by Rinelle Grey
Finn wasn’t convinced. If Damien’s reaction was anything to go by, these men were predisposed to dislike anyone who was dating their sister. And he didn’t blame them. If he had a sister, he wouldn’t be too happy about her dating him either.
Especially not under the circumstances.
Even if what she said was true, it was only because her brother had no idea who he was or what he was doing here. Damien had every reason to disapprove of him going out with Mora, even if he didn’t actually know it.
Even more concerning, if her other brother approved of him, then his completely valid excuse for keeping her at arm’s length would be gone. Then he’d have no obvious reasons for not sleeping with her. To keep his cover, he just might have to.
Finn’s body flushed with heat at the thought. Well, it wasn’t as if he didn’t want to sleep with her. He’d just have to figure out a way to make it right, so that he didn’t feel like he was using her.
Unfortunately, he could only think of one way to do that. If dinner went well, he’d have to tell his superiors he was off the investigation. He’d have to tell them he hadn’t found anything and that he clearly wasn’t any good at this anymore. And he’d have to do it quickly.
Then he wouldn’t have to feel guilty anymore. And he wouldn’t have to betray anyone. Not Mora, not his superiors, no one. That was the only viable solution.
Maybe he could even use his anxiety as an excuse. It had certainly come up enough in the last few days. He’d have to speak to a psychologist to confirm that, of course, and it could affect his future work prospects. But then again, so would admitting he’d become too involved with his target. It could be the best of the bad options.
“Hayden, Audrey, over here.” Beside him, Mora waved to a young couple. It was easy to see the man was Mora and Damien’s brother. The family resemblance couldn’t be denied.
Finn took a deep breath. This was it.
Hayden was grinning as he came closer, but his face turned to a frown as he saw Finn. “You didn’t tell me your boyfriend was a cop,” he said roughly, looking at Mora with a raised eyebrow.
Finn’s heartrate sped up at Hayden’s words. That was one possibility he hadn’t predicted. How did Hayden know? How had he been found out?
Mora turned to him, confusion written all over her face. “You’re a police officer?”
Finn wavered. If he’d been found out, it would be better to tell the truth and make an excuse for not telling her. But did Hayden really know, or was he guessing? Was there any way he could deny it?
It wasn’t worth the risk. Police officers could take holidays on tropical island resorts as much as anyone else. There was no reason for them to suspect anything more unless they’d been snooping. In which case, they’d have to come right out and admit it.
“It didn’t come up,” he said easily. “And I didn’t really want to talk about it. I’ve had a really stressful time the last few weeks, and the whole point of this holiday was not to think about work.”
Mora’s suspicious stare lessened a little. His excuse made sense, at least to her.
Hayden’s frown didn’t dissipate. “What are you doing here?” His voice was rough.
“I’m on holiday,” Finn said reasonably. “What else would I be doing?”
It was clear Hayden’s partner thought he was being unreasonable. She tugged on his arms. “Hayden,” she hissed. “He’s allowed to be on holiday.”
“Being here on holiday is different to dating my sister,” Hayden said flatly.
Mora turned her frown on her brother. “Hayden,” she scolded. “You said you were going to give him a chance.”
“That was before I found out he was a cop.”
Mora put her hands on her hips. “What does it matter? He’s just here on holiday. He said that.”
Finn swallowed down guilt at the lie. Now wasn’t the time to admit the truth, certainly not in a crowded restaurant. A few people were already turning to stare.
He wished he could though. He wished he could blurt it all out and ask Mora outright what she’d been doing at the dragon lair. Maybe she had a reasonable explanation. Maybe there was a way to make this all work out, for all of them.
Hayden and Mora were staring at each other, their expressions stony, their eyes flashing. It was almost as if there was some unspoken argument going on.
Finn’s heart sank. He wasn’t sure there was any way out of this, not a good way at least. Even if Mora didn’t hate him for lying to her, her brothers would never trust him.
*****
“What if he has an ulterior motive? What if he’s here to investigate us?” Hayrian demanded in Morian’s head.
A head that was still whirling from the admission Finn was a police officer.
Oh, it fitted with everything he’d told her, fitted with the fact that he’d said he was here to escape stress at work. Even fitted with the panic attacks she’d sensed from him a couple of times. She was sure being a police officer was stressful, risking your life every time you went out.
But her concern he was hiding something from her immediately became a lot more serious. Suddenly she couldn’t think of anything else he could be hiding. He had to be here to investigate them. Nothing else made any sense.
And yet, that didn’t fit with the deeper emotions she’d sensed from him. Surely if he were investigating them she’d be able to sense it? If not, her life dragon magic must be all but useless.
Unless it was confused by her feelings for him. And his for her. She wasn’t imagining that. He couldn’t possibly fake what he was feeling for her or the connection between them.
That had been real. And because of that, she didn’t think he meant any harm to her.
But… and it was a big but… he had no idea she was a dragon.
At least she didn’t think he did.
Morian sighed internally, not even bothering to try to stop the sound carrying to Hayrian through dragon speech. She wished she had something to say, something that would convince her brother of Finn’s innocence, but the truth was, she wasn’t even sure of it herself.
