Page 54 of The Dragon Recruit
“Ask you what?”
“Oh, come on, Iris. You’re burning to ask me about Antony. He’s nowhere near as brilliant as me, of course, but he’s still a great catch.”
“I see that cockiness runs in the family.”
“It’s not cocky if it’s true.”
She snorted. “You twoaremore alike than I’d realized.”
“Your window to ask questions is going away in three, two?—”
“And you’re back to being annoying.” Max shrugged, held up three fingers, and started counting down again. So she blurted, “How are you so close, given the age difference?”
He frowned. “Antony didn’t tell you? Well, that is rather personal and you can ask him about the details. All I’ll say is that he raised me once our parents died.”
“So you’re giving me just enough to be interested, so I’ll ask your brother?”
“That’s the plan. Is it working?”
She shook her head. “How about we discuss your survey plans instead?”
Max sighed. “You’re no fun, but fine. What do you want to know?”
And as Max went over his plans for Birkwood Castle, Iris kept wanting to ask more about Antony raising Max. Especially since Antony had gone through a lot of tragedy with his ex-fiancée, and now she’d learned of this. Had he suffered even more when his parents died? Most likely after losing his female, given the ten or so years between Antony and Max.
Her dragon spoke up.At least we had our parents.
Iris had often been irritated by her mum and dad. Her mother had wanted her to attend university, maybe even become a doctor, but Iris had never wanted that future. Her father had been slightly more understanding, but still had wanted her to do something less dangerous than clan security.
However, just thinking of them dying in her early twenties made her heart squeeze.
More than ever, she wanted to finish this bloody investigation, rescue Zoe, and have the time to learn more aboutAntony Holbrook and see if he could be a male she trusted not to hurt her.
Chapter Seventeen
Antony had just finished talking with Dr. Turner about the gas released in the street when a key turned in the lock of the flat’s door. This place had an outer door and a series of inner door “flats” that were dummies. And since only a handful of people had access via the palm print scanner outside his location, he didn’t reach for the weapon in his lap.
Max walked through, with Iris right behind him, and Antony relaxed. “I hope you’re not expecting me to cook, Max.”
His brother grinned and came to meet him. “You’re a shite cook, anyway.” He raised some bags. “I nabbed us some food, so we don’t starve. Because Iris said whilst she can cook, she’s not going to.”
Antony finally met Iris’s gaze, and a mixture of relief and desire rushed through him. He’d hated not being able to meet her in the forest. He was aware that she could take care of herself, and yet, after talking with Dr. Turner, Antony was a teensy bit more worried about their enemies.
Iris cleared her throat and moved to stand next to Max. “Aye, well, I’d rather work on finding Zoe and the others. Please tell me you have some news. Max didn’t find much today during hisinitial walk around Birkwood Castle, and I need to think about something other than dirt layers and what they mean.”
Antony quirked an eyebrow at his brother. “The obsessed archaeologist came out again, then?”
His brother shrugged and headed toward the small kitchen. “It’s what they expect of me. Besides, like Iris said, I didn’t find much.” He put one of the bags on the counter and then went to stand by the door. “However, I don’t need to hear all the details. To be honest, it’s probably safer for me if I don’t. Have a nice dinner, you two. Maybe light a candle or two to set the mood.”
Max winked and exited the room before Antony could scold him.
He’d told his blasted brother not to interfere. But then again, Max didn’t always listen if he thought he knew better.
Something else they had in common.
Iris unpacked the food, and he went to help. For about a minute, they worked in silence. But it wasn’t strained. No, it was more…domestic and comfortable and something he’d once dreamed of having, but thought that had died with Lisa.
He envisioned him and Iris living together, doing this every night, and he smiled. Iris’s voice broke through his dreams. “Why are you smiling at me like that?”
