“He’s not. Usually. But this situation is different.” And that was what worried him.
“How? Help me understand.” He could get lost in her brown eyes. They were so sincere, so kind and giving.
How could he phrase this so she’d understand but not get pissed at him? “It’s like I was with you.” He opted for blunt honesty. “When I met you, something inside me shifted.” He lifted one of her hands from his shoulder, kissed it, and placed it over his heart.
“After a certain point, it wouldn’t have mattered if you were there to harm me, because there was no way for me to protect myself. I would’ve done whatever it took to make you happy. Do you understand?”
She curled her fingers into his shirt. “You’re saying he’s in love with her?”
Darius nodded. “He might not realize it yet. Or, knowing Tarrant, he might not be willing to admit it. But he’s there. That makes her dangerous. He’ll protect her no matter what. Do whatever it takes to make her happy.”
She sighed and leaned forward, resting her forehead against his. “We have to trust him. Trust the dragon inside him. If she’s lying and means him harm, he’d know it. Wouldn’t he?”
He tightened his arms around her. “I hope so.”
“There’s nothing we can do, is there?”
Darius rose with her in his arms. “There is something we can do. It won’t help Tarrant, but it will help me.”
“Really? Now?” She shook her head, but he could hear the smile in her tone.
“Always.” He carried her up the stairs and into their room.
…
Ezra was down on the dock but heard the upstairs door being kicked shut. He’d known that’s where they’d end up. He loved his brother, truly he did. He loved Sarah, too, because she made Darius so happy.
But it was hard having them here, watching them together. They fit. Ezra couldn’t quite explain it, but it was true nonetheless.
He stripped off his clothes and tossed them onto the dock. It didn’t matter that it was late October and the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Maine was freezing. He needed the water.
He dove in, barely raising a ripple, in spite of his large body. He cut through the water faster than a dolphin and more dangerous than a great white shark.
He shifted, allowing the dragon inside him to come out to play. He was a water drakon. As such, vast areas of unexplored territory were his. Man hadn’t conquered the seas yet, and never would.
He dove deep and the darkness embraced him.
Chapter Twenty
Valeriya knew Tarrant was around somewhere. He wouldn’t have left her alone, not after what had happened. She was feeling much better, even though she sensed she hadn’t slept all that long. She was hungry again, too.
She was back in her room and not in Tarrant’s. She tried not to read anything into that. Maybe her room had been closer.
“Stop it.” She padded to the bathroom, used the facilities, and washed up. At least she had access to her own clothing. She dug through what remained in her suitcase and found her last set of clean underwear, a pair of leggings, and a long-sleeved sweater that went all the way to her thighs. It was warm and comfortable.
She either needed to do laundry or get more clothes. Some of hers had been destroyed, and what remained was dirty. She gathered her clothing into a pile and added the flannel pants and socks she’d “borrowed” from Tarrant. The shirt was ripped and missing buttons. She dropped that into the garbage can in the bathroom before leaving the room.
Valeriya heard movement in the kitchen as she walked down the hallway. Tarrant was standing in front of the large stove. Each burner had a pan on it, and an electric grill was plugged in. He was also only half dressed. His jeans hung low on his hips, cupping his firm butt. His torso was tanned and ripped, his shoulders incredibly broad. She’d have thought she’d be used to seeing him like this by now, but Valeriya didn’t think she ever would.
She cleared her throat. “What are you cooking?”
He flipped a large steak that sizzled when it landed back on the grill. “I thought about steak and potatoes but didn’t want to wait that long. I’m doing eggs instead.”
Sure enough, three of the four pans were filled with eggs, the forth with onions and mushrooms. “Think there’s enough?” She was only half joking.
“Maybe.” He picked up the spatula and scrambled the eggs in each pan. “I can always dig up something else to eat if I’m still hungry.”
She couldn’t help but smile. “Just how much do you eat?” She leaned against the counter next to him, wanting to be close.
“A lot.” He leaned down and nuzzled her neck. “But don’t worry, there’s plenty of food.” He caught her earlobe between his teeth and tugged, sending a jolt of desire rushing through her. Honestly, the man should come with a warning label. She had to be careful or they’d end up back in bed before they managed to eat a bite.
She put her hands on his chest and pushed. When he frowned, she added, “Your eggs are going to burn.”
“Shit.” He went to work quickly and rescued the eggs, transferring them into a large bowl.
Valeriya was pleased to find the kettle already boiled. She made a mug of tea and poured Tarrant a coffee from the full pot on the counter. She set his mug beside him. Making herself useful, she pulled out cutlery and plates before she took her usual seat.
“Did you learn anything?” She knew Tarrant had mostly likely been busy while she’d been sleeping, but she really didn’t expect that he’d discovered much yet. It was way too soon.
She was sorry he’d left her. Just once she wanted to wake with his arms around her. Was that too much to ask?
He put the steaks on a large platter and then made sure the stove and grill pan were turned off before he joined her at the counter. “Take what you want.”
She cut one of the large steaks in half and added a couple of scoops of eggs. Tarrant frowned. “Is that all?”
