Page 58 of Burned

“I know. It wasn’t how I wanted to tell you.”

“How were you going to tell me?”

“Just before my family knocked, I had decided it was time. Before we went back, before we were faced with reality again. I was afraid to tell you. I wasn’t ready to lose this bliss.” I touch his face. “I couldn’t even admit to myself that fate had a hand in all of this.”

Alrick’s eyes soften. “I guess a lot of weird shit makes sense now. The way I feel your emotions. That’s the bond.”

“Yes. It’s my dragon.”

He shakes his head as he rubs his sternum. “We’ll pick this up later, but the one in the heels is right. We have a pressing issue. Can I catch a ride with you guys?”

“Of course.”

Alrick kisses me softly, briefly. “Guess we better get going.”

I nod, making no move at all. As soon as we leave this room, this beautiful fantasy is over. Anything could happen. Alrick could decide his family is more important than what we have, and how could I blame him?

“Hey,” he says. “You need to trust me.”

“I do. With my life, Alrick.”

When we rejoin my family in the lobby, I’m met with a flood of silent questions bouncing along our family bond. There are too many to answer in this setting, so I simply wrap my hand around Alrick’s and walk past them to the front door, where an SUV is waiting to take us to the private airport.

We ride in silence and board the plane the same way, settling into our seats. Montrose is gone and back in a flash with a bag of fresh croissants, to the delight of Lake.

Before we take off, Alrick jumps up suddenly. “Can I go sit in the back? I need to get my thoughts together and I’m still a little tired.”

I sense the lie, but I don’t blame him for wanting to get away from the interrogating energy wafting off my brothers.

“Of course, treasure.”

He nods, smiling and glancing at everyone before taking off. I try to settle in my seat, but I know what’s coming.

“Your dragon led you to him?” Nico asks as soon as we’re in the sky.

“As I said.”

“But you love him,” Lake says. “It’s obvious.”

I won’t deny that. “We’ve grown close.”

“Could you tell us what you’ve been doing all this time?” Arson asks. “At least give us that.”

“I don’t owe you an explanation of how I spend my time.”

Tino scoffs. “Seriously, Lord? You found your mate and shut us out from it. This is the most important part of your life that all of us have wanted for you for so damn long, and now we’re just expected to ignore that it happened?”

My chest tightens with guilt. “It was obviously more complicated than I expected.”

“And as usual, you didn’t think you could come to us for help,” Nico says. “You carry the whole damn world on your shoulders when all of us would love to lighten your load.”

My eyes sting with unexpected emotion. “I didn’t know what to say.” I glance over my shoulder to make sure the door is still closed. “I didn’t understand why any of it happened, and I didn’t think there was any chance I could keep him.”

“So you went to Scotland to find a way to sever your bond?” Arson asks.

“Yes, but during our travels…” I close my eyes for a second. “I understood him. He is not what his family is.”

“He’s never killed a dragon?” Montrose asks.

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