Valentino nods. “She knows her stuff.”
I take a tentative step forward, waiting for Tino to tear into me, but instead his breath hitches as he inhales. For what it’s worth, his scent is intoxicating to me too. This… isn’t normal. Not at all. It must be magic, but what kind? I’d be tempted to blame it on the binding spell, but I know damn well that this started the second I laid eyes on Valentino weeks ago. Maybe there’s something about this dragon that I just haven’t sniffed out yet, something my demon is drawn to. I eye him curiously, probing him gently with my powers.
“Now what?” I ask, trying to find my footing again when I don’t feel anything other than the mountains of chaotic energy and raw lust under his surface.
Tino grumbles, a puff of smoke escaping from his nose. The scent of it is oddly soothing, and my mouth waters.
“You used me,” he growls, taking a step back.
“Not really. I could smell the family connection, but I just…” I lick my lips, remembering the pull to him the night we met. “I wanted you.”
He replies with a curt head nod before saying, “You knew I was related to the dragon you were hunting, but youjust wanted me?” He scoffs. “I suppose it’s a coincidence that you just happened to be at the first bar I went searching in?” Valentino narrows his eyes in challenge.
I want to bite out that yes, it fucking was a coincidence, but the waves of aggression rolling off of him have my hacklesraising and my demon pushing closer to the surface. I’ve never been very good at resisting a challenge or a threat.
“Does it matter?” I snap.
“Yeah, it matters, Montrose. Or Xazedose. Whatever the fuck you call yourself.”
Oh, he’s still big mad. I suppose I can’t blame him, especially considering he doesn’t believe a word I’m telling him.
“You threatened my brother,” he grits out. “That’s enough for me to kill you.”
“I know.” I blow out a breath and take a tentative step forward. “So doesn’t it mean something to you that I showed up here in spite of the danger to me?”
He eyes me warily. “Maybe it’s just more of your games. How do we know this Maggard is even real?”
“What would I have to gain if that were true?” The scent of his lust pours off of him, making me salivate and my cock swell. “Come on, pretty dragon. Forgive me. I broke all the rules for you.” I stick my bottom lip out in a pout, reaching out and dragging a finger down the middle of his chest.
He scoffs and bats my hand away, another puff of smoke billowing out of his nose. “I absolutely do not forgive you. I don’t trust you either. One thing matters to a dragon. One damn thing, Montrose.”
I nod. “Loyalty.”
“Loyalty,” he repeats in a hard tone.
“What about second chances? Loyalty matters to demons too, and I chose you and your family. I chose your little brother who stole from me. I put myself in danger. What about that?”
“Why?” he bellows, stomping forward and closing the gap between us. He keeps walking, sweeping me off my feet, until I’m pressed against the massive marble fireplace that dominates his living room. “That’s what doesn’t make a damn bit of sense tome. You got your ring and you fucking took off, so what are you doing here? Why not leave Mac to face his fate?”
Heat and sex pour off the man, and when he roars, blowing fire into the hearth beside me and lighting the logs, my entire body reacts, melting into him. Valentino gazes down at me, his pupils shifted into little slits.
“I don’t know,” I confess, my throat thick with lust and frustration. I don’t have any more answers than he does.
A strange noise between a growl and purr rises out of Valentino, prompting a wave of pheromones to waft up from me in response.
“Stop doing that,” he growls, putting his arms on either side of my head and caging me in.
“I swear it’s not intentional. I can’t help it.” My voice is low and trembling. Valentino’s eyes flicker and his dragon pushes to the surface.
He bumps his nose against my cheek before inhaling and burying his face in my hair. “What are you doing to me?” He spits the question out through clenched teeth, the words dripping with accusation and frustration.
“I could ask you the same thing.” If he thinks I have an ounce of control over this inexplicable pull between us, he’s mistaken. I’m just as much of a slave to it as he is. The only difference is I’m not mad about it like my prideful dragon is. I can soothe his ego if he’ll let me. I can make this all better. His body heat combined with the fire roaring behind us feels strangely like home. “Deliciae…”
Valentino groans, pressing into me, and the next thing I know he’s got his arm around my waist, lifting me up and carrying me across the room. He drops me on the sofa, gazing down at me with eyes that flicker from human to dragon form, both black and gold, and I don’t think Hades himself could create a creature more stunning.
“I still hate you,” Tino says, tugging roughly to open his jeans. “And Idon’tfucking trust you.”
“Uh-huh.” I drag the zipper of my bodysuit down.
