Page 4 of The Dragon's Surprise
Don’t start.
Why not? She’s pretty, and definitely has some backbone, if her emails are anything to go by. And you need that.
Alarm bells rang inside his head, and Kyle released the female quickly. She stumbled slightly, but regained her balance. He forced his voice to be calm and detached as he asked, “Alexis Sakamoto, I presume?”
Her dazed look faded away, replaced with a scowl. “Yes. And you, Dr. Baker, are in some trouble.”
His dragon laughed, but Kyle ignored him. “As I’m sure you know, I didn’t know about the child’s existence. So what am I in trouble for?”
“Ignoring me for two weeks. Two weeks where that boy has been alone and scared and trying to understand what to do with his inner dragon. It’s all new to him, and frightening. I’ve done what I could, but I’m not a dragon-shifter.” She walked over and poked him in the chest. “You need to help him. And quickly.”
Ignoring the heat that flared at her touch, he narrowed his eyes. “My clan will help him, of course. But I only found out that this boy existed half an hour ago. Give me a little grace.”
“Why? You’re the one who slept with a human, knew this could happen, and now you have to be the adult and face the consequences.”
“I am an adult, one responsible for the health of the entire clan. Are you saying they don’t matter?”
“Of course I’m not saying that! But as soon as you put your dick into someone, you were possibly signing up for this.”
She gasped and slapped a hand over her mouth, clearly mortified.
On a better day, maybe when he hadn’t just found out he had a son, or hadn’t nearly lost a patient in the morning, he would’ve been more diplomatic.
But his usual restraint snapped, and he moved closer, lowering his head toward her. “So you’ve been celibate yourwhole life, then? Or were you embracing possible motherhood every time someone fucked you?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Kyle regretted it. What the hell was wrong with him?
His dragon spoke up.She knows how to break your carefully constructed walls. Good.
Stepping back, he murmured, “I’m sorry. That was uncalled for.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and nodded. “It was.” She unfolded her arms. “But I was also out of line, so I’m sorry. It’s just been tough because Ethan is kind and curious and is constantly wondering why his mother left him. And as someone who was abandoned at an early age—when my mother left my sister and I at our grandmother’s house one night, never to return—it’s become rather personal. More so than the ones who are surrendered as babies, with no memory of their birth moms.”
At the vulnerable look in her eyes, Kyle wondered if she’d planned to share that much. But at least her overreaction and anger made a lot more sense now. After taking a deep breath, he asked, “Shall we start over? I’ll help with what I can, but I also want what’s best for the boy. As the sole doctor here, I’m not sure me taking him in and raising him is it. Even now, I barely have enough time to sleep.”
Tilting her head, she studied him a few beats before replying, “I get that, but please, at least meet him. I didn’t tell Ethan that his father is here, just that he’d stay with MirrorPeak and learn how to handle his inner dragon from other dragon-shifters.”
“You didn’t tell him about me?”
She rolled her eyes. “Of course not. I wouldn’t get his hopes up like that. This is far from my first rodeo, Dr. Baker.”
His dragon spoke up.Just meet the boy. We need to help him, if nothing else. Because if he can’t handle his inner dragon, it won’t end well.
You know I don’t teach the young ones how to handle their inner beasts.
Maybe not, but we all went through it. Besides, you’ll need to examine him and run tests soon, to make sure he’s healthy since the human doctors might’ve missed something. The less anxious he is around you, the better.
I know what you’re doing. But don’t expect anything, dragon, because I don’t have time for anything but being a doctor.
His beast sniffed.I didn’t say anything.
Resisting a sigh, Kyle replied to the human, “Fine. But don’t share that I’m his father because I’m not. Not in any of the ways it matters.”
“Very well. But one last thing before I take you to Ethan—I’m staying with your clan for at least two weeks, to ensure Ethan transitions well into MirrorPeak’s care, and I’ll be watching you.”
His dragon spoke up.Good. I like her. Maybe we can rile her some more. That was fun.
Behave, dragon.
