I stiffened.
There we go.
Reo had just carved Nyomi’s title into stone, and the entire war room had felt it without my Tiger knowing what was going on.
The Dragon’s Heart.
A ripple moved through the space—not loud, not dramatic, but primal. Several of the Scales straightened without thinking, like soldiers recognizing a shift in rank. Some of the younger ones blinked hard.
Two of the Claws exchanged glances.
Even Hiro stilled beside me. The lollipop that had been rolling between his molars stopped. He said nothing. Didn’t move. But I felt him reading the room the same way I was.
Tet stepped back like he’d been slapped.
Kiko went quiet for half a second—long enough to recognize she’d been outmaneuvered. And then the shrieking began again, more frantic this time. Because she knew. They all knew. There was no coming back from what Reo had just said.
The Dragon’s Heart.
That wasn’t a metaphor.
That was a title.
And in my world? Titles didn’t just get spoken. They got carved in blood, remembered with violence, and feared in silence. Due to my Roar saying that, Nyomi would not be considered a guest anymore to my men. Not some lover. Not a woman passing through my bed.
She had now entered the architecture of the organization.
And Nyomi stood there, right in front of me, having no clue about the promotion of her power.
Tet shook his head.“The Dragon’s Heart? Says who?”
“The WHAT?!”Kiko began to shriek and scream as if Reo were manhandling her.
“Kiko is the Dragon’s Queen. The true one. The only one. She carries his heirs. This woman is nothing!”Tet grabbed Reo’s shirt, roughed it up, and then let go.“You must allow Kiko in the room this instance! Kiko must talk to the Dragon!”
Tet and crew didn’t understand diplomacy. They thought noise equaled power.
But the loudest ones were always the first to bleed.
Tet reached for Reo’s shirt again.
Reo’s hand shot out. He gripped Tet’s wrist—not tightly, not gently. Just enough to make Tet’s entire body stall.“Touch me again, and I’ll decorate the hallway with your fucking molars.”
I cracked my neck just to keep from reaching for my gun.
Nyomi spoke, “I metherin the hallway.”
I put my view back on my Tiger. “I’ve heard.”
Nyomi was watching me too carefully now. I could see the calculation behind her gaze. The fire behind her calm. Her tone was soft, but the demand behind it wasn’t.
“I think you should talk to her. She sounds upset. And that’s not good for the babies. Maybe, you should call her in here. I think it’s time for us to meet.”
The muscle in my jaw flexed, hard. My hands gripped the desk. Not enough to splinter it some more—but close. My knuckles ached with the restraint I was forcing into place.
My cock began to soften.
Next to me, Hiro popped the lollipop from his mouth and raised one brow.
