“Ah,” was all she could manage to say.
Daphne didn’t know what that meant, though. Ford could have told her that for any number of reasons, from not wanting her around at all to wanting to make sure she had someone to protect her at all times. She wished she knew which was the case, because then she’d be able to argue. Instead, she sank into her seat and let her head fall against the window.
59
Daphne fell asleep in the passenger seat. Ford couldn’t help but smile. Their romp in the valley must have finally exhausted her. It seemed as though the weight she usually carried had been lifted just long enough for her to relax. Knowing that he could do that for her warmed him, though he wasn’t completely sure why.
Being around Daphne confused him. Everything he thought he knew was brought into question. Had his wife actually been his mate? If so, then why were his feelings for Daphne so intense? Could he blame it solely on his loneliness?
She’d been so quiet once they finished that he couldn’t read what she’d been thinking. They’d made an agreement before sex that it was only to satiate their intense chemistry, but Ford felt like nothing had changed. He still wanted her more than anything.
The fact that he couldn’t take her home pained him. He didn’t want her alone at any point in time. When he said he had an early morning shift, that meant he had to leave in the dark hours of the morning. If she spent the night at his place, she would be alone for hours.
At least Gavin’s cabin would be under constant surveillance. Ford would rest easy knowing that her brother and the others were looking over her while she slept. He cast a sidelong glance at Daphne as he put the SUV into park. He didn’t dare wake her, so he got out and went around to her side to unbuckle her and lift her into his arms.
The cabin daunted him, not because of its size or the obvious money put into it, but because of what it stood for and what it held. This had become the new clan’s home base. At any given moment, there were two to four dragons under its roof. And, if Ford wasn’t mistaken, their numbers had grown.
He swore to himself that he would never become part of another clan again, not even this one that had formed around him. They would hate him once they found out about his past. No clan would ever accept him again. Daphne deserved the love and support of family, not to be torn away from all that she knew, so she could protect him.
He clutched her tighter and pushed forward toward the cabin.
Conversation came to a halt the moment he stepped inside. All eyes turned on Ford. He said nothing, just nodded toward the sleeping woman in his arms so he could find her the right bed. Casey stood, his jaw tight.
Fire flared hot in Ford’s chest. Her brother’s disapproval pissed off Ford’s dragon. No one could tell him who he could love and cherish. If the beast had laid claim to her, and she had laid claim to him, Casey couldn’t fight it.
Ford swallowed his fire and shoved back those thoughts. Daphne deserved better. He would never give her everything the world owed her.
Casey stood watch as Ford set Daphne onto her bed. The hair on the back of Ford’s neck prickled as he kissed her forehead. He didn’t want to move away from her, his feet becoming leaden, but he knew Casey wouldn’t let him stay. The man’s distrust was obvious, especially when he hounded Ford’s heels all the way back to the living area.
The others looked up from their conversation again. The warmth in the room tickled Ford’s closed off heart. They offered him warm smiles that he hadn’t expected. Bree waved happily as if they were friends. He gave her a quick wave before turning toward the exit.
“Leaving already?” a gruff voice asked.
Ford looked up to find Gavin offering him a beer. The russet-haired clan leader’s eyes were unreadable. Ford glanced around the room and did his best to ignore the ache blooming in his chest.
This wasn’t his world. He hadn’t been allowed in this world for years, and he would never be invited in again.
Ford shook his head. “Just wanted to make sure Daphne was in good hands.”
“You trust us?” Gavin asked.
“She’s never given me reason not to. I would hate to think that her brother would call her all this way only to ignore her needs.” Ford couldn’t help the slight jab in his words.
Casey didn’t flinch, but his mate served him with a sharp glare. Ford watched her flex her hand, as if the small movement might slake the endless energy her beast was probably pouring into her. Though she seemed okay, Evangeline still had a long way to go, and for that, she would need Daphne.
