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The Last Blackstone Dragon

A Blackstone Mountain Novella

By

Alicia Montgomery

Copyright © 2017 Alicia Montgomery

Cover design by Melody Simmons

Edited by Serena Clarke at Free Bird Editing

All rights reserved.

Want to read more of my stuff? Check out the True Mates Series and the spinoff series, The Lone Wolf Defenders:

The True Mates Series

Fated Mates

Blood Moon

Romancing the Alpha

Witch's Mate

Taming the Beast

Tempted by the Wolf

The Lone Wolf Defenders Series

Killian's Secret

Loving Quinn

All for Connor

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Chapter One

Fire. Heat. Flame.

The pitch-dark cave was suddenly bathed in light from the fire bursting from the creature's mouth. The flame turned from bright orange to light blue, and the temperature went from cool to burning hot in seconds, then back to cool again. As soon as the temperature dropped, a dozen men scrambled forward, grabbing shiny black rocks scattered in the dirt. The cycle continued--heat and cold, light and darkness--until a whistle sounded.

"All right, we're good for now," a tall, burly man wearing a headlamp called out. "Bring those rocks to the processor. Good work everyone!" He turned to the creature and gave it a thumbs-up.

Large, silvery reptilian eyes blinked once. The dragon's gold scales glinted as the overhead industrial lights began to flicker on. There was hardly any room in the cave to stretch its giant wings, so it kept them close to its body. With a snort and shake of its head, the creature began to shrink. Scales disappeared into skin and the long, elongated head pushed back into a more human form. Once the creature was gone, all that was left was a man. He was fully naked and bracing himself on the rocky floor on one knee.

The burly man tossed him some clothes, which he easily caught without looking up.

"Thanks," he said as he got to his feet and began pulling on his jeans.

"You okay, Hank?" his foreman, James, asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." More lights overhead turned on and Henry 'Hank' Lennox looked over to the guys who were gathering the precious black chunks. Blackstone. The hardest material on Earth, found only in these mountains. Unfortunately, it was also embedded in the second-hardest material in the world, nitride londaleite. Fortunately, there was only one thing that could destroy it. Dragon fire.

It had made his great-great-great grandfather, Lucas Lennox, as rich as a king. And to think Lucas had won the mountain in a card game. It was pure luck that one of the few dragon shifters had come to own a mountain filled with a substance that could only be mined with dragon fire.

Hank turned back to the burly man. "What do you think, James? Good enough for the day?"

"Looks like a good yield. We might actually make the quota."

"I hope so," Hank replied.

"Let's go to the office," James said. "We have a couple of things to discuss."

"Okay, but I need finish up here first."

"Of course."

Hank stopped by the group of guys who were loading the rocks onto the carts, to chat with them and check in to make sure they were okay. This particular part of the job was suitable for shifters, who could easily recover from the burns and injuries from handling the blazing hot rocks.

Since Lucas Lennox had begun mining the blackstone, his company employed the various shifters from around the area—bears, wolves, foxes, lions, and even a flight shifter or two—to work in the mines, as normal humans could never survive the working conditions. Of course, thanks to today's technological advances, all the shifters who worked on-site now wore protective clothing and thus didn't rely on their accelerated healing abilities as much. However, Lennox Corporation still employed shifters for this particular job, as few humans wanted to work next to a giant, fire-breathing dragon.

After Hank and James had finished checking up on everyone, they walked out of the cave, past the workers hauling out the chunks of blackstone, and down one of the smaller, muddy trails that led away from the main entrance to the mines. A few minutes later, they arrived at Hank's 'office'. It was more a large, worn trailer that had seen better days. Beside it were two other trailers, all roughly the same age and in the same state. Hank grabbed the doorknob and yanked it open, and James followed behind him.

The interior of the trailer wasn't much of an improvement on the inside, though it was at least clean. There were filing cabinets in one corner, a table with a coffee maker in the other, and a large desk in the middle with a computer and various file folders.

Hank let out an unhappy mumble as he got a cup of stale coffee from the machine, then walked back to his desk. He sat down on the leather chair behind the desk, and slammed the cup down as a grim expression set on his face.

"So, what's gotten your panties in a twist today?" James asked as he sat down on the chair in front of the massive desk. "Is it the board?"

Hank shook his head.

"Look, Hank," James began. "I know you're taking Harrison's death hard, but your brother—"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"I know, but—"

"I said I don't want to talk about it." The air in the small room grew cold and heavy, and Hank felt his dragon's presence. He closed his eyes, trying to control the emotions. He shut them down, refusing to give in to them. The anger. The hate. But he had to let go.

Harrison had been the one his father was grooming to take over Lennox Corporation, not him. When his father had died of a brain disease that affected shifters, the board chose Harrison as president. But now, Harrison was dead too, and he was alive, and now he had to deal with all this shit.

"So is there another reason you've been on edge all day, cuz?"

Hank let out a huff. Cousins. It was a loose term the Lennoxes and Walkers still used, even though they were as different as night and day. Apparently, a few generations ago, a Lennox dragon and a Walker grizzly had got together and the two families had been linked ever since. In fact, Lucas' first foreman in the blackstone mine was Eustace Walker (James' great-great-great grandfather), and ever since then there had always been a Walker foreman overseeing the operations at the mines. Bears, after all, were loyal, especially to their clans and families. Of course, they could be annoying at times, but Hank was glad to have the support. Especially now that he had no other family.

And that was the problem on his mind. James was a family man, so maybe he'd understand.

"I need a wife."

"You need to get laid?" James asked.

Hank sighed inwardly. James was loyal, dependable, and strong, but he wasn't exactly refined. "No, a wife."

"Oh." James scratched his head. "Uhm, well, I'm sure I can ask Laura if she has any single friends..."

"I need a wife," he reiterated. "Not a date. Someone to have children with and pass on the genes to. To secure the future of Lennox Corp and the mines. Contrary to popular belief, I'm not going to be around forever," he snorted. Indeed, the lies that the anti-shifter groups spread around were ludicrous. When he was a teenager, he'd read that his father was actually still Lucas Lennox and had been faking his death for generations.

James chuckled. "Shit. You'll find better luck getting a date. You know, with what those people are saying about dragons." His expression turned dark. "Sorry. No offense."

"None taken." And that was the other lie those anti-shifter groups were spreading. Groups like SPHK and DARSA abhorred all shifters, but they seemed to have a special hatred for dragons. Not that anyone could blame them. After all, dragons were gigantic, flying creatures who could raze cities and towns in mere minutes.

So the anti-shifter groups had begun to spread rumors that human women who mated with dragons always died in childbirth. They said women who got pregnant by dragon shifters would give birth to eggs, or monsters that would rip them apart from the inside. It was an utter lie of course; human women gave birth to perfectly normal babies. His own mother had survived birthing two dragon shifters, though she had died of a heart attack when he was fifteen.

But still, the lies had been effective and now there were very few dragons left. It was hard enough for dragons to conceive, and those who mated with other shifters rarely produced dragons. So the only way to guarantee a dragon offspring was to mate with a human, and even that was rare.

"Why don't you start with like, uh, a dating service? Or one of those websites or apps?"

Hank had to laugh. "Seriously? What am I supposed to put on my profile? Dragon looking to impregnate a human?"

James' eyes narrowed. "Hank, we've known each other since we were kids playing out here in these mountains. When you say you want or need to do something, that usually means you've already been planning it. So who's the lucky girl?"

Lucky indeed. "Do you know Thomas Sinclair?"

"Yeah, he owns that construction company in Verona Mills. We did some business with them a while back." James scratched his heard. "Hmm...haven't heard good things lately."

"An understatement," Hank said.

"Yeah. Too bad. He's a widow and he has a..." James took a deep breath. "No. You can't."

"Yes." And Hank told him his plan.

"Are you serious? Are you really going to go through with this?"

He nodded. "I don't have a choice."

"There's always a choice."

"Not this time." When James opened his mouth to protest, Hank cut him off. "We can't all have loving mates who would do anything for us and accept us for who we are. You and Laura are one in a million."

"You can't believe that."

"I do."

"Then you really are a cold-hearted bastard." James stood up and kicked the chair back, sending it to the wall with a loud crash. He turned to the door and yanked it open. "Don't do this, Hank. There's another way."

Hank said nothing, but instead swiveled his chair away, turning to the large window. There was a reason his father had put this trailer up here. It gave him the perfect view of the mountains. His legacy. His entire life, Harold Lennox had ingrained the importance of family in his sons. There used to be many dragons in the world, protecting what was theirs.

He gave a silent, bitter laugh. That was before the anti-shifter groups had spread their lies. Before profits began to dwindle. He loved his father and Harrison, but neither had a head for business. When he came back to take over, he hadn't known how bad things had gotten. While he couldn't do anything about the hole they had dug themselves into, he could do something about the future of the company and his family.

Since no woman would willingly have children with him, he was going to do the unthinkable with the last of their resources.

He was going to buy himself a wife.

Chapter Two

Riva Sinclair strode confidently into the offices of Sinclair Construction in the small town of Verona Mills. As soon as she stepped inside, she felt it. She felt at home. This was where she grew up, after all. Her earliest memory was of playing under her father's desk in his office.

"Hey Virna," she greeted her father's longtime secretary.

"Riva!" the older woman greeted her as she jumped out of her chair. She quickly walked over and hugged Riva. "Oh, I'm so glad..."

The embrace was tight and lasted much longer than usual. Riva wasn't unaccustomed to long hugs from her father's assistant (who really was kind of like a mother to her, especially since her own had passed away when she was seven), and now that she lived out of state, she didn't see her as often, but still...something about it didn't feel right.

Riva pulled away. "Virna? Is everything okay?" She searched the other woman's face. Virna looked the same—carefully applied makeup, graying hair in a tight bun, suit impeccably pressed. But her smile was tight and the bags under her eyes seemed deeper.

"What? Oh, yeah...uh, you should go see Thomas," she said, her voice tight when she mentioned Riva's father. "He's been waiting for you."

"Sure, thanks V." Riva was anxious to see her dad after all these months. She'd been away for her first semester at one of the most prestigious (and brutal) MBA programs in the country. And she loved every minute of it, except being away from her dad. But her father had been supportive of her dreams and career.

Ever since she could remember, all she'd wanted to do was work alongside her dad at Sinclair Construction. While many of her friends played with dolls at home, she would spend hours in her dad's office, listening to the calls he made or reading reports and project management timelines over his shoulder. As soon as she turned sixteen, she demanded her father give her a part-time job—any job—at Sinclair Construction so she could learn the business inside and out. Or more like from the bottom up, as she started by cleaning out the kitchen and refilling the coffee pots, and had made her way up to answering phones by the time she graduated high school and was accepted at NorthWestern University, not too far from her hometown.

She graduated top of her business management class, then worked two more years in an architectural firm in the city. Once she got her work experience under her belt, she applied for Rickard University's MBA program, one of the top schools in the country. Of course, she was sad to leave her dad, as Rickard was two states over. She and her boyfriend Daniel had agreed to do the long-distance thing, and she had missed him as well.

Riva frowned. Where was Daniel? As Sinclair Construction's VP of Operations, he was usually hanging around the office. But she hadn't seen him nor had he offered to pick her up at the airport when she arrived that morning. In fact...his last text had been a few days ago. She chalked it up to the busy summer season.

"Dad!" she greeted him as soon as she entered.

Thomas Sinclair looked up at his daughter from behind his desk. "Riva!" He got up, then embraced her.

"I've missed you," she said, wrapping her arms around him.

"Me too, princess, me too."

They hugged for a long time, and Riva was the first to break away. Again, there was that strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Dad?" she asked when she looked at his face. Had she only been away four months? It was like he had aged ten years. His hair had more white and seemed thinner. The lines around his eyes were deeper, and his eyes...they seemed dull and his smile didn't reach them. "Dad? Are you okay?"

Thomas shrugged. "I can't hide anything from you, can I, princess?"

Her heart began to thud in her chest as she saw the different expressions flash across her father's face. Guilt. Then...fear? "What happened, Dad?"

"Oh, Riva..." His face fell and he sank down on his chair, his head bowed. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry princess...I shouldn't have trusted him."

"Who?"

He slowly looked up at her. "Daniel."

She didn't think her heart could sink any lower. "Tell me. From the beginning."

As he began to explain, she felt her entire body freeze. She tried to absorb the details of her father's story, but only the important bits got to her brain. Bad deals...organized crime...bribery...corruption...Daniel. He'd gotten himself into some trouble. Correction: he'd gotten Sinclair Construction into deep trouble.

"So, where is Daniel?" She wanted to kick herself for asking that question first. But she wanted to know because she was going to wring his neck when she found out.

"Gone." Thomas rubbed a palm down his face. "He just disappeared. I don't know if those guys he did deals with got to him, or if he disappeared because he was going to be arrested for criminal charges."

"But...I don't understand!" Riva shot to her feet, her body now shaking. "You didn't do anything wrong!"

"Yes," Thomas nodded. "The FBI came and said that as long as we cooperated, they wouldn't press criminal charges against us. But, Riva, all our contracts...they dried up. We're finishing what we have on the schedule, but we have no new contracts to get us through the slow season."

Blood drained from her face and she sank down on the chair again. "How long...how long will we last?"

"We're overextended with our creditors. Daniel...he took out more credit to pay for this deal. He really thought it was going to go through. We all did," he said with a defeated sigh. "I don't know...a couple of weeks maybe? We'll have to start layoffs next week."

"No," she said. "You've had this business for over thirty years! How about bank loans? Talking to the vendors?"

"I've tried everything. But no bank will give us a loan, not with the FBI looking at our every move."

"You can't shut down."

"I know, princess," he sighed. "But I don't have a choice. I..." He turned away from her.

For moment, she saw something else in her father's face. Shame? What else was he hiding? "Dad, is there something else?" There was. She could feel it in her bones.

"I can't..."

"Yes, you can." She got up from the chair and walked over to him, then placed her hands on his shoulders. "Dad, what else haven't you told me?" A dozen scenarios ran through her brain. He was sick. Or dying. Or he was going to lose the house. Maybe he'd been kidnapped by aliens and replaced by one of them. What could be worse than losing their company that he couldn't tell her?

"I...I've had an offer."

"What offer?"

"To save the company."

Relief zinged through her. "From who? What do they want?"

"Lennox Corporation. From Henry Lennox himself."

Riva wrinkled her nose. Lennox was a large, family-owned corporation that was headquartered in Blackstone, not far from Verona Mills. Most of their profits came from mining the precious stone their town was named after. But most people around here knew them because the Lennoxes were a family of dragon shifters. "What does he want? A takeover? Merger?"

"Something like that," Thomas said. "But I said no."

"What? Dad, how could you say no? What were the terms of the deal?" She couldn't believe her father would say no to Lennox, not if it could save their company and the jobs of their employees. "Dad, call him now—"

"No!" he bellowed, his face going red. "I will not. I will never speak to that...vile monster ever again."

Riva stood there, her eyes going wide. Her father was a gentle and soft-spoken man, and never prone to outbursts. "Dad, please. What did he want in exchange?"

His lips trembled. "I never even considered it. Not for a moment."

"What? Tell me, Dad."

"He wanted you, Riva. In exchange for paying off our debt and using his influence."

Shock was too mild a word. It was like a bolt of lightning shot through her. "M-m-me?"

"He wants...an heir. But for that, he needs someone to bear his children." Thomas' face was filled with rage again. "I thought he was here for a serious meeting. Then he told me...I threw his ass out of here! Told him you weren't for sale!"

"Dad—"

"What? He's a monster. Literally and figuratively! Why would I hand you over to him, knowing that you could die—"

"Dad!" she admonished. "You can't believe the lies that SPHK and those other kooks have been spreading!" She had to admit she wasn't political, but she did believe that shifters had the same rights as humans. And she didn't believe any of those stupid rumors those anti-shifter groups spread to frighten people.

"Still, you're not some piece of property to be bargained."

Her shoulders sagged. The gravity of it was slowly sinking in and she had to brace herself on his desk. This was her fault.

Sure, she hadn't made those bad deals or bribed those officials, but she was the one who'd started dating Daniel. He'd been a senior at her college and she'd been a freshman, and the attention was flattering. He was handsome, smart, ambitious, and out of her league. She wasn't ugly or anything, but she'd always thought of herself as plain, with her unremarkable face, mousy brown hair, and a figure that could always stand to lose ten pounds or so. Suffice to say, Daniel had swept her off her feet with his attention.

She'd brought him home that Thanksgiving and introduced him to her father. Thomas had offered him a job as soon as he graduated, partly because he'd been dazzled by Daniel, but also because he was probably hoping he'd be joining the family too. And indeed, they'd talked about marriage and running Sinclair together someday and passing it on to their children. But now that dream was dead. Crumbled to the ground. And she had ruined her future and her father's company.

"Dad..." she began. Would it be so bad? She could save Sinclair. Save the hundreds of employees and their families. All she had to do was say yes. "Dad, call him back."

"Who?"

"Henry Lennox."

"What? No, Riva, I won't let you!"

"Dad!" She slammed her fists on his desk. "You can't tell me what to do."

"This is not your fault!"

"Please, Dad," she said, placing her hands over his. "I...I want to do this. Just call him and see if the offer still stands." She shrugged. "You said he just wants a child?"

"An heir," he replied. "He said you could live separate lives once you've given him what he wants."

"How generous," she said with a sardonic laugh. Was this really happening? How could she even consider it? Was she going to get artificially inseminated or did he want to do things...naturally? The thought sent a shudder through her.

Blackstone and other shifter towns attracted a lot of visitors, not just because people wanted to see shifters up close (indeed, many of them offered themselves as tourist attractions), but also because they were curious in other ways. Shifter groupies weren't unknown, and there were even groups on social media sites that discussed the sexual prowess of shifters. She had to admit she'd been curious and had looked at those sites, but the way those women had talked frankly of sex and treating those shifters like they were pieces of meat just turned her off. Still, shifters had a reputation for a reason...

"Riva...you don't have to do this. I know what you're thinking..."

"No, Dad. I...I want to do this." Not that she had any other opportunities. Daniel was definitely out of the picture. That lying, bastard scum. "I just...let's talk to our lawyers first and see what they have to say. Then maybe we can figure things out."

Chapter Three

Beautiful surroundings, mountains in the background, flowers dotting the aisle. A handsome little ring bearer and a cute flower girl in a puffy pink dress. White dress, roses in hand, tied up with silk ribbons. It was everything a girl could wish for. A dream wedding day.

But for Riva, it was a nightmare.

Each step she took made her feet feel like lead. Since the day she'd walked into her father's office, it seemed every step got heavier as she drew closer to this point.

If only she could change the past.

If only she had never met Daniel Murphy and gone out with him.

If only she had never introduced him to her father.

If only he hadn't been so eager to employ his possible future son-in-law.

Then she wouldn't be in this mess.

Oh how she wished...

But if wishes were horses, then beggars would ride. Maybe she could ride off on one of those horses and get away from here.

She straightened her shoulders. No, that wouldn't do. She was a woman of her word and she'd agreed to do this. She'd consulted with their lawyers, negotiated terms back and forth, and signed the papers. Two weeks later, here she was. About to meet her future husband for the first time. She wasn't sure why she hadn't wanted to meet him beforehand. Maybe because she didn't want to get cold feet. Not that they were warm right now, but still...