She motioned to the piece of perfectly cooked meat. “This is more than I’d usually eat.”
He still didn’t look convinced, but he dragged the platter over in front of him, dumped what was left of the eggs onto it and added the onions and mushrooms. He had a mountain of food, but she knew he’d eat it with no problem. His appetite was enormous.
“What have you been up to while I was sleeping?” She cut a bite-size piece of steak and popped it into her mouth. It was perfectly seasoned and cooked to perfection. She made a small moaning sound. Tarrant stopped eating. When she glanced his way, he was staring at her mouth, and his eyes were glowing.
She carefully swallowed and took a sip of tea. “Well?”
Tarrant slowly and carefully picked up his fork and knife and started eating again. “I reviewed the security footage.”
“Was there much to see?” She had no idea just how much security he had around the place.
He nodded and swallowed. “Yes. I learned a lot about how they deploy in such situations. It could be useful down the road.”
She toyed with the small mound of eggs with her fork. “What about Riggs?” She hated saying his name, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask Tarrant directly if he’d watched her being shot. She gave an involuntary jerk as phantom pain seared through her shoulder.
“Yes.” There was a finality in Tarrant’s voice that kept her from asking more questions on that front. He’d seen her fight with Riggs, seen the man shoot her.
She shivered and tried to put that particular event out of her mind. “Okay. So, is there anything else?”
Tarrant sighed and emptied half his coffee mug in one swallow. “Two of the men with him were ex-military. They worked for a security company.” He paused and studied her intently. “Knights Security.”
She knew her jaw had dropped, and she forced herself to close her mouth. “You’re not kidding, are you?”
He shook his head and cut another chunk off his steak. “No.” He popped it into his mouth and chewed.
“Knights Security,” she repeated. “Never heard of them.”
Tarrant swallowed. “They don’t exactly advertise. They’re elite and discreet. The rich and powerful use them.”
“Oh.” That made sense. She mulled it over as she ate more of her eggs. “How did you find out about them so quickly? You didn’t even know their names.” She set her fork down and looked pointedly at him. “Wouldn’t their military records be confidential?”
He flashed a smile. Her breath caught in her throat, and her heart stuttered before beginning to race.
“Nothing is confidential, not to me. I had their pictures. It was enough.”
There was so much she didn’t know about the man she was sleeping with, the man she was in love with. It was time to learn. “Just who are you, Tarrant?” She rubbed her fingers over her forehead. “I don’t even know your last name. That’s not fair, since you know pretty much everything about me.”
He looked at her so long and hard it was all she could do not to start squirming. He either trusted her, or he didn’t. It hurt. More than she wanted to admit. But there was nothing she could do about it.
“Forget it.” She couldn’t eat another bite. Not with the huge lump stuck in her throat.
“Cooper. I go by the name Tarrant Cooper.”
He said the last name like it had some significance. She studied him over her mug and raised one eyebrow in question. “And that means what exactly?”
He pushed the half-empty platter of food aside and rested his elbows on the stone countertop. The tension grew thick around them. A muscle worked in his jaw. He grew more and more remote by the second.
“Tarrant?”
“I’m Cooper Communications.”
Valeriya was shocked even though she knew she shouldn’t be. He was a drakon. He’d had centuries to build an empire. Heck, he’d been around at the dawn of technology. He’d seen the world go from the firelight to the lantern to the electric light.
“Wow.” Not exactly the most articulate response.
One corner of his mouth quirked up. “Yeah. Wow.”
“You’re Cooper Communications,” she echoed.
He nodded. “I know.”
His tone was so dry she couldn’t help but smile. “So you have resources.”
Tarrant smiled, and his icy-blue eyes warmed. “You have no idea, baby.” He yanked the platter back over in front of him and began eating again. “Eat some more,” he ordered.
She grinned back and managed to finish her eggs and about half the steak. She was done. Her curiosity was also overflowing. “So you what? Hacked into military records?” Like most people, Valeriya knew her way around a computer. She could do what she needed to in order to conduct business, but that was pretty much it.
“Yes.”
That was it. Just “yes,” like it was no big deal. “Wasn’t it difficult?”
He finished his meal and leaned back on his stool. “No.”
Frustrated, she pushed her plate away. “Could you maybe be a little more forthcoming?”
He shook his head and stood. “Best to show you.” He started clearing the table. She hurried to help him. The quicker it was done, the sooner she’d hopefully understand more about him. Cooper Communications. That was still blowing her mind. His company was the largest communications empire in the world. It was synonymous with communications.
The implications were enormous. He probably owned and controlled the cell towers and internet providers for a good number of the Knights. If she remembered correctly, his company was also involved in military contracts.
He was also loaded.
When Tarrant took the dirty plate from her hand and popped it into the dishwasher, she realized she’d simply been standing there. She glanced around, but he’d already cleaned up the mess while she’d been lost in thought.
“I’m sorry.”
“No problem. It’s a lot to take in.” He started the machine running.
“It really is. I mean I’m a children’s author, and you’re—”
He started to laugh. She loved the deep full sound, even though he was laughing at her. When he finally stopped, he reached down and took one of her hands in his. “You accept that I’m a drakon with little problem, but finding out I own a communication company throws you for a loop.”
