepped forward. His dress shoes were gilded with gold and I did not fail to notice that they had been sharped to a deadly point. A man like Hector would not hesitate to use them as a weapon.
“At least we have the decency to let women mate us out of their own free will. We do not kidnap them into our clan as you do.” Venom dripped from my every word. Oh, how my fists burned to throw a punch at this man’s face. That dirty grin of his needed to be wiped off the face of the planet.
“I bet it burns you up inside to know that she’ll be mine.”
“Over my dead body.”
“That can be arranged.” He leaned against a nearby lamppost, acting as if this were a casual conversation. “I’d like to see you try.”
“You know, I would take you up on your offer but without that little beta of yours by your side, I doubt we could call it a fair fight.”
I scoffed. “We both know the Ragnis are stronger. We have been for centuries.”
“But your numbers are dwindling.” He strolled forward. “Your method of finding mates is awfully inefficient and you’re paying the price for it.”
I could not stand his voice any longer. I lunged forward but he sidestepped my attack. That was the thing about the Aetos – they were fast.
In the blink of an eye, Hector stood behind me. He snapped his walking cane behind my back. Pain radiated down my spine as I fell to my knees. “I think this little crush of yours has made you weak, Lyle.”
I whipped around and aimed for his legs, hoping to get him off balance.
“This really is pathetic.” He kicked me in the thigh and I felt the jolt of pain as his shoe tore through my flesh. “How are you supposed to protect the woman you love when you cannot even protect yourself?” He circled around me like a predator preparing to pounce on his flesh.
I waited, calculating when to make my next move. If I wanted to win this, I needed to stick to logic.
He snapped his fingers and his beta, a blonde by the name of Percy, emerged from the shadows. He stood right behind Ari. “Now, all I need to do is give the word and you’ll never see her again.”
I forced myself to take a deep breath. “But you don’t actually want her, do you?”
“Hmm, I might consider having some fun with her. She looks a little inexperienced but I am sure I can teach her exactly what I like.” He was only saying these things to piss me off and frankly, it was working. “But you’re right. She’s not my prime objective.” With that, he snapped his fingers once more and the beta disappeared.
I looked up and Hector, too, had vanished.
My skin prickled with suspicion. Clearly, my rivals were up to something and I didn’t like it one bit.
Quickly, I turned my attention to Ari. She was still standing by the bus stop, safe and sound.
I was about to call out to her but, at that moment, the bus arrived. She hastened inside and sat in the back. I could almost feel her fear like we were connected on an emotional level.
The bus took off. I wasn’t convinced that they would leave her alone, so I did a quick transformation and took to the sky. Once I was high enough, I shifted to my true form and followed the vehicle as it followed its route through the town.
My wings flapped with such raw power that it ruffled the leaves of the trees below me.
If someone happened to spot me, it could cause quite a bit of trouble and I already had enough to deal with. But right now, I didn’t particularly care whether or not I kept the secret of dragons sheltered from the public. All that mattered was assuring Ari’s well-being.
The bus was neari
ng her house and I tried to convince myself that maybe they had decided to back off.
Wishful thinking, came that voice in the back of my head.
I scanned the area, looking for any sign of a threat but the thing about the Aetos is that they are ridiculously hard to track. Those that are well-trained almost become invisible against the wind.
My nose was dutifully searching the air for any foreign scent but as far as I could tell, none of my enemies had stuck around.
I relaxed ever so slightly.
Big mistake.
Abruptly, something slammed into me. It felt like a cannonball. A few of my ribs cracked underneath the impact.
I fell, losing altitude before I remembered to beat my wings.
Then came another attack. This time, I was able to turn my head and clamp my jaw around their neck. The dragon screeched as I threw him into the forest. Trees fell and toppled over his carcass.
By a hair’s breadth, I managed to avoid an incoming attack. He aimed for my flank, so I retaliated with a good ol’ kick. My assailant went flying, his own blood following after him.
I ducked down before rising into the clouds. And that’s when I came face to face with Hector. Oh, if he wanted a battle, he was going to get one.
We charged into one another, our bodies colliding with a horrible clap of sound. Anyone who heard it would think it was a crack of thunder.
I checked on the progress of Ari’s bus. My distraction opened up a window of opportunity. Hector took his chance and tackled me straight to the ground. My body created a crater in the soft Earth. I groaned and attempted to fight him off but as I did so, the rest of the clan circled around us.
They were syncing up for an ambush.
This was not looking good.
Chapter 15: Ari
I got off the bus stop and headed toward my home. Again, I felt like someone was watching me. Yet, there was no one around. I paused and tilted my head to the side, hoping to hear something.
Silence.
It was an eerie sort of silence that had the hairs on my arm standing on edge.
