by Lisa Oliver
I’m doing the right thing, Jon told himself as he power walked back to the safety of his office. I have my pride. I won’t go like a beggar crawling at Dirk’s feet only to be tossed out on my ass. Forcing his mind back into work mode, Jon was in such a hurry to see if his programs had found any trails in the Hollingsworth system, he barely acknowledged Essie’s inquiries about lunch.
Chapter Seven
“Where have you been?” Dirk scowled as Bryce let himself into the hotel suite, whistling. “I don’t pay you to shag around on my time.”
“I invited Jon Erskine to lunch to get an update on the work he’s doing for you.” Bryce disappeared into his bedroom. “He’s a good-looking guy,” he called out and Dirk heard water running.
Good looking? Water running? Did Bryce…? Dirk tried to let out the bellow he felt in his chest but it came out as a moan. Fuck, what are you doing to me? But of course, his dragon didn’t answer. He hadn’t felt his dragon since they dream-walked. The fact he was up and dressed was only testament to Bryce’s tenacity. Dirk was too tired to think, let alone rage at his PA for flirting with his mate. The mate I will not claim.
Bryce sauntered out of the bedroom, pulling on a clean shirt. “I bet you will be glad to get back to the office. You have a board of directors meeting on Friday.” How does this guy stay perpetually cheerful?
He had lunch with your mate.
Great, now my own mind is arguing with me. Shut up. “What meeting? I don’t remember a meeting.” Dirk was having trouble remembering his own name.
“It’s the full board meeting your father called a month ago. He’ll be joining us by video. I reminded you about it last week and it’s on your calendar.”
“Cancel it.” Dirk knew he wasn’t in any fit state to lead a meeting.
“I can’t cancel it without good reason. What will I tell the members of the board?”
“Tell them I’m….” Shit. What can I say? If he said he was sick, his father would hear about it and be on the next plane over. He wasn’t any busier than normal and he could hardly take a vacation. “Busy with wedding plans.”
“You don’t have to do anything for the wedding except show up,” Bryce snapped as he opened Dirk’s suitcase and started pulling clothes out of drawers. “Not that anyone would marry you in this state anyway. Have you arranged for protection when you go back to the office?”
“Aye? What?” Dirk pushed himself out of his chair. “What the hell are you going on about now? I don’t need protection in my own office building.”
“Don’t you?” Bryce slammed the suitcase shut and stalked over. “Look at the state of you. Your dragon’s gone. You’re weaker than a human with a hangover.” A sharp shove found Dirk falling on the edge of the bed. “You can’t make your mind up over what shirt to wear. How the hell are you going to run a company?”
“My dragon’s not gone.” Dirk clutched at his chest, feeling the scale left for his mate through his shirt. “He’s just angry with me because I won’t claim Erskine. He’ll protect me when it’s needed.”
“Will he?” Bryce punched him on the arm. Dirk screwed up his face and rubbed where a bruise was already forming. “Why haven’t you torn my head off? Why aren’t you growling and showing your teeth?” Dirk winced as Bryce threw another punch in his gut this time. “You get the one thing all of us dream of from puberty and you throw him away. Jon is ten times the man you deserve.”
“He’s a dog.” Dirk cried out as the beating came thick and fast. He tried to pull on his dragon, but Bryce was right. His animal spirit wasn’t there, leaving him weak and unprotected. “Stop. Stop. Tell me what you want me to do.”
“Nothing.” Bryce sneered at him, but at least the punching stopped. “I don’t know why half the time but I still see you as my friend. But ask yourself this. If you can’t protect yourself against a mere wolf shifter, then how the hell are you going to cope when your cousins and brothers get ahold of you?”
Clinging to the covers, Dirk pulled himself onto the bed. His torso was a mass of bruises and he could barely breathe. “I can’t take Erskine as a mate. My father will disown me. Not only is Jon a different species, but he’s male. I need an heir.”
“You dragons really do live in the dark ages,” Bryce shook his head. He hadn’t broken a sweat while Dirk felt like he’d done ten rounds with a prize fighter. “Haven’t you ever heard of surrogacy or adoption?”