“You don’t just own a communication company, Tarrant. It’s an empire. You practically own the airwaves. And you’re rich. Extremely rich.” The last came out almost as an accusation.
“That a problem?” he asked as he tugged on her hand to get her to follow him down the hallway.
“Not a problem. I mean I don’t care how much money you have. It’s just…” There was no way to say this that didn’t make her seem foolish. “Forget it.” She should have just kept her mouth shut.
“No, it’s just what?”
She huffed out a breath. “It’s intimidating okay. On top of the fact you’re gorgeous and smart and a fricking drakon, you’re also a bloody billionaire.”
“So you think I’m gorgeous, do you?”
She could see smug pleasure reflected in his eyes and in the curve of his mouth, and she wasn’t sure if she wanted to kiss him or smack him. She did neither. “If that’s all you heard out of what I just said, we really need to work on your listening skills.”
They’d reached the end of the hallway. There was a huge door constructed of some kind of metal. It reminded her of a door to a bank vault. There was a keypad in the center of it. “What’s this?”
Tarrant released her and stood right in front of the door. He spread his arms wide and placed his hands on two scanners mounted on the walls. A light flashed on the keypad, and he input a long code. The light turned green and the door opened to reveal an elevator.
He stood back and motioned her inside. The second she was beside him, the door slid shut. There was no way out. Valeriya was so nervous she was sweating. The elevator space was small. Assuming it was an elevator.
“Down.” His deep voice echoed in the enclosure and they began to move. Valeriya held her breath and counted. Before she could become lightheaded or pass out, the machine came to a halt.
Tarrant leaned in close to another panel. One she hadn’t even noticed until now. The light scanned his eyes. A retinal scanner? She’d only seen those in movies. She didn’t think her bank was this secure.
The door slid open to reveal a large room covered in computers and other electronic devices. “Welcome to my control center.”
She stepped out of the elevator, cognizant of the huge step this was in their relationship. There was no way to unsee what he was about to show her. Either he trusted her or he planned to kill her. She was almost certain it was option number one, but there was still a tiny part of her that worried.
“You have your own Batcave.” It was just like something out of a superhero movie.
“No.”
She jumped at the thunder in his voice. His face was set in hard lines, and his hands were curled into fists. He was truly pissed.
“You’re both billionaires and secretive,” she pointed out.
Tarrant stalked toward her, and she backed up until she hit the wall. He slammed his hands on either side of her head and leaned down. She wasn’t afraid to admit she was a little scared. She had no idea why he was so upset. “Tarrant?”
He closed his eyes and leaned forward until their foreheads were touching. “He’s the damn Dark Knight. I hate knights.”
She could certainly understand that, but it was a little funny, too. If she hadn’t been so scared only seconds before, she might have been able to hold in the chuckle. But her emotions were all over the place, and she giggled.
His head jerked back. “You think that’s funny?” His brows lowered and his jaw tensed.
“No. Yes.” She closed her eyes and swallowed back a laugh. “You have to admit it is a little funny. You’re real, and a drakon to boot, but you’re upset about a fictional character.”
He pushed away. “Kn
ights are no laughing matter.” He turned from her.
Suddenly, it wasn’t so funny anymore. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind. “No, the Knights of the Dragon are no laughing matter.” She sighed and rested her head against his back. Her drakon was wounded in so many ways.
He stood like a statue, stiff and unmoving, for several long minutes. Then he sighed and tugged her around so he could hug her. “I’m sorry. My brothers are always telling me I overreact.”
That was another bombshell. “You have brothers? As in multiple?”
“One thing at a time.” He kissed the top of her head and turned her to face all the computers. “Welcome to my world.”
…
Tarrant knew he was acting like an ass, but he couldn’t help it. Hearing Valeriya compare him to a knight of any kind, even one only fictional, hit him hard. They were his enemy. It was a stark reminder her sister wanted him captured or dead.
He didn’t want Valeriya on their side. He wanted her on his. That meant she had to hate all knights, as he did. It wasn’t rational or logical, but emotions seldom were.
He cursed himself for mentioning his brothers. She was curious, but she let the subject drop for now and turned her attention to what he was showing her.
“This is incredible.” She ran her gaze over the long counter filled with computers.
Pride had his chest puffing out. It was ridiculous for a man of his age and experience to get so much pleasure out of a couple of words, but that didn’t negate it. He wanted to impress her.
“How do you run your business from here?” She looked up at him, worry etched on her face. “You can’t be away from your empire for long, can you?”
He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. “I can be anywhere I want or need to be,” he informed her. He motioned to the array of machines. “I have people in place to handle the day-to-day running of things. I only leave here when I have to.”
“How is that possible? I mean, if you’re not around, wouldn’t someone try to take advantage of that?”
“Some have tried and have found themselves in huge trouble.” He took her over to his chair. He sat and pulled her onto his lap. “Look.” He pointed out three computers. “Those are set up so that every transaction for every business I own runs through here every single day.”
Drakon's Prey (Blood of the Drakon) Page 20