"Are you sure about this?" Thomas asked right before they walked the aisle.

Not really, she wanted to say. But what could she do? Everyone was counting on her. "Yes," she said weakly. The music began to play before she could say anything else, and soon she and her father were halfway down the aisle.

The wedding ceremony and reception were being held on the Lennox property in Blackstone. There were about fifty guests, mostly from the groom's side. They'd invited a few employees from Sinclair, who were really more like family to Riva and Thomas. Virna, of course, and her husband Jim, who was one of their foremen. Albert Johnson, the family lawyer (who had taken care of the contracts), and his wife Allie. Her father had no siblings, and when Riva's mom had died, they just sort of lost touch with her side, so there was no one representing family.

She looked straight ahead as they walked, and tried to make out the figure of her future husband. There were two men at the end of the aisle, one dark-haired and the other blond. She had googled pictures of Henry Lennox, of course, and she knew he was the one with dark hair. He was handsome, she supposed, thinking of those grainy photos on the Internet. Maybe a little cold and haughty, but he was a dragon after all.

As they drew closer, she realized that those pictures on the Internet didn't show how tall or large he was. He was a shifter, after all. He was probably two or three inches over six feet, with broad shoulders. His best man was much taller and burlier, but Riva barely looked at him. Her attention was fixed on Henry Lennox as he turned around.

She held her breath. Those pictures hadn't done him justice, either. For one thing, they were probably a few years old. His face was much more mature and handsome now, the lines around his eyes adding character to his features. The dark hair was a bit overgrown, but only made him look more appealing. And those eyes. They were a gray so light, they were almost silver. For moment, his face registered shock, but then quickly returned to a cold mask.

Her confidence deflated like a balloon. Well, what was she expecting? For him to fall madly in love with her at first sight? Sure, she was no beauty, but she hadn't expected such indifference. But this wasn't a real marriage, after all. This was a business arrangement.

***

Hank thought of himself as a practical man. He was doing this to save his legacy, continue the family line, and maybe someday Lennox Corp could be restored to what it once was, thanks to the Sinclairs.

Thomas Sinclair was the perfect target. It was a big scandal, after all, one of their VPs getting caught bribing county officials. Turned out Daniel Murphy was doing deals with the mob and needed the approval of the county to get a big development pushed through. When the scandal broke, it crippled Sinclair Construction.

So it was easy enough to dangle a quick solution in front of Thomas Sinclair, which was why he'd been stunned when the old man threw him out of his office. But then, no decent man would sell his daughter to save his business.

Of course, he'd been surprised to get a call back days later from their lawyer, saying that Ms. Riva Sinclair had agreed to the arrangement. Not Thomas, but the daughter herself. He'd said he would get back to them, and took the time to research their background, their family, and their medical history. No major diseases or genetic problems, and all the women on her mother's side didn't seem to have any fertility problems. In fact, they were quite fertile; twins ran in the family, which he thought was a good sign. An heir and a spare in one go, wouldn't that be fine?

And she was damn practical, insisting on a contract. He'd added the part about living separate lives (i.e. taking on other lovers) after an appropriate heir was born, as well as a generous alimony if she wanted a divorce in order to remarry, depending on how how many children they had. Yes, it was like the perfect present, all tied up in a neat bow. Sinclair's debts would be gone, and their association with Lennox would probably make the nastiness of the federal investigation go away. In turn, Hank would have a dragon heir and their line would be continued.

But what he hadn't expected was the woman herself.

The Ms. Sinclair he'd seen in her pictures wasn't a beauty. He'd seen a photo or two of her on Thomas' desk too. She wasn't particularly attractive, leaning more toward the plain side, but nothing that he couldn't live with. Indeed, that was probably one of the reasons he'd chosen her.

But now, one look at his bride sent something primal roaring in him. Who was this woman beside him now, reciting those vows? Sure, she kind of looked like the girl in those pictures. Maybe he should have found more recent pictures of her, because this woman seemed miles apart from the plain Jane girl he had seen in the photos on Thomas' desk.

Thick, mahogany-colored hair flowed down past her shoulders, curling over delicate, pale shoulders. Her loose, off-the-shoulder white gown hinted at the curves underneath, and for some reason, he was glad she wasn't showing off her body in front of all these people. Her creamy skin flushed pink when their eyes locked. And her eyes...light brown with green specks. So clear and wide it brought a shock to his system.

Mine.

He wanted to get that contract back and rip it to shreds in his claws and then maybe set fire to whatever remained and turn it into ashes. The thought of her with other lovers was making the dragon inside him roar with fury. Damn the contract. He decided then and there that no one would have her except him.

The ceremony seemed to go on and on, and he answered automatically, without thought to the words, as his luscious bride continued to distract him with her mere presence. Finally, the judge proclaimed them man and wife, and Hank hastily kissed his bride on the cheek. It was a quick brush, and it took all his strength not to claim her lips in front of all these people. There were some cheers and applause, and as soon as they were done, they were whisked to the reception area, which was really the next clearing in the woods.

Hank had wanted the wedding to take place in the mountains, right behind his home, and since Riva didn't care one way or another (or so her lawyer had told him), he'd asked Laura, James' wife, to take care of all the arrangements.

He had to admit, his cousin's mate had outdone herself, despite the small budget they had to work with. The area where they had the ceremony was beautiful, and Laura had used swathes of cloth and wildflowers to decorate the aisle. The reception was even more enchanting—fairy lights, white paper lanterns, and upside-down paper umbrellas hung across the trees, creating a canopy; the plain wooden tables they usually used for picnics were covered in white linen and burlap and decorated with candles and more wildflowers. It was a fairy-tale wonderland, and he heard an audible gasp from Riva as soon as they entered.

He looked down at her, those hazel eyes wide and her mouth open. She obviously liked what she saw.

"It's beautiful," she said.

Was she surprised? Did she think she was going to get married in a cave? It almost annoyed him to think that. "You'll have to thank Laura," he said nodding to the gorgeous and curvy blonde talking to one of the waiters. Her nose wrinkled and for a moment, he saw distaste on her face. "She's my cousin's wife," he added. For some reason, he was pleased that she seemed jealous, but didn't want to cause her any distress.

"Oh. I'll have to thank her, then."

"I'm sure she'll appreciate it, Ms. Sinclair."

"I suppose you should call me Riva, since I'm your wife and all."

"Right. And you can call me Hank."

They stood in the entryway, where they began to greet guests. There were many important people there, from business associates to the mayor himself. Hank frowned, realizing he didn't know most of the people who were attending his own wedding.

"Hank, congratulations," said a familiar, sickly-sweet voice.

He winced. Melissa. His sister-in-law. Of course he couldn't not invite her. They still lived under the same roof, after all, even after his brother's death and the awkwardness that came after. What was he supposed to do? Toss a widow out on the street?

"Thank you, Melissa," he replied, accepting her hug, which lasted a little too long.

"I'm Melissa," she said, turning to Riva and offering her hand. "Your sister-in-law."

Riva accepted the other woman's hand. "Nice to meet you, Melissa."

"Melissa is—was—my brother's wife," Hank added.

"I'm sure we'll get to know each other quite well," Melissa said, the smile on her face not quite reaching her eyes. "After all, we'll be living together as one happy family."

"Excuse me?" Riva's brow shot up. "What do you mean—"

"We have more guests waiting to get in," Hank said, ignoring Riva's shocked expression.

"I'll see you later then, Hank," Melissa said, then nodded at Riva. "You too."

He cursed inwardly, wishing he had spoken with Riva before the wedding. There just hadn't been enough time. He was too busy running the company and doing all the work that was entailed with being the last Blackstone Dragon. They were going to miss the quota this week again. At least that was the excuse he'd given James when he asked why Hank wasn't going to meet his bride-to-be before the ceremony. After all, he had used the remaining cash on their balance sheet to buy off Sinclair's debts. Someone had to keep working to keep their employees paid and the lights on.

They continued greeting the guests, and Hank formally introduced Riva to James, Laura and their son, Benjamin. Riva's eyes lit up as she bent down to say thank you the three-year-old boy for being such a good ring bearer and he felt a pang in his heart. He imagined her doing that with other children, maybe one with her hazel eyes and mahogany hair.

God, what was happening to him? He was never sentimental. That was Harrison's thing. Boisterous, loud, and always with his heart on his sleeve. Hank was serious, focused, and some would even say cold. But something about this woman...

"We're done," Riva said, her voice chilly. "We should get to our table so they can serve dinner. I'm sure everyone's hungry." She didn't even wait for him, but turned and walked away.

From across the room, Laura and James shot him concerned looks. Damn. He should have explained the whole Melissa situation. He had a feeling that one would be biting him in the ass.

Chapter Four

Riva fanned herself, feeling overwhelmed and overheated. It was her wedding day, and probably the worst day in her life. As she sat at one of the long tables that had been set up in the clearing, under the fairy lights and umbrellas, she thought that any other woman would have been grateful. But she couldn't help but feel miserable. She just hoped it wasn't too obvious on her face.

What the hell were they doing, having a damn reception anyway? So they could show the entire world they had a sham marriage? Her husband, for one, looked like he would rather be anywhere else. He hardly looked at her, instead preferring to stare ahead or talk to people who would come by and offer their congratulations.

Her face hurt from all the smiling during the receiving line, and if she never smiled again it would be too soon. Plus, as she greeted all of Hank's guests, she couldn't help but feel their scrutiny and see the surprise on their faces when they looked at her.

Riva knew that look. It was the same look she got whenever Daniel introduced her to other people as his girlfriend. The one that said, what is she doing with him?

She'd gotten used to it with Daniel, even laughed it off, chalking it up to jealousy. But today, it stung particularly hard. She'd always known she wasn't gorgeous, but she'd at least made some effort today with her hair and makeup. Hank probably dated supermodel types, she thought glumly. Why hadn't he picked one of them to be his broodmare?

As the night wore on, she felt the weight of the entire day on her shoulders. She wanted nothing more than to go home and collapse in bed. But then that wasn't going to happen either, right? She was moving into Blackstone Castle tonight.

She had done some research on her future home in the weeks leading up to the wedding. Lucas Lennox, the founder of Lennox Corporation and Blackstone town, had built it for his wife, who was a Swedish countess. She had seen pictures of the imposing castle, with its tall spires and dark roofs, and couldn't believe she'd be living there with Hank.

And Melissa, apparently.

Something about Hank's sister-in-law rankled her but she wasn't sure what. Maybe it was the way her eyes had seemed to devour Hank, or the familiarity of that hug they'd exchanged.

She shook her head. No, she was being ridiculous. But still, it was obvious that something was not quite right, and she couldn't believe Melissa would be living with them. It was something she probably should have clarified, but then again, it was her fault for not insisting on a face-to-face meeting with Hank.

She snuck a glance at her husband, who was talking to James Walker on his right side. From beside James, Laura's face popped up and the perky blonde flashed her a smile. She smiled back. They had only spoken briefly at the reception line, but she'd made sure to thank Laura for all her hard work. The other woman had laughed, saying it was her pleasure. Riva had immediately decided she liked Laura, even if she was a teensy bit envious of her relationship with James and their adorable son.

Now, as Hank continued to ignore her, she felt the last of her patience leave her. Even worse, she felt someone looking at her, and saw Melissa staring at her, her eyes narrowing as she sipped on a glass of wine. Riva stood up, more abruptly than she'd wanted, making the legs of her chair scrape against the ground. Hank's head whipped toward her, but she ignored him, instead turning and walking away.

She wasn't sure where she was going, just as long as it was away from the reception, from Melissa, and from her husband. She yanked the crown of flowers off her head and threw it to the ground. Picking up her steps, she continued to walk, going deeper into the woods.

"Ahhh!" she cried when her soft flats hit something—a root or stray branch—and she felt her body hurtling to the ground. She braced herself for the impact, but she never felt the ground. Instead, large, strong arms held her up and put her back on her feet.

She shook her hair away from her face and looked up. Twin silver orbs glowed at her in the darkness and as her vision adjusted, she realized who it was.

"What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here?" he asked, his low voice sending tingles across her skin. "You left our reception."

"Well, excuse me for not wanting to be ignored," she huffed.

"Ignored?" he said, his voice raising slightly. "You're the one who looks like she swallowed a bug or something. Can't you at least not look miserable on our wedding day?"

She felt her temper rising. "Ha!" She threw her hands up. "Wedding day. Right. I can't wait to get this sham of a marriage over with."

She could have sworn she saw a flash of pain on his face, but she ignored it. It must have been the moonlight overhead playing with her eyes. Whatever that emotion was, it was gone, only to be replaced by a cold, haughty mask.

"We both know what can end this 'sham', don't we?"

He advanced toward her, making her step back. She suddenly felt like an animal being stalked by a predator, which in this case wasn't very far off the mark.

Her back hit something solid and rough—the trunk of a gigantic tree—and she swallowed a gulp as she became aware of how close Hank was to her and how alone they were in the middle of the forest. She pressed her body up closer to the tree, trying to get as far away from him as possible.

She could only feel the brush of jacket against her, but the heat of his body was undeniable. This close, she realized how big and imposing he was. He towered over her and his chest was almost as broad as the tree behind her. He pushed a lock of hair away from her face, his warm palm staying on her cheek.

She barely let out a gasp before his lips covered hers. It was nothing like their first kiss at the ceremony (if she could call it that), which was hasty and rushed. His lips had barely touched hers. Oh no, now, he took his time. His lips moved over her mouth in a deliberate caress. Blood rushed out of her brain, making her feel lightheaded. Oh God...she couldn't... She tried to turn her head, but his hand held her in place and when she tried to seal her lips together, his finger tugged at her chin, making them open so his tongue could snake inside.

The first touch of his tongue into her mouth made her gasp in pleasure, and she could have sworn he smiled. Damn, the bastard! She attempted to wiggle away from him, but his hard, warm body pinned her back against the tree.

He pushed up against her. Something hard was digging into her hip and she realized what it was. Dear God, her insides were on fire and the wires in her brain must have crossed because she found herself rubbing against him. It was his turn to moan now and she couldn't help but feel smug.

As his lips continued their assault, his hand crept down to her thigh. Grabbing the delicate fabric of her long dress, he pulled it up, hooked a hand under her knee, then brought it up against his hips. She ripped her mouth away from him as she moaned when the ridge of his erection bumped against her core.

"Say my name, sweetheart," he whispered against her neck. His tongue licked at her skin, making her arch her back.

"Hank..."

"Hmmm...I like how you say it when you're hot for me. Maybe I'll make you beg for it..."

A cold, freezing wave washed over her. Beg for it? Cruel bastard. She shoved at him, surprised at her own strength. "Get away from me."

He staggered back, but quickly regained his footing. "What? I thought you wanted this over with? You know what I want..."

"An heir," she spat. "I know. And once I'm done paying my father's debt to you, I'll be on my way. I can't wait to get away from you."

He was on her again, hands on either side of her. "No."

"Excuse me? That was the agreement, right?" She gave him a cruel smirk. "After I give birth to your heir, I'm free. Free to live my life and take lovers as—"

His lips cut her off, a kiss so hard and rough it left her breathless. "That's what I meant. You won't take a lover until you've given me an heir. Wouldn't want there to be any doubt who the father is."

Hot rage burned through her. How dare he insinuate... "Fine. The sooner we get this over with, the better."

"Hmmm...as appealing as outdoor sex is, I'd rather not." He traced a finger down her cheek and tipped her chin up to meet his eyes. They were glowing again, like molten pools of dark silver. "I won't force you, if that's what you're thinking. I'll wait for you to come to me."

"What are you talking about?"

His lips curled into a smile. "You'll beg me to make love to you. And not just so you can have my heir, but because you'll be wanting me so bad."

Heat bloomed in her cheeks. "In your dreams."

"Oh, you don't want to know what my dreams are like...or do you?"

"Bastard!" What the hell was wrong with him? "Why are you being like this? Just get it over with and you can have what you want."

He tsked. "Of course I'll get what I want. I always do. C'mon." He took her hand and dragged her forward. "Let's go."

"Go?" she asked in a confused voice. What was going on? "Hank?"

"I've said our goodbyes at the reception. We're going back to Blackstone Castle."

***

The trip to Blackstone Castle was quick. Hank had already instructed their driver to get the car ready as he went to fetch his bride. No, wife, he told himself. Riva was his wife now. His. He practically dragged her back to the reception, where most of the guests were clearing out. Good. The car was waiting for them, ready to take them home. As he expected, Riva sat at the other end of the back seat, as far away from him as possible.

He wasn't sure what had come over him. Maybe it was how she'd looked so achingly beautiful under the moonlight. Or the defiant look in her eyes. Or the thought of anyone else possessing her sweet little body. Rage had built in him, like the fire his dragon created. Oh no, if she thought she was going to get away from him....

Kissing her and touching her had been madness. She'd offered her body right then and it had taken all his strength not to take her. To raise her skirt, pull down her panties and bury himself in her. But her words...get it over with. They had struck a pain in his gut he'd never felt before.

This was madness, the rational part of him was saying. Get her pregnant and be done with the whole thing. But as soon as she got pregnant and gave birth, she'd be done with him, too. And then his thoughts went to that dark place again, the thought of her moving on with other lovers, and it drove him into a cyclical argument that went nowhere. Damn the woman, why couldn't she just have been the plain, homely-looking girl in the pictures?

"We're here, sir," the driver said.

"Thank you," Hank replied. Not bothering to wait for the driver to open the door, he pulled it open himself. He reached over to her and she flinched. "C'mon, we're here."

"Here?"

"Your new home."

She waved his hand away and he shrugged, then stepped out of the car. As she looked up, he couldn't help but hear her audible gasp.

Blackstone Castle stood on the edge of the mountain, surrounded by huge pine trees. It really was designed to look like a fairty-tale castle, with its tall spires, stonework walls, gables, balconies, and elaborate cornices. Behind it, the moon was full, making it look even more unreal.

His home was intimidating—maybe some might even say majestic. However, in the last decade, the castle had definitely gone to ruin. There just wasn't enough money left over for upkeep.

The door opened, and one of the staff members greeted him. He couldn't quite remember her name—Anna? Alyssa? It wasn't that he was too good to remember, but he hardly knew who was running the castle these days. After all, Melissa had taken care of that since she married Harrison. And now...damn. He hadn't even considered what Riva would want to do. Frankly, he hadn't expected her to live there long enough to care. And now, seeing the rundown castle, he felt shame that he hadn't made an effort to make it more presentable for his bride.

"Where am I supposed to go?" Riva asked.

He didn't even realized he had suddenly stopped. "To my...I mean our room, of course." He had meant for her to stay in the Countess' suite next to the master bedroom, his parents' old room. Harrison and Melissa had stayed in his room because it was in the more modern wing of the castle. Hank had his old room in the same wing.

He'd had the master bedroom and the adjoining suite prepared when he decided to get married. He'd thought it would be more prudent to have her close, but give her some space if necessary. But now, he changed his mind. He'd have his staff close up the Countess' suite and have Riva's things moved into the master bedroom.

She followed him up the steps, toward the east wing of the castle. He was surprised she didn't protest, though he noticed the definite sagging of her shoulders and the tired look in her eyes.