“Of course I have, but dragons don’t do that.”
“They don’t invest half their hoard in stocks and bonds either, but you talked them into that.”
Yeah, and look where that got me. Dirk was exhausted. The silly thing was, even with his dragon shunning him and withdrawing his power, he still found himself thinking about his mate. There was something about Erskine’s scent; soothing and comforting and yet strong all at the same time. Even with his body battered, Dirk got a hard on just remembering it. He knew he’d be a fool to leave town without at least speaking to the man.
“Change our plane reservations to tomorrow night.” That should be enough time to see Erskine and wake his snotty dragon up. “Then phone Erskine and tell him to be here at eight for dinner. Order something from the kitchen for me and whatever dogs will eat.”
“I’ll change the plane reservations but if you want Jon here for dinner, you phone him yourself. I doubt he’ll come. You insulted him to that vampire and he knows all about that and your upcoming wedding. If you keep calling him a dog like it’s an insult, you’re not going to get very far.” Dirk winced as a phone, his new one, landed on his chest. “His number is in your contacts.”
Bryce disappeared into his room and closed the door. Dirk stared at the phone as if it was going to bite. It’s just one call. He’ll be over the moon to hear from me and he’ll come running. That’s what mates do. Yeah, I can do this. We’ll come to some arrangement, my dad won’t even have to know about him. This’ll work and my dragon will be happy and my life can go on the way it always has.
Feeling more confident than he had since he’d run from Erskine’s office, Dirk found the number, and after hovering his finger for a moment, hit the connect call button.
/~/~/~/~/
Frowning, Jon looked up from his papers. His cell phone was ringing and when he glanced at the screen he didn’t recognize the number. Ignoring it, he went back to his work. The phone stopped and then immediately started ringing again. Annoyed this time, Jon turned it off. His program hadn’t let him down, but now Jon wanted to physically verify the patterns that showed up. Hence the mass of papers on his desk.
His desk phone rang. “What is it, Essie? I am in the middle of something here.”
“Dirk Hollingsworth is on the phone for you.”
“If he’s calling for an update, can you tell him I’ll have one for him in about an hour.” What the fuck is that man doing calling me?
“I already told him you’d contact him when you had something to report. He says he’d like to speak to you anyway.”
“Fine, put him through.” Jon could no more refuse his mate than his dog could fly to the moon. He heard the click of the transferred call and his heart sped up. “Mr. Hollingsworth, if you’re calling for an update, that will be another hour away.”
“Call me Dirk.”
Jon closed his eyes. One tiny phrase and his dog was panting like a puppy. “Dirk, then,” he said when he got his voice under control. “As I said, I am working on your case now. I will have a preliminary report for you in about an hour. I understand you’re flying out this evening. I will be sure to email your PA before you leave.”
“We’ve decided to stay another night. I was hoping you would have dinner with me this evening.”
What the hell? Jon pulled the phone from his ear and stared at it before putting it back against his ear. “I’m not sure I heard you correctly. Did you just invite me out for a meal?”
“I am sure we have a lot to talk about.”
Yeah, like how much you are an arrogan
t SOB with a sexy ass. I don’t think so. But Jon knew he’d agree. Loyalty, compassion, they were all built into his nature. But he couldn’t resist one little dig. “Are you sure you’re not worried I might shed on your furniture?”
“I’d prefer if we dined in human form,” Dirk said smoothly. “I am not sure my dragon will make an appearance.”
Bryce was right. Shit. That will be why he wants to see me. He’s hoping his damn dragon will come back if I’m around. Jon’s first instinct was to tell Dirk to fuck off, but this could be his one chance to be around his mate. He’d be a fool not to take it. He was going to end up broken hearted anyway…he might as well get a free meal out of it.
“What time is dinner? Did you want to go out anywhere or should I meet you at your hotel?”
“I thought we’d eat in my rooms, it will be more comfortable and we can talk in private.”
