But it was her eyes that reached inside him and squeezed his soul. They were still the blue of a beautiful summer sky. He’d seen them filled with fear, happiness, anger, and arousal. And he’d seen them blank, which was much worse than any fear or anger could ever be.
“Umm, do you want me to go or stay?”
Nic gave his attention to the young woman peeking out from behind Constance. He’d seen Abigail at the warehouse the night her sister had rescued her, but this was the first time he’d gotten a really good look at her. He instantly saw the resemblance between the two of them. Her sister was shorter, her hair totally blond and longer, but their eyes were identical.
“It’s nice to meet you, Abigail.” He thrust out his hand. “Nicodemus Wilde.”
“Yeah.” She took his hand and gave it a brief shake. “Nice to meet you.”
She sounded uncertain. Of course, the last time she’d glimpsed him, he’d been a very angry dragon.
“You can go on,” Constance assured her. “Everything is fine.”
Abigail shot him a warning look that reminded him of her sister. These two were very protective of each other.
“If you’re sure?” Abigail hesitated and bit her bottom lip.
Nic studied Abigail. She was uncomfortable around him. Not surprising given everything she’d been through. Constance gave her sister a hug. “You go on and start making plans. We’ll talk more about everything later this evening.” The two women clung to each other for a long moment, and then Abigail slid out the door, but not before she gave him another warning glance. Nic found himself liking the younger woman.
They both watched her retrieve a bike from the side of the house. Nic frowned. “Why isn’t she driving?” Before Constance could answer him, he called out to Abigail. “You can take my car if you like.” That it was his beloved Charger made his balls clench, but he didn’t rescind his offer.
Abigail waved. “I prefer to ride my bike, but thanks.” She began to pedal and disappeared down the street, leaving them alone.
He stepped farther into the house, and Constance closed the front door.
Something inside him loosened and relaxed. She was safe, and he was with her. It had been the longest week of his life. And he’d gotten more advice than he’d ever wanted from his siblings and their women.
His brothers had advised him to come to her bearing gifts. The women had urged him to go immediately and lay his heart on the line.
He’d needed time to get his head on straight first. He needed to come to grips with his past and what he wanted his future to be.
Constance turned and marched into the living room, sitting in a chair instead of on the sofa. He followed her and took a seat. He noticed she relaxed a bit when he didn’t crowd her.
“Abigail is going somewhere?” He figured her sister was the best way to get Constance to talk with him. And he found he was truly interested.
“She’s planning a trip to Europe.”
Now that was a shock. “Europe?”
Constance nodded. “Mario left his estate to us.”
Nic winced. While Mario’s death wasn’t his fault, he couldn’t help feeling somewhat responsible. The old man had tried to play games with the wrong buyer. The Knights played to win, and they didn’t care what they had to do in order to bring about that outcome.
She glanced around the room, studying it intently. “I’m going to sell the house,” she announced.
His stomach dropped. She was moving? Away from Las Vegas?
“Where will you go?” He kept his tone casual, like his entire life wasn’t wrapped up in her reply.
She shrugged. “I don’t know yet. It will be months before I have to decide. I have to dispose of Mario’s shop and all the things he collected. And it will take time to settle his estate. In the meantime, I’ll start selling off everything Abigail and I no longer want. I figure in about three or four months, I’ll be ready to put the house on the market.”
Okay, he had time. He could work with this.
She leaned forward, placing her forearms on her thighs and linking her hands together. “Why are you here, Nic? You made it pretty clear when I left your place that we were done.”
He winced at her bluntness but couldn’t blame her. He’d been a bastard. “I was confused. Upset.” That was an understatement.
She nodded. “I get that, but we were only temporary.”
She sat back, leaned her head against the cushion, and gave a tired sigh. There were circles under her eyes. He could tell she hadn’t been sleeping well.
“Circumstances threw us together. You’re”—she waved her hand in front of her—“you. You’re immortal, or at least very long lived.”
She looked sad. His heart clenched, and his dragon roared inside him, not at all happy with how things were progressing.
She looked him straight in the eyes in that direct way she had. “I really don’t know much about you. We didn’t have that kind of relationship.”
Ouch. Talk about stabbing a guy in the heart, but he had only himself to blame. “I’m used to keeping secrets.”
“That’s understandable. After encountering the Knights, I appreciate why you have them. But I can’t be in a relationship like that.”
“But you already know my secrets,” he pointed out.
“I know you buy antiques and collectibles, otherwise Mario wouldn’t have contacted you.” She ticked off her observation on one finger. “You have enemies.” Another finger. “You’re a shape-shifting drakon.” Tick. “You’ve lived a very long time.” She held up four fingers. “Not much when it comes down to it.”
He was losing her. He could sense it. Every insecurity he’d ever had came roaring back. Maybe she couldn’t love him. Maybe he’d done too good a job pushing her away.
“And you don’t know much about me,” she continued.
He wanted to touch her, so he clasped his hands together to keep from reaching out. She looked so alone. He understood loneliness.
