She blushed furiously, and gave him a dig in the ribs, but in truth she could not wait either. If only they had met under different circumstances. If only they didn’t have the theft of the Heartsfire Blade and the threat of harm to her and Charlie hanging over them.
But life was full of if-onlys, and the only way to get past them was to fight. And Poppy was ready to fight for her happiness, and that of the people she loved.
Chapter Fourteen – George
He hated these things with a passion. Too many people, all trying to outdo each other. The only reason most of them were here was to keep the peace between the clans: they all knew it, and they all played along with it.
The only thing that was going to make the evening more bearable than usual, was having Poppy here beside him. Although that soon raised other questions. Questions he had to answer truthfully. Questions that would leave him exposed to some of the most powerful other dragons.
“George, good to see you,” Percival asked, taking his hand, but his eyes were firmly fixed on Poppy, and with very good reason. She looked beautiful, radiant even, in the blue dress that hugged her figure but still remained understated. Her hair, piled high on her head, showed off her creamy shoulders, and the diamond necklace he had given her just before they left finished off the look of a woman who did not need to wear a revealing gown to command attention. She moved with grace and poise. “And who are you?”
Poppy smiled. “My name is Poppy. And you are?” She held out her hand, and Percival took it and pressed his lips to it.
“I’m charmed.”
“Lord, Percival, that is so clichéd,” George said.
Percival shrugged. “It was new once.”
“Poppy, this is Percival, or Percy to his few friends,” George said.
“George always was a funny man. At least he was until he let that… what was it, the thing… that you were entrusted with…?” Percival asked.
George smiled, and then said, “Are you that old that your memory is failing?” He sighed and then added, “Poppy knows about the blade.”
“She does?” Percival’s eyebrows raised so high his forehead nearly disappeared. “This is her?”
“It is,” George said.
“Oh my, this is going to be an interesting evening,” Percival said.
“I can, of course, rely on your discretion,” George said.
“Of course, George. You know me.” Percival let go of Poppy’s hand, who stood looking bemused, and walked off.
“He is not going to be discreet, is he?” Poppy asked.
“Nope. Shall we get a drink?”
“Not so fast. What game are you playing?” she asked, her hand on his chest, her fingers caressing him, which did not go unnoticed.
“A bad one.” George closed his eyes, trying to figure out if this was worth the risk.
“Tell me,” she said. Then she let her hand drop to her side. “Was the only reason you brought me here to use me?”
“No,” he said quickly.
“So why?” she asked.
“Everybody here knows that I lost the blade. It’s one of the reasons Tim Hucknall specifically invites me.”
“To embarrass you?” she asked with a frown.
“Yes.”
“But look at you…” Poppy said.
“I’m the dragon who let his mate steal the blade. That is what everyone here sees,” George said. “Me, I am not stuck in their old ways.”
“What does that mean?” Poppy asked.
“I’ve given it a lot of thought since you walked back into my life,” George said, passing her a glass of champagne.
“And?” Poppy said.
“I built an empire so that I could track down the blade and get it back. But really, the blade is part of the old world. Not the new.”
“Because money and power are all that matters, in this new world,” Poppy said nodding.
“And I have more money than everyone else in the room put together,” George said. “And I am not bragging.”
“So what is your plan, George Lancaster?” Poppy asked.
“To see who Percival tells my secret to. And then see how far it spreads. I believe sooner or later it will be heard by the right person.”
“You are trying to flush someone out.”
“I have a theory that the blade was stolen to order, for another clan.” George maneuvered them through the other guests.
“And what are you going to do when you figure out who it is?” Poppy asked.
“I already have a good idea, but I would rather have proof of my own. And when I do, I will use my new-world power to take down their old world.” He looked at Poppy, needing her to understand his motives. “I don’t want to put you in danger. If you want, we can go home right now.”
“Not a chance,” Poppy said firmly. “We are in this together. I need to know Charlie will be safe. And to do that we need to take down those who think they can threaten us. If we do that, no other clan will dare to come near you. Right?”
“That is what I think. We make an example.” George scanned the room. “I can see Percival, he’s talking to another dragon from the Fireclaw Clan.”
“That’s Tim Hucknall’s clan?”
“It is,” George answered. His suspicions were raised; the information gathered already pointed to the Fireclaw Clan being behind the theft of the Heartsfire Blade.
“Do you think he is behind it?” Poppy asked.
George tilted his head and thought for a moment. “It would make sense. I did beat him at cricket at school.”
“Wait, this is all because of a cricket match?” Poppy asked.
“English gentlemen take cricket very seriously.” He kept his tone light, but this went deeper than cricket. The pieces were indeed coming together.
“You do?” Poppy asked.
George laughed softly. “I said gentlemen.” He put his lips next to her ear and said, “Do you think I am a gentleman?”
“No,” Poppy said, pulling back, and adjusting her dress.
“Do you like it?” he asked.
“The dress?” Poppy said. “Yes.” She looked down at it, and then up at George. “Oh my god.”
