by Amelia Jade
The bear coming down the ice slide took one look at what he was up against and immediately began clawing at the ramp, trying to stop himself.
Ivore snatched him up in his jaws, flicked his head, and sent the mangled body hurtling back up into the broken window from which it had come.
Then he breathed a cone of pure ice in the same direction. Windows exploded and shrieks of pain and agony filled the four-sided courtyard. Ivore didn’t stop there. He filled the top levels of the building completely. The ice made a shrieking-like noise as he spewed it everywhere, adding to the power of the moment. Ivore didn’t care who saw him. He was making a statement to anyone and everyone involved with Malkin.
Leave him and his mate alone. Or else.
Finally satisfied that he’d made his point he stopped, shifting back into his human form as great icicles hung from the upper levels of the building, structural supports groaning under the added weight of tons of frigid ice. Particles of snow and chips of ice filled the interior, swirling around slowly in the mild breeze that always seems to occupy such closed-off places. Somewhere in the distance a siren sounded.
“Okay, time to go,” he pronounced, picking Violet up and carrying her from the building.
Behind him the ice slide groaned and then crashed to the ground, shattering into a million tiny pieces.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Violet
“Can I ask you something?”
Ivore handed her a cup of hot chocolate. They were alone in his apartment. His brothers were elsewhere. Probably with Andria at the pub. They’d been spending a lot of time there lately.
“Of course,” he answered, sitting down next to her on the couch.
“What you said back there. To Malkin.”
“What about it?”
“Did you mean it? Would you really sacrifice yourself like that?”
Ivore’s response was immediate. “Yes.”
“You’re crazy.”
He smiled. “For you. However, before you go laying those accusations, can I ask how you came to be his prisoner in the first place?”
“Well, I certainly didn’t get picked up off the streets by his goons, if that’s what you’re saying.” She took a long sip of her drink, ignoring the scalding sensation from the hot liquid.
“So how did he get you?”
“He didn’t. I’m not that easy a target,” she said with a sniff. “I walked into his office and told him to take me if it meant leaving you alone.”
Ivore’s jaw fell open. “Why on earth would you do that?”
“I could ask you the same thing.”
He shook his head. “I went there because I love you, because you are my mate, the only woman I will ever want to be with. If it took my sacrifice for him to leave you alone so that you could live out your dream, then so be it. It’s not what I wanted, but I would have done it for you. I would still do it for you if it were required of me.” He bowed his head. “I just wish you could understand that.”
Violet’s stomach clenched from the pain. “Oh, Ivore. No. Ivore, it’s never been about that. I understood. I’ve known from early on that you were serious about me. But I had to keep you away, don’t you see?”
“No!” he shouted. “I don’t understand why you have to reject me. I don’t understand why you would go and offer your life for mine. That makes no sense!”
“Because,” she whispered. “I felt like my life was forfeit already.” She sighed. “I should have died years ago, Ivore. I shouldn’t be here.”
“What are you talking about?”
So she told him. About the accident, about how it was her fault that Chris was dead. How she’d pushed her fiancé to keep driving through the storm. The more she spoke, the more her sense of guilt over Ivore faded. It was like by confiding in him, telling him the truth about her ugly past, that she was finally revealing who she was. Now he could make a real judgment about her. He would see that she wasn’t worth it.
“Oh, Violet. I’m so sorry you had to go through that,” he whispered.
She could see his arms twitching, likely wanting to hug her.
“Now you know the truth,” she said plainly. “And you know why I’ve tried to keep you away.”
“Yes. I do. And why you reacted so strongly when I got hurt.” He nodded. “You saw it happening all over again with me. You didn’t want to be responsible for getting me killed either.”
“Yeah. That, and…” she hesitated. A few minutes earlier she’d been dead set on not saying anything more. But the way Ivore was reacting was not what she’d expected. “You still want to be with me, don’t you?” she asked suddenly.
Ivore blinked. “Of course. Why would that change anything? I feel pain for you, and I wish you would lean on me, let me help. That’s not something you will ever forget, Violet. But it’s also not something that you need to blame yourself for. Everyone has the power to make decisions. You said yourself the crash should have been survivable. Bad luck is not something you control. You aren’t that powerful, I’m sorry. Not even a dragon can handle that. You don’t need to forget Chris to love again, Violet. That’s not the way love works. You create more, you don’t share it.”
She stared at him. Something about those words resonated within her in a way unlike anything else had. So much advice and kind words and support had been given her way, but Violet had ignored it all, turning inward on herself as she spiraled into a depression. Even Andria, with the physical reprimand that she’d so deserved the other night hadn’t truly been able to get Violet to open her eyes and see.
Ivore though, with a few simple words, was somehow able to make her feel more at ease with herself than she had felt since before the accident. She stared at him in wide-eyed wonder. For just a moment she allowed herself to truly imagine what it might be like to be with him. To open up to him and let him into her world. Into her heart. Would it always be like that?
Yes.
She wasn’t sure where the word came from, but it certainly wasn’t her own brain. Was it?
