Page 45 of Dragon's Code

Her crying is silent, but I can feel it racking her body. “Athena, talk to me.”

“Why did you give it to me?”

“For all the reasons I said, and because it belongs to you.”

“Why?”

“Athena–” I can’t say the words. They’re lodged in my throat.

“Is it because I’m not a dragon? Is it because I’m not as beautiful as Jasmine?”

I scoff, “Jasmine isn’t beautiful. Everything about her is fake. I certainly would never call her a goddess.”

She sniffles and laughs a little. “You call me that because of my namesake, Kashy.”

I give her a tight squeeze. “Never call me that again. I call you my goddess because you’re far too amazing to be merely human.”

“What are the dragons’ problems with humans?”

“That’s not how I meant it. I don’t have an issue with humans at all. I’ve always liked them. That’s why I was excited to talk to you when I found you in Central Park.”

“Okay, so what about your Elders and other dragons? Jasmine clearly thinks we’re scum.”

“Stop giving a fuck about Jasmine. She means nothing to me. We’re not even friends. I’ve always found her obnoxious. I don’t know how the heartstone is working, but it’s not real. Something else is going on. I just can’t prove it right now.”

Athena’s body has submitted to my grip on her, but I know she’s still warring with me in her mind. She doesn’t understand and frankly, I don’t know how to make her understand without telling the truth. And I can’t tell her the truth. As much as I would love to believe that everything would work out, I just can’t ask that of her. Not after everything she’s been through.

It’s still the right thing to do, right?

“Please stop packing and stay with me. Let me try to make sense of all this.”

Athena gives me a slow nod. “But then we’re going to have to talk about the kiss, Kash.”

My moment of weakness. Touching her. Having her close. My desire getting too strong. My possessiveness aching to claim her so that she’s mine forever.

Maybe we could compromise. Maybe there was a way for us to get part of what we want without having to create pain.

I slowly ease my grip on her and step back so she can turn around. Her beautiful warm tawny skin is flushed with pink in her cheeks and on her chest.

She turns around slowly, her eyes flickering to me then away like she’s embarrassed or something. I cup her cheek and lift her gaze to mine.

“I never wanted you to know how I feel about you. I never wanted you to know that I was a dragon shifter. The reason why is because I never wanted to put you in danger.”

“Danger. Right. That just keeps coming around, doesn’t it? I’ve been trying to keep myself safe and locked away from the world since I was fifteen years old, Kash. And now I have a stalker ex-boyfriend who may possibly be a fae with ulterior motives.” She throws her hands up in the air and storms over to the window. “Keeping me safe sounds like such a joke. I could die crossing the street tomorrow. So I don’t leave my house. But then the outside invades my house and I flee to Las Vegas of all places. Because you’re the one person who makes me feel safe, even when I’m not.”

She turns around and drops her hands to her side like she has nothing more to say. “You never showed interest in me. With all the girls fawning all over you in college who were perfect sorority girls with blonde hair, big boobs, and would happily spread their legs for the all star football team. And look at how Jasmine’s heartstone lights up for you. She may not be blonde, but she definitely has the big boobs and sorority attitude. Why on earth would I stand a chance against women like that? I’m a pain in the ass, too independent, could stand to lose weight, I’m paranoid, and—”

“And nothing. If any of the men you’ve dated have said any of that bullshit then they weren’t good enough for you anyway.”

“Then who is? Is there another dragon you think is good enough for me? What about another shifter?”

I growl and take a step forward. “Stop it.”

“Stop what?” she says defiantly.

“Stop trying to piss me off.”

She pushes out her hand in front of me, keeping me from closing in the distance. “Kashton, you’re making me crazy. You can’t have me, so no one will?”

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