by Donna Grant
Her clearance at Kyvor gave her access to certain classified documents and operations. None of which had given her pause in the past. Now, with what she knew, she itched to go in and take a second look at everything.
She closed her eyes, hoping it would all go away. Meditation only calmed her a little. It wasn’t long after that she drifted off to sleep. The dreams were vivid. All of them centered around her being chased by Kyvor.
It was a never-ending cycle of chases, each more horrible than the last until finally, she jerked awake. She put her hand to her forehead and looked at the ceiling. That’s when she felt the eyes on her.
Devon sat up and looked to the side. Her gaze landed on the hunk that had been in her dreams. He stood with his arms crossed over his thick chest, his feet shoulder-width apart. He dropped his arms and slightly bowed his head, his gaze never leaving her face.
Finally, she got to see his features. Looking at him head-on, she was at a loss for words. Gorgeous didn’t begin to describe such a specimen. His black eyes were intense, penetrating as he watched her. Those onyx orbs were framed by thick lashes.
His cheekbones were so sharp, they looked as if they could cut. That, along with the scar on his jaw, gave him a sinister look. Yet it was his wide mouth that turned him sensual.
Carnal.
With her eyes locked with his, she had the insane and wanton urge to sink her hands into his thick, black hair and hold his head in place as she kissed him.
She’d never had such a physical reaction to a man before. Lust drummed in her ears, making it difficult to breathe. Her lips parted as she thought about the kiss. Would it be slow and erotic? Or fast and fiery?
Or even better … a mix of both.
“Good. You’re awake,” Kinsey said as she came from the kitchen. “Anson has been standing guard over you for the past hour.”
Devon jumped at Kinsey’s voice, only just comprehending that her chest was heaving and her toes were curled in the rug at just the thought of kissing … Anson.
So the hunk was real. And he’d stood guard over her? Her gaze lowered to his wide chest and continued down to his long legs. Her gaze snagged on his hands that hung at his sides, the fingers of his right hand curling slightly as she watched.
Despite her fears and the unknown of what awaited her, she had one thought running through her head: yum!
CHAPTER SEVEN
The way Devon’s light blue eyes perused him made Anson burn. He couldn’t look away—nor did he want to. Desire scorched his veins as his balls tightened and a hunger throbbed within him.
While she slept, he’d looked her over from head to foot and back again. It had been hard to ignore her long legs and supple curves while he’d watched from afar. But now, he had an up-close-and-personal view.
And he more than liked what he saw.
He’d crossed his arms to keep his hands away from the shiny brunette locks that fell to her shoulders. Her flawless visage, however, was what held him transfixed.
There wasn’t anything that stood out in particular in her oval face, but as a whole, he thought her magnificently perfect. Her round eyes, her pert nose, her wide forehead, and her plump lips.
It was a good thing Kinsey and Esther were in the flat because he wasn’t sure he could keep his distance from Devon.
Then, finally, she woke. As soon as those stunning eyes of hers landed on him, he forgot how to breathe. Her irises were as clear a blue as the Scottish sky in summer—and just as brilliant.
She ran her hand through her hair as Kinsey walked up, talking, not that Anson paid any attention to what Kinsey was saying. He was too focused on Devon.
Kinsey elbowed him in the ribs. He cut her a look before realizing that she was looking at him curiously. He swallowed and looked away, only to find Esther smiling as if she knew exactly what he’d been thinking.
He nodded to Devon and backed away so the girls could properly introduce themselves. Though he didn’t go far. He wasn’t sure what was wrong with him. He’d watched Devon for a few days and had never felt such a physical response before.
Did it have something to do with the previous night and the man who’d entered her house? That must be it. Because nothing else made any sense.
“How did you get inside my home?” Devon demanded. “I have a specialized code that no one knows.”
Esther finished off the last of her bottled water and walked from the kitchen to the living area. She took the empty chair and crossed one leg over the other. “Kyvor has known it for a while. One of their men entered your house at three this morning.”
