Morning light poured in through the obsidian-framed windows of Draven’s private chambers and cast golden geometric patterns across the rumpled silk sheets. Lila’s naked body was wrapped securely in Draven’s powerful arms, her back pressed against his chest as his breath warmed her neck. The events of the previous night replayed in her mind like a fever dream—Veyra’s venomous words in the library, the guilt gnawing at her over crossing professional boundaries, and Draven’s patient reassurances as he’d convinced her to stay the night.
I’ve never slept with a client before. Never even been tempted.
Yet here she was, skin to skin with Draven, feeling happier than she had in years despite the turmoil churning in her thoughts. The mate bond hummed like a live wire, carrying echoes of his emotions—contentment, protectiveness, and something deeper that made her heart ache.
Last night, before they’d fallen asleep tangled together, she’d pressed him about Veyra. The conversation had revealed disturbing details that now festered in her mind like an infected wound.
Veyra had harbored feelings for Draven since he was a young king. Recently, she’d escalated her pursuit, pressuring him to mate with her. Most concerning was the so-called antidote she and Corin had supposedly discovered—a cure for his fire madness that only worked if he mated with another dragon shifter.
Lila had told Draven it sounded suspicious, but he’d brushed off her concerns, saying he was too focused on their relationship and therapy to investigate properly. That dismissive attitude frustrated her more than she cared to admit.
Something’s wrong with that woman. Every instinct I have is screaming warning bells.
The jealousy that coursed through her at the thought of Veyra pursuing Draven was foreign and fierce. She’d never been the possessive type, but the idea of that calculating blonde anywhere near her mate made her want to bare teeth she didn’t have.
My mate.That thought sent a thrill through her even as it terrified her.When did I start thinking of him that way?
Draven stirred behind her, his arms tightening around her waist as his consciousness returned. His lips brushed the sensitive spot behind her ear, sending shivers through her.
“I can feel you overthinking through our bond, you know,” he murmured, his voice husky and impossibly sexy. “You need to just enjoy the moment. Isn’t that what you told me to do?”
She turned in his arms to face him, drinking in the sight of his tousled black hair and golden-brown eyes still heavy with sleep. Even rumpled and drowsy, he looked like a god carved from living stone.
“I’m just worried about Veyra,” she admitted, tracing patterns on his broad chest. “I don’t want you to have to deal with political drama because of me.”
His expression grew fierce, alpha dominance radiating from every line of his body. “You shouldn’t worry about all that. I’ll take care of it.” His deep voice carried the absolute authority of a king who’d never had his word questioned. “I just want you to focus on us and my therapy right now.”
Typical alpha male response—dismiss the problem and expect me to trust him to handle everything.
“Fine,” she said, forcing a smile. But privately, her resolve hardened like steel. Her intuition had kept her alive through her father’s death, her mother’s emotional absence, and years of dealing with traumatized clients. It was screaming at her now, and she wouldn’t ignore it.
If Draven won’t investigate Veyra properly, then I will. Nyra and Jarek might have insights he’s missing.
Draven’s hand cupped her face, his thumb stroking across her cheekbone with devastating gentleness. “What’s that look for?”
“Nothing,” she lied, leaning into his touch. “Just thinking about how surreal this all is.”
His eyes darkened with desire as he pulled her closer, her breasts pressing against the hard planes of his chest. “Surreal in a good way, I hope.”
“Definitely good,” she breathed, her body responding instantly to his proximity despite her racing thoughts.
Turn your brain off, Lila. You can investigate Veyra later. Right now, enjoy this perfect man who makes you feel like a queen.
But even as Draven’s lips claimed hers in a kiss that made her forget where she was, one thought remained crystal clear in her mind. She would protect him from whatever scheme Veyra was orchestrating, even if she had to do it behind his back.
The silk sheets twisted around their naked bodies as he deepened the kiss, his tongue exploring her mouth with a possessive intensity that made her core clench with need.
God, the way this man kisses should be illegal,Lila thought, her body melting against his muscular chest as heat pooled between her thighs.
Suddenly, the wooden doors to Draven’s private chambers burst open with a loud bang, causing them both to spring apart like guilty teenagers caught by their parents.
“Draven, I—” Jarek stopped dead in the doorway, his green eyes widening as he took in the scene before him. “Oh, hell. Sorry, I didn’t think you had company.”
Lila grabbed the silk sheet and yanked it up to cover her breasts, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.
Of all the moments for an interruption.
Draven’s expression darkened with alpha irritation as he sat up, the sheet pooling around his waist and leaving his broad chest gloriously exposed. “Jarek, what’s the first rule of entering someone’s private chambers?”
