Page 28 of The Ruby Dragon's Unconventional Mate

“Call me if you need me, brother,” Bryant said.

His lynx, Jarrel, who hadn’t left his side all evening, rose and went with him.

Bryant sat and savored his cake, not wanting to let this moment end yet.

“Did you want another piece?” Lars asked him.

“Does that make me a piggie?”

“Oink? No, it makes you a dragon who I think must have run for miles today.”

Bryant flushed, but Lars knew he was right. Bryant had told him about the stress running. About how he liked the treadmill rather than running outside because it helped him think, gave him fewer things to make decisions about.

“Do I smell bad?” Bryant asked.

“No. You smell like soap. So I know you showered. But I also know how you deal with stress.”

“I used to call you.” Bryant said it matter-of-factly, and then he sighed. “I’m sorry. Did I say that?”

“You did.” He reached over to touch Bryant’s hand. “You can call me when you need to. Anytime. We can be friends, Bryant.”

“I want that, Lars. And I want to—” Bryant cut himself off. “You have no reason to believe anything I say. But I would love to explore other things. Slowly. Like you said. We could hurt each other.”

Lars sat back to cut another piece of cake, carefully slicing it and putting it on Bryant’s plate. Without dropping it. “Slowly. I can get behind that. So we’ll take it on advisement.”

Bryant grinned, grabbing the ice cream out of the bowl of ice it sat in and scooping up another serving. “I can live with that, Lars.” Then his eyes sparked ruby red for a moment, stealing Lars’s breath. “For now.”

Chapter

Ten

Lars! Brother, I need you!

Lars was up and flying in seconds, not even bothering to dress, his brother’s cry like a bolt of lightning. Two minutes.Dakota?

He’s hurting. Bleeding. The midwife is on her way. The twins are screaming.

He landed with a thud and shifted as he hurried in, Simon tossing him a robe. He threw it on and headed into the twins’ bedroom. “Hey, little ones.”

“Da!” Ari wailed, and Lars went right to the cribs.

“Hey, sweet girls. It’s all right. Da will be okay. Uncle Lars is here to help.”

Simon had raced back to help with Dakota, presumably, and he grabbed the twins, one on each hip as he crooned to them.

Lars? What is it?Byran’s mental voice was strong and alert.

Dakota’s having trouble. The twins are in hysterics.

I’ll come help any way I can.

Lachlan…

He’ll be fine.Bryant’s voice faded out, and he had a feeling his alpha was flying to him. Just like he had to Bryant when Lachlan fell.

Mari sobbed, inconsolable. “Da! Da! Da!”

“Shh. You’re just fine. Your da is just fine.”

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