There was only one thing she was sure of. “I feel a connection to him, Hayrian. Maybe even love him. And I think he might be my mate.”
Her brother’s silence said more than any words could have. He stared at her, his eyes wide.
Morian pushed home her advantage. “Give me some more time. Let me see what I can find out. If he’s investigating us, I’ll deal with him myself.”
She wasn’t sure why she hoped her brother would agree with her. They’d never let her deal with anything risky or dangerous herself, ever. And this wasn’t even just dangerous and risky for herself. If Finn was investigating Dragon Island Hideaway Resort, then it would have an impact on all of them.
They might all be sent to the lair so the humans could keep an eye on them. Her parents could lose the resort. They certainly wouldn’t be allowed to keep inviting guests here and running things with people unaware of their true nature.
It was unfair. They’d done nothing at all wrong. Her family had run this resort perfectly, with very few people even complaining about their standards, much less ever being in danger.
But that was where they were right now. People were afraid of dragons, and until things were straightened out, there was nothing they could do about it except try to keep their secret.
“You have twenty-four hours,” Hayrian warned. “Then I tell Dam and Rowan. And in the meantime, you tell me about anything you find out. Deal?”
Morian could hardly believe it. She hadn’t in her wildest dreams imagined Hayrian would keep the secret from Rowan and Damrian. “Deal,” she agreed quickly, before he changed his mind.
*****
Finn looked from Mora to Hayden, confused. They were still staring at each other, kind of like they were caught in a standoff. He wasn’t surprised they’d been glaring, but their glares had softened. They seemed almost to be coming to some sort of understanding.
T
hen Hayden’s eyes flicked back to him, and they weren’t so understanding at all. In fact, they were downright suspicious and hostile. “Don’t think I’m going to like you just because my sister does,” he said flatly. “You have a lot to make up for.”
That confused Finn almost as much as the fact that her brother suddenly seemed willing to give him a chance. “What do I have to make up for?” he risked asking, figuring he was going to need to know if he had any chance.
“You gave me a speeding ticket when I was on the mainland picking up supplies,” Hayden said impassively. “I was only there for one day, and you still managed to ruin it.”
For a moment, Finn nearly burst out laughing in relief. Here he was worrying Hayden had guessed why he was here, and the man was just upset that he’d gotten a ticket.
Except that didn’t quite ring true. Sure, to anyone looking in from the outside it made sense. It could explain Hayden’s annoyance at seeing Finn. No one who didn’t know the truth would question it.
But Finn knew too much to be convinced. If her parents were involved, her brothers had to be too. Hayden had to know about Mora’s visit to the dragon lair. Meaning he had to be concerned that Finn was here for an entirely different reason.
He was concerned, but he couldn’t know. He couldn’t be sure.
Finn had to play along, or risk being exposed completely.
Then he’d lose Mora forever.
“Sorry about that,” he said apologetically. “Just doing my job.”
“Come on, Hayden, if you were speeding, it was his job to give you a ticket. You can’t be mad at him for that,” Mora said reasonably.
Was she faking it too? Finn couldn’t be sure.
“Can so,” Hayden grumbled. This time, he sounded far more normal, more convincing.
Finn hesitated, uncertain. Had he imagined it? Had they guessed, or was it his guilty conscience eating away at him?
Hayden’s partner patted his arm. “Come on, you promised to give him a chance. You owe it to your sister.”
Hayden looked Finn up and down calculatingly. “Fine. One chance. But if you blow it, you’ll answer to me.”
Finn somehow felt like he’d been offered a reprieve.
Now if only there was some way he could make this right.
Chapter 12
Dinner with Mora’s brother and his partner was one of the more awkward experiences Finn had ever been through. Oh, they were polite enough, and there were no more disagreements, but every time Hayden had looked at Finn, his eyes had held a warning, a threat.
That was a big overreaction to a speeding ticket.
Maybe not so big a reaction to finding out your sister was dating a cop. Especially not if you were involved with dragons. Finn was getting a headache just trying to guess if they suspected him or not.
All of that only added to the awkward ambiance at dinner. Finn was more than glad when it was over and Hayden and Audrey had made their excuses and left, leaving him and Mora alone.
Finn ached to be alone with her, even just to spend time talking to her. But somehow, he suspected this conversation wasn’t going to be pleasant or easy.
And he still had no idea what he was going to say.
Mora was quiet though, as she walked back towards his cabin with him. Maybe she was as lost for words as he was. When they reached the door, he said jokingly, “I think I’m the one who’s supposed to be walking you home.” Anything to break the tension.
Mora gave a feeble smile. “Can I come in?”
“Always,” Finn responded immediately.
It didn’t even matter that the conversation was going to be awkward. He’d still never refuse her.
He was crazy. His cover was all but blown, and if she figured out why he was really here, everything between them would be over. He knew that.
And yet, he still couldn’t say no.
She followed him inside, still not saying much, walking past the bed and sitting at the table near the glass, sliding doors. Right near his laptop. Finn hid a wince, and was glad it was turned off as he hurried over. “Here, let me make some room for you.”
