by Zoe Chant
"Well. I brought you something back," she said, stalling. She handed Carolyn the envelope with the check, the fifty thousand dollars Samuel had given her.
Once she'd told him what she needed the money for, Samuel had immediately offered to make all of Carolyn's debts go away, mortgage and all. "She won't accept that," Theresa had told him. She'd be lucky if Carolyn accepted the fifty thousand dollars she'd need to get the dangerous loan sharks off her back. She was pretty sure Samuel was already working on stealthily buying up Carolyn's mortgage, though, and wouldn't be surprised at all if a "clerical error" suddenly made the debts go away in some none-too-distant future.
Carolyn opened up the envelope and froze. "Holy—Theresa, what did you do? Where did you get this?"
"It's a gift," Theresa said vaguely, but she'd known Carolyn wouldn't let her get away with that.
"Resa, tell me you didn't do anything illegal. Or, or dangerous. If you get in trouble because of me…"
"I'm not in any trouble," Theresa said quickly.
"So tell me where this money's coming from, then," Carolyn said sharply. Theresa could hear the rising worry in her voice.
Steps thundering down the stairs interrupted them.
"Auntie Resa!" Joey came flying through the kitchen door and threw himself straight at Theresa without slowing down. Theresa laughed, gasping, all the breath knocked out of her. She just barely managed to save her slice of pie from imminent disaster.
"Missed you, Auntie Resa!" Joey said.
"I've missed you, too." Theresa hugged him firmly. She reached out with her new-found powers, red light spilling from her hands where the table hid them from view—looking, searching… But there wasn't a bit of illness left in Joey, none of the slow, creeping darkness of disease she'd learned to recognize with her new senses. The treatment really had worked. He was a strong, healthy kid.
Theresa let out a slow, shaky breath. He was going to be alright.
"Joey, I need you to go up to your room now, okay? Your Auntie Resa and me need to talk," Carolyn said tightly.
"Aww, mom!"
"I'll come up and play with you later, okay?" Theresa promised.
"I want pie now, though!"
"You can have a slice to take back to your room," Carolyn said. She reached for the cake knife and cut an uneven slice, distractedly; her hands were shaking faintly.
"Watch it!" There said; too late.
Carolyn snatched back her bleeding finger. "Dam—darn it!"
"Go wash that off, I'll take care of Joey," Theresa said. She prepared a plate of pie and ice cream while Joey watched Carolyn anxiously.
"Are you okay, mommy?"
Carolyn forced a smile. "It's just a little cut, kiddo. Don't worry about me. Go up to your room now, and Theresa will come up as soon as we're done talking, okay?"
"'kay. You promise, Auntie Resa?"
"Promise," Theresa said.
She waited until the door had closed behind Joey. Carolyn was still standing bent over the sink, running water over the cut in her hand. Theresa could feel the weight of her secret hovering in the air between them. It felt wrong. She'd never had any secrets from her big sister before.
Tell her if you want, Samuel had said. She's your sister. If you trust her, I trust her.
Theresa hadn't been sure she wanted to drag Carolyn into this whole crazy story. She was going to sound like a lunatic trying to tell the whole truth.
But if she started lying to Carolyn now, she'd have to keep lying to her for the rest of her life. Eventually, it would start to twist things between them.
Theresa thought of Samuel and Severin, the careful way the two brothers were dancing around each other now, trying to negotiate the shifting balance of power between them, trying to find a way to work together. She knew that Samuel would happily give up every cent of his fortune if he could have the kind of relationship with Severin that Theresa had with Carolyn, their trust and honesty and closeness.
She stood up, turned off the tap, and gently took Carolyn's bleeding hand in hers. She ran her thumb over the cut, red light spilling from the tip of her finger. The wound sealed up into a neat pink line. When she lifted her hand, Carolyn was staring at her.
"Something really crazy happened to me," Theresa said. "It's kind of a long story. You might want to sit down."
She told Carolyn the whole story, the whole truth, even the bits she'd rather have left out, like the reason she'd answered Samuel's ad in the first place. Carolyn's eyes went wide and horrified when she realized what Theresa had signed up for.
Theresa held up her hand. "Let me finish," she said. "You can yell at me later."
She told Carolyn about Samuel, how wonderful he'd been, and how quickly she'd found herself falling for him. And then she took a deep breath, and told her about the dragon thing, and the whole terrible confrontation with Severin.
She couldn't quite bring herself to meet Carolyn's eyes for the last parts of the story. She looked down at the plate in front of her, the pie Carolyn had made, neat latticework of crust at the top; didn't let herself think about what it would be like if Carolyn didn't believe her. And then she was done talking, and she had to look up.
Carolyn wasn't looking at her at all. She was looking down at the fading scar on her hand where an open cut had been just a few minutes ago.
"If you were anyone else, I'd think you were having me on," she finally said, but she shook her head when Theresa opened her mouth. "No, I know. I don't think you're lying. I know you believe what you just told me. I'm just kind of worried one of us is having a psychotic break." She gave a shaky, incredulous laugh.
"You've seen what I can do," Theresa said.