He opened the door to the master bedroom, glad to see that the staff had aired out the room and cleaned it up. It had remained abandoned for years, but now it looked much better.

The curtains were drawn on the large balcony doors to let some moonlight in. The lights were turned down low and there was even a fire burning in the old fireplace in the corner. The four-poster bed had been polished and fresh sheets and covers were laid down. It was almost romantic. The perfect setting for a wedding night. Riva's eyes were wide, and for a moment he thought he saw a flash of desire when her eyes settled on the large bed.

"I had some of my things sent ahead," she finally said. "Did someone unpack them here?"

"They must have been sent to the wrong room," he said. He walked over to the chest of drawers and took out one of his shirts. "Here, you can wear this for tonight. Bathroom's over there. There's probably a spare toothbrush in there too."

She grabbed the shirt from him without a word and then disappeared into the bathroom.

As soon as he was alone, he sat down on the bed. For what seemed like the hundredth time that day, he asked himself what he was doing. Maybe James had been right. He shouldn't have done this. But then, he would never have met Riva. A thought brushed his mind, something he tried to ignore.

Was Riva his dragon's mate? No, that was ridiculous. Dragons didn't choose mates. Sure, other shifters—bears, lions, wolves and other animals—supposedly recognized their mates right away. James said he knew the instant he saw Laura that she was the one, and his bear wouldn't let him even look at other women.

But dragons were far above such things, his father had told him. He had chosen Hank's mother, because she was from a good family. He wasn't sure if his parents had been in love, though they certainly respected each other.

Harrison pretty much did the same thing. It wasn't that his marriage was arranged, but Harrison and Melissa were definitely encouraged to get together. Because Hank was the second son, they hadn't really cared who he dated.

His fists clenched around the sheets and the memories came rushing back. No, he'd told himself he'd stop thinking about the past.

The bathroom door creaking open shook him out of his thoughts. He swung his head over to Riva, standing by the door. A wave of possessiveness swept over him as he saw her standing there in nothing but his shirt. It was too big and went down to past her knees, but the light behind her shone through the fabric and he stifled a groan. He could see her luscious curves, including the outline of her breasts and her nipples straining against the front.

"I'm done, you can use the bathroom now," she said as she walked passed him. He got a waft of her scent, so sweet and womanly, and he shifted uncomfortably as he felt the blood go straight to his cock. He got up and went to the bathroom before he embarrassed himself.

He got undressed and got into the old claw foot tub, turning the shower on. Cold water blasted at him, and he didn't bother to turn the tap for hot water. No, cold was what he needed tonight.

When he was done, he walked out into the bedroom, a towel wrapped around his waist. Looking over to the bed, he saw that Riva was already under the covers, her small body curled up at the edge. For a second he wondered what would happened if he crawled under those covers and pressed his body to hers.

No, he thought. He meant what he'd said. Riva would have to come to him, want him and want to be with him. He could have her anytime, he knew that, because she was so desperate to 'get it over with'. But he would take his time. Fathering an heir could wait. For some reason, he wanted to tie Riva to him, so that she would never leave.

Chapter Five

The early morning light hit her eyelids, making them flutter open. For a moment, Riva thought she was still in her on-campus apartment. Then the memories of yesterday's events—her wedding day—came flooding back, and she knew exactly where she was.

Of course, that didn't explain the heavy arm around her waist. Or the warm, hard chest pressed up against her back. Or something else hard poking her ass.

"What the—oh my God, you're naked!" She scrambled up to the headboard, trying to get far away from Hank and his nakedness.

He stretched out like a cat. "And so are you. Under my shirt." His voice was raspy and sleepy, sending a thrill through her. She turned away, trying not to look at his naked form. She definitely was not checking out the expanse of his chest, his washboard abs, or the substantial erection jutting from between his legs. Oh God...

"Did you change your mind yet, sweetheart?" he asked, his gaze lazily running over her. A flush crept up her neck, as if it was his hands doing the caressing, not his eyes.

"Have you?" she asked in a defiant voice.

His face turned dark and then he rolled off the bed. "I'll use the other bathroom," he mumbled, walking toward the door on the left side. Peeking over, she realized there was a whole other suite connected to the master bedroom.

With a sigh, she got up and walked to the bathroom. Bracing herself on the marbled countertop, she looked at her reflection in the mirror. What the hell kind of game was Hank playing? He got what he wanted, and she was here, ready to have his child. Why did it matter if she wanted him or not? It was all biology, after all. The sooner she got pregnant, the sooner she could move on with her life. Her professors had been disappointed when she filed for a leave of absence from her MBA program. She was desperate to go back and finish it.

She placed a hand over her belly. Could she really leave a child of hers behind? No, that wasn't the arrangement and she wasn't cruel. It wasn't like she was going to just leave her baby behind and disappear. No, she would stay here and raise it, love it, and maybe pray to whatever God was out there that he or she didn't turn out like his or her father. Cruel. Cold. Calculating. Maybe when her baby was a little older, she could go back to school.

A knock shook her from her thoughts and she went to the door, opening it a bit. There was a young woman there, dressed in the black dress and white apron she had seen some of the staff wear when they came in last night. She was probably around twenty years old and had dark blond hair tied up in a bun.

"Mrs. Lennox," the girl said. "Mr. Lennox asked me to move your things in here. Do you know where you'd like them?"

"Uhm, where would they go..."

"Meg," she offered. "My name is Meg. I just started here. Anyway, Mr. Lennox had them in the Countess' room," she motioned to the door Hank had disappeared through, "but he said to have them moved to the suite. Would you like them in the closet, ma'am?"

"Uh, yes please. And don't call me ma'am. You can call me Riva."

Meg frowned. "Oh no, I couldn't ma'am. Mrs. Lennox—I mean, the other Mrs. Lennox—wouldn't like that."

"Fine," she shrugged, not really knowing anything that went on in the castle. "Just...put the clothes in the closet." She closed the door, hoping it wasn't too rude. What was the protocol with household staff anyway? Growing up, she never even had a maid.

After she finished freshening up, she went out of the bathroom and walked to the closet. It was really more of a walk-in closet. It was huge, probably as big as her bedroom in her apartment at school. On one side was what she assumed was Hank's stuff—suits, shirts, and shoes—and on the other side were the things she had sent ahead. Meg was efficient, that was for sure, as all her things were hung up or folded away, as if they belonged there.

She grabbed the first outfit she could—a pair of khaki pants and a light-colored blouse, plus a pair of flats. What was she supposed to do all day? She'd never even thought about what would happen after the wedding.

Meg was waiting for her outside the room. "Breakfast is served downstair, Mrs. Lennox. Mr. Lennox and uh, the other Mrs. Lennox are already there."

"Thank you Meg. Would you mind showing me where?" Hank hadn't exactly given her a tour of the castle.

"Of course."

Walking into Blackstone Castle in the middle of the night had been intimidating. But now that she was seeing it in the light of day, Riva couldn't help but feel...underwhelmed? Everything seemed old and worn. Sure, perhaps back in the day, the castle was probably magnificent. Lucas Lennox had been one of the country's richest robber barons after all, thanks to the deposits of blackstone in the mountains.

She wondered though, why was no one keeping up the castle? The master bedroom looked fine, though it looked like it had been spruced up recently. The rest? Well, the rugs needed professional cleaning, the brass light fixtures needed changing, and the furniture should have been replaced or reupholstered years ago. She supposed it was none of her business, but this was going to be her home for at least a few years.

Meg led her to the massive dining room, and gave her a nod. As she walked in, she saw Hank already sitting at the head of the table, reading the paper. She couldn't help but notice how handsome he looked. The top buttons of his white shirt were left open, exposing the tanned skin of his throat, and she bit her lip and looked away. Of course, the only other person she could look at was Melissa, sitting on Hank's right. She was sipping on her coffee and pushing her food around her plate, a sour look on her face.

"Good morning," she greeted them. God, this was going to be awkward. Was this what her foreseeable future would be like? Uncomfortable meals?

"Good morning," Hank replied.

"Good morning," Melissa said, eyeing her. "Finally up?" she asked in a sweet voice.

"Sorry. Had a late night," she retorted. Melissa's face remained calm, but Riva could see her eyes blazing with fury for just a second. Good. She walked to the chair on Hank's left, and one of the male staff scurried toward her to pull the chair out. She thanked him and sat down.

"Would you like eggs, Mrs. Lennox? Toast?" the eager young man said.

"Uh, sure...what's your name?"

"Christopher, Mrs. Lennox," he said.

"Thank you, Christopher."

The young man took her plate and walked over to the buffet table. She glanced over and saw the table laden with trays of food. "Are we having guests?" she asked.

Melissa guffawed. "Guests? No, this is breakfast."

Riva wrinkled her brow. "Seems like a lot of food." And waste. Melissa hadn't even had a bite of the food on her plate.

"This is the way it's always been at Blackstone Castle," Melissa declared. "And we like to stick to tradition, don't we, Hank?"

Hank grunted but said nothing, keeping his eyes on his paper.

Riva shrugged and dug into her eggs. "Mmmmm...." She couldn't help the moan that escaped her mouth. It was delicious. Heavenly. Soft and fluffy, with a hint of cheese and pepper.

Now that got her husband's attention. Hank was now staring at her, his eyes hungry, but not for eggs, it seemed. She swallowed, the eggs suddenly losing their taste. She looked back at him, daring him to say something first.

"Are you headed up to the site today?" Melissa asked, interrupting their game of chicken.

"No, I have to do actual boring office stuff today," Hank said, getting to his feet.

Actual office stuff? Riva frowned. What other 'stuff' could Hank be doing aside from running the company?

"I'll see you later," he said. As he passed by Riva, he touched her shoulder and bent down to brush his lips on her forehead. She tried not to flinch, if only to not give Melissa the satisfaction of seeing how uncomfortable she was when her husband touched her.

"Hmmph, he's leaving already?" Melissa remarked. "You just got married yesterday. Aren't you even going on a honeymoon?" Though her voice was sweet and inquisitive, Riva could hear the venom dripping from every word.

"My husband is a busy businessman," she retorted, emphasizing the "my". "And we'll get around to one, I suppose. It's not like we need to be somewhere exotic to enjoy...married life."

Melissa quickly stood up. "I'm headed out," she declared. "Have the driver come to the front door," she barked at Christopher, who nodded quickly and scampered out of the dining room. "I guess I'll see you around."

As soon as Melissa was out of earshot, Riva let out a breath. There was really something not right here, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to find out what it was.

Chapter Six

If she could do it all over again (discounting the whole marriage of convenience part), Riva would probably have thought more about what she was going to do after the wedding and before she gave birth. Really, she'd spent so much time worrying about the littlest details, that it had simply slipped her mind what she was supposed to do with her time while she was waiting to conceive.

She let out a harrumph. Not that that was going to happen any time soon. For a man who was eager to get her pregnant, he sure was taking his time. What the hell was this "let you come to me" bullshit? Did he want to be seduced or something? Hank Lennox was a confusing and infuriating man and they were wasting precious time with these games. Maybe she should just go ahead and do it. Make him think she was all hot and bothered and beg him to just have at her.

But you are all hot and bothered, a small voice inside her head said.

She told it to shut up.

So, while she waited for her husband to come home, she thought she would do a little bit of sleuthing. None of the staff (did they really need that many for three people?) would talk to her and avoided her whenever she came to them to try to start a conversation. It was like they were afraid of her. All of them, it seemed, except Meg. Even though she was new, it seemed Meg had already knew the gossip around Blackstone Castle.

"So, do you know much about Melissa...the other Mrs. Lennox, I mean?" Riva asked as she handed the younger woman one of her blouses. The rest of her things had arrived later that morning and she'd asked Meg to help her.

"Not personally," she replied, then paused. "But you know...the other staff...they talk."

"Talk about?"

"I shouldn't be saying this, but you know...Mr. Lennox, your husband, he had to take over the company when his brother died. It was a car accident."

"I had heard that." She'd read the obituary. Harrison Lennox had died just six months ago in a car wreck. Probably died on impact. She'd also read some articles online that said it had taken days for them to even realize he was missing. She swallowed the lump in her throat. She prayed he hadn't suffered.

"Well..." Meg looked around as if to check if anyone was watching. "Mr. Lennox wasn't alone in the car. Your husband's...fiancée was with him. She died, too. They were running away together."

Hank had been engaged? That she didn't know. And...oh, poor Melissa. No wonder she was so bitter. Her husband had run off with another woman, who happened to be her brother-in-law's fiancée. Maybe Melissa had nowhere else to go, and Hank couldn't exactly toss a widow out into the street, not when he lived in an entire castle by himself.

Then a different feeling crept into her when she thought of Hank's fiancée. She really shouldn't be jealous of a dead woman, but she couldn't help it. Curiosity pricked at her too. Perhaps that was why Hank was acting so strangely. Some people went insane when they were grieving, right?

"So, this fiancée...you never met her?"

Meg shook her head. "But, uhm...I was helping clean up his old room in the old wing. And I saw...he keeps a picture of her in there. Hidden inside one of the drawers in the old wooden desk."

"Oh." Riva tried to sound disinterested and didn't ask anymore questions. Still, there was something niggling in her brain. There was a pang in her heart at the thought of Hank being with someone else. She shook her head. That woman was dead and she was being unreasonable.

When they'd finished packing away her things, she thanked Meg and the young woman left her alone. She sat on the big bed, wondering what to do now. She supposed she could tour the castle by herself, since no one had said she couldn't.

She walked out of the room and down the hallway. It really was a pity; Blackstone Castle was still magnificent, and it could have been even more so if someone cared enough to maintain it.

She continued to stroll down the hall, past the grand staircase that led into the main foyer. This would lead to the other side of the castle, she realized. Hmmm...as long as she didn't go into anyone's private rooms, it should be okay, right?

Peeking into various open doors, she saw a nursery, a small office, a library, and guest bedrooms. At the end of the hallway were stone steps leading to the next floor.

She took the stone steps up slowly, one at a time, holding onto the wooden handrail built into the walls. When she reached the top, she found herself in another hallway. This one was much smaller and there were only three doors. She didn't know why, but the door at the end seemed to beckon to her. Slowly, she opened it and stepped inside.

The room looked much more modern and simple, compared to the rest of the castle. The walls were blue, with dark wooden paneling, and a queen sleigh bed stood in the middle of the room. There was a desk in the corner, which was done in the same wood finish as the rest of the furniture. She sat down on the leather seat and leaned back. Looking around, it looked clean and like it had been recently cleared out, which meant it was probably Hank's old room. And this was his desk, where Meg said she'd seen the picture.

She reached toward the top drawer, stopping only for a moment before pulling it open. There were various papers inside, letters on official-looking letterhead, a couple of pens and envelopes. She shuffled them aside, and her fingers found something smooth. A photograph.

Carefully, she withdrew it from under the pile. A lump formed in her throat. It was a picture of a younger Hank, perhaps during prom or some formal, and he had his arms around a gorgeous blonde woman. She was wearing a blue gown that accentuated her curves and made her eyes look even bluer. She was staring at the camera, her smile wide.

So this was her. Jealousy, envy, and some resentment slashed at Riva. She was breathtaking. The perfect woman, standing right beside the perfect man. A pit began to form in her stomach. She'd thought she felt unworthy next to Hank at their wedding, but now, looking at this woman...those looks everyone had been giving her seemed to make sense now.

She shoved the photo back and slammed the drawer shut. She wasn't one to invade anyone's privacy, and guilt seeped into her. Maybe that was why she felt like the bottom of her stomach was filled with lead. Not because she had seen Hank's gorgeous former fiancée.

She got up and turned around, walked out of the room, then went down the stone steps. As she headed to the main hall, she heard footsteps coming up the grand staircase. She froze, which was silly, seeing that this was her home, after all. She stopped, her ears straining to hear the conversation, then quickly entered one of the rooms, but left the door slightly open so she could see who was passing by.

"Oh you know, mother." It was Melissa. "It was fine. Nothing like our wedding of course. No, not even inside the castle." She laughed. "Yeah, it was outdoors. Like a picnic. How quaint," she sneered.

Riva frowned. It was a one-sided conversation, which meant Melissa was probably talking on the phone. She couldn't see anyone else next to Melissa as she walked by.

"Who is she? Some girl from the next town. Of course he's not in love with her. How could he be? She's so not his type. I think he prefers it that way. You know he'll never love or trust anyone else, not after that tramp, Andrea. It'll be easier when he kicks her out once she's had his baby."

As Melissa disappeared down the hallway, Riva felt the air rush out of her lungs and tears of humiliation spring to her eyes. As soon as she was sure the coast was clear, she threw the door open and ran back to the master bedroom before anyone saw her.

***

Hank breathed a sigh of relief as soon as he entered Blackstone Castle. He had never been more relieved to come home. The office duties he could do without, and he was just glad they weren't something he had to deal with all the time. He had a competent assistant and a VP of Operations who took care of most of the day-to-day things at Lennox. After all, he had a more important part in the company. But it would be days still before he could go back to the mines.

Most people thought that dragon fire was inexhaustible, and his family was only happy to let that particular myth spread. After all, it was what kept their kind safe. But, the truth was, mining blackstone was a long, arduous process. It took a lot of heat and fire and constant work. After a whole day of spewing dragon fire in the mines, Hank needed a few days to recover.

He quickly jogged up the staircase and headed straight to the master bedroom. He hoped Riva would be there, waiting for him. He'd missed her, plain and simple. He barely knew her, but being away from her made him ache. He was distracted, and every moment that his brain wasn't occupied was filled with thoughts of her. A sudden realization had hit him.

Riva was his mate.

And the moment he stopped fighting it, the tension left his body. James had told him all those times about how he knew that Laura was his mate, and though Hank had only been half-listening, it somehow burrowed in his brain. James had said he felt overly protective and wanted to be near her the moment they met. And how in his eyes, Laura was the most beautiful woman in the world and no one else could compare. Laura certainly was pretty, though Hank hadn't been able to imagine just wanting one woman for his entire life. But then he met Riva, and the thought of being with anyone else was making him uncomfortable.

And so now, what was he to do? He'd married his mate, but they weren't in love. Would love come eventually? Was he already in love with her? He wasn't sure. It wasn't supposed to be this way. She was just supposed to have his child, and now the thought of them leading separate lives when it was over...

He shook his head. No. He would have to find a way to make her stay.

"Riva?" he called as he entered the room. He felt her presence there. Again, another sign they were mates. He would always know when she was near. But only silence greeted him and an empty room. Where was she?

His sensitive ears picked up some shuffling from the walk-in closet. He went to the other side of the room and opened the closet door. "Riva, I—what are you doing?"

His wife was standing in the middle of the closet, her suitcase open. It was already half-filled with her things. Anger rose in him. "What's going on?"

Her head whipped toward him. "What do you think? I'm leaving." He detected a slight shake in her voice, but her tone was mostly determined.

"You can't," he said, striding toward her. "Are you you going to break the contract? Is that it? You want Sinclair to default on its loans and shut down?"

"No," she said with a huff. "All you wanted was a broodmare, and here I am. But if you insist on...drawing this out, then you're the one breaking the contract."

What the fuck was going on? He searched her face, noting her blotchy complexion and red-rimmed eyes. His hands wrapped around her arms. "Were you crying? What happened?"