“What?” Devon asked, her eyes wide with anger and fear.
Kinsey held up a hand. “Anson was here and stopped the intruder before he could do anything.”
“Like what? What was the man going to do?” Devon asked, her gaze trained on him.
Anson took a deep breath and slowly released it. “I didna stop to ask him.”
“You’re Scottish, too.”
She said it as if it surprised her. “I am.”
“What do you have to do with Kyvor?”
He hesitated, unsure how to begin. It wasn’t as if he could blurt out that he was an immortal Dragon King there to end everything to do with the company.
Fortunately, Kinsey didn’t have his worries. She said, “We’re all involved with wanting to shut Kyvor down.”
“Why?” Devon questioned, a deep frown puckering her forehead.
Esther shrugged a shoulder. “Because they’re evil and they need to be stopped.”
Devon blinked. “Listen, I—”
“Before you continue, look at this,” Kinsey said, handing her a laptop.
Anson watched as Devon scrolled through the pictures from the memory card he’d managed to swipe from one of the men following Devon earlier that morning. The more pictures she looked at, the paler she became. Then she set aside the computer and closed her eyes.
His fury ran thick and deep on her behalf. He could only imagine what she was feeling. When she lifted her lids, she looked right at him. He saw her resolve and the beginnings of anger.
“Why are they following me? Surveilling me?” Devon asked.
Kinsey sat beside her on the couch and shook her head. “I haven’t figured that out yet. With me, it was because of who I was dating.”
“That’s absurd.” Devon’s face scrunched up. “Why would they care who you dated?”
“Because of who he is,” Anson replied.
Kinsey pressed her lips together before continuing. “We came to London to find out how much Kyvor knows. We need someone on the inside. I didn’t know when I chose you that they might already have you under surveillance.”
Devon’s eyes grew round. “Chose me? Why would you pick me?”
“There was something about you,” Esther said. “I’d classify it as honesty.”
The play of emotions on Devon’s face as she slowly sank back against the cushions captivated Anson. Her entire world was unraveling, and she wasn’t even aware of just how thoroughly everything was about to come apart.
He felt sorry for her. The only thing that made it better was knowing that they would help her distance herself from Kyvor. The sooner she was away from them, the better.
“I’ve dedicated years of my life to Kyvor,” Devon said. “I did a comprehensive investigation into the company before I applied.”
“You only saw what they wanted you to find,” Kinsey said.
Esther merely replied, “They are the leading tech company in the UK, remember.”
As if that said it all. Though he had to admit, it did. Anson remained quiet while Devon absorbed it all. For several tense minutes, she sat silently.
Then she looked at Kinsey and asked, “How do you know I won’t go back to Kyvor and tell them everything you’ve told me?”
“Because once you know it all, you’ll comprehend how dangerous they are.” Esther then tossed something on the coffee table. “And because I found and disconnec
ted the cameras in your flat.”
Devon lifted one of the small cameras the size of a button and looked at it. “Won’t they know it’s gone?”
“I’ve looped a recording of all the rooms. It’ll give us a little time,” Kinsey said.
Devon set down the camera and folded her hands in her lap. “Tell me everything.”
“Are you sure you want to know?” Anson asked. “Once you know everything, there’s no going back.”
Her clear gaze met his. “I don’t do anything in half measures. My interest was piqued last night. I did a search on Kinsey on my laptop.”
“Kyvor saw that,” Esther stated.
“I’m aware of that now.” Devon drew in a deep breath. “If you want my help, I have to know everything you know.”
Kinsey glanced at Anson before she said, “Some … things … might be pretty difficult to believe.”
“Tell me anyway.”
Anson gave Kinsey a nod. There was only so much she would tell Devon. It would then be up to him whether Devon learned the secrets the Dragon Kings fought so hard to keep.
Kinsey smiled. “All right, then. As I’m sure you learned when you searched me, I’m rather good at what I do.”
“Hacking,” Devon said.
