by Zoe Chant
“I like your team,” Journey said.
Lucas gave a wry chuckle. “You’re very forgiving. I should have warned you about them. They did something similar to Ellie. But I thought that was only because they care so much about Hal.”
“They care that much about you.”
“I know,” Lucas said, his voice roughening. “I know that now.”
Journey followed him out of the conference room where they’d had lunch. She thought he was going out, but he instead went into another office and sat down in front of an impressive-looking computer.
“Want to make sure that honorless thief you knew in Lummox never harms any woman again?” Lucas asked.
“Yes, of course,” Journey replied. “I did report him to the police. But no one knew his real name.”
“I don’t need to know his real name.” Lucas worked on the computer for several hours. Journey watched over his shoulder as he searched a series of police databases, occasionally asking her for more information or showing her photos. Every time, she had to regretfully shake her head.
Apologetically, Lucas said, “I’m not very skilled with computers. I didn’t use them at all until I was eighteen. I’ll give it another hour. If I can’t find him by then, I’ll ask one of the others for help. Not Hal. He didn’t grow up with computers either.”
Half an hour later, Journey spotted her ex. “That’s him!”
“Ah-ha.” Lucas pulled up another screen of information. “He’s moved on to Montana. And he hasn’t gotten away with everything; he’s in jail for credit card fraud. Let’s make certain he stays there.”
Journey watched him write a brief report tying her ex-boyfriend to multiple reports of theft in different states under different names, then email it to an FBI agent with a note that at least one of his victims would be willing to testify against him.
Lucas shut down the computer and stood up. “There. That should keep him in prison for at least the next ten years.”
Amazed, Journey exclaimed, “How did you do that? The police told me it would be impossible to track him down!”
“The Lummox police?”
“Yeah.” Realizing what he meant, she added, “Of course they didn’t find him. They don’t know how to catch anything but stray cows. I should have called the FBI— they’d have nabbed him years ago. I was so naïve!”
Lucas put his hand on her shoulder. “Nobody else thought of contacting the FBI, either. He seems to target women in small towns for exactly that reason— they report him to their local police stations, and the report never goes any farther. But he won’t get away this time.”
She thought of Duke Constantine, who had manipulated Lucas and Raluca for years. They were finally free, and he was locked away in a dungeon. “Better late than never.”
As they left the office room, she added, “Nice job with the computer. I don’t know what you mean, saying you’re not good with them.”
“Fiona taught me to use the system here. But I studied hard.”
“It paid off. Competence is very sexy.”
Lucas looked pleased as a cat with a saucer of cream. “Would you like to see the rest of what we do?”
“Absolutely!”
He showed her more offices, a private gym, and a room full of weapons and protective gear. Journey stared at the array of guns. It sank in for the first time that Lucas’s job was putting himself in harm’s way.
As if he had read her thought, he said, “I have never been wounded while working here. I promise you, I am much better at being a bodyguard than I am at using a computer.”
“I believe you. Besides, there’s the mate bond. If you ever do get in the sort of trouble where you need me, that voice will start yelling in my ear and I’ll come running.”
She expected Lucas to protest that he didn’t need protection and if he did get in trouble, she wouldn’t be able to help him anyway. Instead, he simply said, “Good. But in that case, you should take Shane up on his offer to teach you self-defense.”
Journey hesitated, recalling that chilling sense of danger. “Was he serious about that? I don’t know...”
“He was serious. If you’re not comfortable with him, any one of us could teach you. But Shane doesn’t often make such offers, and you could not learn from anyone better.” After a moment, Lucas added, “He taught me as well. He doesn’t teach like Grand Duke Vaclav, or I would not suggest it.”
“Oh.” Journey thought about it. “Okay, I’ll do it.”
It’s a whole new world, she thought. Martial arts lessons from a terrifying panther shifter bodyguard. Meeting Lucas’s friends. Living with Lucas. Being in love. She didn’t have to move around constantly to find new areas to explore and new things to learn.
He drove her back to his apartment in the sleek sports car that Destiny had left parked in the Protection, Inc. garage. She had expected his apartment to resemble his room in the palace, lavishly decorated with antique furniture, marble, and gold. Instead, it was spare and modern, even austere.
“Do you like this style or did you just not intend to stay for very long?” Journey asked.
“Both,” Lucas replied. “I may acquire a few more possessions now that I’m not expecting to be dragged away at any moment.”