"Nothing! Let go of me!" She attempted to wriggle out of his grip, but he only held her tighter.

Rage burned in him, hotter than his dragon fire. He walked her back until she was trapped between him and the cabinets.

"Then what are you waiting for?" she said with a challenging look in her eyes. "Or am I too ugly and plain for you? Should I put a paper bag over my head?"

Now he was confused. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Isn't that it? Why you chose me? Because I wasn't as beautiful as her?"

"Who are you talking about?" He dropped his hands down.

"Your..." She hesitated. "Never mind."

"Who?" he asked again, this time, slamming his palms on either side of her, the sound so loud it made her jump.

"I...your...Andrea."

Ice filled his veins. He hadn't heard of that name in months. Memories came crashing back. The day police came to tell him Harrison's body had been found. But he hadn't been alone. No. They found Andrea's body along with his inside the car. It was the same day he found out they'd been having an affair all along. But how the devil did Riva find out? "How do you know about her?"

"I saw her picture. In your drawer."

"What?" What picture? When Andrea's betrayal had come to light he had gotten rid of everything that reminded him of her. Every picture, every note, every gift. It might have been a little extreme, but it was the only way he could cope. Anyway, did it matter? Riva had seen it somehow, and gotten it into her head that the reason he wouldn't touch her was because she was lacking.

She crossed her arms over her chest. "You didn't have to go so low. I'm sure tons of other girls would have been happy to have your heir. You didn't have to pick the exact opposite of the girl who broke your heart."

"Riva, stop acting like this!" he bellowed, and grabbed her by the arms again. He wanted to shake her to make her stop thinking like this. He wished he hadn't left today. Wished he had stayed home and made love to his wife instead.

"Let me go!"

His anger became a quiet, cold fury. "I'll never let you go," he said, his tone deadly serious. "If you run away from me, I'll use everything in my power to destroy your father's company. I'll not only demand you pay me back, but I'll sue you for breach of contract."

"You wouldn't." Her eyes flashed with anger. Or was it fear?

"Try me."

She let out a small gasp, then dropped her chin and her gaze. He couldn't miss the wetness on her her lashes or the smell of her tears. It tore him to shreds. Fuck. He had gone too far.

Her small fingers fumbled at her blouse, trembling as she began to unbutton the front.

"What are you doing?"

"What do you think?" she asked, as she looked up at him. Tears streaked down her cheeks. "Just get it over with."

Again with those words. Just get it over with. Like he was some chore. Truth be told, that was what had rankled him last night. It was pride, pure and simple. He didn't want to be a chore to his mate. He wanted her to want him and burn for him as much as he desired her. Maybe he should just take her. Get her pregnant and be done with the damned contract.

He let out a silent curse in his mind and pushed away from her. "I'm not in the mood," he said.

"Then when—"

"Just be ready when I come for you next," he said, turning away. Each step he took made the ache in his middle grow, but he couldn't stay there. Riva thought she was the one who was trapped, but that was far from the truth. He would have no other woman, no other mate but her, and she hated him. He couldn't stop her from leaving, not if that was what she wanted. He was trapped, yearning for a mate who would never give herself to him fully.

Chapter Seven

It was like waiting for the hammer to drop. A feeling of dread followed Riva everywhere, and she was just waiting for the executioner to come for her. But surely she was being silly. She wanted it done and over with, but it wasn't like Hank was just going to attack her in the middle of the night. Besides, it had been two days since she'd seen her husband. Had he even come back to the castle?

Whatever had possessed her to provoke him that day in the walk-in closet, she didn't know. She was hurt by what she had seen and heard, but perhaps she should have waited for Hank to explain. Explain what, exactly? It had all made sense in her head at the time. Andrea's picture. Melissa's words.

And really, what was she supposed to expect? They were strangers, bound together by a mutually beneficial arrangement. Of course he didn't feel anything for her. She should have realized that from the beginning.

And now she was stuck in some limbo. She couldn't leave, not when he'd threatened her father. But she couldn't stay, not when her husband hated her.

A soft knock interrupted her thoughts and she sat straight up on the bed. Not knowing what else to do, she had stayed in the master bedroom for two straight days. She didn't bother to show up for meals, and someone (probably Meg) had been leaving food by her door. In fact, she had finished her lunch not too long ago and left the tray outside. Who was at the door and what did they want?

"Come in," she said. The door opened and Meg walked in.

"Mrs. Lennox," she began, avoiding Riva's gaze. "You have a visitor. Mrs. Walker."

"Mrs. Walker?" she asked.

"Laura Walker. Her son, Benjamin, is here too."

"Oh." She shot up. During the reception, Laura had said something about coming to visit her sometime. This was a surprise, but a pleasant one. She felt like she hadn't talked to anyone in days, except maybe her father, though she kept him in the dark about what was going on. It would be nice to see a friendly face. "Please tell her I'll come right down."

"Yes, Mrs. Lennox." The young woman turned and walked away without another word.

Hmmmm, strange. Riva thought Meg had been friendly enough in the beginning, but the few times she had seen the girl these past two days, she seemed...off. Each time Riva tried to catch her eye, she turned away. And she looked like she was on the verge of telling Riva something. But what?

Pushing it out of her mind, she quickly got dressed in her her favorite blue sweater, jeans, and boots. It was fall and there was a definitely crisp feeling in the air. She brushed her long, brown hair until it fell into waves down her shoulders and then walked out of the room.

"Laura! Ben!" she greeted them as she descended the stairs. Laura was waiting in the foyer, her son clinging to her. "What are you doing here?"

The pretty blonde smiled at her. "Oh you, know, we were in the neighborhood...Riva, are you crying?"

Seeing a friendly face had made the emotions well up in her, and Riva couldn't stop the tears of relief that sprang into her eyes. "What? Oh no...I mean..." She wiped the moisture with the back of her hand. "It's so dusty in here! This old place, you know?"

Laura eyed her suspiciously. "Uh-huh."

Riva bent down to Benjamin's eye level, hoping to escape Laura's scrutiny. "Hey Ben, how are you doing?"

The little boy was the spitting image of his father—blond hair, green eyes, and a smile that could brighten any room. "I'm good, Mrs. Lennox. Mommy says we're going to get pie at Rosie's today."

"Please, call me Aunt Riva," she cooed. "Can I have a hug?"

Ben looked up at Laura, who nodded. He then let go of his mother's leg and wrapped his arms around Riva. She closed her eyes. She wondered what it would be like to have a little boy of her own to hug.

"So," Laura began as Ben stepped away. "I came here to see if you wanted to come to town with me. We can do some shopping and go to Rosie's for pie, like I promised my little monkey." She smiled down at Ben.

"Mommy, I'm a bear, not a monkey!" he protested.

Laura laughed. "Well, you'll be a big bear someday, but can you please be my little monkey now?" She bent down and picked him up, then gave him a kiss.

"Okay, fine."

She turned to Riva. "So, what do you say?"

"That sounds lovely. I'll get my purse." It wasn't like she was a prisoner here. Maybe getting out of the castle was a good idea.

Soon, they were in Laura's dark blue Tacoma truck and driving down the winding road that led into the town of Blackstone. It wasn't very big—a typical town in the mountains, which, if it wasn't known for being a shifter town, could probably have been a big tourist destination. Hiking in the summer, skiing in the winter, celebrities buying vacation homes, that type of thing. Still, it was a beautiful place. Riva had been a few times when she was younger, as it was very picturesque, especially during the holiday season.

Laura parked in one of the lots behind Main Street. "Are you familiar with Blackstone?" she asked as they walked out of the parking lot.

"I haven't been here since I was a kid," she said. "My dad took me a couple of times, during Christmas." As they stepped out into Main Street, she looked around. "I think it's just as I remembered, without the decorations."

"Oh yeah, things don't change much around here. At least that's what I've been told," Laura said. "Although we have seen some new businesses in the last couple of months."

Riva blinked with bafflement. Why did Laura talk like she hadn't lived here for long? Ben was around three years old, so she had to have lived here at least that long. But before Riva could ask any further, Laura tugged her toward one of the shops on Main Street.

They spent most of their time going in and out of the different shops. While Riva was going into many of them for the first time, it seemed everyone in town knew who she was. Shopkeepers would instantly recognize her and greet her with "Mrs. Lennox". They would offer to help and continued fawning over her. And, even as they walked between shops, there were a few people who would walk up to her and introduce themselves.

Though she was perplexed at the treatment, frankly, she was more worried she wouldn't remember their names next time she met them. Laura laughed and told them it was okay, that the shifters who lived in Blackstone wouldn't expect her to know each and every one of them.

The rest of the day went by quickly, and Riva had to admit it was nice to get out and temporarily forget her own worries. Finally, when Ben was whining that he was tired, they headed in the direction of Rosie's Bakery and Cafe at the end of Main Street.

"Oh, wow," Riva gasped as soon as they entered. "It smells incredible in here!"

"Wait until you taste Rosie's pies," Laura said.

A middle-aged woman with bright red hair, wearing an apron over a fifties-style dress printed with cherries, approached them. "Welcome to Rosie's, ladies," she greeted them. "You must be the new Mrs. Lennox."

"Riva, please," she said.

"Then you must call me Rosie," she said, giving them a wink. "Now, a table for three?"

"Yes please," Laura said, and Rosie led them to a quiet table in the corner. The cafe wasn't busy yet, though it was starting to fill up. They sat down and gave Rosie their orders—coffee for the two women and two slices of cherry pie. Laura ordered milk for Ben.

"I'll be back with your drinks," Rosie said before sashaying away.

"Hey, Ben, why don't you pick your pie?" Laura nodded to the enormous pie display in the corner.

"Yay! Can I have two slices?" Ben said.

"Only because I know you're going to finish your dinner tonight, right?"

"Oh boy!" Ben bounded off to the pie display.

"This place is nice," Riva commented, looking around. Everything was done in pink and white, with cozy chairs and decor. "Has it been open long?"

"Hmmm..." Laura tapped her finger on her chin. "I think I remember James telling me it's only been open a few years. You know, there aren't many places that would let a shifter open a business, let alone one that served food."

"Rosie's a shifter?"

"Yeah. Fox, I believe."

Riva glanced at the older lady. With her red hair and sly looks, it definitely fit.

"Mommy, I can't pick!" Ben called. "They all look so good!"

Laura laughed. "Just like his dad," she said, winking at Riva. "Take your time, monkey. Make sure you pick some good ones."

"He's such a nice child," Riva commented as she watched the boy turn back to the display and press his nose on the glass. "Very outgoing and positive."

"I know, just like his dad. They're both good-natured and I'm very lucky to have them," Laura said. "You know, it's been less than a year, but I feel like I've known them both forever." She laughed at Riva's perplexed expression. "By the look on your face, you're probably confused."

"Er...I wasn't thinking anything, but..."

"It's okay, I'll tell you. You're family, after all. No, I didn't give birth to Ben. In fact, neither James nor I knew he existed until about ten months ago. His mom," she lowered her voice and looked around, making sure Ben was far away, distracted by the display of pies behind the glass shelf, "died suddenly. She was a bear shifter too, but unfortunately, her clan wasn't...they weren't good people, let's just say." She took a deep breath. "She didn't want Ben winding up with her relatives, so she left instructions with a friend to bring him to Blackstone if something happened to her. Well, you can imagine the shock James went through when he saw Ben. There's no denying he's the father, not with those looks. Anyway, he remembered her, and said she was just a one-night stand. Never tried to contact him or tell him she was pregnant."

"Oh, my..."

"Yeah. We'd been dating for about three months at that point. James told me right away that he didn't want me to leave, but understood if I did because a son wasn't part of the deal. I laughed in his face and told him he couldn't get rid of me that easily." Laura smiled. "And that's when he told me I was his mate. The bear in him had chosen me to be his mate."

"Mate?" Riva asked. "Like, soulmates?"

"I didn't understand this whole mate thing either, since I'm a human," Laura replied. "But James explains it like...something in him knew I was special. He said it was like I was the only woman who existed from that point on and all he wanted to do was protect me. He was scared to tell me about it, fearing that I'd run away or not understand because I was a human. Apparently it's different with shifters. It happens fast for them and they just know. He said it was agonizing to go so slow, but he wanted to win my heart." A reminiscing smile crossed her face. "And, well, when he was willing to let me go because he loved me and because he loved his son so much, I knew he was the one for me."

Riva felt her throat constricting, and her eyes getting misty. Oh, to have something like that. She felt envy, too. Unreasonable, because James and Laura were such good people and deserved everything they had. But still, she couldn't help but wish she could have a happy ending like that.

Laura looked over the Ben, who was still perusing the display of pies. "Honey, have you decided?"

"Not yet, mommy," he called out. "There's too many. And they all look too good."

"Okay, monkey, take your time." Laura turned back to her. "Now, you must think I have an ulterior motive, asking you to go out today."

"You did just show up out of the blue."

"Well, James has been telling me...things."

"Oh?" Had Hank told James about their problems?

"Oh no!" Laura said quickly, as if reading her mind. "I mean, Hank hasn't said anything to James. Or, er...sorry. Look, James said that Hank's been a beast to work with these past days. Now, my husband, smart and sweet as he is, doesn't seem to have a clue how that could be, but I thought maybe...something was up with you and Hank. I'm not going to pry, but I wanted you to know I'm here if you need to talk." Laura looked at her, her eyes filled with sincerity.

Riva's shoulders sagged. "I..."

Laura reached over and put her hand over Riva's. "It's okay."

Before she could say anything else, Ben strode over to them, having finished picking his pies. Laura scooted over to give him space beside her and waited as Rosie brought them their food.

Ben devoured his slices of pie in minutes. Laura laughed, saying that she was proud of his appetite and then told him he could go to the small play area Rosie had set up for her customers. The young boy happily bounded off.

"Now that we're alone," Laura began as soon as Ben was out of earshot. "Is there something you wanted to talk about? I meant what I said."

Could she trust the other woman? Well, Laura had opened up to her. "I just...I'm not sure it's working out. You know about our...arrangement, right?"

Laura nodded. "James told me. He was against it, you know. Said it wasn't fair to you."

"You must think badly of me. I know how this makes me look."

Laura shook her head. "No, I think you're brave. You're only trying to save your dad's company."

"But I think I made a mistake," Riva said glumly. "Hank...he's...he doesn't want me."

"What?" Laura asked, confusion marring her pretty face.

"Why would he, when he had the perfect fiancée?"

"You mean Andrea?"

Riva nodded.

"Hmphhh." Laura crossed her arms over her chest. "You know, they say you shouldn't speak ill of the dead, but Andrea wasn't as perfect as most people thought she was. Sure, she was gorgeous and would have made the perfect trophy wife, but she was also vain, stupid, and insecure. Hank worshipped the ground she walked on, but if he made any small mistake or even looked at another woman, she'd go off the rails."

"But...what about his brother?"

Laura sighed. "Yeah, that was a surprise. Them running away together. No one knew, not even Melissa. But don't throw a pity party on her behalf. She was just as bad as Andrea. In fact, she and Harrison deserved each other, and if you ask me, no one in this town is too sorry he's gone and Hank's president of Lennox Corp now."

Riva's brows wrinkled. "I don't understand."

"Well, did you notice how everyone here seems to know who you are? How they treat you?"

"It seemed like they were just being nice."

"Of course they are. Blackstone wouldn't exist if it wasn't for the Lennoxes."

"I know Lucas Lennox founded the town. But that was a few generations ago, right?"

Laura laughed. "Yes, but who do you think keeps the town going? Who ensures shifters have regular jobs, can own businesses, and their families are safe? Who pays for the children's education and healthcare for everyone? Lennox Corp."

"What?"

"Yeah. Ever since Lucas Lennox founded the town, he declared it to be under his protection. He was the Blackstone Dragon, the top of the food chain, and no one messed with him. Since then, any shifter who came to live in Blackstone has been safe."

"I didn't know..."

"Yeah, no one outside Blackstone does. Most of the profits from the mining activities go to the town. But over the years, profits haven't been so great, at least that's what James told me. Harrison wasn't a great businessman, despite his Ivy League education. But Lucas Lennox's will made it clear that the town and its people were first priority. Melissa fumed each time Harrison couldn't give her money to do renovations on the castle or go on some shopping spree. She wanted the will challenged, and after a few years, it seemed Harrison was ready to make the changes so profits would flow into their bank accounts first."

"I had no idea."

"Yeah. When Harrison died, though, there was no more talk of challenging the will. Hank put a stop to it when he took over. He hates it though. He was happy doing work in the mines rather than being president, but they needed him."

"Working in the mine?" Riva asked. "Wait, so Hank was a miner and Harrison was the president?" Not that she thought doing work in a mine was demeaning, but why didn't he leave Lennox Corp and work at another company?

Laura frowned. "Riva, do you know how blackstone is mined?"

"Uhm...no, I mean, I assumed they just went in there and...took it from the walls?" She had visions of the Snow White cartoon when the seven dwarves went into the mine with their pickaxes.

"It's more complicated than that," Laura said. "Tell you what, when we're done with our pies, we'll go up there and you can see for yourself."

***

As soon as they finished, the three of them piled back into Laura's truck. Benjamin was excited that he was going to see his dad and get to go into the mining site.

The drive to the site took over an hour. Riva didn't realize how big the mountain was. Laura explained that mining the blackstone took a lot of planning to make sure they could find the most lucrative veins in the mountains. After they had depleted each site, Lennox Corp also made sure to try to return it to the way it was, filling up the holes and replanting trees. Unlike many industrial companies, Lennox was very careful about their impact on the environment.

Laura pulled up to a small parking lot filled with other trucks and SUVs. Then she led them down a muddy path, past a group of trailers, and soon they arrived in front of a large, gaping hole on the side of the mountain.

"It's huge," Riva said. "Do they need to dig a hole that big to bring equipment in?"

"Er, sort of," Laura answered as she nodded to one of the workers who handed her three hard hats, safety glasses, and vests. "Let's put these on and go in."

Riva accepted the safety equipment and put them on. The helmet was a little too big for Benjamin, but Laura strapped it onto the little boy's head tightly.

It was surprisingly well-illuminated and sterile inside, but what was she expecting? Kerosene lamps? Rusty mine carts? Dwarves with pickaxes? Maybe back in the day, but this was a modern operation. She wrinkled her nose. Why was it important how the blackstone was mined? She supposed the engineers took care of the details.

They walked further along, following the paths marked by LED strip lights. Finally, they stopped inside what she presumed was the main cavern. Before she could say anything, the lights flickered and went out. She gripped Laura's arm, but the other woman gave her a reassuring pat on the hand.

Thunderous footsteps rang through the cavern and Riva felt the hair on her arms raise. Suddenly, there was a loud breathing sound, then the cave was suddenly filled with bright orange, and then blue light. She turned away, fumbling for the tinted safety glasses and put it on. It took her a few moments to focus, then she gasped at what she saw.

The creature—no, the dragon—was about fifty feet high, with gold scales like plated armor covering its enormous body and head. As it continued to spew fire, making the temperature inside almost unbearable, large chunks of rock fell from the walls.

Finally, the creature stopped and a whistle sounded, then the lights flickered on. Riva's eyes remained fixed on the dragon, who was now beginning to...shrink? Of course. She knew who that dragon was. Who else would it be?

