His, and yet he’d allowed her to walk away without a fight.
She’d known that he and his team were planning something that would turn them into the monsters they’d always feared they were. She just hadn't known it was abducting Dr. Gardner’s innocent little sister.
Without even knowing the details, she’d looked at him with disgust and betrayal, like he wasn't the man she’d thought he was.
“Tried to warn you I was a monster and not good enough for you, little rabbit,” he said as Cassandra appeared on the screen again. “You saw something in me that doesn’t exist, and once you realized that, you left.”
Not just left, but left with an ultimatum.
Trust Prey to help them get their revenge and not give into the darkness that wanted to claim him, or she’d leave and never see him again.
What did it say about him that he’d chosen vengeance over redemption?
Steel hadn't. He’d chosen Rose over her psychopath brother. Instead of focusing on finding Ridge Gardner when he’d taken Rose and run, ensuring that the doctor would now be locked up in their basement, enjoying Delta Team’s special brand of hospitality, he’d put Rose’s life first.
Why hadn't he been strong enough to do the same with Cassandra?
Already she hated him, thought he was a twisted monster. How much more would she hate him if she knew he’d kidnapped an innocent woman, participated in torturing her, and continued to threaten her life even when it was clear one of the men he considered a brother had caught feelings for her?
Even though Cassandra was hiding it from everyone she loved, he knew she was struggling. And since he spent hours a day watching her, Dragon knew she would be heading home now, ready to change into running clothes and head to the local park for her daily run.
He hated that she was alone, so vulnerable, an easy target.
It was winter, and it was already dark by the time she got to the park. Knowing she was so exposed out there, and he couldn’t properly watch over her because there weren't any cameras inside the park was hell.
Didn't she know how many evil people lived in the world?
If anyone should know that, it was Cassandra. Her own biological father was the reason behind all the hell her family had lived through. He wished she would take her safety more seriously. If she needed to go running, she had a new half-sister, or five new almost sisters-in-law who would go with her.
“Why do you have to be so stubborn?” he asked the screen as he switched to a different camera to follow her journey home.
Watching over her like this wasn't any real protection. If something happened to her, he couldn’t get to her in time to save her. Even calling one of her six brothers who all lived close to her wouldn't get her help in time.
Minutes ticked by as he watched her get home, disappear inside for a short time, then come back out. She drove to the park, and when he watched her climb out of the car, he felt that familiar ball of tension tighten in his gut.
So damn vulnerable.
Like he did whenever he could, he sat there, watching the camera by her car and waited until she was safely back inside it. Then he followed her journey home. Dragon was so deep in stalker territory he had no hope of digging himself back out.
Nor did he want to.
As he watched Cassandra park and climb out of her car, he noticed a shadowy figure in black approach her, and the bottom dropped out of his world as his worst fears sprang to life in front of him, while he was powerless to do anything about it.
January 3rd
7:19 P.M.
All day, she’d felt like she was being watched.
Not just all day, Cassandra Charleston thought with a shiver as she parked her car in the small parking lot of the local park. Ever since she’d walked away from Dragon and the rest of Prey Security’s Delta Team, she would have sworn that someone was monitoring her every move.
Well, not reallysomeone. Cassandra knew exactly who was watching her.
Dragon.
The man had caught her attention the very first time she’d met him. Something in his unusual violet eyes called to her. That was years ago, before she’d gone to stay with the team while someone was targeting her family. As soon as she was permanently in his orbit, there had been no hope.
Bit by bit, she felt herself getting pulled into his larger-than-life presence.
