Page 85 of Destiny of the Dragons

“We’re one or two signatures away,” he lied through his teeth. He’d been spending all his time with Mia and Smoke.

Mother hung up the phone, and silence descended inside the car.

He sighed. “I have to go.”

“Okay,” Mia said, smiling. She still looked worried, but he was glad she was making an effort.

He looked over at Smoke. “I’ll drop both of you off at Mia’s apartment?”

Smoke nodded, and Jace headed turned west. The mountains loomed in the distance and he thought about how nice it would be to take Mia flying. They could take turns letting her ride between their wings. She would love it.

“When do you think you’ll be done?” Mia ran her hand up his chest. “We have magic to perform.”

The sexy purr in her voice went straight to his cock, and he had to shift as his pants suddenly became too tight. “As soon as I can. I just can’t make her suspicious before telling her to shove it.”

“Of course. Smoke and I will just have to find something to do with ourselves in the meantime.”

Jace grinned. “Take pictures.”

He dropped his Treasure off at Mia’s apartment and pulled back into traffic with a sigh. Mia was closer to getting away from her nightmare of a mother, and he was happy about that.

But the thought of trying to find something big enough to make his mother let him left made his breath catch.

It was a stupid waste, him to try so hard to get back into the clan only to try and get out not even a year later.

But he couldn’t have his Treasure and fight his way to the top.

He silenced the fear that once he was out again Mia and Smoke would think less of him. They liked him before his clan, and they would like him after.

Even if he couldn’t give them everything they deserved.

Even if he felt lesser as a clanless dragon.

Smoke followed Mia into her apartment, box in hand. She was grinning ear to ear and seeing her so happy made him warm inside.

And terrified.

He wasn’t sure why there was an undercurrent of panic underneath his joy. If he had some time with Jace, maybe he could figure it out, but Jace was putting up a front that he was being a good little dragon.

Or Jace was having second thoughts about leaving his clan.

“Just set the box down in the corner,” Mia said. “I’m starving. Let’s make some food while we wait.”

“Sure.” He swallowed hard. She was flirting with Jace, so he was hoping she was in the mood for more sex. He was good at that and didn’t have to worry about doing the wrong thing.

For the most part. He’d accidentally upset Mia before, telling her she had nothing to prove. That should have been a good thing, but Mia still got upset before they worked things out.

“I’m going to make a chicken thing in the skillet, okay?” She looked over at him expectantly.

He nodded like his life depended on it. “Yes.”

He followed her into the kitchen. She pulled vegetables and chicken out of the fridge. Grateful to be doing something with his hands, he helped dice up veggies.

“I’m going to make a stir fry.”

Smoke nodded. His mother used to cook for him all the time, back when they were still low dragons. His mother wasn’t remotely in line to rule the clan, and she preferred it that way. His father had other ambitions, and it ruined them.

“Do you have mirin?” He asked.

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