Page 18 of The Ruby Dragon's Unconventional Mate

Did he really need to be here? No. He couldn’t stop himself from looking at Lars, and that pale face and those flashing eyes spoke of a dragon scorned.

Yeah, he could just go.

“Call me when you need me to come back for you, Lach.” He stood, nodding at the assembled guardians.

“Running away, huh?” That was Bea.

“As you said, Lachlan doesn’t need my help to be a guardian.” And he felt—at a loss. Deflated. Totally in the wrong somehow just for trying to do something right.

And he knew he’d hurt Lars. He just didn’t know what to do about it now. He had no shovel to dig his ass out of the dirt.

So, he took a deep breath, bowed his head again, and swept past Lars and Jake, his shoulders back and his head up. He wasn’t going to beg for anything.

Not even from his damn brother.

They could all just meet without him.

Chapter

Seven

“So, are you really going to leave?”

Amber plopped down on Lars’s couch, her mug of cinnamon and cardamom tea in hand. His ferret, Slippy, hopped into her lap. She hadn’t brought Teaball with her, but she always had treats for the familiars.

“I don’t know. The upshot of the meeting was if I leave, so do Lachlan and Bryant.” Lars sighed. “And I can tell Lachlan is here for a reason. Something awful clearly happened to him.”

“Yeah. I’ve heard some tales, but I have yet to go to supper.”

Lars snorted. “I bet no one gets invited now.”

“Are you going to talk to him?” She stared at him, her eyes kind of glowing.

“Lachlan? I told you, he was very nice at the meeting.”

“No, honey. I mean his brother. The one who has you all tied up in knots.”

“I have tried. Twice. Both times were spectacular failures. I mean, he flat-out said we’re not mates.”

She waved a hand, her bangle bracelets clanking together. “How long did I deny that Mari and I were mates because I thought I might want to be a guardian someday?”

His cheeks heated. He’d thought about that, actually. What if Bryant was just too…stupid? Silly? Utterly foolish? To know or to admit that they were supposed to be doing the mate bond thing? And did Lars care?

Because he really had things to do.

“Anyway, I told Logan I would stay on. For now.” He nibbled a cookie. Simon had sent a whole bag home with him.

“Oh, good.” She beamed at him. “I want to read your tea leaves.”

“What? No. I don’t need that.” Amber’s readings could be exhausting. Edifying. Terrifying. He would rather not.

“But you do. I think you need some clarity.”

“Save that for Bryant.” He gave her a beaming smile, covering up his worry as he always did.

“I intend to give him a good talking to as well. But you first.” She winked, her fake eyelashes flipping. “You’re my favorite.”

“I thought that was Dakota.”

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