“I know you’re loyal and brave and loving. I know you have a special knack for finding interesting items and treasures when other collectors or buyers might pass them over. I know you’re kind and passionate. And courageous. And bold. And sexy.”
Her cheeks turned an entrancing shade of pink. “All that?”
“And more.” Unable to stay away from her any longer, he shoved the coffee table out of the way and went to his knees in front of her. He took her hands in his. They were chilly, and he blew on them to warm them.
“Nic.”
He shook his head. “Listen to me, please.”
She nibbled on her bottom lip and nodded. His jeans got incredibly tight. He wanted to trace her bottom lip with his tongue.
“Those statues scrambled my brains a little while I was trapped. That pushed me more toward my more primal nature. It made me paranoid, too.” It was no excuse for how he’d treated her, but it was a part of it.
“I’m sorry about that. Sorry I betrayed you.”
He brought her hands to his mouth and kissed them. “You did what you had to do to protect your sister. I was little more than a stranger to you.” When she would have objected, he leaned in and kissed her. It was a brief but powerful caress. It also seemed to rob her of speech.
“In the aftermath, destroying the Knights, and then having to fight Dent and more of his men.” He shrugged. “It was a lot.”
“But not as difficult as finding out about your mother.” She was almost hesitant when she spoke, as if afraid her words might somehow hurt him. That she cared about such a thing gave him hope he hadn’t destroyed her feelings for him.
“I can add astute to the list of things I know about you.” He sat back on his heels but didn’t release her hands. “That event shaped my entire life, shaped who I am. To find out what I thought was the truth was really a misunderstanding shook me to the core.”
“I get it.”
He captured her gaze with his. “No, I don’t think you can. I lived f
our thousand years thinking my mother didn’t love me, that she’d betrayed me by choosing her village over her son. But that wasn’t the truth at all. She loved me enough to try to protect me. She started the Dragon Guard.”
“So they’re legit? I’ve been worried about that.”
“From what Tarrant’s been able to find out, Oscar is telling the truth. The Dragon Guard is real. He shipped me a box of books and artifacts, including the remaining dragon statue.”
“That’s a good thing, right? You’re safe from the Knights of the Dragon.”
“For now. And so are you and Abigail.” That was most important to him.
It was time for the moment of truth. Either she’d give him a second chance, or she’d kick him out, and he’d spend the rest of his eternity alone.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a dazzling platinum chain set with the most perfect rubies known to man. He’d taken them to a jeweler he knew and paid a fortune to have the necklace made in under a week. There were so many rubies that he was also having a bracelet made for her.
Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. “What is that?”
He held it out to her, but she didn’t take it. “It a necklace of drakon tears, and it belongs to you.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Constance was at a loss. Nic was holding the most gorgeous necklace she’d ever seen. It reminded her of the one she’d given him, the one she’d found at the estate sale with the statues. But where that one had been silver with emeralds, this one looked to be platinum and was set with exquisite rubies.
“I don’t understand.” Why was he offering her this priceless piece of jewelry? “Drakon tears? You said the other necklace was made of drakon tears, and so were the eyes of the statues.”
He sat before her looking so big and gorgeous and radiating such sadness she wanted to wrap her arms around him. But he’d already sent her away, kicked her out of his life once. She couldn’t go through that again. No matter how deeply her feelings ran. She had too much self-respect. Plus, there was the whole he’s immortal and she’s human thing.
Nic held the shimmering necklace in his large hands. “A drakon only cries when his heart is breaking.” He looked straight at her, his black eyes like polished onyx. “A drakon only cries for love.”
“Are these yours?” She tentatively reached out and touched her finger to one of the rubies. “From when you were a child?” When he frowned, she added, “Because of what happened with your mother?”
“No.” He let the platinum chain and the dozens of gemstones slide through his fingers. “These tears are yours.”
“Mine?” She didn’t understand.
“After I’d sent you away, I finally admitted I was a coward. I was so afraid of getting hurt again that I let you go. Only problem was I hurt even worse when you left.”
He’d cried. For her.
Her heart began to race, and her hands became clammy. She was glad she was sitting down, because she was rather lightheaded.
“In four thousand years, I’ve cried twice.” He looped the chain in his hands and then settled it over her head. It was so long it went around three times. “When my mother sent me away and I was on my own.” He adjusted the strands so they hung like a waterfall around her neck. “And when I sent you away.”
The metal was cool against her skin, but when she touched one of the rubies, it was warm. The necklace was priceless. Not because of the flawless stones and expensive metal. No, it was beyond price because Nic had given it to her, because it was made from his tears.
“It’s the most special gift I’ve ever received.” She wanted to keep it so badly but knew she couldn’t. She started to remove it, and he stopped her.
“You don’t like it?” His expression was blank, but she was very aware of the immense hurt simmering beneath the mask.
“I love it. It’s perfect.” It was a symbol of emotional honesty. He’d laid himself bare. She could do no less. “But you should keep it.”
“It’s yours.” There was a sense of finality to his words. She knew he would never take the necklace back. A part of her was fiercely glad.
