The Dragon's Dilemma (Lochguard Highland Dragons Book 1)

by Jessie Donovan

  Before either of them could change their minds about accompanying her, Holly went down the hallway and turned left to the elevator. Just after she pressed the down button, a familiar heat came up behind her.

  Holly’s heart skipped a beat. There was no way Fraser MacKenzie would risk stepping foot inside a human hospital.

  Then his familiar lilting voice filled her ear, “Hello, Holly.”

  She turned to face him and she drew in a breath. Her handsome dragonman had circles under his eyes and red stubble on his cheeks. An average person might not recognize him, but Holly would know the shape of Fraser’s face anywhere.

  He was finally here.

  Before she could stop herself, she blurted out, “You look like hell.”

  The corner of his mouth ticked up. “Some males might try to use pretty words about your appearances. Hell, I would’ve done it a few months ago. But you look worse than me by at least a mile.”

  Sadness flickered in his eyes and in that second, in her gut, she knew Fraser was aware of what had happened to the baby.

  Not ready to have that conversation, Holly turned around. “You’re an idiot for being here, you know. All I have to do is shout and the DDA guards will come running.”

  Fraser moved a fraction closer and Holly resisted leaning back against his hard chest. He whispered, “I call your bluff. If you truly want me gone, then shout. Otherwise, stop with the idle threats and talk to me.”

  The elevator doors opened and Holly hesitated. The last thing she wanted was to talk with Fraser about losing their baby and discover Lochguard didn’t want her any more.

  Yet she’d missed his comforting presence over the last few weeks. Just hearing his voice helped to ease her tiredness; she could just imagine what would happen if he held her close.

  Given her lack of food and sleep, she might even breakdown.

  And yet, she didn’t care if that happened or not. Because she would have her dragonman to lean on.

  Making a decision, Holly stepped into the elevator. She turned around and raised an eyebrow. “Are you coming?”

  Fraser grinned and the stubble on his cheeks only made him more attractive.

  Her dragonman moved to stand next to her, yet he kept a small distance between them. Holly wanted to reach out and touch his cheek, but she clenched her fingers instead. If Lochguard had wanted her to come back, she would’ve heard of it by now. There was no reason to torture herself with dreams and wishes of what she couldn’t have.

  It was best to find out the truth and get it over with as quickly as possible.

