Page 25 of Hoarded By the Dragon

“Yes.” Kalos pauses before continuing. “I have many enemies, Katarina.”

I blink. “You know my name?”

He looks away as if uncomfortable. “Ben checked your ID.”

So he hadn’t known my name. He didn’t want to. He hadn’t been tempted to find me after I left here that morning. I close my eyes and mentally shove that annoying, needy part of myself away. There are more important things to worry about.

Like, safety.

“These enemies… wouldn’t it be better if I left here and never contact you again?” I ask.

Kalos taps his fingers on his folded arm.

“I considered that, but it only takes one person finding out. That would also mean I wouldn’t be able to help with the pregnancy without putting you in danger.”

And it would be cutting him off from his kid. He doesn’t mention that though. He just found out about expecting a child. I shouldn’t be so bothered how distant he is about it.

I blow out a breath. “What’s the plan? I can’t just stay here forever. I have a job.”

Kalos’s mouth thins. “You live here. Ben can teleport you wherever you need to go. I would request you not take on any moreworkuntil after the first year of infancy.”

Not work for over a year? “I can’t do that. I have a business.”

“As the mother, your safety and health are directly connected to our child. There is a bond between the two of you. If anything happens to you—” He stops and doesn’t continue, but I’m starting to follow his train of thought.

“I’m not running into danger—”Oh.“Despite how we met, my business isn’t being a thief. That was a one-off job.”

Kalos narrows his eyes. “You were quite skilled in that arena for it to be a one-off job.”

I shrug and pull the blanket tighter around me. The bone-deep chill is gone, but being wrapped up is still comforting. “I used to steal, and now I don’t.”

Kalos arches a brow. “Except from me.”

“I’m not going to do it again.”

We stare at each other before Kalos tilts his chin up. “What is your business then?”

“I restore artwork.”

He blinks. “Like paintings?”

“Yes, I’m very good.”

There’s a pause as he contemplates that before he arches a brow.

“And how did you get good at it?” he asks like he already knows, and I bite my lips, my cheeks heating.

“I don’t do forgeries anymore either.” I’m good at restoration butfantasticat forgeries.

Kalos nods easily. “Very well.”

There’s a knock at the door, and Kalos calls for the person to enter. Ben comes in. Now that I’m not freezing to death, I can take in details about the man that I hadn’t before. He’s clean-cut with dark hair and eyes. I don’t know what he is, which isn’t a unique thing for me with how clueless I can be about other paranormals, but he doesn’tfeellike a witch or a shifter.

He holds a bag of food, and my mouth starts watering.

“You need to start preparing for your meeting with the Leonids unless you want me to reschedule with them,” Ben says.

“No, I don’t want to give them the impression that I’m too busy to handle them,” Kalos says.

---