In a matter of moments, Hank's naked form was standing where the dragon was. James walked over to him and handed him a set of clothes, which he put on. Behind them, workers were scrambling to get the rocks and debris into the carts. Hank and James spoke for a few moments, and then Hank walked over to the workers, chatting with them casually. He listened to each one intently, nodding and saying a few words back.

Laura cocked her head at Riva, urging her to follow. She did, walking behind Laura and Benjamin, her steps unsure.

"Daddy!" Benjamin cried as he ran to James.

"Hey, Ben," James greeted him back, opening his arms so his son could jump into them. "I didn't know you were coming today."

"We wanted to surprise you," the boy said.

"Well, it certainly is a pleasant surprise." He kissed Ben's forehead and shifted him to one side so he could hug Laura. "Riva?" James's voice raised in surprise.

Riva gave him a tight smile. "Hello, James."

"What are you doing here?"

Riva stiffened, recognizing her husband's voice. She turned slowly. Hank was behind her, the look on his face inscrutable. What was she doing here? It didn't matter, she supposed. But she was glad she came, because she suddenly realized the enormous pressure that Hank was under. The company, the town, the people. They all depended on him. This was why he'd taken over and why he was so desperate for an heir. When he was gone, who would mine the blackstone? Who would keep the town running and make sure shifters had a safe place to live?

The silence and tension between them was thick, but she finally broke it by clearing her throat. "Uhm, I wanted to see the mine. And how it works."

"Oh?" Hank raised an eyebrow. "What do you think?"

"I think...it's fascinating," she said. "I didn't realize...this is how it's done."

More silence. Thankfully, James thought to speak up. "Why don't you give the ladies and Benjamin a tour?"

Hank's silvery gaze flicked at her. "If you're really interested..."

"I'd love to," she said. "I mean, if you have time. If you're busy..."

"No, he's done for the day," James offered cheerfully. "He can show you around."

Hank narrowed his eyes at James. "All right."

"And when we're done, we should all go for dinner," Laura said. "We haven't been out in a while," she added, before Riva or Hank could protest.

"Sounds like a plan," James said, giving his wife a kiss. "See you at five." He flashed a smile at Riva and Hank. "Have fun."

Chapter Eight

As promised, Hank toured Riva, Laura, and Benjamin around the facility. He was still reeling from her presence, but kept his emotions in check.

Why had she come here? But it wasn't like he could do anything about it now. He just wished he had prepared her beforehand—before she saw his dragon. If she was scared or disgusted, she hid it well. Andrea...well, she had never been interested in that part of him.

On the tour, Riva listened to him explain how the operation worked. She seemed quite surprised at the role he played. It wasn't a trade secret or anything, but no one really talked about it or had documented how blackstone was mined.

As soon as they were done, they picked up James. They all decided to go to the Italian restaurant on Main Street for dinner. Riva rode with Hank in his Jeep, not even protesting when he led her to his vehicle. It would be a long drive, and his mind searched for a neutral topic.

"What did you think of the facility?"

Her head shot up and brown eyes blinked at him. "Uhm, it was very interesting," she said. "So...the dragon fire...that's really the only thing that can mine the blackstone?"

He nodded. "My family's been trying to find other ways, but there just isn't a machine strong enough to produce the heat needed. We don't even have any instruments that can measure how hot dragon fire needs to get."

"So that's why—" She closed her mouth of all of a sudden.

"That's why what?"

"Nothing."

The rest of the drive proceeded in silence, and Hank was looking forward to having at least two other people during dinner who could steer the conversation. As soon as they arrived at the restaurant, however, James called them and said Benjamin had thrown a tantrum and they were heading home instead. He urged them to go ahead and have dinner.

How convenient, Hank thought, but had a feeling that James and Laura had something up their sleeves. Little did they know, a romantic candlelight dinner was not going to fix what was broken between him and his mate.

Riva didn't seem annoyed at the prospect of having dinner with him, though her back remained ramrod stiff as they walked into the restaurant. The host brought them to a quiet half-circle booth in the corner. When the waiter finished taking their orders, they were all alone again.

Hank glanced at Riva as she sat on the other end of the booth, her eyes cast down, as if she found the napkin on her lap very interesting. Of course she didn't want to talk to him, much less look at him. His harsh words from the other night kept ringing in his ears and made something in him ache. He knew he had been cruel, and he'd fought with himself for the last two days, trying to find the words to make it all better.

The waiter arrived with their wine and appetizers, relieving the tension somewhat. When he left, Hank decided it would be up to him to break the impasse. "Riva, I want to apologize."

Her eyes widened. "What?"

"I want to say sorry for what I said the other night. I don't want to hurt your father. I don't want to hurt you."

Her brows knitted together. "Will it hurt?"

"Will what hurt?"

"When I...give birth to our dragon baby." She looked at him, her expression serious. "I don't believe that anti-shifter propaganda, but I just want to prepare myself."

"No more than a normal human birth, at least that's what I've been told," he replied. "But I don't understand. What are you saying?"

"You're the last Blackstone Dragon," she said, casting her eyes downward again.

"Yes," he admitted.

She looked up at him, eyes clear. "But what if you didn't have to be?"

He blinked. Wait...did she mean...

She gasped when he slid closer to her. "Hank?"

"What are you saying?" he asked, leaning down toward her face. In the low light of the restaurant, she looked even more beautiful. Her skin glowed and her burnished hair shone like polished mahogany. He could smell her perfume, mixed with her sweet scent. It was delightfully intoxicating.

"I mean...I want to have children. Your child. And...not just because of our arrangement." She sighed. "I don't like how things are between us...I mean, can we start over again, please?"

His heart beat a tattoo against his rib cage. "Riva..." He leaned down, desperate to taste her lips.

"Hank...not here..." she said shyly, placing a hand on his chest.

"Why not?"

"Because people will see."

"See that I'm seducing my wife?"

She closed her eyes and he could detect the visible shiver that went through her. He wanted her body to shake again. Preferably with pleasure. Underneath him.

"I want you," she said in a low voice. "Please don't make me beg."

"Sweetheart," he growled in her ear. "The only begging you'll do is to ask me to stop."

***

They didn't bother with their entrees. Hank threw some bills down on the table, grabbed her hand and dragged her to the car.

Riva's heart pounded like a drum in her chest through the whole ride. This really was happening. She knew, the moment she saw him in the mine, that this was going to happen. How could she keep resisting? Why did she keep resisting?

She'd realized something today. Hank Lennox was a good man. He cared for everyone around him, kept the company and the town together, even when his life was falling apart. As Hank had checked in with his employees, she could see how they looked at him with respect, and not just because he was the boss. Maybe it was seeing him in a different light, through the eyes of the town. Her heart ached for him, and she wanted nothing more than to comfort him.

He pulled into the garage and then quickly opened her door to help her out. His touch sent a thrill through her, and she wondered what the rest of him would feel like. Not that she had to wait long. He led her up to the master bedroom, opened the door, let her in and slammed the door behind him.

She was almost afraid to turn around, but she couldn't help but be drawn to him. When she faced him, she saw his silvery eyes glint in the dark room, and her heart began to pound.

"Are you sure?" he asked softly, advancing toward her.

Her mouth and throat felt too dry to speak, so she nodded instead. Suddenly, she found herself swept off her feet, then deposited on top of the soft mattress.

There was a buzz of anticipation in her veins and the butterflies in her stomach wouldn't stop fluttering. Her eyes watched him as he began to undress. He kept his gaze locked on hers, his eyes naked with desire.

A flush crept up her neck and she grabbed the bottom of her sweater and pulled it over her head. She made quick work of her boots and jeans, and soon she was wearing only her black lace underwear.

"Riva...you're so beautiful," he said as he crawled toward her.

She was overwhelmed by everything about him—his broad, muscled shoulders and chest, the well-defined pecs, his perfect washboard abs. Her gaze went lower, to the hard cock jutting from between his legs.

Before she could say anything, his mouth captured hers in another searing kiss and she moaned against his lips. Large, warm hands slid to her waist and up her back to unclasp her bra, freeing her breasts. He caressed her flesh, stroking her nipples until they went hard.

He groaned this time, and pushed her onto her back, his eyes like silver pools as he stared down at her. He moved his head down, planting kisses on her mouth, along her neck, nibbling his way to her breasts. The shock of his warmth, wet mouth on her nipples made her buck up against him, and he steadied her with his hands.

"Please, Hank," she cried. "I need you."

He said nothing, but his hands moved between her legs, tugging down her panties. She was already soaking wet, and his fingers teased at her pussy, stroking up and down. A gasp escaped her mouth when he slid a finger in and she began to pump her hips up.

"Riva," he moaned, moving between her legs. The blunt tip of his cock pressed against her and she let out a sigh as he began to fill her up. She was so hot and slick and ready for him.

He whispered her name over and over again as he began to thrust into her, slow and shallow at first. It was too much, the teasing, and she urged him to go faster. She wanted more of him, all of him. "More, Hank. Please, no more teasing."

He grunted, repositioned his body, and braced himself on his elbows so he was right above her. He slid a hand into her hair, pulling gently back so she looked up at him. Her heart pounded when she saw those silvery eyes staring at her with burning desire. He grabbed her left leg and hooked it around his waist, and began to move. Faster and harder, unrelenting. Her body began to shake as she felt the orgasm building in her.

"Hank!" she cried as she fell off the edge. More like flung herself off, and her body felt light as her orgasm took over. She had never felt like this before, like she was flying. Like she was free.

Hank pulled her up, placing her astride him. They were face to face now, his hand behind her head as he pressed her forehead to his. His eyes were closed in concentration as he thrust up into her and she rode him eagerly, wanting more from him. As a second orgasm approached and she tightened around him, his body began to tense and she knew he was close, too. She held onto him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders as she felt her own pleasure washing over her.

"I'm coming...oh God, I'm coming again, Hank!"

He growled, holding onto her shoulders to bear her down as his body convulsed. She cried out, squeezing around him as she felt him flood her with his sticky seed. It felt so primal...it felt right. As soon as her own body stopped shaking, she collapsed against him, sending him back onto the mattress.

They were still for a few moments, wrapped up in each other, sweaty and satisfied. Riva kept her cheek on his chest, listening to his heartbeat finally slow down. She had done that, she realized. Made his heart beat so fast.

He shifted under her, gently moving her to her side and then sliding out of her. She sighed, her body suddenly feeling tired. He pushed her hair aside, kissed her neck and then gathered her close to him. The last thing she remembered was the press of his warm skin against hers as they both drifted to sleep.

Chapter Nine

Riva hummed happily to herself as she got out of her car, grabbing her purse and the paper bag filled with food. It wasn't noon yet, but she was planning to surprise Hank with lunch, so it was good that she got there early.

She walked through the glass doors of the large office building, nodding to the security guard, who waved her in. Lennox Corporation kept their main offices just outside of Blackstone. This was where Hank went when he did "office stuff", as he called it, basically the other times of the week when he wasn't up at the mining site. She actually preferred his little makeshift office up in the site, but he was the president of a major corporation, which was why he had to be here the rest of the week.

Sheila, his administrative assistant, greeted her cheerfully as she entered, letting her know that Hank had stepped out to go to HR, but she could go in. Riva thanked the older lady and went into the office.

Although there was a big mahogany work desk and a leather chair in the room, Hank preferred to work on the coffee table and sofa off to the side. He said that he never really felt settled in this office (which had been his dad's, then Harrison's) and he spent most of his time at the site anyway. Even now, there were various papers scattered around the table, and his laptop was sitting on top, the lid open.

She sat down on the couch and placed the food on the one clear spot on the table. She wondered how Hank would react to her surprising him. She just couldn't wait at home anymore.

It had been one week since the night they first made love, and every moment they were alone together was spent wrapped up in each other. Riva wondered if this was normal, to want a person so badly, all the time.

Daniel had been her first and only before Hank. Like any couple, they had gone through their ups and downs in the bedroom, but she'd thought that was normal.

But with Hank...well, it had been one week and it was like she was still craving him every moment. Everything was only going up (no pun intended) and she was waiting for the down part. It was almost embarrassing, the number of times they would have sex in a day—from the moment they woke up, when he got home, and maybe other times he was able to get away in the middle of the day. She chalked it up to his shifter appetite, but that didn't explain her own desire and need for him. Would this fade too?

Just enjoy it, she thought to herself. There was no more tension (except sexual) between them, and no more angry or hurt words. Everything was going well, and she didn't want to ruin it. Of course, she wished there were other things she could do except wait for him to come home each day. It was fine for now, but she was going to go crazy if she didn't find something to do soon.

Where was Hank? Bored, she glanced down at the papers on his desk. Spreadsheets, balance sheets, profit and loss statements. Hmmm, surely he wouldn't mind if she took a peek? She took one in her hand.

"Oh." She frowned. "That's not right," she said to no one in particular. "Hmmm..." She sat on the floor, cross-legged, and looked at the other sheets of paper. Curious.

She wasn't sure how long she'd been looking through the statements, but at some point, she'd also grabbed Hank's laptop to confirm a couple of things. Then someone clearing their throat made her startle.

"Hank, you scared me!" she said, putting a hand on her chest. Her husband was standing over her, his arms crossed over his chest. She got up, but nearly fell over as her foot had fallen asleep. "Oh!"

His arms wound around her and he pressed her up against him. Hmmm...he smelled so good. She wrapped her arms around his neck to bring him down for a kiss. A sigh escaped her lips as he sank down on the couch, bringing her down with him.

"Hmm...this is a nice surprise," he murmured. "But what were you doing?"

"Huh?" Desire had clouded her mind, but when he glanced at the papers and his laptop, she shot up to her feet and tried to put things back in order. "Oh! I'm sorry Hank, I didn't mean to..." Her cheeks went red.

His brows furrowed together. "Didn't mean to what?" He patted the empty space beside him. "C'mon, tell me."

Should she? How could she tell him what she had discovered? With a long sigh, she sat down next to him. "So, I don't know if you know this, but I was going to school for my MBA."

"Your father mentioned it," he said. "But I didn't get any more details."

"So...just so you know, I'm not an experienced businesswoman or anything, but I have been working for my father since I was a teenager and then I worked in an architectural firm. So...no, never mind, this is stupid." She felt embarrassed, having been caught looking at his private things.

"Riva," he began, and put an arm around her. "It's not. You're a smart girl. Now, tell me what's on your mind."

She took a deep breath. "Well, I'm sure you already know this, so I feel like I don't have to say this to you. But, Lennox Corp...you're not doing great. I mean, it's okay, but your profits have been stagnating."

"Yes, I know." He let out a sigh. "I've at least been able to get us out of the red, doubling our production. I'm working harder now than when Harrison was around to help."

"Yes, but your expenses keep increasing. I know that most of the profits go to the town and the people, but there's almost nothing left over after your overhead."

He frowned. "There's nothing I can do about that. That's in Lucas Lennox's will. The town needs us."

"Yes, I know that. But there may be nothing left if things don't improve. Then the town will really be in trouble."

"I know," he said, running his fingers through his hair. "I just...I don't know what else to do."

"Did you know that the price of blackstone hasn't risen in twenty years? It hasn't kept up with the times."

"There's not a lot of demand," he said. "Although blackstone is the hardest substance on earth, people aren't exactly lining up outside the door to get it. It's mostly for industrial use. We've been dealing with the same companies for decades."

"See, that's what I don't get. Your product is in demand. I did research on these companies—mining, manufacturing, engineering—and some of them make a hundred times more than Lennox and they don't have any other alternative aside from blackstone. Few other materials are as stable or strong. Why haven't you raised prices?"

He opened his mouth, but then shut it quickly. "I don't know. Maybe my father and Harrison wanted to keep the clients." He thought for a moment. "Well, what would you do?"

"Huh?"

"You. What would you do?"

Riva was quiet. No one had ever asked for her opinion before. Not her father, not her former bosses. "Well, I would raise the price of blackstone, for one. Do it gradually at first, so your clients won't get sticker shock. Explain to them that it's a business decision or chalk it up to inflation. You might lose one or two of them, but few of them have an alternative."

"And what else?"

"Well...I hate to say it, but you're going to have to cut some expenses too. But I'm sure we can find a way to make it work. Education, healthcare, infrastructure—these are all important things, but we have to keep the economy running too."

"All right," he said, taking her hand. "We'll do it. I'll put you in charge."

"What?" she asked in a surprised voice. "You can't do that!"

"Riva," he said. "I'm the president of Lennox Corp. I can do whatever I want." He tugged her to him, until she was sitting on his lap. "I didn't realize you had such talent. I'm sorry if I underestimated you." He sighed. "I've been so frustrated all these months....I just have no head for this. Mining for blackstone, I can do. But this business stuff...I always just left it to Harrison. But if you think you can help, I'm willing to try."

"Hank..." Excitement ran through her, and not just because she was sitting on his lap. "I'm...I've been so bored at home. But I do want to help." The numbers were bad and if they didn't do anything about it, Blackstone would fall into ruin, much like the castle. Blackstone was her home now and she was going to make sure that wouldn't happen.

Chapter Ten

"Good morning, Mrs. Lennox," Sheila greeted her as she entered the office.

"Good morning," Riva replied. "How's today looking?"

"Busy," Sheila said. "Just the way you like it."

Riva laughed. "Okay, but remind me when it's five. Or, you know what, Hank probably will barge in here when it's time to go home."

"Oh, you lovebirds you," Sheila chuckled. "I'll be sure to warn you if you I can."

Riva walked into the office, hoping Sheila couldn't see the blush forming on her cheeks. Lovebirds? Hank was not shy in showing her affection, even around the employees. In fact, he seemed to enjoy making her blush when he kissed her in public. Not that he cared. It was like he wanted to show the world that...well, what it was she didn't know.

But one thing she did know was that she hadn't felt like this in a long time. Maybe ever. She gave an involuntary shiver. Hank had been insatiable. Hell, so was she. She'd thought they'd settle after a week or so, but it had been six weeks since their wedding and the craving for each other hadn't faded. Just this morning, she'd wanted to get to the office a little early so she went to shower by herself. Hank joined her and they ended up having sex against the wall. She was already late by the time she walked into the office.

But sex wasn't the only thing keeping her occupied. True to his word, Hank had brought her on board to help overhaul Lennox Corp. The board was resistant at first, but when she presented her proposal to them, they were all gave their approval. She came in as a consultant, and went to work right away. As she'd suggested, she started raising the price of the blackstone. Their customers hadn't been happy, and a few threatened to walk away or sue, but she stood her ground and, just as she predicted, they grudgingly complied. Of course, with some business maneuverings and negotiations, she was able to placate them and even stay on good terms.

She sighed as she sat down on the chair. CEOs and VPs she could handle. But things at home weren't exactly great. Melissa was not happy with the changes Riva was making at the castle. Hank had given her free reign not only at Lennox, but also to tighten the belt at home. Melissa had raged when she cut the budget, but they had no choice.

And now it seemed Melissa had turned everyone against her. The staff would barely look at her. She could hear them whispering and then suddenly stop whenever she entered the room. Only Meg and Christopher seemed to even acknowledge her presence. She wondered what lies Melissa had told everyone. She frowned. Didn't they know she was trying to save their jobs? If they didn't cut expenses, they would have to start letting go of people soon.

