Page 32 of The Dragon Recruit
And yet, it was harder than usual for him to push aside the memories. He’d made a fatal mistake by letting Iris in, even a little.
He’d just have to try harder at keeping his distance.
But then Iris took his hand.
As soon as Antony had stopped on the side of the road, closed his eyes, and leaned his head back against the headrest, Iris snapped out of her shock and reached for his hand. He tried to bat her away, but she was stubborn and eventually gripped his fingers in hers.
The fight drained out of him, and she tried to imagine finding someone she loved, like her parents, lying on the floor with their throats slit and a message written on the wall in their blood.
Right here, right now, Antony was just a male. Not the bloke who teased her or irritated her or made her heart race. Just a miserable human who blamed himself for the past.
Her dragon spoke up.He needs us right now. Don’t fight it.
Given how Antony now clung to her hand like his life depended on it, Iris couldn’t deny it.I’m not sure what I can do.
Yes, you do.
“Antony.”
He rubbed his free hand down his face. “It’ll take me some time to coordinate a ride home to your clan. But I just need a few minutes first.”
“What the bloody hell are you talking about?”
His eyes shot open, and he turned toward her. “You can’t still want to work with me, Iris.”
“And here I thought you weren’t the type of male to tell me what I should think, aye?”
His brows came together. “You can’t be rejoicing that I was a stupid young man who let my ego and pride get in the way and kill a sweet, innocent woman.”
“If I were celebrating that, then I’d worry about myself, aye?”
“Iris,” he growled.
She gripped his hand tighter. “Look, we all do stupid shite sometimes. And whilst aye, yours was more extreme, it’s done. We can’t change the past, only work on doing better in the future. And seeing as how you’ve dedicated over twenty years to this Wicked Security team, I think you’ve been doing the best you can.”
He finally managed to shake her hand off and instead gripped the steering wheel. “Maybe. But if I’m not careful, they could murder you, too.”
“Look at me, Antony Holbrook.” He did, and she continued, “I never knew your Lisa, but did she have training with the British Army? Spend over a decade working with a dragon security team? Face dragon hunters and Dragon Knights and live to tell the tale?”
“No, but?—”
“I’m not done. I can protect myself. Aye, sometimes I need help, and I ask for it, as much as I don’t like it. But I’ve faced a lot of dangers since I was eighteen, and I’ve made it to nearly thirty. There’s always a risk I won’t survive to the next mission, and I accept that. But I push on because protecting my clan and my parents is everything. However, if you doubt that, if you don’t believe in me, then maybe we should part ways. Because I’ve dealt with plenty of males underestimating me in the past, even one that supposedly loved me, and I won’t put up with it again.”
Fuck.Had she really said that?
Her dragon spoke up.I think because he shared his past, and now you want to share yours.
Quiet, dragon.
Antony’s voice prevented her beast from replying. “I picked you to be my partner for this mission for a reason, Iris—I trust you to watch my back. So don’t ever bloody think Iunderestimate you. You’re talented and brilliant and amazing. Shall I go on?”
She turned toward him and blinked at how close his face was to hers. The fire flashing in his eyes said he meant it, too.
And the small crack around her heart doubled in size. “No. I-I believe you.”
Time slowed as they stared at one another. For a second, she thought Antony might lean in and kiss her.
But then he cleared his throat and retreated. Before she could process her disappointment, he said, “If you think I’m not going to ask about the arsehole who underestimated you in the past, the one who most definitely didn’t deserve your love, then you don’t know me at all.”