Carolyn looked down at her hand again. "Yes," she said. She was quiet for a long moment, and then she shook herself all over, her tense shoulders easing. Theresa felt her own body relaxing in response. Before Carolyn even said anything, she knew her sister had decided to believe her.
"Holy hell, sis. Dragons!"
"If it makes you feel better, you can forget I ever told you this," Theresa said quietly. "In any way that matters, he's just a man."
Carolyn suddenly giggled. "A man who's a billionaire! How is that any less crazy?" She shook her head. "No. If you can deal with dating him, I can deal with knowing what he is. Can I meet him?"
"He'd love to meet you," Theresa said. "You could come out to Du Page County with us. We could have a picnic or something. He can show you the dragon thing. It's amazing."
Carolyn scrubbed a hand through her hair. "Wow. Dragons. Billionaires. Your life's gotten pretty crazy, sis."
"Can't argue with that," Theresa said.
Carolyn lifted her head and looked her in the eyes. "Are you happy, Resa? Does he make you happy? I don't care about anything else if he makes you happy." She reached out across the table.
Theresa caught her hand. She felt a warm glow filling her from the inside. "Yes," she said, meaning it with all her heart. "I've never been so happy in my entire life."
***
A note from Zoe Chant
Thank you for buying The Dragon Billionaire's Secret Mate! I hope you enjoyed it. Please click on the title to write a review of The Dragon Billionaire's Secret Mate. I love hearing what my readers think! It helps me decide what to write next.
If you’d like to be emailed when I release my next book, please click here to be added to my mailing list.
And keep paging through to read a sneak preview of another book I wrote, Honey for the Billionbear.
***
More Paranormal Romance by Zoe Chant
Honey for the Billionbear. BBW with a broken heart + mysterious billionaire bear shifter + an unexpected storm = one sweet and sexy story!
Guarding his Honey (Honey for the Billionbear #2). A BBW in danger + the hot bear shifter who'll do anything to protect her + a dangerous fight with the mafia = one thrilling romance!
Joining the Jaguar. A BBW doctor with no time for love + a protective alpha jaguar shif
ter + a kidnapping = one sizzling hot love story.
The Saber Tooth Tiger's Mate. A BBW recovering from a bad break-up + a sexy saber tooth tiger shifter + a sinister stalker and a deadly duel = one heart-pounding romance!
The Billionaire Dragon Shifter's Baby. (Gray's Hollow Dragon Shifters #5). A curvy social worker in need of a break + a carefree dragon shifter + a baby dragon who needs her father = one hot and heartwarming romance!
Rescued By The Jaguar. A curvy Mexican billionaire whose money can't buy her love + a powerfully masculine American jaguar shifter firefighter + a world trying to tear these fated mates apart = one fiery romance!
Dancing Bearfoot. A single dad from the city + his daughter's BBW teacher + a surprise snow storm = a steamy story that will melt your heart.
A Werewolf's Valentine. A BBW cat shifter who's turned her back on love + a handsome werewolf stranger who comes to town + a very special Valentine's Day = a hot and heart-warming romance!
Bad Boy Bear. Biker bear on the open road + BBW runaway-bride hitchhiker + evil motorcycle gang = an unforgettable red-hot road trip!
Bodyguard Bear. (Protection, Inc. # 1). A curvy paramedic who witnesses a murder + the sexy bear shifter bodyguard sworn to protect her with his life + firefights and fiery passion = one hot thrill ride!
Hero Bear. A wounded Marine who lost his bear + a BBW physical therapist with a secret + a small town full of gossips = a hot and healing romance!
Sheriff Bear. A small-town sheriff + a wrongly accused BBW on the run + deadly enemies and dangerous passions = a sizzling forbidden love!
Hollywood Bear. A BBW stuntwoman + a movie director bear shifter + Hollywood hijinks = one blockbuster romance!
See Zoe Chant’s complete list of books here!
***
If you love Zoe Chant, you’ll also love these books
The Billionbear's Winter Angel, by Annora Lynn. Curvy Ella meets handsome billionaire bear shifter Martin at a holiday fundraiser. When Ella is kidnapped, only Martin's polar bear can find her in the freezing cold of this snowy winter's night.
Billionbear Heir, by Annora Lynn. Curvy fashion designer Cat returns to her hometown—only to stumble straight into the arms of bear shifter Marius, heir to a fortune. Can Cat learn to love again, and can Marius protect his new-found mate and reclaim his father's legacy?
Laura’s Wolf, by Lia Silver. Werewolf Marine Roy Farrell, scarred in body and mind, thinks he has no future. Curvy con artist Laura Kaplan, running from danger and her own guilt, is desperate to escape her past. But together, they have all that they need to heal. A full-length novel.
Prisoner, by Lia Silver. Werewolf Marine DJ Torres is a born rebel. Genetically engineered assassin Echo was created to be a weapon. When DJ is captured by the agency that made Echo, the two misfits find that they fit together perfectly. A full-length novel.
Partner, by Lia Silver. DJ and Echo’s relationship grows stronger under fire… until they are confronted by a terrible choice. A full-length novel.
Mated to the Meerkat, by Lia Silver. Jasmine Jones, a curvy tabloid reporter, meets her match in notorious paparazzi and secret meerkat Chance Marcotte. A romantic comedy novelette.