“How do I do that?” she asked nervously. “I…I don’t want to lose you. But I don’t know how to do this, Ivore. I’m scared.”
The gentle giant of a man smiled softly. “As slowly as you want. There’s no rush. If I may suggest though, you might find it calming after everything that’s just happened to let me hug you and to curl up in my arms.”
Violet thought about it, then she nodded. It had been a stressful day. Her shop had burned down with her in it, she’d been threatened with violence and death multiple times, she’d jumped out of a building and—though he’d told her to cover her eyes—had watched Ivore turn into a massive arctic-white dragon that turned half a dozen floors of an office building into an ice sculpture.
Yep, it had been a day.
Ivore scooped her up into his lap, and she rested her head on his broad, powerful chest, feeling the muscles of his core engaged as he held her tight. It was an interesting feeling. She wasn’t ready to explore that more, because fatigue caught up to her just then and she yawned, her eyes settling close.
“Sleep,” he whispered, stroking her head gently with one hand, threading fingers between her hair.
Violet shivered happily, and before she realized it, she was fast asleep.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Violet
Today was the big day.
Two weeks after the fire, and with countless hours of hard work put in by her, Ivore, and several construction crews, the store was finally ready for its grand opening. Everything was set. The team she’d hired was prepped, Ivore was ready, and the other dragons acting as security were outside in case there was a line. And Violet was in Ivore’s apartment.
Hiding.
“Stop it,” she told herself. “This is what you wanted. You’ve dreamt of this for years, and now that it’s actually, finally, really going to happen, you’re terrified of the final step. You are stronger than this, woman. Get your shit together and stop acting like
the world can run you over. It’s tried. You’re still here.”
She looked up, rubbing at her eyes just in case she’d been crying and didn’t know it. They came away dry. That was a good sign. With a mental pull she lifted herself from the edge of the bed. At least she was already dressed. That was one challenge down.
Her phone started to buzz again. It was Ivore. She felt bad hanging up on him, but her voice wasn’t ready to work just yet. It was especially bad because if it weren’t for him, the shop never would have been ready to open in time. For a man stuck out of time, he sure was quick on the uptake. He’d dealt with all the construction planners, working tirelessly around the clock long after she’d collapsed for the night. The next morning she’d awaken to find herself tucked into the couch or the bed, with him gone, breakfast still warming in the oven.
Day after day of it. She was damn spoiled, and she’d just hung up on the man who was spoiling her. Oh well. Violet needed a moment. This moment. She needed to take it for herself, to compose herself, to beat back the terror of perceived failure, and tell herself that it was going to be a success.
“You are going to be a success.”
A sliver of guilt crept through her. She was going to be a success, but she could never have done it without Ivore’s help. They made a great team. An amazing pair. Violet had taken things slowly since her rescue from Malkin’s hands. Although she often stayed at his place and lately had begun sharing the same bed, things hadn’t gotten physical. Not since that first time.
Tonight though, she was going to change that.
There was lots of change going on lately. Some of it as recent as a few days ago. Ivore hadn’t blinked when she’d come to him with the request. In fact, he’d seemed to have been expecting it. He knew her so well.
Exiting the elevator, she headed toward the lobby entrance to her shop. The sign above the door read Violet’s Cupcakerie.
Violet knew it wasn’t what Chris had wanted, but at some point in the past few weeks she’d come to the conclusion that Chris was part of her past, and there he needed to stay. She still loved him, or the memory of him. But finally, at long last, she was starting to move on from him. He would forever have a place in her heart, and Ivore wasn’t the least bit jealous about that. In fact, he’d asked about the man whom she had first loved.
It was odd, but the more Violet had talked about him to Ivore, the more she’d come to realize that he was gone, and that she was not the one responsible for that, as terrible a situation as it was. It was the single best therapy she’d ever had. These days she was sleeping better, and feeling more energized as well.
So she’d changed the name, going with something more modern and trendy—she hoped. Time would only tell whether or not the people of Barton City agreed or not.
Ivore saw her come in and he rushed over to her, a huge smile plastered on his face.
He took her hand and pulled on it. “Violet, come quick. You have to see this!”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Ivore
Finally!
He’d been waiting to show her this for hours, but she’d refused to come down out of the room. Ivore wasn’t sure what she’d finally said to herself, but he was glad to see the strong woman he knew was lurking in there show up. Violet followed along beside him, her hand in his.
“Where are you taking me?”
“Outside.” He pushed open the front door, holding it open while she followed him out. “You really want to see this, trust me.”
Violet seemed skeptical, but when he gestured at the line, her mouth dropped open, and she had to cover her mouth with her hands. People saw her and began to shout and cheer, begging to be let in already. They wanted brownies!
He watched his mate step out onto the street, careful of any oncoming cars, and just stare down the line.
“Ivore,” she said, coming back to him. “There are hundreds of people in line.”
“I know! Isn’t it amazing?”
His brothers were standing on either side of the start of the line, acting as security, huge grins on their faces.