Ford couldn’t ruin that. He couldn’t risk letting her fall for him, because when the clan found out what he’d done, they would stop trusting her, too. Ford had to keep his distance, no matter how badly it hurt.
“Tell her…tell her to stop visiting me at work,” Ford told Casey.
Ford tried not to look at the others, at what he couldn’t have. They were a family, tight knit and protective of one another. He couldn’t handle the pain of losing Daphne and the torment of this happiness being dangled before his face.
Casey caught up to him and put a hand on Ford’s shoulder to keep him from leaving. Ford tensed, waiting for a fight.
“My sister likes you,” Casey said.
“No shit,” Ford grunted.
Hell, he loved her. He adored her daring and plucky nature. He admired her stamina after carrying the future of new shifters on her back. Daphne was the kind of woman he wished he could worship forever, but he’d already ruined every possible chance at happiness he would come across.
“Are you seriously going to walk away?” Casey growled. “Is it because you work for him?”
Ford sighed. He whirled on Casey, which startled the man. “Fuck, no. I am alone because that’s the way I want it to be. Now, all of you need to stay away from me. And if you can’t do that simple task, then I’ll pack my shit and leave your fucking town.”
Casey seemed taken aback. Behind him, Gavin sipped his beer pensively. His gaze never left Ford, making his skin crawl. It was as if Gavin could see through him to all the dirty secrets Ford kept hidden.
Gavin couldn’t possibly know about Ford’s clan. They had fallen apart years ago. Few remembered that the clan had ever existed at all after they’d moved on. There was a slim chance that some of Ford’s old clanmates had entered Zander’s protection and met Gavin, but the two groups had been so far apart that it was unlikely.
“I’m not one of you, and I never will be.” Ford spun and left.
He hated the way their stares followed him. His beast had been silent after what he and Daphne had done in the valley, but now it thrashed with rage. Fire burned Ford’s throat, searing away any words he might have had left.
Why was this harder than losing his wife? The world seemed to be crumbling around him. Everything he’d taught himself in the past years, all the ways he’d learned to keep moving forward, vanished at the thought of losing Daphne. He couldn’t stay, though.
Blood tainted his hands, an unforgivable offense that would make every clan leader question his loyalty for the rest of his days.
Perhaps he had no choice but to go feral now. If he was lucky, the earth would welcome him and let him settle down into a long sleep where he wouldn’t feel this pain anymore.
* * *
Daphne couldn’t hide her disappointment. Everyone in the cabin gave her a wide berth, even though she hadn’t snapped or snarled at anyone, unlike Evangeline. It seemed the others were waiting for something to fall. Daphne kept glancing around, trying to figure out what it was they thought was coming, but she could find no sign.
That didn’t matter because her morning had already been ruined when she woke cold and alone in Gavin’s cabin. She’d reached for Ford only to find empty air and a pit in her stomach. Zander could exile her and launch an attack on the clan for all she cared today.
Her world had already fallen apart.
She’d never meant to fall this hard for a man who’d already been cla
imed. Theoretically, she could move on in time and find the one she was destined to be with, but that felt impossible. Doubt and loneliness loomed over her like a wall of water about to crash and carry her under.
It would have to wait. Daphne pushed aside her breakfast and went to throw on a pair of leggings and an oversized t-shirt. She had another day of training the new shifters ahead of her. That should consume her time and keep her from thinking about how Ford had abandoned her.
On her way out, she ran into her brother. He wore a dour expression that made worry trickle like ice-water through her chest. When she approached, he raised a brow at her outfit. She snarled, her upper lip curling.
“You’re not going to like what I have to say,” he warned.
Daphne put her hands on her hips. “You can’t tell me that you’re ending my sessions with Evangeline. You and I both know she’s not ready.”
“That’s not what I was going to say. Ford left a message for you last night.” Casey backed up. That’s how she knew what Casey would say next would hurt. “He doesn’t want you to visit him at work anymore.”
“So, he wants me to go to his house?”