A beep from her purse started her. Was Hank calling? She checked the time. He was in the middle of mining operations. Maybe it was her dad. They hadn't talked in the days after the wedding, but when she finally felt more at ease, she'd called him. He had been relieved that she reached out, as he was ashamed about everything that had happened and his part in it. Riva had assured him that she was happy and content and he had nothing to worry about.

The number flashing on the screen was unfamiliar. "Riva Lennox," she answered.

"Riva, it's me."

That voice... "Daniel?"

"Yeah, it's Daniel."

"What are you..." She lowered her voice and put her hand over her mouth, which was silly considering she was all alone. She cleared her throat. "Daniel, where are you? Do you know how much trouble you're in?"

"Of course I do," he snapped. "Riva, I need to see you."

"What? No!" she cried. "You need to talk to the FBI. Turn yourself in."

"I can't do that. I'm innocent. Please Riva, you have to listen to me."

"No, Daniel."

"C'mon...for old times' sake. I need to talk to you. If I tell you my side of the story, you'll see I was set up."

She let out a breath. He sounded desperate. She'd thought she hated him, for putting them in this situation, but really, she pitied him. Maybe she could convince him to do the right thing. "Fine. Where do you want to meet?"

"I'm outside now. In the parking lot across the street. Find the green Honda."

"What? How did you know...never mind." She stood up and grabbed her purse. She made a hasty excuse to Sheila and walked to the elevators, then out of the building.

She jogged to the parking lot, looking for the car. She spotted the green Honda in the corner and walked over to it. Narrowing her eyes, she saw a familiar figure in the driver's seat.

"Daniel?" she said as he got out of the car. He looked terrible. His normally handsome face was pale and there were dark circles under his eyes. Though he was well-dressed and clean-shaven, his hair was mussed, as if he'd spent the whole morning running his fingers through it.

"Riva...thank you for coming." He smiled at her and tried to draw her into a hug, but she shot him a sharp look that made him pause.

"What do you want?" She crossed her arms over her chest.

"You have to believe me...I didn't mean to do it. They entrapped me, I swear!"

"I don't understand," she said. "Why did you run away then? I saw all the records myself. You did it."

Daniel's handsome face twisted into hate. "And so you did what you could to try to save daddy. Even whoring yourself out to that dirty shifter."

"Shut up, Daniel!" she shouted. "How dare you! You don't know what you're talking about!"

"C'mon now, don't I?" he said, moving closer. "Tell, me do you like fucking that...thing?"

"This is ridiculous, Daniel. I could get in trouble. I'm going to have to tell the authorities you're here."

"No," he seethed, grabbing her by the arms. "You're not going to do that."

"Daniel, what—hmmmpph!" She felt him slam her against the car, the back of her head bouncing off the side. He quickly pressed up against her, and his mouth landed on hers. His hands moved under her skirt, pushing the fabric up until his fingers brushed the inside of her thighs.

"Get off me!" she screamed, pushing him off. He staggered back. "Never touch me again! Get the fuck out of here!"

Hate filled his eyes, but he gave her a smile. "Just you wait, Riva. You'll get what's coming to you. What you deserve." He got back into the car and drove off.

A chill blasted across her arms. What did he mean? She began to shake all over. Daniel's words were puzzling. But she couldn't let him get away. The FBI agent who had interviewed her had given her his card— she would call him right away, and hopefully put this whole thing behind her.

***

Hank was eager to get home. After a long day, all he wanted to do was shower, have dinner and make love to his mate. And not necessarily in that order. Riva probably wouldn't object too much if he didn't shower first.

God, he loved how she was so eager and giving. And just as insatiable as he was. Was this what it would always be like with his mate? He wished he knew, though he was certainly happy to live in the moment. He could practically taste her now. But it wasn't just the sex. He craved her, yes, but each minute without her left a dull pang in his chest. He missed her, but it was more than that.

He'd spoken to James about it earlier today, and his cousin had merely laughed. "She's definitely your mate, then," he said. "Do you love her already?"

The question had floored him, and he didn't answer. He didn't have to. He knew it and his dragon roared in approval. Well, I'll be damned. He was in love with his wife.

He couldn't wait to tell her he loved her. But when he called the office, Riva had been out, but left a message for him that she'd head straight home after her meeting. Hmmm. She hadn't mentioned a meeting outside the office. Probably too distracted by this morning's activities.

He swung by the florist and got a dozen red roses. Tonight, he'd tell her. Maybe give her a massage before making love to her. She'd been working hard these past weeks, and all for the company. He had spoken with his accountants just this morning, and they had only positive things to say, for once.

He pulled up to the castle's garage, cut the engine and got out of the car. Riva's car wasn't there yet, but he hoped she'd be home soon. He made his way to the staircase, taking them two at a time.

"Hank!"

He stopped and turned around. "Melissa?"

His sister-in-law ran up the stairs after him. "Hank!" she called again. "Thank God you're here!"

"What's wrong?"

Melissa caught up to him at the top of the steps. She put her hand on her chest and took a deep breath. "I didn't want to believe it. But I saw it with my own eyes, Hank."

"Hold on, what do you mean?" He gripped her shoulders. "Calm down. What's going on?"

"I knew she was up to something."

"Who?"

"Riva. Didn't you think it was strange she suddenly had so much interest in the company?" She shoved something in his face. Her phone. "See? I had her followed by a detective. She's been seeing that boyfriend of hers on the side all this time. Did you know they'd been dating for years?"

"Who?"

"The guy who got them in trouble. The one the FBI is hunting down."

Hank grabbed the phone from her hand and stared at the photo. As his eyes focused on the screen, he felt the air rush out from his lungs. Shock shot through his system and he went very still. It was Riva—she was wearing the skirt and blouse he had watched her put on that morning. She was pressed up against the side of a green car as a man with blond hair had his arms around her. On top of her. Kissing her.

Rage burned through him, and he wanted to destroy something. Preferably that man who had his hands and lips on Riva. No. He tried to deny it, but there it was. He scrolled through the other photos. There were others—Riva walking out of the office. Her walking toward the car. Them talking. And that last one of them in a torrid embrace.

"Hank?"

Metal crushed under his hand.

"Hank? What are you going to do?" Melissa asked. "I—"

"Shut up, Melissa," he said, his voice low. He turned away from her, dropped the flowers and the ruined phone to the floor, and began to walk to the master bedroom.

The edges of his vision were blurry and bright white. A pain slashed at him, and he pushed it deep inside him. It was like the last time he was betrayed. No, it was worse. Because this time, it was his mate that had betrayed him.

His dragon wanted to come out and claw at everything until the hurting stopped. Even now he could feel it. His skin was starting to turn scaly, and his hands were forming into claws.

No!

He channeled the rage and balled it up, until it died and he felt nothing, and he was hollow like a shell.

Outside, the sky began to darken. There was crack of thunder and then lightning filled the sky, setting it ablaze. An early fall thunderstorm. How appropriate.

The door opened slowly, the sound of wood creaking on metal piercing his ears. The air in the room grew heavy and cold as he realized who it was.

"Hank?" Riva asked as she stepped in.

Fists balled at his sides, he stood up and faced her.

"Oh, Hank, you won't believe what I've been through today." She walked to him and wrapped her arms around him. When he stiffened, she pulled away and eyed him. "What's wrong?"

"I'm sure you've had a tough day," he said, bitterness in his voice. "Being with your boyfriend and all. Tell me, did he even spring for a motel room or did he just fuck you in his car?"

She gasped.

"Oh, you're not even going to deny you saw him?"

"It's not what you think!"

"Oh really? That man's hands all over you, his hands between your legs...what was I supposed to think?"

"That's not how it happened!" she protested. "Please, Hank, listen to me!"

"I don't want to hear your lies anymore. I saw it with my own two eyes."

"How?" she asked, shrinking away from him. "What did you see, exactly?"

He seized her arm and pulled her back. "I saw pictures of your little tryst. Now, should I call the FBI? You are associating with a suspect on the run," he spat.

Her eyes blazed with anger and her face turned defiant. "Are you having me followed? Don't you trust me?"

"Why, have you given me any reason to? This just shows that I can't trust you."

She wrenched her arm away from him. "I thought...I wasn't..."

"What? Are you going to try to explain what you were doing in that parking lot with your boyfriend?"

She hesitated for a moment, but continued. "You obviously don't even want to believe me."

"Believe what? Tell me what other lies have been spewing from your mouth? Did you even enjoy sleeping with me? Or were you thinking about him while you fucked—" A crack rang through the air and it this time wasn't thunder. He didn't even see Riva's hand as it connected with his cheek. It stung, but he didn't move.

"You're a monster!" she said, her eyes filling with tears. "I thought I..." She turned her back to him.

"What? Were you going to take over Lennox? Was that the plan? Were you—"

"Shut up, Hank," she interrupted. "I'm not going to stay here and defend myself to you. I'm your wife, and I shouldn't have to!" She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry for what happened to you, really I am. You're a good man, and Andrea and Harrison ruined you. But maybe, once you find out the truth for yourself, you'll decide you can trust me. Hank..." She reached out to touch him, but he flinched. "I'm going home. To my father back in Verona Mills. We can talk once you've calmed down enough to see reason." She turned around and left the room.

Was she insane? He huffed. Did she think he would change his mind? That after her betrayal, he'd come crawling back to her. He stomped over to the bathroom, yanking the door open. He'd never trust another woman with his heart. All of them were the same. Two-faced liars.

Chapter Eleven

Hank drowned himself in alcohol, downing every bottle he could get his hands on. Melissa had tried to talk to him, to find out what happened, but he roared at her to leave him alone. He locked himself in the library with his liquor, unable to stand being in the bedroom where he'd made love to Riva. His mate. Who betrayed him.

By around nine p.m. he was sufficiently buzzed. Damned shifter metabolism. He could get drunk but it took a helluva lot of alcohol.

Outside, the storm raged. The wind shook the windows, making them rattle hard as the rain batted against the glass panes. It was a perfect mirror to his emotions.

She hadn't even tried to defend herself. He'd waited, wanting to know if there was any other explanation. But she had none.

Or she didn't want to, a voice inside his head said. She shouldn't have to. She's your mate. You should have trusted her.

He muffled the voice with another swig of bourbon. The burn was brief, but it was enough to dull the voice and the pain.

An insistent knock on the door jarred him out of his thoughts. He stood there for a moment, blinked, then walked to the door when the knocking became louder.

"I said I didn't want to be disturbed!" he shouted as he yanked the door open.

James stood on the other side. Beside him was Sheriff Meacham. Meacham was a panther shifter and had been Blackstone's Sheriff since last year. He was holding something dark in his left hand, but Hank couldn't see what it was exactly.

"What do you want?" he asked, his mood darkening. He did not want to deal with town politics right now.

"Hank, you should sit down," James urged, as he entered the room. Then he saw the bottles of liquor on the table. "What the fuck is going on here? Why did Riva run away?"

"I don't want to hear that liar's name," he said in a deadly voice.

"Hank, she's your mate."

"Don't you think I know that?" he raged. He grabbed the bottle of bourbon and took a drink. "That bitch betrayed me. All this time, she'd been seeing her old boyfriend. Daniel Murphy."

James and Meacham looked at each other. "Hank, take a seat please," Meacham advised.

"Whatever it is you have to say, just say it and go."

The Sheriff nodded at James. "Hank, there's been an accident."

Meacham raised his left hand. "Do you recognize this, Mr. Lennox?"

Hank frowned and reached out to grab the object. It was a coat. A woman's coat. Riva's, to be exact. She had been wearing it when she came into the room. It was sopping wet, like it had been dunked in water. "I don't understand."

Meacham took off his hat. "Mr. Lennox, we found that washed up along the river about an hour ago. At around five p.m., we got a call from someone driving up to Blackstone. He said that he saw a dark-colored sedan drive straight off the road. The barriers weren't strong enough and the car went over the edge and into the river. We haven't recovered the car yet, as the storm's been rough. We sent one of our guys down there to check for survivors and he found the coat."

Glass shattered into a million pieces. The shards bounced off the wooden floor and a few pieces jabbed his foot. But he didn't feel it. Blood roared into his ears and made them start ringing. The emptiness that was inside him was now filling with heavy dread.

"Hank?" James asked. "Are you all right?"

He let out a deep growl. "No. I mean, it's not...you can't..." He was grasping for an explanation. Something. Anything. She wasn't...she could have survived, right?

"There's something else, Hank," James said somberly. "The FBI. They're waiting downstairs."

"What? Why?"

"Riva called them. She told them that a fugitive had come into contact with her today. Daniel Murphy."

"I don't understand." He ran his fingers through his hair. "I saw it...the pictures."

"Mr. Lennox!" A cry from the doorway made the three men's heads turn. "Mr. Lennox, please. I need to tell you something."

James turned to the young woman. "What is it..."

"Meg," she said. "Is it true? Mrs. Lennox...is she gone?" Her eyes darted to the coat in Hank's hands and she began to cry. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, it's all my fault!"

"Meg, calm down," James said. "What are you talking about? Just tell us."

"Mr. Walker...Mr. Lennox...I swear, she said she was going to fire me if I didn't do it."

"Do what?"

"I...I told her about your fiancée...and I put the picture where she would find it." Tears streaked down her cheeks. "The other Mrs. Lennox told me to do it. And then when that didn't work, she said I had to tell the staff we were all getting fired so they would hate her."

"Wait...Melissa told you to do that?" Hank asked. "Why?" He grabbed her by the shoulders and began to shake her.

"Hank, stop," James said. "You're scaring the poor girl."

Hank put his hands down. "Go call my dear sister-in-law," he instructed the girl. "Now."

Meg nodded and scurried away. Minutes later, Melissa walked in, dressed in a sleeping robe.

"Hank, what's the meaning of this?" she asked in an annoyed tone. "I was in bed when that maid hauled me out and told me I had to come to the library now." She looked at James and Meacham, her face confused.

"Why did you want Riva to find Andrea's picture?" Hank asked, stepping toward her. "And why did you have her followed by a PI?"

"I told you," she said. "I had a bad feeling about her. I knew that—"

"Stop lying!" he roared and the air plunged in temperature and grew thick like a heavy fog. He raised his arms, which had turned scaly as long black talons ripped from his fingertips. "Tell me the truth."

"Hank, I..."

"Now!"

Her face turned from calm to fright, then anger. "Because I wanted that bitch gone! Can't you see, Hank? We should have been together after Harrison and Andrea betrayed us. I could have had your dragon babies and provided you the heir you needed!"

"Melissa..." Hank felt bile rising in his throat. "You planned all of this."

"Yes! Because you're a fool! You didn't even know about Harrison and Andrea, but I'd known for months!" she screamed. "He didn't know I knew either, and one night he came to me, out of guilt. He said he'd been in love with Andrea since the first moment they met, when you brought her to dinner to introduce to your father. He claimed she was his mate and he'd been denying it for years because he loved you and didn't want to hurt you."

The bottom of his stomach dropped. "No."

"Oh, yes. That bastard! I was so mad. He said he couldn't live with the lie anymore and that he was going to tell you. Ha!" Her eyes turned crazy. "I wasn't going to let them ruin my life! Everything I'd worked for! And so I thought there was still a way. You and me, Hank. We could be together and continue your family's legacy. But we had to get rid of them first."

"What are you saying?"

"I did it. I cut the brake line of Harrison's car. I didn't know Andrea would be in there with him, but what a bonus, right? And now, your slut wife is gone too, and we can be together. I found her ex-boyfriend, and of course that little weasel would do anything for some cash, even force himself on her—argh!"

"Hank, no!" James shouted.

But it was too late. Hank already had his hands around Melissa's neck and was slowly squeezing tight.

"Hank!"

He screamed in pain and let go when James shifted into his grizzly form. Large paws with razor sharp claws grabbed at him and pulled him away from Melissa.

"But...I did it for you...." she choked out.

"You bitch! You did it for yourself. You killed them!" Hank shouted. "Did you cut Riva's brake line too?" Melissa's eyes filled with tears and she nodded. "Sheriff, I want her arrested!"

"With pleasure," Meacham said, hauling Melissa to her feet and carting her away.

A series of pops and bones breaking told Hank that James had shifted back. "Hank? What are you going to do?"

Despair and grief tore at his heart and he picked up the discarded coat. "I can't...she can't be..." And as quick as his feet could move, he ran out of the room.

Chapter Twelve

Well, this certainly is a predicament, Riva thought as she opened her eyes. Raindrops fell from the sky, pelting her face. She quickly sat up, coughing up the river water that she'd swallowed as she escaped from the car.

It had all happened so fast. Her vision was blinded with tears as she drove and the rain didn't exactly help. Then, as she maneuvered a curve, the brakes suddenly stopped working. She screamed as the car tore through the barrier and into the river.

The car was washing away downstream. She didn't have a choice—she rolled the window down and slipped out before the car filled with water. Her heavy wool coat was dragging her down so she shucked it off and swam to the bank. Thank God she was a strong swimmer and in relatively good health. Even so, she barely made it, collapsing with exhaustion on the bank.

And now it was dark and the rain continued to pour down. Have to get out of here, she thought. Go back. Go to the road and maybe catch a ride into Verona Mills. Or call her father. She'd sent him a text message that she was coming home. He'd be worried for sure.

The cold chilled her to the bone and she began to shiver. At least it distracted her from the pain in her chest, gripping at her like a vice. How could Hank think she could do that? And what had he seen, exactly? Obviously he didn't see what happened after—that she'd pushed Daniel off her and told him to get lost. Someone had poisoned his mind against her, and she had a sneaking suspicion who. If she ever saw Melissa again...

Anyway, that didn't matter. She'd said she'd wait for him to see reason, but the more she thought about it, the more she realized how naive that was.

Hank believed a picture over her word. He would never change his mind. He was stubborn as an ox. And to think she was foolish enough to fall in love with him. He obviously didn't feel anything for her at all.

The ache in her chest bloomed as she thought of his cruel words, but she ignored it. She had to get help—that was her main priority now. Adrenaline was pumping through her veins, but once she calmed down the heat could quickly escape her body. Hypothermia was a real concern, especially with the temperatures dropping and her clothes still wet from her involuntary river dunking.

She finally reached the road, climbing over the barrier carefully. It was dark, with only the lampposts above giving her light. There was nowhere to hide from the rain, but even if she could find shelter, she shouldn't stay still—moving would keep her warm. So she began to walk. Hopefully, a car would come by, see her, and stop.

What would she do now? Hank actually thought she'd been conspiring against him? With Daniel? Maybe he was unstable. Didn't some shifters have weird brain diseases that made them go crazy?

Or he's just an asshole.

Her heart sank. The look on his face as he spewed those words at her, full of hate and fury. Tears sprang to her eyes. It would have hurt less if he'd cut out her heart and tossed it away. But that was exactly what he did. He—

A loud roar made her jump and she stopped walking. "What the?" She looked up into the dark sky. "Oh dear Lord!"

A large gold creature was flying overhead, its scales glinting in the moonlight. Was that Hank? Who else could it be? What was he doing, flying out in this weather?

He looked magnificent, and her heart sank further. The creature circled, letting out a screech. Was he looking for something?

Hope fluttered in her. "Hank!" she screamed, jumping and waving her hands. "Hank, please! I'm here! Look down!"

But it was no use. The dragon threw back its head, roared in fury and flew away. Away from her.

