Page 23 of Dragon Exposed

He stomped his way down the hallway.

I couldn’t tell if he was just that pissed, or if he was trying to make sure I knew where he was.

Either way, I needed something to wear, and if he really did have clothes that I could change into, that would be safe enough, right?

I eased the door open, peeking out with the knife still clutched in my hand, but the only thing in the hallway was a black duffle bag.

As quickly as I could, I pulled it into the room and got the door locked and barricaded again.

It could still be a trap, but I didn’t think he just wanted me dead. If that were the case, he could’ve dropped me anywhere between the city and here. No, he if he wanted me dead, he wanted to do it himself, and he wanted it to be up close and personal.

And, okay, if it meant I could put on something with more coverage than my underwear and bra, I was on board.

Opening the bag, I was torn between rage and something else, nearing on awe. These were my clothes. Not just clothes that looked like mine—they had to come directly from my closet, from my dresser.

He was in my apartment. Even though I never told him where I lived, he found my apartment, and what? Broke in? Scared my super into letting me in? Something else entirely that was beyond what I could even imagine?

I quickly pulled on yoga pants and an oversized sweatshirt, suddenly feeling even more exposed, even more vulnerable without anything on.

The scent of coffee brewing filtered up the stairs, and my stomach betrayed me again by growling in response. God, I could even almost feel my mouth starting to water just from the smell.

Levi wasn’t playing fair, and I’d be shocked if he wasn’t entirely too aware of what he was doing.

With a scowl, I slipped the knife into my hoodie pocket and carefully pulled the chair away from the door again.

I could drink coffee, eat something, without giving him any impression that any of this was okay. Or that I would be okay with staying here with him.

The bastard had the audacity to grin at me as I stopped at the bottom of the stairs.

“I wondered how long it would take before I got to see you again.”

My fingers wrapped around the handle of the knife as I moved cautiously closer. “I’m not down here for you.”

His smile faltered, and he turned back to the stove, where he really was cooking. And nothing that even remotely resembled human body parts. “I’m not going to hurt you, Izobelle. You have to believe that.”

“I don’thaveto believe anything. You kidnapped me. You’re a fucking flying dragon. You probably breathe fire. You kidnapped me. In broad daylight. In Times fucking Square.” My voice got louder, more shrill with every word, until I was shouting. “Why should I believe anything you say to me ever again?”

Levi’s brow furrowed, and he tilted his head at me, all that sandy brown hair shifting along his back.

No, don’t you dare start thinking about anything remotely sexy.

“Izobelle, what happened? I get that I surprised you, and this isn’t at all how I envisioned telling you what I am, but I never thought you’d be scared of me. I won’t do what Viktor did to you. You’re safe with me. You always have been.”

Ugh. He didn’t have any right to act like I was somehow hurtinghimhere. He kidnapped me. He…

He hadn’t tried to do anything else.

Other than the fact that he could shift into a dragon, there wasn’t anything about him that made me scared.

I moved over to the coffee pot and picked up one of the mugs sitting in front of it before pouring myself a cup. There didn’t seem to be any cream or sugar out anywhere, but it wasn’t like this would be the first cup of black coffee I’d ever drank.

“What do you want with me?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Izobelle, I never would’ve dropped into Times Square like that, if it weren’t for the fact that someone had his sights on you. A fucking vampire, who would’ve finished what Viktor started. Or worse.”

He didn’t elaborate, and something about that made me shudder.

“I just want to keep you safe. You’re safe here.”

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