Page 90 of Fated to the Grumpy Dragon
Rhyse grinned wickedly. “That’s not what you said last night.” He reached over my head to poke at the restraints dangling from the headboard.
“Lecherous, lecherous man,” I murmured on repeat. “I should’ve known better than to ever let you have my body.”
I didn’t even bother trying to keep the smile from my face as I said it.
He laughed. “Maybe I am,” he admitted. “But you reap the benefits.”
“That I do,” I acknowledged, sighing softly at the memories of the prior night’s activities. “Yes, I do.”
“I’d like you to have another benefit if you’re up for it,” he said.
“What’s that?” I frowned. “You’d better not have gone and gotten me something, Rhyse. I already lost you all your money.”
It was his turn to frown. “What are you talking about?”
“We’re poor, darling. Remember that part where Killian and his brown-nosers came here, ransacked the place, and took everything of value because I couldn’t stop them?”
Rhyse placed a finger to his lips. “You had nothing to do with that. That was me. And besides … that score has been settled.”
I tilted my head, focusing on the emotions he was giving off, trying to decipher just what they meant. “Rhyse.”
“Emma.”
“Justwherehave you been this morning?”
I knew he’d gone out while I’d dozed. But now I was beginning to think it hadn’t been for an early morning swim like he’d let me assume.
“I had to retrieve something,” he said defensively.
Lifting an eyebrow, I wordlessly invited him to continue.
A bolt of lightning flickered deep within one eye. “Something that was taken. Something that belongs to you.”
“Rhyse. Love. What did you do?” I asked.
“There were scores to settle,” he growled. “They’ve been settled.”
I sighed. “You threatened Killian if he didn’t give the necklace back. Didn’t you?”
Rhyse jerked as if he’d been stung. “I most certainly did not threaten him!”
I gave him myI’m not buying thisstare, and he looked right back.
“What happened, then? Because Iknowyou didn’t just ask him politely for it either,” I said. “I told you, I don’t need it back.”
“You like it. It was yours,” he said as if that was all that mattered.
“So, you didn’t ask him. And you’re sure you didn’t threaten him?”
“I pinky promise I didn’t do either of those things,” Rhyse said.
I just looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to drop the bomb.
“I took it from him,” he admitted at last.
“Just like that?”
“Mostly.” He shrugged. “If you ignore the ass-kicking I gave the three of them first.”