"No!" she cried. "Please...I'm here." She was crying now, unable to stop the tears. Hank was looking for her! Right? She had to believe that. He'd changed his mind and believed in her.

She wiped the tears from her eyes. She had to go back to the castle. She looked around, let out a determined huff and began to walk up the road in the direction of Blackstone.

She walked for what seemed like forever, and her teeth started to chatter. Just as she'd lost hope, she saw headlights illuminating the road. Turning around, she held her hand up to her eyes as the headlights nearly blinded her.

The vehicle slowed down, then stopped beside her. It was a beat-up old Ford pickup truck and the back was filled with furniture, suitcases, and trunks all strapped down with rope. The windows rolled down and a woman stuck her head out.

"Miss! What are you doing all alone out here? Are you okay?" Kind blue eyes blinked at her.

"I've been in an accident," she said through chattering teeth.

"Oh sugar, did you take a swim?" She reached behind her and opened the door. "Get in before you freeze to death!" She turned to the driver. "Clark, turn the heat up."

Riva nodded gratefully and got inside. She was already much warmer. The light in the cab turned on and two curious faces looked at her.

"I'm Clark Caldwell," the man in the driver's seat said. "This is my wife, Martha."

The woman smiled at Riva. "And that's Nathan." She nodded at the child strapped in the car seat beside her.

"I'm Riva, thank you for stopping," she said. She gave them the short version of what had happened. "I know it's a lot to ask, but could you give me a ride to Blackstone, if that's on your way? Or anywhere's fine. Or actually if I could use your phone, I could call someone and have them pick me up."

"Not a problem," Clark said. "We're headed to Blackstone, too."

"Oh, do you know anyone there?"

The couple looked at each other. "No, not really," Martha said with a tight smile. "We, uh...well, we had to leave our home real quick. They found out we were werewolves and..."

"The folks there didn't take it too kindly," Clark finished, his eyes hard. "And it just wasn't safe. Especially for Nate. We heard Blackstone was welcoming of our kind and we could find good jobs and maybe a safe home."

Riva's eyes widened with shock. She looked over at Nate, at his cherubic cheeks and curly blond hair. Who would try to hurt a child? Anger bubbled into her. "That's awful. I'm so sorry."

"That's a shifter's life," Clark shrugged. "Anyway, young lady, why don't we take you home? No way we're leaving you alone 'til you've gotten back safe to your family. Just show us where."

Relief washed over her. "Thank you," she said, unshed tears shining in her eyes. "That would be wonderful."

***

As soon as the truck pulled up to Blackstone Castle, Clark whistled. "You live here?"

Before she opened the door, Riva turned to Clark and Martha. "Thank you so much. You don't know how much I appreciate it. Please don't go yet, okay? I'll have someone come out and take you to a guest room and get you settled in for a night." She raised her hand when they began to protest. "No, please, I won't take no for an answer."

On the ride over, Clark and Martha had told her that they'd been driving for two days straight, sleeping in their car because they couldn't afford to stay in a motel until they at least got to Blackstone. "Then tomorrow, we'll talk about getting both of you jobs at Lennox Corporation. My husband is Hank Lennox."

Martha burst into tears and even Clark's eyes were shiny. "I don't know what to say...you're too kind."

"Just accept it, please? Sorry, I have to go." She waved at them, and raced to the front door. Her knuckles hadn't even connected with the door when it opened.

"Mrs. Lennox!" Meg cried, her face pale. "You're alive!"

"Of course I'm alive!" she exclaimed. "My husband! Is he back?"

"Yes, ma'am, but—"

"We'll talk later," she promised. She gave Meg some quick instructions to help the Caldwells and get them settled into one of the guest rooms.

Taking the steps two at a time, she ran to the master bedroom, throwing the door open. "Hank!"

Her husband was sitting on the bed, naked, his back to her. His head was hung low, his shoulders hunched over.

"Hank," she called again. With careful steps, she approached him. "I'm here."

"Riva..." he said in a soft, anguished voice and lifted his head.

As she came closer, she saw he was staring forward, out of the balcony doors. They were open and the wind howled and whipped at the curtains. "Riva, I tried. I'm sorry I didn't find you. That I was too late."

What was he saying? She walked in front of him, but he didn't even flinch. "Hank, what are you talking about? I'm here."

His eyes were glassy and rimmed with red. "I know you're here. You'll always be with me. You're my mate...and now you're dead because of me."

"Hank!" she admonished. "I'm here! I'm not dead!" She grabbed his hands, and placed them on her face. "It's me. I'm alive."

Hank's face paled, then his eyes cleared. He blinked at her, his eyes searching her face. "Riva...you're here!"

"Of course I am, silly!" She laughed. "If I were dead, I wouldn't waste my afterlife haunting you, you beast."

"Oh, Riva..." He stood up and pulled her to him. He held her tight, as if he were afraid she'd disappear into thin air. "I thought I'd lost you. I'm so sorry...sorry for what I said and for not believing you."

"I saw you. Your dragon, I mean. You were flying."

"I was looking for you," he confessed. "They said the car had washed away and they found your coat. I couldn't believe them."

"Oh, Hank..."

He sank down to his knees and pressed his cheek to her stomach. "Forgive me, Riva, please. For thinking you could do that to me. I love you, and I will do anything and everything you ask if you forgive me."

"You love me?" she said, her heart soaring. "And I'm your mate, right?"

Hank nodded. "Yes. My dragon will be tied to you, devoted to you, for the rest of our lives. Even if you decide not to forgive me, I'll dedicate the rest of my life to your happiness."

She gasped and tears clouded her vision. "I love you, too, Hank. And yes...I forgive you." How could she not? In her heart, she now knew what a mate was. She may not have understood it, but she just knew Hank was hers. Forever.

He got to his feet, drew her into his arms again, and pressed his lips to hers. The kiss burned like a soldering heat that joined metals, but this time, it was like their souls melding into one. She gasped when he finally pulled away.

"What..." It was a strange sensation. She felt warm all over, and so peaceful and content.

"Did you feel that?" he asked.

"I think so...what is it?"

"I'm not sure, but I've only heard...it's a mating bond." He looked at her. "It's not supposed to happen for dragons, at least that was what we believed."

She smiled at him. "Well, something tells me that from now on, we'll be challenging a lot of these so-called 'beliefs'."

He pulled her down to the bed, then rolled on top of her. "Sweetheart, as long as you'll stay by my side, I'm up for any challenge."

She chuckled. "I'll hold you to that."

Epilogue

Six years later...

"No, you're stupid!"

"No, you're stupid!"

There was a growl, a roar, and the sound of claws hitting the ground.

Riva walked out onto the back lawn, rubbed her lower back, and narrowed her eyes. When she saw the two juvenile dragons wrestling on the ground, she put her palm on her forehead. At least they can't use their wings yet, she thought. "Matthew! Jason!" she called out. "What's going on?"

The two dragons continued to roll on the ground and she let out a sigh. But before she could go over, a young grizzly bear cub came running across the lawn, grabbed the two dragons and pulled them apart.

Thank God for Ben, she thought. Despite only being three years older than her twin sons, he had appointed himself their older brother, protecting them, mostly from each other. Ben was the responsible one, always playing referee, but he loved Matt and Jason like they were his siblings.

As she walked toward them, a gray blur whizzed by her, the rush of air ruffling her skirt. "Nate, slow down!" she called to the wolf pup, who joined his three friends. The pup bounded toward the other three, knocking them down on the grass. She smiled. Nathan Caldwell was a sweet child, but he was always getting himself (and his friends) into trouble. He was also a charmer and loved making everyone laugh with his antics.

When she reached them, she found four naked children, laughing and giggling. She crossed her arms and tapped her foot on the ground. "All right, boys," she said with a stern face. "Care to tell me what happened?"

Four pairs of eyes looked up at her, but no one said a word. "Anyone?" she asked.

Ben opened his mouth, but snapped it shut when Matt sent him a glare. "Sorry Aunt Riva," he said, looking down at his feet. "But we ain't no tattletales."

She narrowed her eyes. Although she didn't want them to think they could lie to adults, she had to admire their resolve in protecting each other. Something told her that would be something they'd need in the future. "All right. No one was hurt?"

The four boys shook their heads.

"And you're not doing something we told you not to do?"

More shaking.

"As long as you follow the rules and no one gets hurt, I'll let it slide. Now, get dressed and cleaned up. Meg is taking fresh cookies from the oven and everyone can have one before dinner."

"Cookies!"

"Hooray!"

"Are they chocolate chip?!"

"Yay!"

Riva laughed as all four boys scrambled into their clothing and ran to the castle. As she walked back, she looked up at her home with pride. The old crumbling castle she had moved into six years ago was certainly looking much grander these days.

After Riva had made the changes at the company, Hank appointed her president of Lennox. It had caused an uproar, but soon, everyone accepted her as head of the corporation. And thanks to her, Lennox was thriving. She also established the Lucas Lennox Foundation, a non-profit organization to which they funneled the profits that went into Blackstone. They were doing the same as before—providing education, healthcare, and other benefits to the town—but this ensured that no one could ever dispute Lucas Lennox's will and made it easier for residents to access benefits. Hank was president of the foundation, a role he was much more suited to (and made him happier) than being head of a company.

After all the happened, she never thought she'd be so happy. The past was behind them—Melissa had been convicted and jailed for the murder of Harrison and Andrea. The FBI were also able to catch Daniel, and he was behind bars, too.

She went into the castle and headed into the kitchen, and eased herself onto a stool. The boys were sitting at the massive wooden table in the middle, all watching as Meg placed a cookie on each of their plates.

"What do we say to Meg?"

"Thank you," the four of them chorused.

Meg laughed. "You're all very welcome."

The four boys gulped their milk and ate their cookies in two seconds.

Riva chuckled, and her own tummy gurgled. "All right, baby girl," she cooed, rubbing her large tummy. "You can get one, too." She took a cookie from the plate Meg was holding out, and thanked her before taking a bite. "Hmmmm..."

"You're getting a sister?" Nathan said, sticking his tongue out.

"Hey, what's wrong with getting a sister?" Ben said. "I hope Mommy's baby is a girl." Laura had just announced that after trying for several years, she was pregnant too.

"Girls are so icky," Jason said.

"You might not mind girls so much in a few years, young man."

Riva felt a warmth course through her at the sound of her mate's voice. "Daddy! Daddy!" Jason and Matt chimed as they scrambled to Hank. He took both boys into his arms.

"You're home early." she said.

"Of course I'm home, I've missed you." He kissed the twins on the cheek. "Have all you boys been behaving? Not getting into any trouble?" He glanced at Nathan and Ben.

"No," they said in unison.

Riva gave him a wry smile. "Right."

"Mom, can we keep playing?" Jason said, wiggling out of his father's grip. "Auntie Laura and Auntie Martha aren't picking up Nate and Ben 'til five, right?"

"All right," she said. "You boys keep playing, but no roughhousing, and get out of your clothes if you're shifting, okay?"

"Yes!"

The four boys scrambled out of the kitchen, already shucking off their clothes as they headed to the back lawn.

An arm went around her shoulder and Hank kissed her temple. "Welcome home," she said.

"Glad to be home," he answered, and put a hand on her belly. "How's my girl?"

She sighed. "Overdue. I hate waiting."

"You just hate being on maternity leave," he quipped. "Don't worry, Martha's a capable assistant. I'm sure she'll keep everyone in line while you're away." He rubbed her stomach. "Too bad this one's just a single."

"Ha! You say that because you're not the one who feels like a jungle gym," she countered. At that moment, their baby chose to give a strong kick. "Ooof!"

Hank laughed and kissed her belly. "I can't wait to see you, baby girl. And I've already got my shotgun cleaned and ready for all those boys who'll be trying to take you away from me."

"She'll be a dragon," Riva retorted. "I think she'll be capable of taking care of herself."

"Aren't you worried about the boys?" he asked jokingly. "About daddies with shotguns of their own?"

She let out a chuckle. "I know our boys will grow up to be very handsome, but something tells me that their future mates will keep a handle on things."

"Is that so? Think they'll have an easy time finding them?"

"Oh, don't you know the legend of twins in my family?" He frowned. "I can't believe I never told you! My mom is a twin, you know. She and my aunt would switch places all the time because no one could tell them apart," she said with a sad smile. "The legend goes, the one who can tell you apart from your twin is your soulmate. Anyway, my dad said he saw her at a coffee shop, hounded her for a date and wouldn't leave her alone until she said yes. Thinking that she'd pull the wool over his eyes, she sent her twin in her place. My dad wasn't fooled, of course, and demanded my mom come and finish the date with him."

She'd often wondered what would have happened if her mother had been around. She didn't have a lot of memories of her, but remembered her to be loving and kind. Would she have let Riva marry Hank? She shrugged. It didn't matter. This was her life now and she loved every minute of it.

"You're kidding, right?" Hank asked. "There's no such thing as twin magic."

"Oh, just because we're human, we can't have a bit of magic in us?" she teased.

"I'm pretty sure you have some kind of magic," Hank said, his eyes warm. "In fact—"

"Uncle Hank! Auntie Riva!" Nathan's shrill voice rang into the kitchen. The boy was barely shifted back and gray hair was still sprouting in patches all over his body. His cheeks were red from exertion. "You...gotta...come...out...now!"

Fear gripped Riva's heart like a vice. "What's wrong, Nate? Who is it? The twins? Ben?"

He shook his head and took a deep breath. "Just...come..." He turned and disappeared out of the kitchen.

Hank tensed beside her. "Stay here," he said as he strode away.

Stay here? One of her children could be hurt! She waddled out, following her husband. Though it took her a while, she finally reached the doors leading to the outside patio.

Hank was walking toward the castle, all four children tagging along. He was holding a light brown bundle in his arms.

"Who...what is it?" she asked as he reached her. As she examined it closer, she realized it was some type of animal, based on the limbs, but she wasn't sure what. She gasped when saw the red and dark brown streaks all over its fur. Blood.

Hank lowered the animal onto one of the wicker sofas. "Lion cub," he said. "It's...bad."

Riva put a hand over her mouth. The cub was covered in claw marks. Though they were already healing, it was obvious they were enough to weaken the cub. She eased down on the sofa and placed a hand on its head, stroking the soft tufts of fur. Its eyes were closed, and its breath labored.

"It's okay," she cooed. "You're safe."

"Mommy!" Jason cried. "Look!"

The fur on the cub's face began to recede, and the head and limbs shrank down. "Oh, my," Riva gasped. It was a young boy, maybe the same age as Ben. The angry red marks all over his chest and back were still healing, but still, Riva couldn't help but let out a cry.

"Let's get him inside," Hank said, gently pulling her away. "Riva, call Dr. Marks. Ben," he called. "Go call your dad and tell him to bring Uncle Clark. You boys should go home."

"No," Ben said, hovering protectively over the other boy.

"We want to make sure he's okay," Nate said. "Please, Uncle Hank?"

He sighed. "You can if your parents let you stay. But we might need their help, too. In case whoever hurt him is still around." The two boys nodded and disappeared into the house, followed by Jason and Matt.

Riva froze. "Do you think..."

Hank's expression hardened. "I didn't scent anyone unfamiliar, aside from the cub. But it's better to be safe than sorry."

She nodded. "Right. Let's get him to a guest bedroom." She ran her hands over the boy's golden hair, still matted with blood.

The two of them walked into the castle, arms around each other and the boy. There might be danger about, but first, they needed to make sure this little one was safe.

The End

Thank you for reading Hank and Riva's story! I hope you liked it.

If you're not a part of my mailing list and want to know as soon as Matthew's story (and the rest of that gang's) is available, then  join here. You will only receive updates on the Blackstone Mountain Series.

Want to see how those adorable boys grew up?

Then turn the pages for a preview of the The Blackstone Dragon Heir, available Dec 26, 2017!

***

Preview: The Blackstone Dragon Heir

"Thank you, thank you everyone," Riva Lennox said as thundering applause greeted the end of her speech. "And though we've already formalized everything with the board yesterday, let me take this moment to pass the baton to my son, the new CEO of Lennox Corporation, Matthew Everett Lennox." More applause. "Son, go ahead and stand up—no, Jason, not you." The crowd laughed. "Yes, honey, I know it's you because I did the table settings. Hopefully you guys won't be pulling the old switcheroo, since Jason will be busy running Lennox Foundation."

Matthew Lennox looked up at his twin brother with a wry smile. His mother knew them so well.

"C'mon, dude," Jason urged, grabbing him by the elbow. "It's mom and dad's retirement party."

"Fine," he grumbled. Matthew stood up, pasted a smile on his face and faced the audience, waving his hand.

"That's my boy," Riva said. "Now, to everyone here, and I'm sure I speak for my husband as well, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. It has been a pleasure, being your President and CEO for almost three decades. Many of you credit me for turning Lennox Corp into what it is today. But, I have to humbly disagree, as I could not have done it without all of you."

Matthew locked eyes with his father. Hank Lennox gave him a wink and then turned back to the stage, his eyes transfixed on his mate. Riva was perhaps being too modest, as she did deserve most of the credit for turning what had been a a dying family-run company into a large, multinational corporation. His mother was a brilliant businesswoman, and not only ensured Lennox Corporation thrived, but also expanded it. Though their main product was still blackstone, the hardest substance on earth, his mother had broadened their company into construction, transportation, and real estate . Despite her accomplishments, she still somehow managed to get home in time for dinner almost every night, plus never missed an important recital, school play, or sports game in her children's lives.

A lesser man might have been intimidated, taking over for such a person. But, perhaps as his father had told him many times, Matthew was just as driven and business-minded as his mother. Some of his happiest memories were of playing under her desk at the Lennox Corp headquarters or visiting the Blackstone mine with his father. He graduated top of his class in college and went to a direct-track MBA program in one of the most prestigious schools in the country, all the while working part time at a stock-trading company. He'd been officially working at Lennox for four years, but he'd lived and breathed the company his whole life. When Riva announced that she was retiring at the end of the year, it was no surprise that she appointed Matthew as her successor.

Riva finished off her speech, and then went down from the stage. Hank stood up, gathered her in his arms for a long, sensuous kiss.

"Eww, mom, dad, get a room!" Sybil, their youngest and only sister joked. Beside her, their adopted brother, Luke, merely shrugged.

"Did you slip her the tongue?" Jason asked. "Way to go Dad! Someone's gonna get lucky..."

"You do realize that's your mother you're talking about," Hank said when he pulled away. Riva's face with flush and she looked around her sheepishly.

Still, no one was surprised. His parents were not just husband and wife, but also mates. Though most shifters believed dragons rarely found mates, his father had somehow lucked out. They'd been together for almost thirty years, and it seemed their bond and their love for each other only grew stronger each year.

"So, Mom, Dad, you guys ready for your 'round-the-world trip?" Jason asked.

"I think after all these years, we deserve it," Hank said.

"And we're leaving everything in capable hands," Riva said, her eyes twinkling.

"Finally, the old generation can have some fun while you young ones can do all the hard work," Hank added. He himself had retired from running the Lennox Foundation just six months before, handing over the reins to Jason. While some may say Matthew was the more serious and driven twin, Jason was not without his talents. His good nature and the fact that he was approachable and friendly made him a good match for the job. People naturally gravitated to his more affable twin.

