Page 29 of Burned By Love

“He’s not going to let Jonathan go,” Austin said.“I’d tell you to stay away from Sal, but he won’t let you.From what I know about him, he has to hate the fact that Jonathan got away from him, and now, Jonathan’s dating another dragon shifter.He needs to prove that he’s better than you.”

West snorted.“That’s going to be impossible because he’s not.”

“Most people know that, but even though he’s not better, heisdangerous.He has his father’s support, and that’s not a good thing.The man’s rich and powerful, West.”

He might be, but he was also a dragon shifter and a leader.He wouldn’t allow his son to out them to the world, which meant he’d try to keep him under control.That didn’t mean Sal wouldn’t do something stupid, but West was a dragon shifter, too.He could defend Jonathan in whatever form he needed to.He was sure he’d win.He was strong because of his job, and it would come in handy if Sal did anything stupid.

And West suspected that he would.

* * * *

JONATHAN COULDN’T STOPsmiling.Was he worried about Sal and his threats?Yes, of course he was.He’d spent too much time with Sal not to be worried about whatever the man was up to.It was hard to focus on that when everything else was going so well, though.

West was a dream come true, a dream that Jonathan hadn’t known he could have.The perfect man didn’t exist, but if Jonathan had to think of one, he’d say that West came pretty close.

West never pushed.He understood what Jonathan had gone through with Sal, and he always gave him the time and space he needed.He didn’t insist on them going out when it was clear that Jonathan was more comfortable staying in.Jonathan had thought it might be awkward, especially because he wasn’t ready for West to see his apartment yet, but West had taken it in stride, and they’d spent their last few dates on West’s couch.

Jonathan wanted more.He was terrified, and even though he and West were dating, he was keeping West at arm’s length.He couldn’t help it, but he wanted to change that.He wanted to let West in.He wanted them to grow closer and to kiss—and more.He wanted them to go on a date without having to fear that Sal would find them.

He wanted many things, and he thought he was ready for them.He hoped he was because he didn’t want to go back to what his life had been before West came into it.

He hummed as he got everything ready for his next appointment.He was a little early, but that was okay.It meant he would have time to draw a little, which was something he barely had time to do these days.Between the shop, spending time with West, and hiding from Sal, Jonathan hadn’t had time to focus.

When he heard the front door of the shop open, he didn’t think anything of it.It was early for his customer, but Daniela, Christy, and Ethan were working today, too.Whoever was there had to be in the shop for one of them.

Jonathan realized he was wrong when he heard raised voices.

It was like the air got punched out of his lungs.He heard that voice in his nightmares, and he always would.He wished he’d never had to hear it again, but unfortunately, Sal had taken it upon himself to make his life hell.

Jonathan wanted to ask why, but he knew.Sal was angry because Jonathan had left him.Nobody left him, but especially not a human Sal didn’t think much of.He might have wanted Jonathan in his bed, but he’d never had any intention of keeping Jonathan in his life.It had taken Jonathan way too long to accept that, but eventually, he had.Knowing that Sal didn’t care about him had given Jonathan the last push he’d needed to leave, and he truly thought he’d made it out.

He hadn’t.Sal was trying to drag him back down, and Jonathan didn’t know how to stop it from happening.He couldn’t run to West every time Sal tried something, but he desperately wanted to.West was a dragon shifter, and he would defend Jonathan.

But West was at work, and Jonathan needed to deal with this like he would with anything else.

Alone.

“I swear to God, if you take one more step toward that hallway, I’m calling the cops,” Christy threatened.

Sal’s laughter wasn’t a nice sound.It seeped into Jonathan’s brain, making him want to run the other way.He might have if he’d been alone, but he didn’t want to leave Christy with Sal.He didn’t think Sal would hurt her, but he wouldn’t put it past him to do it, and he wasn’t willing to risk it.

“What are you doing here?”he asked as he left his workroom before he could think better of it.

His hands shook, so he pushed them into his pockets.He didn’t want Sal to see how scared he was of him.He didn’t want Sal to know that every time he heard his voice, he still wanted to run away screaming.

Sal stood by the shop door.He looked good, as always, but now, Jonathan could see beneath the surface.Sal might be wearing an expensive suit and look like he just stepped off a runway, but inside, he was rotten.He was black and twisted, and that would never change.Sal didn’twantto change.He saw nothing wrong with who and what he was.

There was nothing good in him, unlike in West.Jonathan couldn’t believe how lucky he’d been to meet West, and he didn’t want Sal to ruin everything.He seemed bent on doing just that, though.

The smile he gave Jonathan when he saw him made Jonathan want to run away screaming.Fear prickled his skin, but he squared his shoulders and glared at his ex-boyfriend.

What had he ever seen in Sal?He supposed that initially, he’d been impressed by how handsome Sal was and maybe by how rich he was, too.It wasn’t every day that someone could take him on day trips wherever he wanted and buy him food he could only ever have dreamed of.It hadn’t only been the money, though.Sal had been smooth and sweet.He’d known exactly what to say.He’d been trapping Jonathan, and as soon as he had him, he’d closed his trap around him.He’d thought Jonathan would never be able to leave.

Jonathan was stronger than anyone thought, including himself and Sal.He’d made it out, and he was rebuilding his life.He wouldn’t allow Sal to burn it to the ground again.

“You heard her,” he said.“If you don’t leave, we’ll call the cops.”

“I see you found your balls.Is it thanks to your new boyfriend?”

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