Page 115 of Hoarded By the Dragon

I’m not alone—as her kicks into my lungs remind me—but I’m so much more vulnerable than Kalos will ever be. It’s not fair.

Rose reaches over and places her hand on my shoulder, her comfort and kindness acts as a centering balm in my sewer of dark thoughts.

“Butyou”—she emphasizes the word with a stern look—“hold all the cards. You have everything he wants. There is no leaving you without leaving a part of himself.”

I shake my head. “I wouldn’t keep his daughter from him—”

“You misunderstand,” Rose interjects softly. “You have his heart.”

“I don’t think that’s true.” I thought it was true before he left. That he was showing me how he felt about me through his actions. He asked me to stay.

She shrugs, her confidence unwavering. “A matchmaker knows these things.”

Do I have his heart? I lift my hand from the water to place on top of hers. “I think that even if I hold all the cards, it’s not going to make a difference if he’s avoiding pain. He’d be willing to make that sacrifice.”

He’s done it before, hasn’t he? Rose doesn’t deny my words, but they don’t negate hers either.

That stupid candle of hope sputters to life, but I’m half tempted to blow it out myself. It would save me more heartache.

But it would also cost me the life I want. I’d be doing the same thing I’m accusing him of.

“He may be willing to sacrifice his heart and happiness. Many beings will do that and more to avoid pain, but only time will tell if Kalos is one,” Rose says.

The sure tone of her voice causes my eyes to narrow. Kalos only started to believe that we could be mates after coming here. “You seem to know a lot about him.”

Rose smiles but stays silent. It only confirms my suspicion that she’s the soul witch Kalos has been working with.

“Fine, keep your secrets.” I roll my eyes.

And maybe I’ll leave a little room in my heart for hope.

“I’ll be fine without him,” I say, because the anxiety of his absence, of having to deal with this pregnancy alone, demands a solution. My heart may hurt, but I’m not trapped.

“Of course you will.” Rose raises a brow. “You’re resourceful, smart, and there are others who will help you with no questions asked.”

Others like her and Gage. Stella. Ben. Maggie.

A vibrating sound disrupts the moment and Rose sighs, aggrieved. “I should have left my phone at the front desk, but Gideon only lets me out of his sight if I have it on me.”

I swallow my envy at her mate’s protectiveness but smile.

“Go ahead. I won’t be offended if you answer,” I say.

Rose reads the screen, perking up. “It’s just a text. There’s a rumor that Kalos has returned.”

I push away from the wall and sit higher in the water. “He has?”

Rose nods, a considering expression passing over her face. “Would you like us to inform him of your whereabouts?”

This is the test, isn’t it? If I tell him where I am and he doesn’t come after me, doesn’t try and make up after our fight, then it’s all over for sure.

I’ll demand more from him of course. I’m worth more of his consideration. He has a dragonling to care for, and I do need him to channel heat energy for the rest of the pregnancy, but co-parenting and forced proximity doesn’t make a mating.

Do I give him the ability to hurt me again?

40

KALOS

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