“How are we going to feed them all?” She looked inside. “We need more cupcakes.”
“I’ve had the bakers going all morning,” he said. “But yeah, it’s going to be hard.”
Violet stared at the crowd again. Then her eyes narrowed. “Ivore…”
“Yes?”
“Why do so many of them have military haircuts?”
Cowl snickered.
“I don’t know, dear. Maybe one of them got wind of the store and told others?”
We certainly didn’t spread word all over the base and arrange buses that are parked around the corner to bring people in.
“Right. I don’t believe that.”
“Believe what you will. If you look, you’ll see that many people aren’t military as well.”
That was the truth. The line was rather chaotic, and the bigger it grew, the more people got sucked into it.
“We need to open then,” Violet pronounced. “I know it’s half an hour early, but unless there’s a critical reason, this show needs to get rolling.”
Ivore grinned as his mate walked back inside and began barking orders at her team, getting everyone to their stations and ready to go.
It was time!
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Violet
They collapsed onto the couch, a glass of red wine in her hand, a freshly cracked bottle of beer in his.
“Cheers.”
Ivore smiled, lifted his bottle and the glass clinked together softly. “Cheers, my love,” he said softly, staring directly at her.
The way his navy-blue eyes looked deep within her every time he did that never ceased to make her stomach flip-flop. It was a wonderful feeling, like realizing your crush liked you for the first time. And she got to experience it over and over again.
“Ivore, I just want to thank you for all your help. I know you’ll wave it all off, say it’s because you invested your money, blah blah. But I want you to know that it has meant a lot to me.”
He looked away, and if his pale skin had one fault, it was that it easily betrayed him when he was embarrassed. Such as now. Hints of red in his cheeks told her the truth, even as he sipped his beer to try and play it cool. He was a big softy on the inside.
“You don’t have to say anything It wasn’t a big deal.”
She set her wine glass down. “I know. That’s why I’m not going to say anything at all.” While Ivore watched, she reached down and pulled her shirt over her head.
He remained speechless as she stood, her bra falling to the side as well. Violet bit her lip, nervous, but still he didn’t speak.
“Look, I know it was a long day at the store, but you can say something now,” she teased.
Ivore swallowed a sip of beer, his eyes never leaving her body. “Spectacular,” he said at last.
Suitably impressed with his reaction, she continued to strip. “Unless you start taking those clothes off as well, mister, this is going to turn into a lap dance, and that’s going to cost you even more money.”
Violet had never seen Ivore move so fast before. One moment he was on the couch, staring at her body clad in nothing but a black thong, the next he was upright, completely naked, beer bottle still wobbling on the side table.
“How did…”
“Dragon power, baby,” he muttered, picking her up and carrying her into her bedroom.
They were at her place for this very reason. Andria was over at Cowl’s, giving them the place to themselves. Ivore still shut the door, out of habit or just in case, she wasn’t sure. But the sight of him naked as he laid her back onto the bed was more than enough to distract her.
“Are you sure you’re ready?” he asked, lying down next to her, propped up on one elbow. “You know I want this, but I don’t want you to feel like you have to do this to thank me.”
She smiled. “I know. It’s abrupt. But just because I haven’t been ready to ha
ve sex with you, doesn’t mean I haven’t been in a constant state of arousal. I need this as much as I want it, Ivore. I made the decision before today started. Even if it had been a dismal failure for the business, I still view us as a success.”
He leaned in, using his free hand to pull her close, lips pressing together. She rolled into him, shivering as his skin touched her and she molded to his shape. Warmth erupted from everywhere she touched, enveloping her in a cocoon of heat.
“I view us as a success too,” he said, parting long enough to speak.
Violet’s eyes rolled up as he dragged his fingers down her back, over her hips, and then dipped between her legs. The feeling of his hand as he stroked her inner thigh was almost too much to bear. “Please,” she gasped. “I don’t need teasing tonight. I need you. Take me, Ivore. I’m strong. I can handle it.”
Even before she was finished speaking his palm grasped her upper leg and pushed her down fully onto her back. It slid up her skin, perfect parts rough and gentle all at once. She needed to be taken, and Ivore was doing just that. His kiss had been more than enough to ignite her fire, and now she was ravaged by flames as his digits slid through her folds, finding all of the most sensitive places.
Violet shuddered, pulling his face into her chest, guiding his mouth until it found one of her nipples. “Yesss.” The word came out in a hiss as teeth bit down gently on the tip of her breast at the same moment.
Ivore knew just how to play her body, striking all the right notes with his mouth and his fingers. She’d known from the instant he touched her that it wouldn’t take long for her to come, and mere minutes later her body shook and trembled as Ivore sent her over the edge. His fingers slowed in time with her body, until he withdrew as she lay there gasping for air and trying to recover.
The view of the ceiling was eclipsed as Ivore moved between her legs. She stared down the length of her soft, curvy body at all the hard muscle and sharp edges of his. Violet was treating him like eye candy and she didn’t give a damn.