Page 19 of Fated for his Flame

“No,” he snapped, while our other family members followed the argument like fans at a tennis match, heads whipping from side to side. “That’s not all. I’m telling you now I’ll be watching her. Judging her. Waiting for her to screw up.”

“Is that a threat?” I asked, confused.

“She’s using you, my son. They all are. That’s why they’re here. Do you really think anyone would volunteer to be a dragon’s concubine? No, I don’t think so. They want something. They’re on a mission, we just don’t know what it is yet. But when I find out what it is, I swear you will kill her yourself, or I will. And then you will finally accept a true and proper mate. But until that time, you are not welcome in my house.”

“And when she doesn’t?” I was going out on a huge limb. There was every chance he was right. But I couldn’t ignore my dragon. There was something different about the woman. Something that called to me. I had to explore it. Explore her.

“She will.”

I was growing so sick and tired of his righteous attitude that I snapped and threw down a gauntlet. One I knew he would refuse but others would know had happened. A first step. “When she proves herself, will you accept you’re wrong? Will you finally step down and let me lead the house?”

There were sharp inhales around the room. It was the first time I’d openly said anything about him stepping aside. It was a step from which there was no going back.

“Not with her at your side,” he snarled, oblivious to what had just occurred. “Never. If you drop this charade and take a proper mate, then we can discuss it. Until then, I am in charge. This is my house.”

My right hand clenched into a fist. “Trust me, we all know it’s your house, Father. That’s why it’s shrinking while our rivals grow. Because we’re outdated and refuse to move forward, such as with this governorship.”

“Youth and being rash,” he scoffed. “That’s what this is.”

Sometimes, I wasn’t sure if it was willfulness or blind ignorance that powered such comments of his. More and more, I was beginning to think it was the latter instead of the former.

“Better than being old, monolithic, and scared of change.”

“Scared? Scared? You think I am scared? I am scared of nothing! Least of all you!” he roared.

I threw my hands in the air. “Of course, that’s what you focus on. Not the actual problem.”

Spinning on a heel, I ignored the others as I stormed from the room, not responding to his shouts to come back and that we weren’t finished.

In my mind, it was over. I just didn’t know what the next steps were. I needed time to figure them out.

I found Chloe waiting for me down the hall.

“Come on,” I growled, grabbing her hand, too angry to be overwhelmed by my dragon’s electric response to her touch. “We’re leaving.”

Chapter Ten

Chloe

I half-stumbled along after Silas as his hand swallowed mine in its grasp, prompting a cascade of reactions up my arm and throughout my body. He was too preoccupied to notice, however, forcing me to pull myself together.

Not an easy task when every inch of me insisted I let go and give myself to him. It would be so easy to stumble and fall into him. To look up at him through my eyelashes and wait for him to lean down and kiss me. How could I not? Look at what just a touch of his hand could do to me. The press of his lips as they devoured me would make anything else look like a pinprick in comparison.

I almost let it happen. Tugged along by his grip, I nearly fell down the stairs. Thankfully, Silas noticed in time. Turning at the waist, he lifted me and casually carried me to the ground, where he immediately set me down.

By then, he was breathing harder, and his pupils were beyond dilated. His nostrils flared, and he stared at me with sudden intensity. I wondered briefly if I could convince him to just bend me over the stairs and get it over with. Perhaps then I could think clearly without a raging desire to feel him thrusting deep inside of me, making my ass shake with every stroke.

Get a grip on yourself.

From somewhere deep inside, the part of me that made the perfect spy, that had to always be in control, was exerting itself a bit, rebelling against the sudden lack of control.

“Well, that was fun,” I found myself saying between breaths.

“I should have slowed down,” Silas rumbled.

“Oh. Not that. I was referring to the ‘family meeting’ your dear old dad called,” I said, choosing my words carefully, suspecting correctly he wouldn’t object to the sarcasm.

Just like that, I was back in control. My pussy was still dripping, and if I didn’t play with my clit soon, I would explode from sexual frustration, but I was thinking straight. Mostly.

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