Page 17 of Her Dragon Outlaw

“It’s beautiful!” I blurt out. He chuckles.

“Come with me.” He keeps his hand on my shoulder blade but steps a little in front of me to lead the way. We walk through high tech offices and an open floor plan where a bunch of people are typing away on their computers. They look like they cost more than my entire year’s salary.

“Woah, this place is…”

“Don’t let it intimidate you. They let idiots like me work here.”

He offers me a naughty smile and I let my own overwhelm my features. Being around Cody is so easy and peaceful. Everything about the past few weeks has made me even more miserable than usual—even the cheques I get from Miller do not last long with rent looming over my head and the ever-increasing cost of basic necessities. But being with Cody puts me at ease. He makes me laugh. He calms my wayward heart.

He takes me to an office in which a middle aged man with a bald spot is smoking a cigar at his desk. If I did not know any better, I would say he was more mob boss than PEACE officer.

Cody knocks on the open door and the guy waves us in.

“Cody, son. You look sunburned. Busy day?”

“Evening, Chief. That’s just what I came to talk to you about.” Now that he is back in the office, Cody has his game face back on—he seems more aware of his surroundings, like this place grounds him.

He puffs on his cigar and motions to the chairs in front of his desk. “Tell me about it. And while you’re at it, introduce me to your friend.”

“This is Lori Dunning. She’s agreed to be an informant on the Miller case.”

“Excellent! When can she start?” He winks at me and I smile. I feel at ease in this room, as though nothing could possibly hurt me here with two enormous dragon shifters. He holds his hand out to me. “Chief Tanner. But you can call me Chief Tanner.”

“Nice to meet you, Chief Tanner.”

“Today we convened at Miller labs and confiscated some evidence that I hope will shed some light on this case.”

“Interesting! Hand it to me.”

I hand over the folder that I have guarded with my life since we left the labs. He thumbs through it, taking it in while Cody talks to him.

“The lab has been experimenting on humans to inject them with shifter DNA. It doesn’t say exactly why, but it breaks all sorts of laws and human safety codes. Lori was amazing in getting it, too.”

The Chief holds up his hand. “I’ll stop you right there. I know this building. The security there is serious business. No doubt the cameras caught you sneaking around.”

My heart sinks at his warning. We were doing so well! We had just pulled off a scheme that got us the information we needed! Or some of it, at least. Sure, maybe we were not perfect, but we were good!

“Whoever is doing this will surely have some sort of retaliation in process. They have your information, don’t they?”

I nod. My throat grows tight. I will not cry, but since the adrenaline is wearing off, I might need a glass of water.

“They’ll be looking for you. We’ve tangled with gray-market doctors before and they don’t take too kindly to people getting one over on them. With something like this, they’ll be out for blood. You’re in danger now.”

I look at Cody, who looks back at me with a calm, reassuring gaze. I nod again, silent and wavering under the new information.

“We’ll have to figure something out,” The Chief says. “We’ll be in touch. Agent Belden, take care of Ms Dunning.”

That is the end of the conversation, apparently. No saving grace, no help, nothing. Cody and I stand and he walks me out of the office. As we make our way back out to the car, my stomach squirms with nerves. How could I have been so stupid? Of course, they would come after me. Even The Chief seemed rattled, and he is a seasoned PEACE officer.

“I don’t know what to do,” I say, my voice a hopeless whisper. I look up at Cody, whose brow is creased with concern. He has never given me a reason to doubt him. He has been trustworthy from the start, but now? What am I supposed to do? He reaches out his hand to touch me before he draws it back. It breaks my heart. “You promised to keep me safe,” I say, and see his heart break too.

16

CODY

“Iwill.” The determination in my voice shocks me. “ I swear, I won't let anything happen to you.”

I mean it. It isn’t until the words leave my lips that I realize how much I do. Lori didn’t have to help me. She didn't have to put herself at risk for information she wouldn’t even be privy to. She gave me her trust and now it was time that I earn it.

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