Not His Dragon by Annie Nicholas Read Free Book Online Page B

“But I asked Ken, not you, to accompany me.”
    “Ken’s busy with a flea bath. I offered to replace him.”
    “Out of the kindness of your heart?”
    He ran his fingertips along her chin. “You own my heart.”
    She jerked away. “Don’t give me that bullshit. Shifter hearts don’t have room for humans. Our relationship is good the way it is.”
    “Which is?”
    “You’re my client.” She stepped out of Ryota’s reach. “Please, go home.”
    “You’re brave enough to go to the dragon’s alone?” He didn’t budge.
    “I’m fine. When you abandoned me with Eoin, he kept his word and didn’t eat me.” Ryota had enough alpha testosterone coursing through his blood to have resisted Eoin’s demands for him to leave. If it had been Beth who the dragon had wanted privacy with, Angie was sure the fur and scales would have flown. “He was a gentleman today.” She ignored the memory of Eoin sniffing her and the image of Eoin wearing his wet transparent dress shirt, the way it had clung to the hard muscles hidden beneath… Oh, baby…
    She shook her head. Honestly, Eoin had better worry about her. Not the other way around.
    Angie returned Ryota’s glare. Ken would have been a more reliable ride. What if there was a pack emergency? She didn’t want to be abandoned at the castle all night long. She didn’t trust herself to be good.
    Ryota pressed his lips together. “You’re mad at me.”
    “No shit.” She stabbed his chest with the tip of her fingernail, drawing blood. “You left me alone with a dragon. He could have barbequed me and had me for a snack.”
    “You just said you trusted him!”
    “I do now, but at that time, I’d just fucking sprayed him in the eyes with goddamn pepper spray. Who knows what he would have done?”
    “What would you have had me do?” Ryota snarled in her face. “Would you have had me fight him for you? He would have won and left my pack leaderless.” He ran his fingers through his thick black hair. “I’m a gnat to him. He really wouldn’t have hurt you. I smelled his honesty.”
    She glared at him. He was too big and strong for her to manhandle out of her apartment. Her jaw ached from clenching her teeth. She’d been around werewolves long enough to understand the way they thought. Their relationships were part possession. She might have walked away from Ryota but he hadn’t walked away from her. Shit, that’s what Ken meant.
    If she let him win and take her to Eoin’s, then he’d try to bulldoze his way in other areas of her life.
    “Look.” She bowed her head and rested her hands on her hips so she didn’t try strangling him. “I’m not sure how to act. I mean, I’m an itsy-bitsy part shifter but I don’t think it’s werewolf and I definitely don’t have the instincts to guide me in this situation.” She glanced up at him.
    He stood quietly, his eyes still human. All good signs.
    “What do you want from me, Ryota?”
    He tilted his head to the side. “To drive you to the castle.” He pointed to the clock on her wall. “We’re going to be late.”
    She tossed her hands in the air. “You taking me up to Eoin’s will give him the impression we’re still together. We’re not.” She should have shouted louder. Her landlord, who lived in the basement, probably hadn’t heard. He’d feel left out. Why did she care what Eoin thought? Except she liked the way he said her name and the way his body heat enveloped her when he stood near.
    “I doubt the dragon will care.” Ryota gave her a small push toward the door. “Are you going to do this the hard way or the easy way?”
    “I can’t go dressed like this.”
    He eyed her, his gaze slowing over her breasts. “You look fine to me.”
    “I’m not going with you. I’ll take a taxi.” She waved him to the door.
    “So the hard way. Why am I not surprised?” He lifted her by the hips and tossed her over his shoulder.
    “Put me down.” Angie pounded on his back.
    “Oh baby, you know how I