He opened his eyes wide. “I’d rather the whole room wasn’t looking at us.”
She looked around, but when her eyes met his again, she looked mad. “I know why you got me to wear this dress. I am such a fool.”
“Wait? What?” George asked.
“I thought you were being romantic,” Poppy said. “But really I’m bait.” She handed him her glass, and then said, “I’m going to powder my nose.”
She turned around and left him, pushing her way through the crowded room.
“Trouble in paradise?” Percival said, coming up beside him. “Or is history repeating itself? You better check she didn’t steal your wallet.”
“Funny,” George said. “So how are things?” George had heard rumors that Percival had made some bad decisions on the stock exchange, and he was in danger of losing his family home. When he told Poppy that money was the new power, he wasn’t lying.
“Could be better,” Percival said, and downed his glass of wine in one gulp.
“You know if you need anything, you can come to me,” George said.
“No, I can’t,” Percival said.
“Why not?” George asked with a frown.
“Because Kyle Northridge owns my debt,” Percival said. “He’s got me right where he wants me.”
“In what respect?” George asked. Was Kyle Northridge trying to gain control of all the clans?
“I can’t talk about it,” Percival said. “He’s ….”
“What?” George asked.
“Coming this way,” Percival said.
“Hello, Percy,” Kyle said.
“Kyle.” Percival kept his tone civil, but George knew he hated being called Percy.
“George, I see you have a stunning woman on your arm. Have you broken your vow of celibacy?” Kyle asked.<
br />
“I never had a vow of celibacy,” George retorted.
“I thought you were being all noble and holding out for when your mate reappeared on the scene.”
“Correct,” Percival said, looking apologetically at George.
“Oh, she’s… And you knew, Percy, why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Kyle gave Percival a look that made him look down in deference. “I will deal with you later.” Kyle snapped his teeth at Percival, who jumped, noticeably on edge around Kyle.
“What the hell is going on?” George asked Percival as Kyle sauntered off.
“He owns me. I’m his latest chew toy,” Percival said. “It’s all my own fault.”
“I’ve been out of the loop recently, he never used to be so…”
“Much of a bastard?” Percival said.
“Yes,” George answered.
“Power,” Percival said. “His family is gathering it, trying to tear the other clans apart.”
George mulled that over. “Do you know why? What their end game is?”
“World domination. At least in the dragon sense,” Percival said, then his expression softened. “They are scared.”
“Scared?” George spun back around to face Percival. “Scared of what?”
“One of the other clans… I can’t say.”
“Tell me, Percival. Unless you want to be my new chew toy?”
Percival face colored. “There are some perks to being his plaything. I’m not so sure about being yours.”
George understood the insinuation. “And you heard something?”
“Clan Lachlan.”
“What about them?”
“They are growing stronger, there is talk of war. There has been for years. But they are waiting for something. Or had been. Now they are on the move. Calling their clan together for some big powwow.”
George’s blood drained from his face, and he turned, scanning the crowd for Poppy. “Damn it, where is she?”
He barged through the crowded room, ignoring the murmur of disapproval he left in his wake. He had to find Poppy. Now.
Chapter Fifteen – Poppy
She’s made a mistake. She had thought he was being romantic when he gave her this dress to wear, but really she was bait. He hoped that the person behind the theft of the Heartsfire Dagger would be here, see her, and it would make them break cover.
Poppy splashed water on her face, and tried to clear her thoughts. She was mad, but why? It was imperative they flushed out the person responsible, and if she had to be bait, that was fine. What had upset her was that he had not included her in his plans. Didn’t he trust her?
Drying her face on a towel, she left the bathroom, intending to go and confront George. Instead, she got a confrontation of her own.
“You must be George Lancaster’s woman.” A man, blond, rakish mixed with surfer dude, stood before her, his blue-gray eyes glittering with amusement.
Poppy decided to see where he wanted to go with this. She smiled, her eyes glittering back at him. “I am.”
“And how is that going for you? Since you stole the Heartsfire Blade from him all those years ago?” He held out his hand. “I’m Kyle, by the way, and anything you say will be in complete confidence.”
Poppy took his hand, and said, “He’s a very strong character.” Her gaze did the rest, making a smile cross Kyle’s lips, before he put on his best sympathetic face.
“Why don’t we go somewhere quieter?” Kyle asked.
She smiled and dipped her head, giving him all the encouragement he needed to put his arm around her waist and guide her toward the stairs. “Where are we going?” she asked. She didn’t mind a private talk with him, but upstairs… She was not going down that road again.
“Yes. We can have a very intimate chat.” He grinned, his teeth startlingly white.
“I’m not sure that’s such…” Poppy began, but his phone rang and he put his hand up to shush her. Charming. But as the picture of the caller flashed up on Kyle’s screen, she suddenly became very interested.
Poppy made her move. She reached out for Kyle’s phone and pressed ignore. For a second he stared at her, then he said, “What did you do that for?”
