Page 42 of Rescued By The Dragon

I sank my fingers into my hair. “It’s a long story. I’m dealing with it. Keep it to yourself until I can get it fixed up, okay?”

Toby saluted me and jumped onto the ledge of my balcony. My dragon begged and fought to fly, but I needed to rest. The ball was tomorrow, and I had to gather people to help Amara get her chores done.

I couldn’t wait to see the look on her stepmother’s face when I chose her to dance.

I slipped out of my clothes and into the shower. The feeling of someone watching me stirred up my spine. I took my time, dressed, and found my mother sitting at my desk, running her fingers along the jewelry meant for The Dragon Prince to wear.

“Have we gone back in time?” I asked, flopping onto my bed. “Are you back to sneaking into my room to find something to hold over my head?”

“You embarrassed me today,” she said. “The way you treated Georgina.” She stood and walked toward the foot of my bed. “I had her brought here because she has royal blood and will bear children easily with her frame. You shooed her along like you’re too good for her.”

I shrugged. “I’m not interested, and I’m not sixteen anymore. I refuse to end up like you and Dad. I want to be happy. Did you see the way she treated our server? That’s the persona you want for our kingdom? Because it’s not what I want, Mother.”

She turned her head from me. “You will pick a queen tomorrow at this ball, you’ll show up, and stay, and if you don’t, I will decide for you. Is that clear?”

“Looks like we’re not agreeing on this. I’m next in line to be King, not you. I’ll choose who I want as my queen, and no one will change my mind. I am not marrying someone from The East Kingdom because you all want to build this alliance. I don’t believe for one second that they wouldn’t attempt to overpower our kingdom. The answer is no, Mother. I will choose my queen, and you will be happy with it or not. Either way, I will be happy. I refuse to spend the rest of my life trying to fall in love with someone that wasn’t meant to be.”

She turned sharply on her heel and walked toward the door. “I never realized how selfish you were until now, Dorran. I gave up my entire life to marry your father and create a bridge from this kingdom to mine.”

Leaning back against my pillow, I stared at her. “And look how happy you are now, Mother. You should write a book.”

She opened the door and slammed it shut behind her.

My dragon huffed, irritated that she would try to stop our happiness and force some random dragon on us.

Part of me couldn’t wait to see her face when I plucked Amara from the crowd and danced with her all night.

Then the other part of me couldn’t wait to see Amara in her dress and sandals, and her nerves as I slipped her mother’s glass slipper onto her foot.

Then when I claimed her in front of the entire kingdom.

I closed my eyes and smiled, the taste of her still lingered on my lips, making my dragon relax knowing tomorrow would be one step closer to my happy ever after.

Chapter Fifteen

Amara

My legs were wobbly as I walked toward my bedroom, passed a sleeping Doberman, and into my room.

Toby crawled from my sheets, but I wasn’t able to respond to whatever it was he said to me.

My head was too far gone.

My body reacted to Dorran as if he was some type of demi-god sent to obliterate all of my resolve. There would be a permanent smile on my face. I clung to my sheets, imagining the pace of his tongue, and the grip of his fingers.

It was surreal.

If he kept his promise there would be much more where that came from. There was one thing knowing what a mate would do to a woman, but experiencing it was a completely different ballgame.

Tomorrow I’d go to the ball, dance with Dorran, and start a life together. For the briefest of moments, I didn’t care what my step-monster thought.

I didn’t care about her stupid list of things to do. Or her reasoning for hating me so much.

My head was spinning from the promise The Dragon Prince gave me. A life of protection and care. A life full of breaking down my walls and giving me the life I’ve always wanted.

A life with someone who cared for me.

I woke the next morning with a determination to demolish my list of chores, and meet Dorran. The step-monster was up in a mad rush to get the girls to their hair and makeup appointments.

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