“You should put up some pictures.”
“Perhaps you could help me select some,” Lucas suggested. “It’s your home too, now.”
The apartment reminded her of photos she’d seen of homes in Japan. She’d always wanted to go there. “Cities around the world?”
“Yes. I would like that.” Then he beckoned her farther in.
His bedroom was in the same style, but the bed looked soft and luxurious. Late afternoon sunlight filtered in through a window, dappling the white cover with gold.
Journey looked at the bed, then at Lucas. The air between them felt suddenly charged with sexual heat. Without even having been touched, her nipples hardened within the silk cups of her bra, and she felt herself starting to get wet.
Lucas had dressed in a tailored suit for the last leg of their trip back, and looked extraordinarily handsome in it. His black suit jacket made his hair even brighter by contrast. He was all covered up, with none of his dragonmarks showing and little of his gold. All she could see was the rings on his fingers and the chain around his throat, half-concealed by his shirt collar. She wanted to tear the suit off him, touch the heat of his naked body, press her skin to his—
“Outside of the jewelry shop, you made me a promise.” His voice was low, deepened with desire.
“I remember.” Journey knew what he wanted, and she didn’t mind delaying her own desires a little while. “Sit down and watch.”
Lucas sat on the bed, his amber eyes intent on her.
Journey began to strip for him. She lifted one foot to the bed and unbuckled her shoe, then switched feet and did it again. She’d never thought of her feet as a sexy part of her body, but Lucas leaned over and caressed first one, then the other, running his finger along the arch as if it was some fine piece of sculpture. His touch made her whole body tingle.
She was wearing a Brandusan blouse with crossed ribbons in the front. Journey undid the knots, then offered Lucas the end of one ribbon. He held it in his long-fingered hands, then gave it a tug. The blouse fell open. She undid her bra and shrugged her shoulders, and both blouse and bra slipped to the floor.
Lucas drew in his breath. Journey could almost feel his gaze on her skin, hot as summer sunlight, as he looked from her breasts to her belly to her dragon pendant. She loved the way he looked at her.
“You’re so beautiful,” he said. “Let me see the rest of you.”
She stepped out of her long skirt, leaving it in an indigo puddle on the floor, and then rolled off her panties. Journey stood nude before him, adorned with the jewelry he’d given her. A gold chain wound up her left forearm, emerald earrings dangled from her ears, rings sparkled on her fingers, and his dragon pendant nestled in the hollow of her throat. It was as if
he was already touching her, everywhere that his gifts to her rested, warm against her skin.
“You are my most precious treasure,” he whispered.
“And you’re mine,” Journey replied.
She couldn’t bear to stand apart from him any more. Journey dropped down to the bed, reaching out, desperate to touch him. He caught her in his arms and kissed her. The heat of his mouth and body made her feel like she was burning up. But it was the kind of fire that only made her want more heat.
She tugged off his suit jacket and fumbled with his shirt buttons, impatient to touch his skin. Caught up in her urgency, Lucas jerked at his shirt as well. Buttons popped off and went rolling across the floor. He tossed his shirt down to follow them, and then his shoes and pants.
Then they were naked together, stripped of all but their gold. The scars across Lucas’s chest had healed and gone, leaving nothing but his glittering dragonmarks. The heat from his body and the spicy scent of him lit a fire in her. They fell to the bed together, kissing and touching, frantic with desire. Everything about him dizzied her: the hot touch of his hands, the cool caress of his chains, the taste of his mouth, the smoothness of his skin, the hard rod of his erection pressing against her thighs.
Journey ran her tongue over the dragonmarks on his shoulder, following its pattern. Lucas inhaled sharply, his hands clenching on her shoulders.
“Are they sensitive?” she asked.
“Ah— yes,” he managed. “Yes, a little.”
“Only a little?” she teased.
He gave her a plaintive glance. “Don’t stop.”
She returned her attention to them, kissing and licking as if she was painting them on anew, enjoying Lucas’s reactions. When she finished tracing the dragonmarks on his belly, she wriggled downward to taste him in another sensitive area, licking around his shaft, then taking him in her mouth. Lucas gasped, his eyes falling shut, his fists clenched.
“I—” he gasped. “I— Please—”
Those were the last coherent words Lucas got out. She sucked hard and flicked her tongue over the swollen head, and then he was unable to do anything but moan. His whole body was shaking, helpless in the grip of sensation. Journey loved the clean taste of him, the touch on her tongue of soft skin over rock-hard flesh, and seeing how she could make someone so cool lose control.