He swished the laptop away to the bench near the TV, and then sat down opposite her.
She stared at him for a few minutes, searching his face. “Why are you really here?” she asked, her voice shaking.
For a moment, Finn seriously considered telling her everything. Telling her about the investigation he was part of and how he didn’t know what to do about it.
It would be relief in some ways, unburdening himself, admitting the truth.
Maybe, just maybe, there was a chance she could forgive him and understand that when he’d taken on the investigation, he hadn’t known her. He never would have agreed to it if he had. Maybe she’d be able to understand he’d just been doing his job.
But it was far more likely she’d feel betrayed. Far more likely she’d yell and scream at him, and storm out. And then he’d never see her again.
That thought terrified him.
And he couldn’t make himself say the words.
Instead he told her something else, something he hadn’t been able to discuss with anyone since the day it had happened. “A few weeks ago, I was out at the dragon lair when they arrested the first dragon,” he said softly. “I was actually one of the officers who arrested him, but when it came time to get in the car with him, I completely froze up. I couldn’t get in. I couldn’t even back out. They had to pull me out.”
Her eyes widened as he talked, and he could see a little of the fear he’d felt in her eyes. “Ultrima?” she asked, her voice hushed.
Finn wondered if that information was public knowledge. It probably was. The dragons had been big in the news, even though he hadn’t been able to bring himself to watch any of it.
“Yeah.” He nodded. “Anyway, I’ve been freaking out on and off at random intervals since then. You may have noticed it once or twice.” He gave her a wry grin. “So I thought maybe a holiday would help. That’s why I came here.”
Mora didn’t look convinced. In fact, she folded her arms and stared at him. “You were freaked out by dragons, so you came to a resort on Dragon Island? Seems a little… strange?”
“Well, I’m not scared of the word dragon,” Finn said reasonably. “Only a real, actual dragon. But the resort doesn’t have anything to do with dragons, does it?”
It was only because he was watching her carefully as he spoke that he caught it. For the briefest of moments, her eyes widened just a fraction and her pupils dilated. Her lips parted, and a sharp breath escaped.
Then she forced her breathing back to normal. She even gave a short laugh, though it sounded fake. “Of course not. There are no dragons here. They’d be kind of hard to hide if there were.”
She was sidestepping the question. She didn’t have to have seen a dragon here for there to be a connection.
Finn wasn’t even sure why he was still trying to find out what was going on, and even less sure what he’d do with that information if he figured it out. He still felt that the dragons needed to be stopped, to be kept under control, but he also didn’t want to hurt Mora or her family to do that.
But he still needed to know, even if it was just to satisfy his own curiosity. And, despite the fact that he’d probably already destroyed any hope of a relationship with Mora by not mentioning his occupation, he was still worried about her. If she was involved with dragons in any way, she and her family could be in danger.
She couldn’t possibly know what she was getting herself mixed up in by getting involved with those dragons. Although she had displayed a healthy fear when she’d heard about the dragon he’d come in contact with.
Then again, he was an enemy of the dragon clan she’d been visiting. Perhaps that was why she was nervous about him.
“That’s good to hear,” Finn said. “Because I have no wish to come face to face with another dragon in my life, not even one in human form.”
“I don’t blame you.” Mora
’s voice was quiet and distant, and Finn couldn’t help feeling like he’d said the wrong thing. Like he’d upset her somehow. She pushed back her chair and stood up abruptly. “I’d better go. It’s getting late.”
Finn’s heart dropped. He hadn’t even told her the truth, and already it was driving a wedge between them. One he didn’t know how to stop.
One he didn’t deserve to stop.
Chapter 13
Morian stumbled out of Finn’s cabin and up the path, glad of the darkness to hide her face from anyone she passed. She managed to hold back tears, just, but they were close to the surface.
None of it mattered. Whatever Finn was doing here, she didn’t even care anymore.
He’d said he never wanted to see another dragon in his life, even in human form.
He had no idea that’s exactly what she was, of course, and it didn’t matter. He was obviously terrified of dragons. She’d felt his fear on a couple of occasions, so she had no doubt he was speaking the truth, about that at least.
He would never be able to accept who she truly was. And if he couldn’t, then there was no hope of anything between them. Ever.
That thought was almost enough to break her heart in two. Every time she thought of it the wall holding back her tears threatened to burst. She needed to get home, back to her room, where she could shut the door and close out the world. Only then could she let this grief out.
That wasn’t to be, of course. As soon as she stepped through the door Hayrian appeared, leaning on the doorframe into the living room, staring at her.
“Not now,” she managed to get out. She held up a hand as if to ward him off, but she didn’t need to.
As soon as he saw her face, his tough expression fled to be replaced with sympathy. “Come here, Mora.” He held out his arms.
The last thing Morian wanted right now was to be comforted by her brother, especially not Hayrian.
Deep down she knew it wasn’t Hayrian’s fault. He hadn’t caused Finn to hate dragons, even if he had been responsible for her finding out. But that didn’t matter. She wanted to be angry. At Hayrian, at Damrian, at Finn—at anyone who was nearby. But that was pointless too.