Yep, and no one will see you associating with someone like me. Jon was still bitter about Dirk insulting him to Raoul, but refusing to let it show in his voice, he went through the motions, agreed on a time and hung up the phone. Then he stared at the lump in his pants.
Shit and that was just from a simple phone conversation. His skin was crawling and his balls ached to the point of pain.
Running through to the bathroom, he hurriedly did away with his belt and unzipped himself. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.” He grasped himself so hard he winced, but he tugged on his length relentlessly. Not that it would take much. Remembering Dirk’s growly voice and his one glimpse of that solid Armani-clad ass; that was all it took. Seconds later he was wiping come from his fingers, his cock still hard. “Don’t you realize we’re one dinner away from permanent heartache?” Nope. Apparently, neither his dog, nor his cock, cared. Jon resigned himself to a long afternoon. His mate might not respect his species, but by the time Jon had finished his report, the man had better respect his expertise.
Chapter Eight
“You’re wearing a track in the carpet,” Bryce commented as he fixed his hair.
“I thought I told you to go out,” Dirk snapped. “This is a private meeting.” There was no way he was calling this dinner a date.
“A meeting? Right. Complete with a two hundred dollar bottle of champagne and the finest steaks money can buy. I think you’ll find Jon has simpler tastes.”
“I ordered those for me. I don’t care what Jon likes or doesn’t like. He’ll have what I’m having.”
Bryce’s eyes narrowed. “If you think like that, then why the hell are you going through this farce? You’ve no intention of claiming the man.”
“You said it yourself. My dragon’s in a snit with me. When he scents Jon, he’ll come back and we can get the hell out of this town.”
“Leaving Jon behind.” Bruce snatched up his jacket. “You really are the epitome of your kind. Rude, arrogant, and thorough bastards, the lot of you. I seriously think it’s time I started looking for new employment.”
“You mean you’d take him as a mate?” Dirk scoffed. “You wolves are more elitist than dragons.”
“I’d take him in a heartbeat if he were mine.” Bryce stalked over and poked Dirk hard in the chest, reminding him he was still bruised from before. “Unlike dragons who think their shit don’t stink and anyone from any other species is beneath them, wolves know how precious a true mate is. A gift from the fates. The one person created just for them to be a perfect companion and lover in every way. I would be over the moon if Jon were mine.”
“Yeah, well, that just goes to show you don’t have standards. Poke me again and I’ll fire your ass.”
“You don’t have to fire me,” Bryce’s finger bore a hole in his chest, pushing Dirk back. “I quit. Anyone who’d use their mate for personal gain is nothing more than a stupid asshole, and you, my friend, have just leaped to the top of the heap.” Dropping his jacket, Bryce stormed into his room, and Dirk heard drawers opening and slamming shut. A few minutes later, he came back into the room, his suitcase trundling behind him. Jacket slung over his shoulder, Bryce grabbed his wallet and keys, purposefully leaving behind the hotel key card. If looks could kill, Dirk would have been a pile of ash on the floor but Bryce didn’t say another word as he wrenched open the door.
To find Jon standing on the other side of it, his hand raised as if he was going to knock. His eyebrows rose as he noticed Bryce’s case. “Have I come at a bad time?”
“Nothing, I can’t handle,” Bryce snapped. “You’ve still got my number, right?”
Jon nodded.
“Call me tomorrow.” Bryce marched toward the elevator, his suitcase rattling behind him.
“I can come back, if you’ve got things to do?” Dirk realized Jon was talking to him and shook his head.
“No. I promised you dinner. Come in. It’ll be here momentarily.” Dirk was still shocked at Bryce’s defection. He knew he wasn’t the most caring of bosses, but Bryce had been more than his PA. Dirk considered him one of his truest friends and with him and Raoul both supportive of Jon, there was a niggle in the back of his brain that suggested he might be about to make an epic mistake.
“I have some preliminary findings about your case,” Jon said quietly and Dirk realized he was holding his briefcase like a shield. “Did you want to look over them now, or wait until after dinner?”
