Page 22 of The Ruby Dragon's Unconventional Mate

“That would be great,” Amber said. “If you don’t mind.”

“Nope. I think it would be a hoot.”

“Good deal.” Amber bounced Grant, and they all ate, and Lars began to think it might all be okay.

As long as he could just avoid Bryant.

Which he could totally do.

Right?

Chapter

Eight

Bryant ran on a treadmill when he needed to work off frustrations.

He supposed here in Oro he could fly some. Or run outside. Or just go take an icy dip in the river in his dragon form.

But he found jogging on the treadmill to be meditative. He couldn’t get lost or attacked in Lachlan’s basement. The treadmill kept him at a steady, sustainable pace. And he could just let his body go on autopilot and his mind race.

Lars.

It was all about Lars right now.

Because Lach was pissed at him. No one else in town was talking to him, not that anyone but Lars and Logan ever had. He was beginning to thinkhewas the one who should just leave.

He’d told everyone and himself that he had no time for a mate. But in a twist of irony, all he had now was time on his hands, and he was…

Dammit, he missed Lars.

He missed their texts. Their late-night phone conversations. The feedback he got about life. The way he could shoulder some of Lars’s problems too.

But he’d just ruined that.

He turned up the speed a little. He needed to outrun his shit now. Because thinking about it wasn’t doing him any good.

Bry! I need you!

The mental shout had him leaping off the treadmill and racing upstairs. “Lach? Where are you?” he shouted.

Shower.

Shit. He ran to the third floor, and found Lachlan in the master bath, crumpled on the floor, water beating down on him. “Lachlan!”

He grabbed his brother up, stunned to find him ice cold.

Lachlan didn’t just have permanent physical injuries. His magic field was all messed up, and sometimes he just collapsed, his energy unable to sustain his corporeal form until things evened out.

He turned off the water with one hand, then hauled Lach to the bed, laying him down before going to the bathroom to grab towels.

“Did you hurt yourself?”

“A little banged up.” Lachlan was gasping, his body heaving as it tried to get back on some kind of an even keel.

“Shit. I’m sorry. I should have been?—”

“Stop it. I was just taking a fucking shower.” Lachlan sighed. “I’m fine. Cold. But fine.”

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