  As the elevator descended, Holly met Fraser’s blue eyes. “Well? Why are you here, Fraser MacKenzie?”

  ~~~

  Fraser’s gaze darted to the stray hair resting on Holly’s cheek. The sight reminded him of their first time alone, back in the greenhouse at Finn and Arabella’s house. Much like then, he wanted to tuck the dark tendrils behind her ear.

  Yet he knew it might be too soon. The lass’s reaction to his grin told him she was still attracted to him. But Fraser wanted more than attraction; he wanted her heart.

  His dragon huffed. Then get on with it already. I don’t like these games.

  Hey, you’re the one who wanted a challenge. Holly is definitely turning out to be our biggest challenge to date.

  Just woo her. She looks tired and sad and I don’t like it.

  Fraser watched as Holly leaned against the side of the elevator. Her cheeks were definitely too pale and the redness of her eyes spoke of little sleep.

  Or, he hoped it was only because of lack of sleep. The image of his strong lass crying didn’t sit well with him.

  His dragon growled. Pull her close and comfort her. She wants it, but fights it.

  I won’t force it. Let me talk to her first. She’s been through hell, after all.

  Don’t wait too long or we could lose her.

  Give me some credit, dragon.

  His beast fell silent and retreated to the back of his mind. Fraser met Holly’s eyes again. They were unreadable. He decided to screw being gentle. “I’m here for you, Holly Anderson. Why haven’t you bloody tried to call me or even send me a message?”

  She blinked. “Why would I?”

  Fraser moved in front of Holly until their bodies were mere inches apart. “I know I fucked up and couldn’t protect you. But if you think I’m just going to let you get away, then you’re crazy.”

  “Why? Because I’m your true mate and your dragon’s needs tell you to go after me?”

  He leaned his face down until it was a hair’s breadth away from hers. “If you haven’t noticed, the frenzy is over and I still came for you.” He gently took her biceps in his fingers. “I want you to come back to Lochguard.” He squeezed her arms. “I want you to come back to me.”

  Holly’s eyes turned wet. “I can’t, Fraser. I think you already know, but I lost the baby. Finn will probably turn me away in favor of finding another sacrifice who can see her contract through to the end.”

  Fraser growled. “Fuck that. Even if I have to challenge Finn in public to keep him from turning you away, I will. Give us a chance, Holly. That’s all I’m asking for.” He brushed the hair from her cheek. “Even if we’re never gifted with a child again, I still want you by my side.”

  She searched his eyes for a second before replying, “I—” Holly swallowed and then continued, “I don’t know.” He opened his mouth, but she placed her forefinger over his lips. “I want to make sure my father is doing okay first.”

  He growled and she removed her finger. “And then you’ll come back to me?”

  She looked away and it took everything he had not to force her gaze back. He wanted to know what she was thinking.

  Holly finally answered, “Maybe. We’ve had little chance to really get to know each other, Fraser. I can’t decide my life without being more certain.”

  “Then I will erase all of your doubts, honey. Just wait and see. I’ll win you back if it’s the last thing I do.”

  The elevator doors opened and Fraser moved to Holly’s side. Thanks to his long-sleeved jumper and careful use of language, no one had guessed he was a dragon-shifter yet. He needed to keep it that way.

  Wrapping an arm around her waist, Fraser murmured, “Have supper with me. We can consider it our first real date.”

  When his female smiled, some of his tension eased as they started walking. “Having a first date with you now, after everything, seems a bit ridiculous.”

  “You’re the one who wanted us to get to know each other better. If it were up to me, I’d take both you and your father home to Lochguard and make it my life’s purpose to see you smile every day.”

  Holly looked away from his gaze. “I’d like to see you try.”

  Fraser whispered into her ear, “You should know to never challenge a dragon-shifter. I’ll have to see it through now.”

  His female shivered and Fraser’s dragon rumbled in approval. She doesn’t hate us. Just like I told you. She will come home with us.

  Confidence doesn’t make it truth.

  It usually does for me.

  Holly looped her arm around Fraser’s waist and he forgot all about his beast. The simple gesture made his heart rate tick up.

  Looking up, Holly gave a small smile. “Have you ever had hospital food before?”

  “No. Why? Is it full of secret vitamins or something?”

  Holly merely shook her head and Fraser started to worry. Surely the lass wouldn’t try to poison him.

  ~~~

  For the first time in a week, Holly had nearly forgotten about the dragon dropping her out of the sky, her father’s health, and the loss of her child.

  Despite everything hanging over her head, Holly was feeling mischievous. For whatever reason, Fraser MacKenzie’s mere presence helped her to forget about her problems.

  A small part of her wondered if she’d been an idiot to assume the worst of Fraser and his clan. Yet Holly had learned a long time ago to be
careful. Her mother’s death had taught her that lesson the hard way.

  No. She wouldn’t allow anything to ruin her supper with Fraser. She sure as hell could use a small break from real life.

  Holly nodded toward a table at the far end of the room. “Sit there and wait for me. It should be somewhat private.”

  He grunted. “I’m not sure it’s wise to allow you to choose my food.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “I find it hard to believe you’re a picky eater.”

  Fraser glanced toward the section of the cafe selling food. “As long as it is food.”

  She smiled. “Some might say it’s not, but it shouldn’t kill you.”

  Fraser looked back to her eyes. “The ‘shouldn’t’ part of your sentence worries me.”

  Shoving Fraser’s side, she motioned toward the table with her head. “Just go, already. I’ll be there in a second.”

  After giving her an assessing glance, Fraser headed toward the far side of the room.