He suddenly pushed her away. Startled, Journey looked down at him as he gasped for breath, visibly trying to collect himself.
“Sorry,” he said at last. “I was about to come. I didn’t want to finish so soon. I would’ve told you to stop, but I couldn’t get any words out.”
Journey grinned. “I think I’m flattered.”
“You should be.”
Then Lucas pounced, tumbling her over on to her back. He kissed her breasts, his tongue licking at her nipples like a caress of flame, and then Journey was the one to moan. She moaned again when he reached down between her legs and touched her slick heat, rubbing at her sensitive folds and swollen clit, sending her to the brink of orgasm.
Then he raised himself over her. His face was flushed, his eyes bright as gold. She opened her legs to him, eager to have him inside her. He thrust himself into her, making her gasp with pleasure. His fingers were still on her clit as he thrust inside her, stimulating her everywhere. Journey moaned, then screamed, as out of control as Lucas had been a moment ago.
She felt the hot jet as he came inside her, and then her own climax transported her. For a timeless moment, she knew nothing but sheer ecstasy, bright as the sun. Then she slowly drifted back to reality, and found herself clasped tight in Lucas’s warm embrace.
I’m home, Journey thought. Wherever I travel, wherever we go, this will always be my home. Here, in Lucas’s arms.
His hair clung to his forehead, darkened with sweat. Journey’s was curling into damp ringlets. He lifted his hand and idly toyed with one, twisting it around his finger. For a while they kissed and stroked each other’s skin, enjoying the afterglow.
Then Lucas spoke. “Before I left, Hal was talking about expanding the operations of Protection, Inc.”
“Uh-huh...?” Journey said lazily. It seemed an odd subject to bring up immediately after making love.
“For international assignments.”
That caught her interest. “Oh!”
Lucas smiled. “I thought you’d like that. I was thinking that I could take those, and if it was possible for you to come with me, you could explore while I work. We might not be able to see each other often— or at all— while I’m on assignment. But once it’s done, we could stay for a while afterward.”
“That’s fine,” she assured him. “I’m used to traveling alone. I’ll just save the best areas for when you can join me.”
“That would suit me as well.” Lucas kissed her, then asked, “Would you ever wish to visit Lummox? I know you don’t like it. But you have family there. And you’ve already met mine...”
A few months ago, Journey would have recoiled in horror at the thought of returning to Lummox. Now, she said, “Yeah, you should meet my parents. And the rest of the town. It’ll be fun to introduce you to everyone who called me stupid and naïve and all that stuff.”
“Wear all your jewelry,” Lucas suggested, smiling.
“I will. And I’d love to go back to Brandusa some day. Though I don’t know if you would.”
“I think I’ll enjoy it more as a tourist.” Lucas touched her dragon pendant, then trailed his fingers upward to her lips. “I’ll fly you there on dragonback. In the summer, when we can taste the forbidden fruit.”
A note from Zoe Chant
Thank you for reading my book! I hope you enjoyed it. I’ll write more stories about Protection, Inc., but I haven’t decided who should star in my next book. Can you help me figure it out? If you know whose story you’d like to see next, please leave a comment in an Amazon review, or else email me. Your votes last time helped me decide to have Lucas star in this book.
If you’d like to be emailed when I release my next book, please click here to be added to my mailing list. If you have any trouble getting on the mailing list or would just like to tell me something, please email me.
Please review Defender Dragon, even if you only write a line or two. I love hearing what my readers think.
In case you missed it, page down to read an excerpt of the first book in the Protection, Inc. series, Bodyguard Bear.
The cover of Defender Dragon was designed by Augusta Scarlett.
More Paranormal Romance by Zoe Chant
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The Billionaire Dragon Shifter’s Mate. A BBW in search of adventure + a dragon shifter in search of a mate + a mishap on a mountainside = one sparkling and sexy story!
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Bear Watching. BBW park ranger + bear shifter smokejumper + a lonely fire-watcher's post = one red-hot fire between the sheets!
Bear Down. BBW biologist + bear shifter pilot + huddling for warmth in the wilderness = one blazing-hot story!
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Wild Flight. A BBW burned by love + a hot eagle shifter who's ready to dare + wild passion on a stormy night = a love that was meant to be!
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