Kinsey’s smile widened. “Yes. Computers and software coding come easily to me. Most people never understood me. That is until I met Ryder. If you think I’m good, he’s brilliant. He molds anything electrical into whatever he wants. If he can think it, he can create it.”
“Does he work for Kyvor?” Devon asked.
Kinsey shook her head. “Ryder and I dated for a while before he returned to his home.”
At the mention of that, Devon’s gaze shifted to Anson. He saw the question in her eyes, but she didn’t ask it. Instead, she turned her attention back to Kinsey.
“For three years, I had no contact with Ryder,” Kinsey continued. “Part of my job description with Kyvor was that I would get work orders, sending me to large companies or corporations to overhaul their IT departments or work out bugs. One of my specialties is security systems. A few weeks ago, I got a work order that took me to Scotland.”
“Why aren’t you telling me the company name?” Devon questioned.
Both Kinsey and Esther looked to Anson. He waited until Devon’s gaze slid to him, as well. Then he said, “It’s Dreagan Industries.”
There was a small flash of surprise in Devon’s blue eyes. “Ryder works for Dreagan?”
“Yes,” Kinsey answered. “I wasn’t aware of that, however. I thought he’d submitted the work order to get me there, but he didn’t.”
“Then who did?” Devon asked.
Anson leaned forward to rest his forearms on his thighs. “No’ anyone at Dreagan.”
Devon’s forehead crinkled with her confusion. “I don’t understand.”
“It was someone at Kyvor,” Esther explained.
“But … why?” Devon shook her head as if she couldn’t make sense of it all.
Kinsey gave her a half-smile. “They wanted me at Dreagan. Fortunately for me, Ryder was able to convince the others to give me a chance to discover what had happened. With his help, we hacked Kyvor’s computers and found that someone had shut off all the building cameras for a short period. Though we couldn’t see the face, we did learn that the fake work order originated at Kyvor.”
“From there, Ryder was able to work his magic and found all the pictures of Kinsey, as well as those of them together,” Anson added.
Devon swallowed. “Did you contact Kyvor?”
Kinsey’s lips twisted in a grimace. “I did. I called my supervisor, Cecil. He was adamant that I remain at Dreagan and sell them as much as I could. It was talking with him that clued me in that he wasn’t running the show.”
Anson saw the way the pulse in Devon’s throat beat wildly, yet she kept her composure. Her fear was palpable, however. Not that he blamed her. What Kyvor was doing was beyond reprehensible.
“Who is running things?” Devon asked.
Kinsey exchanged a look with Esther. “That, we don’t really know. There was software on my phone that tracked me. We were able to get rid of it, but the more Ryder and I dug, the more it was obvious that Kyvor wanted something.”
“Dreagan.” Devon’s gaze swung to Anson. “Or someone there.”
Anson nodded, impressed with her quick assessment of the situation.
She looked between Kinsey and Esther. “Then what happened?”
“Me,” Esther said and lowered her eyes to the floor for a moment. “I was recruited by MI5 because of how well my brother did as a spy. Henry had no idea that I was there or that they’d put me out into the field so quickly. I had several missions that went well. Then I came up with a plan to infiltrate the very people who were spying on Dreagan. We had no names or even an idea of where to begin, but we knew it was Kyvor. I went undercover with a new name and story that was more solid than anything MI5 had ever done.
“I found a flat and began looking for jobs. I was interviewed by Kyvor, but the position went to someone else. MI5 then stepped in and made an offer to that person they couldn’t refuse. Kyvor then called me. I went in to start work and walked into a room with a woman—who I now can’t recall—and then my memory goes blank until I woke up at Dreagan.”
“Why Dreagan?” Devon asked.
But her gaze was on Anson. He had never shared his secret with anyone, and he wasn’t sure that Devon needed to know it. The more people who knew the truth, the more chance of exposure for the Dragon Kings.
“Dragons,” Kinsey said.