  As she took a tray and surveyed the choices, Holly felt a little evil and selected the blandest items on offer for Fraser and her favorites for herself. She paid for them and soon slid into the chair across from Fraser. Her dragonman scrunched his nose. “That doesn’t smell right.”

  Holly bit her lip to keep from grinning. “That’s how it always smells.”

  Poking it with a finger, Fraser asked, “What is it?”

  “Stop being a baby and just try it.”

  Fraser furrowed his brows, but he picked up a fork and scooped up a bit of mashed potatoes.

  As Fraser made a face, Holly finally let out a laugh. Her dragonman growled out, “That isn’t real food, Holly. What the hell are you trying to feed me?”

  When she could stop giggling, she motioned toward Fraser’s plate. “It’s potatoes.”

  He dropped his fork with a clang. “That is not bloody potatoes. It’s as if someone mixed cardboard with a wee bit of butter and served it on a plate.” Fraser looked to her plate of fish and chips. “How about we share yours?”

  Swiping a chip, she popped it into her mouth. Not even the hospital cafe could ruin the greasy, salty heaven of a hot chip. “They’re mine.” She ate another and moaned for effect. “And they’re good.”

  Fraser growled, “Cheeky wench,” before swiping a few of her chips. After sniffing one, he took a nibble and then ate the whole thing. “That’s more like it. Mum never let us have chips. Something about making our dragons fat and lazy.”

  Holly replied, “My mum was the same.” She took a bite and then continued, “But once a month she’d cave to my dad’s wishes and we’d have fish and chips on the last Friday of the month.”

  “What happened to your mum?”

  She sobered a fraction. Not telling Fraser about her mother would keep distance between them. And if she wanted any chance of a future with him, she needed to open herself up to him.

  However, she would share information on her terms. “I’ll only tell if you let me know what happened to your dad.”

  Fraser shrugged as he chewed a bit of fried fish. “My dad was flying home from a hunt. The idiot decided to risk flying back in a storm and was struck by lightning. He didn’t make it.”

  Holly frowned. “Did he have a reason for rushing home? I can’t see your mum mating an idiot.”

  “Aye, he had a reason. But still, he should’ve waited. Faye wasn’t born until the following day, once the storm had passed. If Dad had waited for clear skies, he’d probably still be around.”

  Holly reached across the table and laid a hand on Fraser’s arm. “Sometimes parents make less than brilliant decisions, but I’m sure your dad did it out of love.”

  Fraser sighed. “Aye, I know. I was only five years old at the time, but I still remember bits and pieces of my parents together.” He leaned forward. “To be honest, I wish my mum would’ve found a second chance.”

  Holly gave a sad smile. “I feel the same way about my dad.”

  Fraser laid a hand over hers and squeezed. “I fulfilled my end of the bargain. It’s time to do yours. What happened to your mum?”

  Holly paused a second. Thoughts of her mother always made her sad, and she’d been doing so well to forget her sadness by teasing Fraser. Yet as he looked at her with earnest expectation, she decided he deserved to know the truth. “I was twelve years old when it all started. My mum was a nurse and always had a way with the patients. While some would mistake her kindness for more, none were ever a problem until Gerry.

  “I can still remember the day she told my father she thought she was being followed home every day. This was before mobile phone cameras, but she eventually did manage to snap a photo and went to the police.

  “But the police were busy at the time with a local gang and said they’d look into it later.”

  Fraser pointed a chip at her. “But they never did.”

  Holly shook her head. “No. The bloke even came to the door a few times and had seemed harmless. But one day my mum didn’t come home and we reported it to the police.” Holly took a deep breath and spit out the rest. “We heard nothing for five days and then they found her.”

  Holly closed her eyes to keep back the tears. She’d only been thirteen and losing her mother had devastated her.

  Fraser lightly touched her arm. “Tell me, lass. Speaking something helps to clear the demons, as my mum always says.”

  Opening her eyes, she stared into Fraser’s blue-eyed gaze, which was full of encouragement.