Casey sighed. “No. I don’t think that’s it.”
Oh.
Daphne tried to gather herself and shove her feelings into an iron lockbox in her heart, but she couldn’t grab any of them fast enough. Tears burned her eyes. She blinked them away and tore her gaze from Casey’s.
“Look,” Casey began. “I’m sure he wasn’t good enough for you anyway. You had fun while you could, right?”
Her jaw dropped. The knife in her heart twisted. “That’s not…I wasn’t…”
Daphne had sought Ford out for fun and to distract herself from all the work that still waited for her, but she’d gone and caught feelings. Around him, it no longer felt like the world waited to fall on her head. She wanted to hold onto that, to the way he made her feel, but it was ripped out of her hands.
She’d tried to use him and ended up being used.
Daphne ran her hands through her hair. She tugged, trying to alleviate the pain in her heart. When that didn’t work, she walked. She didn’t wait for Evangeline or Bree. The sessions didn’t matter when Daphne herself felt like a single gust of wind would send her crumbling. She couldn’t help anyone in this state.
Unfortunately, she didn’t get far before her phone rang. She yanked it out, hope flaring only to have it plummet when she saw Zander’s number once again.
“Has he been calling you a lot?” Casey asked, a growl in his voice.
Daphne started to say no but caught herself. What she considered not a lot for Zander, was a lot for anyone else. Barely a day had gone by that he hadn’t called her. Their most recent conversation hadn’t left her feeling confident about their relationship.
“You don’t have to answer him,” Casey assured her.
“Yeah, I do. He’s basically my boss. If I don’t pick up this call, then…” She trailed off.
She didn’t want to think about what would happen if she ignored Zander. Part of her was tempted to let it go to voicemail, but he would never believe that she’d been asleep. Maybe she could tell him that she’d been in the shower. That lie seemed a little more believable.
Just as she started to lift it, Casey snatched the phone from her hand. He hit the end button and shoved her phone into his own pocket.
“You don’t have to answer to him all the time,” Casey told her.
She ran her hand through her hair again. There would be hell to pay for hanging up on Zander. Casey knew that. He’d lived in Zander’s clan his whole life.
So, why had her brother cursed her to a future punishment?
“Stay with us, Daphne. I hate the idea of letting you go back to him. Zander is going to use you until there’s nothing left. Stay here and enjoy your life.” Casey looked at her plaintively.
She clenched her jaw. Last night, his plea would have held sway over her. This morning, she couldn’t bear the idea of lingering in the same town as Ford. If she wanted him this much, and he never returned her feelings, staying would slowly erode her sanity.
She shook her head. “Just go get your mate and tell her it’s time to go. We have work to do.”
Casey eyed her, like he could tell she’d been about to shirk work a minute ago. Her mind spun now. She hoped that teaching the women to fly would give her something to occupy her until her thoughts calmed.
The work did not help her like she’d hoped. Her thoughts remained frantic and only got worse as she struggled to deal with Evangeline’s unpredictable beast. The feral creature snapped at everyone well into the evening until Evangeline shifted back and passed out in the car.
Daphne yearned for the comfort of Ford’s voice and his scent, but she did as he asked and stayed away from his work. She didn’t even go into town. Instead, she sat on the couch in the corner of the cabin’s living room and rubbed the claiming mark on her shoulder.
The bite should have meant something. It’d ignited a wave of pleasure in her when his teeth had pierced her skin. That’d made her think that their bond was somehow special or meant to be. Daphne had never been marked before. Maybe that was just what it felt like and the moment hadn’t been nearly as significant as she’d been led to think.
During the evening, Bree left Erik’s side and sat beside Daphne. She leaned into her until Bree’s head was nearly in Daphne’s lap. The urge to shove her off subsided and the contact settled the war raging inside Daphne. Casey and Evangeline sat on the floor, so their heads rested against Daphne’s thigh. They played a game of cards with Erik, making him swear as they bled him dry.