“Thank you.” She played with the strands of platinum. “So—” She blew out a breath. “Where does this leave us? You’re still immortal, and I’m human. Even if we had a relationship, it would be short-lived. I’ll age, and you’ll eventually move on.” It hurt to even think about Nic with another woman, but it was best to be realistic about their situation.
“Is that what you believe?”
“It’s the truth.” She released the chain and put her hands against his face. He’d taken a risk and come to her. Could she do any less for him? She loved him. No amount of time would change that. But regret…well, that would be a bitch to live with if she didn’t take a chance.
“But I’m game if you are. I don’t know if you’re looking to hang around a few days, a few weeks, months, or years, but I’m in.”
“Because of the necklace?” Something about his tone had her leaning away from him.
“Yes, because of the necklace. Not because of its value, even though it’s probably worth a fortune, but because of the honesty it represents. You really want me.”
“Yes.”
“Then that’s good enough for me.” She’d make it enough. Nic was offering her an opportunity for happiness. Maybe it wasn’t long term, but she’d learned that life didn’t come with guarantees and you had to take your happiness where you found it.
She leaned in and kissed him, releasing all the pent-up emotion, all the anger, and sadness, and disappointment she’d kept bottled inside this past week. He groaned and dragged her out of the chair and onto his lap, roaming his hands up her back and over her shoulders and arms. She snuggled as close to him as she could get, absorbing his strength and his heat. She inhaled his unique hot, woodsy scent.
All the tension inside her slowly bled away, leaving behind a healing balm that began to mend all the heartbreak inside her.
She had never been in love before but knew no other man would be able to compete with what she felt for Nic. This was it for her. She either took what she could get or she lost the opportunity forever.
Their breath mingled, their tongues battled for supremacy before finding a rhythm where they both came out on top. They were both breathless when they pulled apart. Nic slowly smiled and brushed her hair away from her face. “Constance,” he began.
She grabbed a handful of his shirt and yanked him closer. “No. No talking. Not now.” She didn’t want to discuss the future, one where he might be gone and she’d be alone. She wanted to bask in the now, the feel of his hard arms wrapped around her, the press of his thick erection against her stomach, the smell of his heated skin, the sight of his beloved face, and the heavy thump of his heartbeat against her chest.
He nodded and pushed to his feet with her still in his arms. The man was enormously strong, but he wasn’t just a man. Nic was her drakon, part man and part dragon. He was unique, and at least for now, he was hers.
…
Nic knew Constance didn’t truly believe him, didn’t understand what he wanted from her. He knew she thought their time together would be short, and she still opened her arms to him.
For now, that was enough. They’d talk more later. Now, he wanted to love her.
She ran her fingers over his nape. “Are you okay?” she asked as he carried her into her bedroom. The genuine concern in her voice gutted him. He’d driven her away, been purposely cruel about it, and yet here she was worried about him.
He was beyond talking, so he kissed her. He pressed his lips against hers and took them both down onto her bed. She made a small sound in the back of her throat and slid her fingers into his hair, holding him to her. He loved her aggressiveness, how she showed him what she wanted.
He spread one hand over the side of her face and deepened the kiss. Their tongues stroked and teased. The creature that resided inside him seemed at peace for the first time since he’d
watched her walk away from him.
The urge to claim her was overwhelming.
He went to work on her clothing while he was still kissing her. He gripped the neckline of her top and ripped. He ignored her gasp and found the fastener of her bra and unhooked it. Bare skin met his fingers, and he groaned. She arched into his hand when he cupped one of her breasts. The gemstones of the necklace he’d given her glowed against her pearly white skin.
Constance was open and giving.
She was perfect.
She was his.
He nibbled on her bottom lip and then spread kisses down her jaw and neck. “Nicodemus.” She said his name and tugged at his shirt. He reared back long enough to yank it off.
She laughed, the sound vibrating through him. “You seem to be in a hurry,” she pointed out. She was teasing him, and he loved it.
“Whatever gave you that idea?” He opened his mouth over the tip of her breast and took the pert nipple inside. She sucked in a breath and moaned.
“What idea?” she muttered, making him smile.
She ran her hands over his shoulders and back, stroking his skin. He loved her touch. He wanted to lie in bed for hours and let her stroke him. Whether she knew it or not, she had the power to tame both man and beast.
“You’re always so warm.” She pressed her hands against his skin.
“Hot. I’m hot.”
She started to laugh, but it turned into a groan when he flicked her nipple with his tongue. “You are hot.” She licked her lips. “What about the necklace?”
“Leave it.” He wanted to see her wearing his gift when they made love.
He worked his way down her ribs and unfastened the button of her jeans before lowering the zipper. She was wearing plain white panties. He’d never seen anything quite so sexy.
He pushed his hands beneath the fabric and caressed her soft skin before shoving her jeans down her thighs. He could smell her arousal. It made his skin prickle, almost like it did when he was about to shift to his dragon form.
“I love your tattoo,” she murmured, tracing her finger over one of the swirls.
Here was a moment for truth. “All drakons have one. The colors signify what kind of drakon we are.”
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