The Christmas Tree Bear, by Rosie Lynne. Bear shifter Willis Barnett meets his fated match in Charlotte Caldwell when she hopes to earn extra money as Santa Helper’s on Willis’ family farm turned Christmas Tree Town for the holidays. A romantic comedy novella.
The Strength of the Pack, by Jorrie Spencer. Seth Kolski, a werewolf, hides his heritage and passes for normal. Until he meets Jamie.
Taming the Beast, by Honey Dover. Beauty is a paranormal investigator hired to deal with a man cursed to become a monstrous beast. Helping him recover his humanity will change her life.
Claimed by the Wolf, by Candi Jackson. Zenobia Jones ends up pregnant after a night with a billionaire—and lands herself in a war between werewolf packs. A full-length novel.
The Right Bear's Arms, by Nora Eli. After a sizzling one night stand with bear shifter Jake, curvy Katie realizes her perfect man is everything she's tried to avoid. If they can both stop running from their pasts, they may find a destined future together.
Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing, by Lauren Esker. Curvy farm girl Julie Capshaw was warned away from the wolf shifters next door, but Damon Wolfe is the motorcycle-riding, smoking hot alpha of her dreams. Can the big bad wolf and his sheep shifter find their own happy ending? A full-length novel.
Handcuffed to the Bear, by Lauren Esker. A bear-shifter ex-mercenary and a curvy lynx shifter searching for her best friend's killer are handcuffed together and hunted in the wilderness. Can they learn to rely on each other before their pasts, and their pursuers, catch up with them?
Guard Wolf, by Lauren Esker. Avery is a lone werewolf with no pack; Nicole is a social worker trying to put her life back together. When he comes to her door with a box of orphan werewolf puppies and danger in pursuit, can two lonely people find the family they've been missing?
Discovering the Dragon, by Sofia Stone. When reporter Chloe Martin investigates Lancaster Gold, she finds herself tangled up with the oldest son—Isaac Lancaster, billionaire dragon shifter.
***
Honey for the Billionbear
By Zoe Chant
Special Sneak Preview
The main gate will be unlocked, Sally had said. Just leave the honey on the front steps and ring the doorbell. Don’t expect to see him, though. He never answers his door. I’ve been delivering his honey for two years now, and I’ve only seen him once.
Still, Isabella couldn’t help but hope to catch a glance of the elusive billionaire.
As Sally had said, the main gate was unlocked. It swung open soundlessly. The way to the old stone mansion was lined with big elderberry bushes. Large, gnarled trees hung their sheltering branches over the path. Ivy wound around them, swaying gently in the breeze. With every step Isabella felt more and more like she was entering some kind of forgotten fairytale castle.
She left the little box with its two jars of honey on the front steps and rang the bell, like Sally had told her. She waited a couple of minutes. Maybe someone would open the door after all?
But the door stayed firmly closed. Disappointed, Isabella started walking back towards the gate.
Halfway back to the front gate, she heard a loud splash from the direction of the woods. There was a pond there, she knew. A small waterfall fed into it from a river running out of the woods. As a kid, she and some of her friends from the village had explored every inch of the deserted grounds around the mansion, sneaking around and giggling, feeling like daring explorers. On hot days, they’d bathed in the little pond. There was an overhang you could jump off into the deep end of the pond. That was probably what that splash had been. Someone was bathing in the pond. Could it be Mr. Steele?
Curiosity overwhelmed her. Isabella ducked between the tall bushes that lined the path and snuck into the woods, trying not to make a sound. A veil of ivy parted in front of her. There was the pond, right where she remembered it, and—
Her breath caught. It really was Ryan Steele. He was swimming in the deep end of the pond, his powerful muscles flexing. He was naked. Isabella stared, wide-eyed, as Ryan reached the shallow end of the pond and stood up, water sluicing off his broad shoulders.
He was one of the tallest men she’d ever seen, well over six feet, and powerfully built. Drops of water glistened on his golden skin, running down the smooth expanse of his strong chest and his long, long legs. The water only came up to the middle of his thighs, revealing his firm, muscled ass and, when he turned a little—Oh boy.
Isabella pressed her hands to her mouth to stifle an ill-timed giggle. Ryan wasn’t hard, but even so Isabella could tell that his cock was perfectly in proportion with the rest of his large, powerful body.
She shouldn’t be watching this, as breathtaking a sight as it was. Isabella reluctantly tore her eyes away and turned back towards the trees. A branch cracked loudly beneath her foot.
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Isabella froze, but no angry shout let her know that her presence had been detected. Phew! That had been close. Best get out of here before she got discovered and banned from the grounds for life. What Sally would say if she managed to lose their most regular customer, she didn’t even want to imagine.
Isabella hastily made her way back to the road, her heart still fluttering in her chest. She probably shouldn’t have done that, she thought. She was a grown woman, much too old and sensible to get caught sneaking around other people’s properties!
On the other hand… At least she’d gotten to see the elusive Ryan Steele in person. And what a sight he’d been!
Click here to keep reading Honey for the Billionbear.