Daphne watched the card game progress and learned how it was played, but she couldn’t find it in her to join in. She didn’t want to smile and pretend to be happy when her world felt so bleak.
When headlights washed over the windows, her hopes flew high. Everyone got up to peer outside. Even Gavin appeared from wherever he’d been hiding.
“Maybe it’s…” Daphne’s hope was shot down when Gavin’s growl filled the room.
She watched a figure pass through the glare of the headlights and knew trouble had come to find her. Dread made her body feel heavy, but she pried herself away from the others and got to her feet anyway.
On her way toward the door, she put a hand on Gavin’s arm. “Don’t worry about him.”
She didn’t stick around for a response before stepping outside and closing the door behind her. She wrapped her arms around her middle.
“You couldn’t wait until I came home?” she asked.
Zander opened his arms, but the gesture felt foreboding. “You didn’t answer your phone, so I came all this way to make sure you were safe.”
Daphne stifled her sigh. “I’m perfectly fine. I just got busy today. There are two new dragons here that need my help.”
His nose wrinkled. “Do they? Do they really need your help, or are they just too weak to stand on their own?”
Daphne stiffened. “You’ve never said that about any of the other dragons I’ve helped. Bree and Evangeline are…”
“They’re mistakes created by shifters I never should have indulged. This so-called clan is going to fall apart any day now. Just come home with me and let nature take its course.”
“That’s cruel,” she said, aghast. “You can’t honestly think that. These are people with lives and…”
Zander grabbed her by her wrist and turned so he could drag her back toward the car. She heard the creak of the door behind her, but a blur shot out of the darkness. The figure slammed into Zander. The leader’s fingers left her wrist. She staggered before slumping into a man’s back.
Ford’s unforgettable scent reached her. She straightened and wondered how he’d gotten to her so fast. Why was he even here?
“If you ever lay a hand on her again, I will remove it.” Ford’s threat was clear and unwavering.
The others poured out the front door of the cabin but didn’t approach.
“Who are you to touch me?” Zander snarled as he staggered toward them.
“I’m not afraid of the likes of you,” Ford said. “I’ve killed clan leaders before, and I’ll do it again if you even think about hurting Daphne. Do you hear me?”
Zander’s brows furrowed as he took in Ford. A chill ran down Daphne’s spine.
Zander’s eyes rolled toward Gavin. “So, this is the kind of shifter you’ve invited into your clan? How shameful. Just wait, he’ll turn on you, too.”
Gavin tried to lunge at his father, but Casey and Dillon held him back. Zander straightened his suit jacket and turned back toward the car he’d left running the whole time. No one moved until Zander had retreated and his taillights had vanished.
Ford cast a dubious look at Daphne, like he’d swallowed something sour. He quickly looked away.
“So, king killer?” Gavin asked.
Ford’s eyes closed, the corners tightening.
King killer. Just like Ford had said, that meant he’d killed his clan leader. Her heart raced as she put the pieces together. An idea of what might have happened formed in her mind, but she wouldn’t know the truth until she could get Ford alone.
Unfortunately, he tried to leave without another word. Daphne chased after him. She had too many questions that needed answering. Why was Ford outside the cabin? Why had he helped her? Did his title have anything to do with his wife?
“Ford! Wait!” she cried out.
He slowed but didn’t stop. She wanted to curse him. Finally, she caught up. His gaze remained on the path ahead, yet it felt like he was taking every step backward.
“Can you stop and talk this out with me?” she pleaded.
“What’s there to talk about?”
“Well, for one thing, you told me to stay away, but you were outside the cabin the whole time!” She threw her hands in the air.
“I knew you needed someone to watch over you.” He shrugged like that explained everything.
She gaped at him. “Why tell me to go away if you aren’t going to do the same? I don’t get this. I don’t understand what you think you’re doing.”
Rogue Dragons Series: Box Set Books 1-5 Page 49