"We'll miss you, Daddy," Sybil said, wrapping her arms around Hank. "But, you guys will have fun, I'm sure."

"Aunt Riva, Uncle Hank, congratulations," Ben Walker, their cousin, held his arms out as he walked toward their table. He engulfed Riva in a big hug and clapped hands with Hank. "I'm sure Mom and Dad will be thrilled you'll be joining them."

Ben's parents had retired six months ago, and were now on their own trip, traveling around the country in an RV with another couple, Clark and Martha Caldwell. The three couples were the best of friends and it only made sense they wanted to spend their twilight years together, seeing as all their children were grown.

"They're in Los Angeles, just waiting for us," Hank said. "First stop on our trip is Tokyo."

As more people came to their table to congratulate them, Matthew quietly slipped away from the ballroom of the Blackstone Hotel, where the party was taking place. He headed to the double doors leading out into the balcony, enjoying the fresh mountain air. From out here in the valley, he could see the Blackstone Mountains. His home.

"Yo, bro, what are you doing out here alone?" Jason said as he walked up behind him. "Shouldn't you be celebrating out there with us?"

"It's not my party," he shrugged.

Jason stood next to him on the balcony then turned to face him. Matthew was used to this, looking at another person and seeing his own face. Same, yet to different, his mother would often say.

"Well, maybe we'll have to plan a welcome party for you." Jason must have seen the distaste on his face because he laughed. "Or not. You know, the only other person who hates people more than you is Luke."

Matthew had to admit there was some truth to that. Their brother was a solitary creature, in more ways than one. "I don't hate people," Matthew said. "I just don't like them as much as you do."

"Now that, I won't deny," Jason chuckled. "C'mon, I think mom and dad are ready to head to the airport."

"I'll be out in a minute."

As the balcony doors closed, Matthew thought about his brother's words. He didn't hate people, exactly. His father said he was an old soul, even when he was young. While Jason preferred to play outdoors (and later, go out to bars and cause trouble with his best friend, Nate), Matthew wanted nothing more than to stay home and read or study. He felt most comfortable surrounded by his books and computers, looking at stock prices or balance sheets. Not that he didn't go out. He was up for a beer with his friends every now and then and he was never short of female company. But, lately, especially since his mother had announced she was going to retire, he felt the enormous pressure of preserving their family legacy.

It wasn't that his parents put that pressure on him. No, Riva and Hank would have just been as happy to hand over the reigns to someone else and support him in whatever he pursued. He put the pressure on himself, to not fuck up and to make Lennox Corp even bigger and better.

Matthew took one last look at the mountains and headed inside. There was already a small crowd of well-wishers by the lobby front door and he jogged over to make sure he didn't miss saying goodbye to his folks.

"There you are," Riva said when her eyes landed on him. She pulled him close for a hug. "Take care of everything, my sweet boy."

"I'll take care of the company, Mom," he promised.

"No, I mean take care of yourself," she reprimanded. "And try to get out more, please? No woman is going to want a workaholic for a husband."

"Mom..."

"Aww, c'mon, is it too early to be asking for grandchildren?" she asked.

"Maybe Jason's got a few floating around we don't know about," Sybil quipped.

"Hey," his brother protested. "I'm pretty sure we'd know if I did!"

"I just want the best for you," Riva said, her eyes darting to Luke. "All of you."

"Riva, we'll be late," Hank reminded her.

She took a deep breath. "Well, we're off! We'll call everyday."

"Mom, just update your Facebook so we know you're alive," Sybil said, rolling her eyes. "Or text. No one calls these days. Unless you want to Facetime."

"Fine," Riva said, and put her arms around her daughter. "Stay safe, all of you."

"You do know all your children are shifters, right?" Jason joked and wrapped his mother in a hug and lifted her off her feet. "Bye Mom, Dad, have a great trip."

"You deserve all of this, mom," Matthew said when it was his turn to hug her.

When Matthew let go, she turned to Luke. "You take care of yourself, Luke," she said, looking up at him. She put her arms around him in an awkward hug.

"I will, Riva." He nodded.

Matthew noticed his mother's expression falter for a second, then turn back into a bright smile, but said nothing. It didn't escape Jason's attention either, and his brother clenched his fist and grit his teeth. He put a hand on his twin's shoulder and sent him a warning look. What happened was in the past, and Riva never had any hard feelings. Luke would always be her son, she said to them. Nothing would change that.

Hank tugged on Riva's hand and she gave them one last smile as they climbed into the limo. All the well-wishers waved at them as they drove away.

"Well, this was fun, but I have to get home," Sybil said. "Early meeting tomorrow. See you tomorrow!"

"Drive carefully," Matthew warned. "And let us know when you're safe at home."

"I will, mom," she said, rolling her eyes. "Bye!" She waved at them and then headed to the elevators.

"So, now that the parents are gone, what do you say we go out and head out to The Den," Jason said.

"We're not fifteen, you know," Matthew pointed out. "You can go to the bar anytime."

Jason put his arm around his shoulders. "I said 'we'. You're coming with us."

Matthew shook his head. "No, I have too much—"

"Are we headed to the Den?" Nate Caldwell said as he popped up behind Matthew. The wolf shifter had a big grin on his face. "All right!"

"No, you guys are going to The Den," Matthew said. "I'm going home."

"Aww, c'mon," Jason said. "Ben is coming." He waved to their cousin, who was talking to some Lennox Corp employees across the room. He smiled back and gave them a thumbs up.

"And Luke too," Nate added.

"Luke?" Matthew frowned. Looking around, he didn't see a sign of his other brother. "You got Luke to come out with you?"

"Yeah, he's bringing the car around. He's gonna be our designated driver," Nate said.

"How much do you plan to drink?" It took a hell of a lot of liquor to get shifter drunk.

"I think he's just looking out for us," Nate replied.

"C'mon, Matthew. You've been working 80-hour weeks for months!" Jason exclaimed. "You deserve a break. You can work more when you start as CEO on Monday. But it's a Friday night and you deserve some fun."

Matthew thought for a moment. "Fine. One drink." Then he'd head back to Blackstone Castle. "And I'll drive myself."

"Great!" Jason and Nathan high-fived.

"Jack told me they have a hot new bartender," Nathan said. "She's smokin'. And new in town."

"So, you haven't banged her yet?" Jason asked.

"And neither have you," Nate retorted.

Matthew rolled his eyes. To say that Jason and Nate had a reputation around town was an understatement. Not that he could blame them. They were both single, young, good-looking and could charm the pants off any woman under ninety. And they both enjoyed every single minute of their bachelorhood. "C'mon, let's go." The sooner they got to The Den, the sooner he'd be able to leave.

***

"Hustle up, girly," Tim Grimes, the owner of The Den, said in his usual gruff voice. "It's Friday night, and we're gonna be real busy soon."

Catherine gave Tim a two-fingered salute. "Aye, aye, Captain!" She tried to move the keg under the bar, but she only managed to move it a few inches.

Tim let out a grunt and gently pushed her aside. With one hand, he lifted it up effortlessly and placed it under the taps. "Now, get that hooked up."

"Will do," she said cheerfully, which only earned her another grunt. She chuckled to herself. Tim may look like a grumpy old mountain man with his thick white beard, suspenders, and propensity to dress in flannel, but she knew he was as soft as a marshmallow inside. After all, he'd given her not only this job, but also helped her find a place to stay, despite having only arrived in town four days ago.

Catherine tapped the keg with practiced ease. Satisfied with her work, she got up and began to wipe down the bar. She was already done with all the prep and busy work, and, just as Tim had said, people started pouring in.

As orders from the both the bar and table poured in, she got into the zone. Her Zen space, as she called. After a year of tending bar, she's gotten used to the rhythm of making and serving drinks. In fact, most nights seem to melt into each other. Same shit, different night.

Still, it was good money for someone with no other marketable skills, and who knew she could be so good at it? She smiled, chatted and flirted with the customers, though that was one part of the job that came naturally to her. She chuckled to herself thinking of that first night she had somehow conned her way into her first bartending job. She had mixed up the drink orders, got herself into the weeds, and nearly got fired. If it wasn't for Rissa helping her out—

No.

She shut down that part of her brain as her throat began to choke with unshed tears for her friend. Get back into the Zen space. Taking a deep breath, she turned around and went back to work, pushing all other thoughts aside.

She continued to sling the drinks, the work keeping her mind steady. Before she knew it, she was already halfway through her shift.

"Not bad, new girl," Heather, one of the waitresses, said as she put her tray on the counter. "Didn't think you could handle yourself, but you're doing all right."

"Thanks," she said. "Keep 'em coming."

"Oh my. Best step up your game."

"Hmmm?" What did she mean?

Heather nodded to the front door. "They're here. Oh, and looks like they're out in full force."

"Who?"

Heather giggled. "You'll find out soon enough."

Catherine's head whipped toward the front door, craning her neck to see what Heather was talking about. There were a couple of guys standing there, eyes scanning the room, probably for an empty spot. A group of guys going to bar wasn't unusual, but there was something about them that seemed different. Sure, it looked like they came from some fancy party in their tuxes, but that wasn't it. All of them were tall, gorgeous and looked like they stepped out of a men's magazine. They also had this aura that seemed to fill the room made people stare at them, an animal magnetism that made every pair of eyes drawn to them (especially the female ones).

The first guy had longish, light brown hair, a handsome face and an easy smile. He was tall and lean, though the guy behind was much taller. And bigger. The blonde man with the thick beard was broad around the shoulders and easily the tallest man she'd ever seen, maybe 6'5 at least. Next was the dark-haired man, probably the same height as the first man. Everyone seemed to know him, as he shook hands with a couple of people as they made their way to an empty table in the corner.

The fourth man in the group seemed to have an opposite effect. People gave him a wide berth and avoided his gaze. She supposed he was just as handsome as his companions, with his long blonde hair and thick beard, but the scowl on his face definitely gave that "leave me the fuck alone" vibe.

Catherine was about to turn back to making a drink when she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Looking back toward the group, she realized a fifth man had joined them.

Even from afar, she could tell he was different. Not just the way he carried himself, but something about him. While his friends were all good-looking, he was drop dead gorgeous. Midnight black hair that look like it had been perfectly combed, but now deliciously ruffled. Tanned skin, like he was used to being outdoors. Under his white tuxedo shirt, his muscles stretched and flexed. And those eyes. They were a grey so light they were almost silver. And they were also staring right back into her.

She gasped and grabbed the side of the bar as she stumbled and looked away. Did she forget to breathe? Heat crept up her neck. She glanced back at him. He was still staring at her.

"Catherine!" Tim called. "I've been calling you for the last five seconds. What the hell's the matter with you?"

Tearing her gaze away from him, she quickly snapped out of her trance. Unfortunately, that also send the glass in her hand tumbling to the floor. "Sorry, Boss!" she stammered. "I'll take care of that." She grabbed the broom and mop from the corner and quickly cleaned up the mess. It didn't take her too long, but then by the time she finished, the line at the bar was already two deep and she still had to finish the table orders.

Oh fuck me.

What was the matter with her? Sure, that guy was gorgeous, but she'd never had that kind of reaction to a guy. Maybe she ate something weird. That ham sandwich for lunch maybe?

"Sorry for the wait," she said to the next person in line. She didn't bother looking at him as she grabbed a clean glass from the rack.

"No worries sweetheart," the man said, his green eyes twinkling.

She realized he was that first guy from the group, the sandy-haired one. Beside him was his friend, the dark-haired guy everyone seemed to know. Hmmm. He seemed familiar somehow. Those eyes. They were the same silver as the last man's. Was he a cousin or something?

"So, what can I get you?" she said, pasting a sunny smile on her face.

"Five shots of tequila, five shots of whiskey, five shots of bourbon, and your phone number," the first man said.

Oh boy, like I hadn't heard that one before. "Gotcha." She said and began to prepare the drinks. As she placed everything on a tray, the other man put his black credit card on the bar. Oohh, Mr. Bigshot.

The man frowned. "Hey, you're missing something."

"Huh?"

"Your phone number," he said cheekily.

Catherine placed her hands on her hips. "Well, I can't very well give all of you my phone number, can I? Wouldn't want you to fight over me. What was that saying? Bros before hos?"

He put his hand on his chest and dropped his jaw. "I'm shocked. In this day and age, you would refer to yourself in those terms? I thought with feminism and everything..." He shook his head.

She giggled. She had to admit, that was pretty damn funny. "Sorry, I don't date customers. Hey!" She made a grab for the credit as he swiped it off the table.

"Oh, so you'll give this to me for free, huh?"

As much as she thought he was clever, she had a job to do. She held out her hand and gave him her best "don't mess with me" look. He flashed her a smile and gave her back the card.

"I'm Jason. Lennox."

"Uh-huh," she said as she ran the card. "I know how to read."

"And I'm Nathan," the other guy said. "I'm not as rich as my friend here, but I'm talented in other ways." He raised an eyebrow at her.

She handed the card and slip to Jason. "Really? Can you stick it up your own ass?"

That made Nathan throw his head back and laugh, a move that surprised her. Most guys would get all huffy or angry, but it seemed these guys could take it as much as they could dish out.

"Oh burn!" Jason laughed. "I like you."

"And I feel somewhat lukewarm toward you, but only because of that tip you signed on your card." She raised her hand to stop him. "Please, gentlemen, no more dick jokes. In this job, I've heard them all, trust me."

"You're an okay gal," Nathan said. "What was your name again?"

The people behind them were starting to roll their eyes and as much as she enjoyed the banter, she had a job to do. "Catherine."

"I guess we'll see you around, Catherine." The two of them flashed her mischievous smiles and took their tray of drinks back to their table.

Catherine continued to sling drinks, but kept the table in the corner of her eye. She could have sworn that guy was looking at her, but she didn't have a second to stop and make sure. But the entire time, she felt that prickling in the back of her neck.

"So, you've met Jason Lennox and Nathan Caldwell," Heather said when she came back. "Those boys are trouble, I'm warning you."

"I handled them pretty well."

"And I'm proud of you. Still, it's rare to see all five boys together, and it's usually just those two causin' trouble here," Heather said. "But, boy oh boy, some of the girls around here—especially the ones who drive up from the big cities—you know they're the ones looking for trouble."

"Oh? Are they all...brothers or something?" Before she could ask And who's the hunky one, she bit her lip.

"Not all of them. Nathan's the only one not related to them. Jason, you've met. Matthew's obviously his brother, and so's Luke. Ben, that's the big guy, he's their cousin or something."

"Wait, back up. Who're the brothers?" She was confused. None of those men looked alike to her.

"Duh, Jason and Matthew, but Luke's their adopted brother," she pointed to the scowly guy with the long hair, who was ambling toward the bathroom.

"Oh, they're brothers?" she said, nodding at the two dark-haired men, who were deep in conversation, their heads close together.

Heather looked at her strangely. "Girl, you need to get your eyes checked or something?"

"Hmmm...I guess the eyes are the same."

"They're—oh shoot, Boss is giving me the stink eye. Sorry, gotta go." Heather quickly walked away.

So that was hunky guy's name. Matthew. She wanted to say it out loud, wondering if it'll cause the same chills she got just thinking about it. And him. And wondering what his hands would feel like—

"Get a grip," she told herself. This wasn't the time or place. She came here to maintain a low profile, keep her head down, and not get involved with anyone. Just passing the time until it was safe to move on.

The Blackstone Dragon Heir

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Other Books by Alicia Montgomery

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Other Books by Alicia Montgomery

Paranormal Series:

The True Mates Series

Fated Mates

Blood Moon

Romancing the Alpha

Witch's Mate

Taming the Beast

Tempted by the Wolf

The Lone Wolf Defenders Series

Killian's Secret

Loving Quinn

All for Connor

Contemporary Series:

The Billionaire Heirs Series

Seducing the Billionaire's Daughter

Dania Antonov-Canfield is smart, sassy, and independent. Despite being the daughter and only heir of billionaire playboy Arthur Canfield, she prefers her boring, normal life to playing a pampered heiress and hobnobbing with high society. When a gunman for hire nearly kills her father and threatens her life, she is sucked back into his world. Arthur hires Sawyer Roland and his firm to protect himself and his daughter from whoever wants them dead.

Sawyer and Dania clash from the moment they meet. Dania is furious that her world is turned upside down and Sawyer can't quite wrap his head around the unwilling heiress. Their attraction is undeniable and as Sawyer watches over Dania, his desire to posses her and his hunger to dominate her grows stronger. But Dania refuses to lose control, not even when her body seems to crave Sawyer's touch.

Surrendering to the Billionaire's Son

Throwing herself into her new job at Canfield Corp and her father's would-be successor, Dania Antonov-Canfield barely has enough time to think of anything but work, except maybe the outrageously sexy former bodyguard Sawyer Roland. Their last encounter left her hot and bothered, the memories leaving an indelible mark on her. But, after he disappears from her like, she knows she must move on, plus, the man who tried to kill her father was still out there.

When Sawyer unexpectedly comes back into her life and reveals his true identity, Dania's life is once again thrown into a tizzy. This time, he only wants complete surrender. Can Dania resist the charms, not to mention, insanely hot body of the man who woke up her deepest desires?

The Combustion Series

Take Me There

Serena MacDonald was a genius at chemistry, but clueless when it came to the opposite sex. When she decided it was time to get rid of her virginity, there was only one man for her: former childhood friend and current billionaire playboy Cole Hawthorne. She puts her plan into motion by sneaking into one of his parties, but when she finally faces the sexy and seductive man of her dreams, she gets more than she bargains for. Cole agrees to help her, but warns her, his tastes are far from vanilla.

Hearts on Fire

After asking him to take her virginity, Serena MacDonald thought that her night with Cole Hawthorne would be a one-time thing. But the billionaire had other plans for the shy chemist. Cole stalks her and follows her to her work, laying down the rules. With a fire burning inside her, Serena can do little to resist Cole and he pulls out all the stops to seduce her and make her submit to him.

All of Me

Serena MacDonald was now fully wrapped up Cole Hawthorne's world. As their affair heats up, Serena can do little to resist Cole. He gives her pleasure beyond her wildest dreams and she submits to him again and again. But, things are getting a little too close for comfort for Serena. Can she survive Cole's burning desire and escape unscathed or will she be consumed by his passions and lose herself?

Their Game: A Voyeur Erotic Trilogy

Part 1: Let the Games Begin

Dani Griffin was no peeping Tom, but late one night, while working late, she spies hunky neighbor Milo Winters having a sexy romp. She'd been lusting after Milo ever since moving to Haven, California, and now that he's on display for her viewing pleasure, she can't help but watch. Unbeknownst to her, she has sparked a game. Their game.
Part 2: The Game is On

In Part 2, it's Milo's turn...

Hot professor Milo Winters couldn't get his mind off his neighbor, especially after he saw Dani watching him from her window. Who knew the sexy, shy writer was a voyeur? Now, he wanted to watch. The game is on and Dani needs to deliver.

Part 3: End Game

The conclusion to the voyeur erotica romance trilogy, "Their Game"

Things heat up in the final chapter of "Their Game." In "End Game" Dani and Milo battle it out and take the game to the next level. But, as they continue their erotic voyeuristic and exhibitionist adventure, what lies in the end? Can they continue their game, or should they play their end game and risk everything?