Devon rolled her eyes. “You’re talking about that video that surfaced a bit ago about men shifting into dragons. It’s a hoax. Why would anyone believe it?”
“MI5 did,” Esther replied.
Kinsey shifted to face Devon once more. “Ryder was able to locate pictures from CCTV of Esther in Ireland, at Dreagan, and at a shop in Perth called The Silver Dragon.”
“What’s special about that?” Devon asked.
This, Anson was prepared to answer. “It’s the business of a man named Ulrik. He’s an enemy, who has gone out of his way to ruin Dreagan. He uses many aliases in an attempt to keep his identity from hu … others.”
At his near slip, Devon frowned, but she didn’t question it. She looked at Esther. “You don’t remember going to any of those places?”
“No,” Esther stated.
“I don’t understand.”
Kinsey sighed softly. “None of us did.”
“I was questioned by those at Dreagan,” Esther said. “I was so sure that everyone there was some type of villain. Despite my training, I gave up the name of the person I was working for—Sam MacDonald.”
Devon raised a brow. “You all look at me as if you hope I’ll know that name. I don’t.”
Anson was both relieved and troubled. If she didn’t know anything about Ulrik, then why was Kyvor following her? There had to be something else.
Just as before, he felt as if he were circling the answer, that it was right before him. If only he could see it.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Devon found herself repeatedly looking at the brooding Scot. How odd that she used to think the brogue harsh and ugly. Yet Anson’s deep, smooth voice relaxed her. And she wanted to hear more of it.
Devon was relieved that she didn’t know Sam MacDonald or this Ulrik. The mere mention of the name set everyone in the room on edge—Anson more so than the others.
“You see,” Anson continued, “we believed it was only Esther we had to worry about. That wasna true. I was guarding Ryder’s room as Kinsey slept. One night, I heard her scream. When I rushed inside, I found her curled on the floor of the bathroom with her hands covering her ears. Ryder and another friend, Dmitri, arrived then. We could see how much pain she was in, and Ryder reacted quickly. He went to pick Kinsey up, only she stopped screaming when he did.”
Devon glanced at Kinsey to see that her eyes were lowered to
her lap where she picked at her nails as if the retelling were painful to hear.
Anson rubbed his hand over his chin. “Kinsey lost consciousness. A moment later, her eyes snapped open, and she stood. But it wasna Kinsey. She was someone else. She didna recognize any of us. We each tried to stop her, but she fought us. She got the better of all of us, but we were able to catch up and follow her to where Esther was being held.”
The story was becoming more intense, and Devon was anxious to hear the ending—especially since all three were sitting in her living room, seemingly on good terms.
“Kinsey and Esther began to fight,” Anson said. “It wasna long before Esther let out a scream and clutched her head the same way Kinsey had. The next thing we knew, Esther was no longer herself. It was as if someone had flipped a switch and controlled both of them.”
Devon got to her feet and walked into the kitchen. It didn’t matter that it was just a little after noon, she needed something to settle her nerves, something strong. She poured a large glass of wine and took a drink.
Then she faced the group. “What you’re saying isn’t possible.”
“It is,” Kinsey said.
Esther nodded. “Trust us. We know.”
“Then that means someone got into your head. Like hypnosis.” Devon gave herself a virtual pat on the back for coming up with the answer.
“No’ exactly,” Anson said.
She took another drink before letting out a laugh. “It’s not as if magic were used.”
The silence that followed her statement was deafening.
“There’s no such thing as magic,” Devon stated.
Esther uncrossed her legs. “Actually, there is.”
“I wish there were an easier way to break this to you,” Kinsey said as she turned on the sofa to face Devon. “But Esther is right. There is magic.”
“You’re serious.” Devon was beginning to wonder if she was going crazy. Why else would she believe complete strangers over the company she’d worked with for years? It was bonkers.
She must be barmy.
Yes. That was the explanation.
Her gaze came to rest on Anson. He looked at her as if he knew exactly what she was thinking. There was no censor in his black gaze. Only acceptance.