“I didn’t want it to interrupt our…” She sighed audibly. “Do you ever want to do something just for you? Not because another person wants you to? You know, not because it’s your duty, or because someone says they are your mate?”
She sidled up next to Kyle and took his hand, breathing over his neck, and watching him squirm. “I do.”
“So take me upstairs, Kyle,” she said coyly. “Let’s do something for us.”
He grinned, put his phone in the pocket of his pants, and took her hand, pulling her up the stairs. “In here.” He pushed a door open.
“No.” She pulled him on further down the hallway, mentally recreating an image of the house as she moved. One of the curses of her job was that she was always analyzing security risks. But that was about to be a blessing, as she pushed the door of a bedroom open, and poked her head in. Empty. Her gaze swept the room, taking in the big windows and the balcony outside. She only hoped her rusty skills were not going to let her down tonight.
Poppy pulled Kyle into the room, and used her strength to push him back against the door, closing it and barring the way for anyone who might enter. Then she stroked his chest, giggling, while she moved lower, much lower. Her hands tugged at his belt and Kyle closed his eyes in anticipation.
“You are wild, I can see why George Lancaster fell so hard for you.” A twinge of guilt was not enough to still her hands; she had to do this. She had to follow the plan. “And why you distracted him enough to steal the Heartsfire Blade.”
Her hands brushed his groin area, brushing against his hardness, but at last she had his belt undone, and then his button. His pants fell to the floor, and she slid down his body, averting her eyes from his swollen length, her hands only interested in one thing.
Closing her fingers around his phone, she slipped it from his pocket, as she said, “Why don’t you step out of these?”
Kyle obediently lifted one foot and then the other, looking down at the top of her head as she slipped his pants out from around his feet. “I like it hard.” He swallowed. “And when I come, I want you to swallow it all.”
“I bet you do,” she said silkily, her hand reaching behind him and locking the door. “So no one interrupts us.”
“Good thinking, although George will break the door down if he knew what we were doing.”
She laughed, light and breathy. “George will break more than a door if he knew what you were telling his mate to do.” She pressed her body against his. “This can be our little secret.”
He nodded, teeth flashing. “If that’s what you want.”
“It is. And I’m sure by the time this is over, you will want it to be our little secret too.” She giggled. “Why don’t you lie on the bed? Make yourself comfortable.”
Poppy still had his pants in her hand as she backed away toward the window. She kept her eyes fixed on Kyle, watching him move, his cock hard, needing attention. Well, it was going to have to get attention from elsewhere.
As he climbed on the bed, and lay down, adjusting the pillows to get comfortable, she slipped out onto the balcony, relieved that the one next to it was where she pictured it to be. She slipped the key and his phone down the front of her dress, and his pants over the side of the railing, where they landed in the ornate fountain in front of the house. With Kyle’s shouts in her ears, she split the blue dress up to the thigh, climbed onto the railing, and jumped to the next balcony.
Thankfully the room was empty, so she slipped out of the door, and along the hallway, the sound of Kyle’s curses following her. She was down the stairs before he began banging on the door, where she stood looking for George.
He found her first, and he was not happy.
“Where the hell have you been?” he asked, looping his arm through hers as a murmur went through the room. He look
ed towards the staircase. “What have you done?”
“You wanted bait, I was bait. You want answers, let’s leave right now.” She placed her hand on his chest, facing him, needing him to trust her. “Please.”
He held her upper arm with his hand, and guided her out of the house. Once outside, she reached down her dress, and pulled out the phone. Luckily it was unlocked, and she swiped through Kyle’s contacts until she found the picture she wanted.
“What the hell did you do to your dress?” George asked, noticing the split.
“I had to redesign to make it more practical.” She held the phone out to George. “Do you know this man?”
“Yes. Zavier Lachlan.” He frowned. “Why?”
“He’s the person who made me steal the Heartsfire Blade. Brax called him Bernard, but when I tried to trace him afterward, I knew it was an alias. I’ve never been able to identify him.” Poppy began to go through Kyle’s messages, but they were all deleted; the man must have secrets if he covered his tracks so well.
“You are sure?” George asked.
“Do you really need to ask?” Poppy replied.
“No.” He began to walk to the car. “I’ll take you home.”
“Oh no,” she said quickly. “We have the element of surprise and we are in this together. We go together, or I will follow alone.”
“Poppy, you belong with our son,” George insisted.
“Together,” was her only reply.
“All right. But if I think it’s too dangerous, you are not going in.”
“And what if I think it’s too dangerous for you to go in?” she said in retort.
“You are impossible,” George said.
“You have no idea.” She grinned at him; he was beginning to understand they were equals. “There is one more thing I have to do, before we leave.”
“Which is?”
She ran across to the fountain and threw the phone into the water, to sink to the bottom of the fountain along with Kyle’s pants. “So he doesn’t know why I took his pants off.”
“His pants off?” George asked.
“Close your mouth, George. Or you might catch a fly.” She took his hand and pulled him toward the car.
The Billionaire Dragon's Secret Son (Howls Romance) Page 8