Page 21 of Dragon Rivals of New York

The sound of Jethro’s laugh tickles my neck as he spins me around to face Kyro. “You’d be surprised.” Pressing into my back, he walks me forward until the tips of my shoes touch Kyro’s bare feet. “I love when women run for me.”

I shudder, imagining Jethro chasing me through the woods. My heart beat picks up, already fast from the drums and the arousal coursing through me.

“Only if they want to, of course,” Jethro says against my neck. “Do you want to run for us, lovely?”

I nod slowly. After my divorce, I started reading romance novels, and I’ve read one or two where the women were chased. They always made my heart pound, the adrenaline heightening the tension. It’s on my secret list of things I’ve been curious to try.

“Good. Because we want to chase you.” He presses against me, pushing me all the way into Kyro, trapping me with Kyro’s hard length at my stomach and Jethro’s right at the upper curve of my ass. I’m so hot, I feel like I just stepped into a sauna.

Kyro tilts my chin. My giant, always seeking eye contact. “And you’re okay with us fucking you when we catch you?”

I nod again.

“If I find her first,” Jethro says, “you fuck me while I fuck her.”

“Hell no!” Kyro steps away from Jethro and me.

“Have you never been with a man before, Ky? I thought you’d–”

“I’ve been with men. I’m not opposed to that. It’s being withyou.” He spits out the last word like poison.

Maybe this is a bad idea. Pitting them against each other won’t help with their jealousies and petty rivalries.

“I don’t want this to be a competition.” I slip to the side, out from between them. “Find me, and you can both fuck me.”

Without looking back, I run straight for the trees. I can’t believe I just said that. I can’t believe I’m doing this.

“One,” Kyro’s voice booms.

My heels stick in the dirt, so I leave them behind.

“Two,” Jethro calls.

My bare feet hit the ground hard, speeding up. I trip as I enter the forest, stumbling over a branch, but I catch myself on a thin tree before I hit the ground.

“Three,” Kyro says.

My gaze bounces around as I run. I need to find somewhere to hide. There’s no chance of outrunning them for long.

“Four,” Jethro yells.

I skirt the edge of the clearing, not wanting to get too far, but not wanting to be caught yet either. Not that I don’t like the idea of what will happen when they catch me.

“Five.” Kyro’s voice.

Apparently, they can work together when it comes to counting. My silk dress snags on a branch, and I yank it free with enough force that it tears. The rip goes clear up my thigh. Cold air hits my heated skin, but does nothing to cool me off.

“Six,” Jethro whoops.

I’ve put some distance between us, so his voice isn’t as loud now, but it’s not enough. I’m not sure why I don’t want them to find me right away, but I don’t. Maybe it’s a competitive streak, maybe a desire to prove myself, or maybe I’m just suddenly getting cold feet, but I run as if my life depended on it.

“Seven.” Kyro.

I slow down, making my steps quieter and trying to not leave tracks as I circle back around to the clearing on theside farthest from the temple. I can barely hear the drums here, but they’re still there, if I listen closely. Through the trees, I can just barely spot Jethro and Kyro’s silhouetted figures.

“Eight,” Jethro yells with a whoop. “Almost there, lovely. Are you ready?”

I dash toward a massive fallen log surrounded by a little group of bushes. It’s perfect. Panting, I hunch down, almost crawling beneath the log. Branches pull at my hair. Dirt stains my knees. My chest heaves, heart so loud in my ears I almost don’t hear Kyro yell, “Nine!”

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