  After a deep inhalation, the words came out in a rush. “She’d been murdered. They eventually tied DNA evidence to the man who had been stalking her. He’d murdered two other nurses over the span of five years. He has a life sentence, but—”

  Holly clenched her fingers and released. Fraser finished her sentence, “But it’s not nearly enough.”

  “No. I want him to pay for what he did to my mother and those two nurses. I sometimes wonder if that makes me a bad person.”

  Fraser took her chin between his thumb and forefinger. “You are the farthest thing from a bad person, Holly. You’re caring, open-minded, and determined to help others. We all have moments when we wish to carry out some revenge. But the difference is that you would never do it, not even if the opportunity presented itself.” He took one of her hands with his free one and squeezed. “You bring life into the world with your hands. I find it hard to believe you’d be able to end it with them.”

  Holly merely looked at Fraser. She’d wanted them to eat together so she could get to know him better. But somehow, despite their short time together, Fraser already knew her fairly well. He was right—she couldn’t even kill a mouse, let alone another human being.

  As she tried to figure out what to say, Fraser released her hand, picked up a piece of fried fish, and he positioned it just before her lips. “Eat something, lass. You’ll need the energy.”

  No one had ever tried to feed her before. Opening her mouth, Fraser moved the fish between her lips and she bit down, never severing eye contact. The act was simple, yet somehow intimate.

  Maybe a life with Fraser MacKenzie wouldn’t be so bad.

  Once she swallowed her food, she asked, “When will I see you again?”

  The corner of his mouth ticked up. “That anxious, eh, lass? I expected more of a fight to win you over.”

  She pointed a finger at him. “I never said you won me over. You’ll know when that happens.”

  He leaned forward. “Aye? And may I have a hint of how to tell?”

  Holly ate the last chip and gathered the rubbish from their meal. “You, the master of wooing women, need a hint?”

  Her dragonman growled. “Only with you, Holly. Only with you.”

  “Good. I like to keep you guessing.” Standing up, she motioned with her head. “I need to get back.” Fraser’s pupils flashed to slits and back. She did a quick check, but they were still alone on the far side of the cafe. She whispered, “Tell your beast to cool it, unless you want to be arrested.�
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  Fraser stood and leaned toward her ear. “Then I need to know when I can see you next. I’m not sure I can sneak into the hospital again without being noticed, especially since I’m not here visiting anyone or seeing a doctor. And I need to see you again, Holly.” He brushed her cheek. “I need the chance to win you over for good.”

  Searching his gaze, her desire to tease him further evaporated at the yearning in his eyes. For whatever reason, Fraser wanted her.

  He may even love her.

  No. She wasn’t about to jump to conclusions and have her heart broken.

  She debated what to say. Yet as his pupils flashed again, she decided she’d better give him something or his flashing eyes might be spotted by someone walking by. As soon as people knew he was a dragon-shifter, they would take him away from her for good.

  And at the thought of never seeing Fraser again, her heart squeezed. She’d dreaded it over the past few weeks, afraid he’d walk on eggshells about the miscarriage and treat her differently. Yet he’d teased her and even stolen her bloody food.

  She wanted to keep Fraser MacKenzie.

  “My father should be discharged tomorrow. Unfortunately, the DDA will be watching over our temporary housing.”

  Fraser laid a hand on her lower back. She’d missed his strong, possessive touch.

  Her dragonman answered, “I’ve thought of that.” Removing his hand, he took a cheap mobile phone from his pocket and tucked it into hers. “That’s an untraceable phone with my secret new number programmed into it. Call me when you’re ready, Holly, because what happens next will be in your hands.”

  She opened her mouth, but Fraser placed a gentle kiss on her lips. Before she could do more than sigh, Fraser was gone.

  Holly threw away her rubbish and touched the place where Fraser had slipped the phone. It looked as if Holly would be the one doing the chasing.

  And despite everything going on in her life, she looked forward to it. The next step would be contacting Melanie Hall-MacLeod to set things in motion.

  Holly might have been debating where her home was the last few weeks, but she finally knew it was on Lochguard.