Page 34 of Bitter Confessions

“The dragon is a lonely, jealous beast who’s experienced very little kindness, but he’s trying to change.”

She shifted restlessly on the damp towel. “The princess doesn’t like being locked up. She stares out the window, longing for freedom.”

He brushed his thumb over her white knuckles. “The dragon can grant her freedom she’s only dreamed of. Riches beyond her wildest imagination and access to whatever her heart desires.”

He leaned down so they were mere inches from one another.

“The dragon’s fought many battles and lost many things along the way, but he’s committed to making the princess happy. Whatever it takes.”

She swallowed to coat her suddenly dry throat. “And what will happen to the rest of his hoard if he spends his time locked in the tower with her?”

He ran his tongue along her lower lip. “She’s the most precious thing in his hoard. Everything else is inconsequential.”

She ignored the way her heart leapt at that. “What will the dragon do if a prince shows up to save her?”

He nipped her lip, making her jolt. “He’ll be incinerated.”

She was referring to Mo and Johan staging a rescue mission, but she should have used a different label. “And if she begs to leave?”

He picked up her hand and forced her fingers to unfurl, examining the crescent marks on her palm before raising her hand to his mouth. Her fingertips twitched as he lapped at the indentions in her skin.

“He’ll find inventive ways to persuade her to stay locked in his lair with him.”

She snatched her hand back and ran her itchy palm over her thigh. “Knowing what I know, how can I trust you?”

“You trust me when I say I’ll help your sisters? When I promise to look out for your niece and nephew?” He paused to give her time to contradict him. When she didn’t, he planted one hand on the back of her chair and the other on the table. “So, you trust me with your family, but not yourself?”

As always, he was cutting through her arguments and getting straight to the heart of the matter—a truth she hadn’t even admitted to herself. It wasn’t him she didn’t trust, it was herself. She’d once loved this man beyond all reason and was afraid he could bring her to that point again—ignoring the facts because love made her blind and stupid. The emotions he evoked, euphoric highs and soul-destroying lows, scared her. Their chemistry was more potent than ever. Even now, she could feel it buzzing in the air between them, urging them to be skin-to-skin and fall into that addictive madness so few ever experienced. She wanted normal, sedate, sensible. He was the furthest thing from that.

“You’re going to destroy me,” she whispered.

He cupped her cheek. “I can’t destroy you without destroying myself.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means we start here.” When she shook her head, he growled, “Do you see nothing of the man I used to be? Nothing worth taking a chance on?”

Her breath hitched. “There’s so much I don’t know.”

“You know more than anyone else,” he countered.

“But I still don’t know what your secret is.”

His hand dropped like a stone, and his expression melted into the familiar impassivity she hated.

“You’re so careful and methodical. You say my father stumbled across your secret by chance. You’re not one to leave evidence behind, so what was on that disc?”

His body was rigid with tension. She didn’t let that stop her from reaching out to stroke the intimidating face that made her weak with desire and fear.

“Were there files of investigative reports on the disc?” Her eyes slid to the paperwork on the table before coming back to him. “Or was it a video?”

The sunlight hit his eyes, making them shimmer like obsidian coins. She still thought he had the most captivating eyes she had ever seen. No matter how many times she had him look into the light, there was no trace of brown. They were fathomless pools that showed any who looked into them only a reflection of themselves, and rarely anything of their owner’s thoughts.

“You make sure you know everything about everyone around you. You’re privy to their darkest secrets. Does anyone know the real you?” She ran her hand down his neck before landing over his heart. “Will you ever tell me what you did?”

“Is that what it’ll take?”

She froze. His hand covered hers, pressing down so she could feel his heart thundering away while his face remained stoic and composed.

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