Page 39 of Daddy Billionaire Dragon

Damon calls out my name, making me pause. I look over my shoulder with one hand on the doorknob.

“Still think Nic isn’t your soul mate?” he asks, cocking an eyebrow.

I close my eyes for a brief moment before turning to face the room. I know my denial of Nic as my soul mate is becoming borderline ridiculous.

“Even if she is, it changes nothing. I still can’t claim her,” I look in Pat’s direction, hoping he will understand. He nods subtly.

“Leave him be,” he says to the others. They just shrug. I leave the room before they can dissect the issue further.

I find Nic in her office attacking a mound of papers ferociously. She looks up when she spots me. Her eyes are red rimmed. Has she been crying? Her chair, which is usually angled toward the window, is firmly facing away from it.

“Nic,” I say, taking a step towards her desk.

“I’m busy, Lex,” she says, ducking her head determinedly to study the paper she has snatched from the pile.

“I’m sorry,” I murmur as I walk around her desk.

“I forgive you,” she says flatly without even looking up.

“Nic, please,” I say, kneeling next to her chair, taking her hands in mine. Her arms are stiff as rods. For a moment it seems to me that she might consider wiggling them out of my grasp. But she suddenly goes limp and leans forward to drop her forehead on mine.

“I’m scared, Lex,” she confesses. There’s a definite tremor in her voice.

I pull her out of the chair and into my arms. This is the first time I have touched her since Paris. She melts into my arms. I have missed her more than I could ever imagine. I have missed the feel of her soft curves in my arms. I have missed her wonderful scent, the silky feel of her hair against my cheek.

“I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise,” I vow fiercely. She turns up her head to look at me.

“I believe you,” she whispers. Her faith in me is humbling. But I am determined to do everything in my power to keep her safe. I am tempted to kiss her, even dip my head a little, but she abruptly moves away.

“Nic, I am sorry,” I say simply. “The truth is, I didn’t know that I’d be so deeply affected by what we shared in Paris,” I say, looking at her earnestly.

Her gaze softens. She nods and her lips curve up ever so slightly. Just like that, I know that she’s forgiven me for my abominable behavior.

“We’re good?” I ask.

“Yes. Yes, we are. So long as you don’t avoid me,” she says with a genuine smile. I have missed her smile. I smile back in return. If I weren’t a Quartz dragon, I would never let Nic go. But I am, and the sooner my dragon accepts that we can never claim our soul mate, the better it will be for all parties concerned.

“TJ told me that you’re being followed,” I say as a fresh wave of guilt washes over me. I should have been there for her, not TJ. She tells me everything she has experienced so far. When I present the idea of installing a tracking device in her handbag, she readily accepts.

“I don’t know how much it will help, but it’s the only thing we can think of at the moment,” I say so she doesn’t get her hopes high.

“It’s better than nothing. Besides, it will mean that you guys will know where I am all the time. It makes me feel safe.”

“In that case, I’ll see if it can be arranged today.”

She nods, relieved.

“Lex? What do you think it was?”

Her question makes me uneasy. I have never lied to Nic and I don’t plan on doing so now.

“We have an idea what it might be, but I can’t tell you just yet,” I say after a long pause.

“But if my safety is in question, don’t you think I should know?” she says, crossing her arms under her breasts.

“Trust me Nic, it’s better that you don’t,” I say, looking deep into her eyes. She nods reluctantly.

“But in the meantime, make sure that you’re never alone. I don’t mean to scare you, but we just don’t know for sure what we are dealing with,” I caution.

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