Page 53 of Destiny of the Dragons

The dragon stepped in front of him. Smoke grabbed his collar and tossed him aside, putting more strength into it than he meant to.

The dragon hit the desk and then rolled to the ground. Smoke didn’t wait for him to recover before closing the door behind him. He followed the blueprint of the building he’d memorized, weaving through the various offices, break rooms, and supply closets, Jace’s scent getting stronger the further he went. Smoke opened the door to what had appeared to be a large walk-in closet on the schematics, but he knew how Jace liked to operate.

Sure enough, Jace was inside a large windowless room. It was beige with nothing but a chair inside.

A man was tied to the chair, a black eye already forming and bleeding from a split lip.

Jace’s fist was raised, ready to strike.

Smoke watched his former lover’s body for all his tell tale signs. Jace froze, everything locking in place before relaxing.

Next would come Jace’s smirk like he didn’t have a care in the world.

Jace turned around. He hadn’t aged a day in the ten months they had been apart, but something dark was on his face now.

Yeah, like a fucking dragon clan making you do all their dirty work.

Jace smirked. “Fancy meeting you here.”

Smoke leaned against the doorway. Any minute the little dragon receptionist would come running, and his back itched. But he’d prefer not to give away such emotion.

“Your receptionist was most insistent I didn’t come.”

Jace frowned. “Aww, you didn’t hurt him?”

There was that stupid bit of jealousy again. Smoke squashed it. It didn’t matter anymore if Jace took a lover, or three. Jace was no longer his.

He wouldn’t be here at all if it wasn’t dire. “No.”

Just in time, the dragon appeared down the hallway.

Smoke arched an eyebrow.

The dragon looked between them.

Jace smiled. “It’s fine, Zian. I’m okay.”

Zian gave Smoke the side-eye. “He wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

Jace gave him an unfriendly look. “I’m well aware.”

Zian held up a phone. “Security will be here soon.”

“It’s fine.” Jace grinned at him. “Smoke’s not going to hurt me. He just dropped by to chat and doesn’t have what you call people skills.”

Jace kept acting like they were old drinking buddies. Smoke didn’t expect that to hurt so badly, but by the dragon elders, his chest was caving in.

Zian shook his head. “So you’re fine?”

“Yep, I’m good. Go back to work.”

It didn’t seem like they were lovers, but maybe Smoke was wrong.

He didn’t have people skills, like Jace so crassly pointed out. Once upon a time, he allowed himself to rely on Jace for that.

Zian left, and Jace closed the door. “I’d offer you something to drink or a place to sit, but you decide to track me down in my interrogation room.”

Smoke didn’t reply. Jace was just talking to gather his thoughts, and didn’t need a response.

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