Page 41 of Brutal Alpha Dragon

His timid behavior catches me by surprise as he takes a bashful seat on the edge of the bed and begins to unpack the contents of the basket. He fills both plates with equal helpings of bacon and scrambled eggs, topping the eggs with generous helpings of sliced avocado and baby tomatoes.

“Here you go,” he says as he offers me a plate.

I take it reticently and stare at the plate as I avidly avoid looking at him. I decided last night, before bed, that I would pull away this heavy attraction I feel toward him. After all, it’s a mere sexual attraction, I feel. I can’t accustom myself to his cold demeanor any longer. Like a trauma bond to my kidnapper, it just doesn’t feel right anymore.

We both end up eating in silence, and for the first time since I’ve been here, I actually enjoy my meal. I shake off the feeling that it’s because he’s joined me, ignoring how my heart skips when he removes the empty plate from my lap.

Draco packs the basket again and places it on the nightstand. When he stands up, I expect him to leave. But he hovers beside the bed, clearing his throat to draw my attention to him. When I look up, he’s holding a clear bottle the size of my palm.

“Uhm… Kairo prepared some essential oils for your bath,” he says hesitantly as he holds the bottle out. I’m about to reach for it, but Draco turns and walks toward the bathroom. “Come on.”

Blinking fervently, I have to do a double-take to ensure I’m hearing and seeing things right. All I can do is climb off the bed and follow him into the bathroom when he disappears inside.

It’s not like I believe I have a choice. Still, it’s slightly unsettling to see the dragon man bent over the bathtub, turning on the faucet and pouring out the essential oils into the tub as it fills with water.

The question as to why he’s doing any of this hangs on the tip of my tongue. But I remain silent, watching him run his hand through the water to test the temperature and mix in the oils.

“You can get in now,” he announces as he stands up, and pride seemingly fills his chest.

I walk up to the bathtub, inhaling the amalgamation of eucalyptus and lavender that fills the air. It’s heavenly and inviting, but I can’t just climb in while he hangs around.

“Here…” Draco turns and suddenly places his hand on my shoulder. “Let me help you.”

I’m highly aware of the charged feeling that rushes through me when he hitches a finger beneath the silk strap of my nightgown. I mean, I could shrug away. I could refuse his help. But I find myself permitting him to remove the dress as it slips to the floor in a pool around my ankles.

I’m standing there stark naked, bare in my own skin, and aware that his eyes roam the length of my body. Somehow, it feels natural for him to oggle, as if he owns every curve and dip I possess. Gone is the need to shy away or fight the feeling that is so innate.

And when he offers out a hand, I accept it. He helps me step into the bathtub and guides me as I sink into the water.

“Ah…” I sigh as my body is immersed in the water, and the essential oils calm my nervous system. Inhaling and exhaling huge breaths when I close my eyes, I’m surprised when Draco still hasn’t left.

“Why are you being so nice to me?” I finally ask when I find him seated on the edge of the large oval tub.

He takes a deep breath, exhaling and relaxing his shoulders down. “Being a monster is gonna get us nowhere.”

Mentally, I chuckle at the thought that he is already a monster by my standards. A dragon man, who I should be afraid of. Instead, I’m drawn to the rest of his statement, asking, “Where do you want us to be, then?”

“Friends,” he replies as his lips lift in a feeble smile. “We should at least be friends.”

“Friends don’t kidnap each other,” I challenge.

Draco sighs as a flash of remorse glosses over his eyes. “You must understand that there was no other way.”

“Are you sure about that?” I scoff.

He snickers as he looks away, staring at the tiled wall in front of the bathtub. “Would you have agreed to come here if I told you everything?”

His question gives me some food for thought. I even began to wonder if I would have followed him if I had known that he was a dragon man. A part of me would have flung myself at him just because he was the man from my dreams. But the truth of his identity still remains an agonizing factor.

“Maybe.” I shrug.

“Don’t fool yourself, Lily,” he chuckles as he glances back at me. “You would have never agreed to any of it.”

“So why force me?”

A long moment of silence stretches around us, curling its heavy talons over the lightheartedness of what this morning brought. His eyes turn soft as he stares into mine, and it’s almost as if I can see right through him.

Again.

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