“Now is fine,” Dirk indicated the coffee table. His breath caught as Jon moved past him. Jon had clearly come straight from the office. His pale lavender shirt was clean and pressed, but the crease in his black pants suggested he’d been in them all day. For a moment, Dirk longed to pull the man into his arms and bury his nose in his mate’s neck, but the bulge in Jon’s pants held him back. He’d never been with a man and he had no intention of starting now, no matter how good Jon smelled. When Jon sat on the couch and pulled some papers from his case, Dirk pulled over one of the chairs from the small dining table and sat opposite him.
/~/~/~/~/
So that’s how it’s going to be, is it? Jon had given himself a stern talking to that lasted all the way from his office to the hotel. He was still muttering to himself when he arrived at Dirk’s suite. Seeing Bryce leave in such an angry fashion blew his cool a bit, but Jon had come to the dinner with the firm expectation he was going to get hurt. Oh, not physically. Even if Dirk’s dragon made what would probably be a spectacular appearance, he would never physically hurt him. His heart on the other hand; that was going to take a beating, and even though he’d only been in his mate’s presence two minutes, it was already aching.
“I have traced your missing money,” he said, pulling out his papers. “It’s being diverted into two off-shore accounts; one in Russia and one in Germany.”
“Who’s behind this? How are they doing this?”
Even without a dragon presence you’re pushy. Jon kept his focus on the papers in front of him. He could barely sense the animal side of his mate, although he knew he was there, which was a relief. “The who I can’t tell you yet; not without more investigating. The how is simple enough. Someone altered the code in your investment program. Every time money was paid back into your investment accounts a portion of that money was diverted at exactly the same time, depositing it into one of the two off-shore accounts instead.” Jon inhaled and looked up, meeting Dirk’s eyes. “It was an inside job.”
“You mean someone who works for me is doing this?” Dirk’s anger surged but without his dragon behind him, all he was giving himself was heartburn. “Someone in my own company is betraying me?”
“Someone with coding knowledge and access to the backend of your investment program. I’ve already checked your front end. There is no way anyone can tamper with the coding from there. Which means, yes, someone who has security clearance in your firm inserted this piece of rogue code into the fabric of the program itself.”
“Can’t you trace which computer was used to do it?”
“I can, but that’s not going to tell you much.” Jon frowned. Looking at his notes was easier than confront
ing Dirk’s lack of dragon status. His own dog was pining as though searching for an animal half that just wasn’t there. “Your security surrounding your investment program is mediocre at best. It only takes one person to have left their password written down somewhere, or perhaps someone didn’t log off and went for a dinner break and you could be accusing the wrong person. Unless you have cameras in your offices?”
“No. No, I don’t.” Jon didn’t think he would. From what he’d learned about Dirk’s company, the big man, his father, and everyone who ran the company before him all thought they were invincible. “But you believe that someone in my IT office is responsible?”
“Again, not necessarily. I am running the resumes from your staff through my own analytics program now, back at the office. While one of your IT people would be the most obvious choice, anyone with a knowledge of coding could have done this. I’d say you are looking at a group of people responsible. Not just an individual.”
“Why would they do this?” Dirk hung his head in his hands. Jon heard a knock at the door and as Dirk didn’t move, he got up and answered it. It was dinner. Jon let the waiters in, making sure he stood between the wait staff and his mate. Remembering to tip the staff as they left he shut the door firmly on their curious glances. The smell of the food was causing Jon’s stomach to protest. It’d been a long time since lunch.
Walking over, he gently rested his hand on Dirk’s shoulder. It was only meant to be a comforting gesture, but he felt his heart spasm sharply when the man flinched. He quickly removed his hand and resisted the urge to wrap his arms around his own waist. Fuck, this is killing me. Can’t he tell I just want to help him? “Why don’t you get something to eat? Problem solving is always easier on a full stomach,” Jon suggested gently. He promised himself he wouldn’t let his hurt show; or his need for the massive man.
“I’m not hungry.” Dirk raised his head and Jon could see he was close to tears. “I want you to go. The only reason I asked you to dinner was because I thought my dragon would come back. But he hasn’t, so you’re no use to me. I want you to walk out that door and I never want to see your face again.”
