Page 25 of Rurik
“Thank you,” Grigori replied. “We are indeed happy.” He murmured something in Madelyn’s ear, and sheblushed.
Rurik bit his lip to keep from laughing. Big, scary Grigori—a warrior in corporate boardrooms and a fierce dragon in his own right—was grinning like a young boy and whispering sweet words of love in his wife’s ear. Grigori noticed Rurik grinning and frowned before he leaned over and socked Rurik in thearm.
“Ow!” Ruriksnapped.
“Whatever you’re smirking about, brother, I will repay it in bruises,” Grigoriwarned.
Madelyn laughed and glanced toward Charlotte. “That has to be a brother thing. I’m an only child. I don’t know how brothers do it, always tussling, punching,growling.”
“It is definitely a brother thing. I’ve got two myself. They shove each other all the time. Sometimes they do it to me, but notintentionally.”
Another pang of jealousy hit Rurik as he listened to Charlotte speak of her brothers. Two men who would have the rest of their lives to spend with her, while he would have to walk away, leaving only these fleeting moments with her and a lasting emptinessinside.
“Would you ladies like another drink?” Grigoriasked.
“Water would be great,” Madelynsaid.
“Yes, water, please,” Charlotteechoed.
“Come on, Rurik.” Grigori pulled him away from Charlotte, and they walked up to where the flight attendant stood ready to servethem.
“Two bottles of water, please,” Grigori said. He and Rurik then stepped away to a carefuldistance.
“You’re playing with fire,Rurik.”
“Howso?”
Grigori stared hard at him. “Charlotte is a virgin. You know that. But there’s something else—there’s something about her that is intoxicating even to me, which it shouldn’t be, since I’mmated.”
“If you get any ideas…” Rurik raised his shoulders slightly indefense.
“Don’t be stupid. My point is, something doesn’t feel right. You must take care. I see the way you two are together. It’s only less than a day, and you are already fixated on her. I want you to becareful.”
“It’s a temporary fascination,” he lied. “It’s not as though she is mymate.”
Grigori slid a finger under his collar and then loosened his blue silktie.
“I’ve never seen you like this before. Not even with Nikita. Are you sure she’snot?”
“She’s not,” he lied again, the words stinging hislips.
“How do you know? I see a different side of you. The burden you bear as a family battle dragon takes a heavy toll on you. But around her it seems tofade.”
“And that’smyburden to deal with,” Rurik growled. “Not yours, notMikhail’s.”
Grigori’s gaze turned soft in a way that reminded Rurik of their belovedmother.
“You’re going to let Father’s old nursery rhymes of our duties define your life forever? He should never have told you that you could not have a mate. With our dwindling numbers, he was wrong. What’s more, you deserve happiness. If that means taking a mate, Mikhail and I will both supportyou.”
“I can’t,” Rurikwhispered.
“Why?”
Because Nikita’s death wrecked me, and if I had a real mate, it would someday kill me. And if I die, you won’t stand a chance if Drakor rebuilds somehow and strikesagain.
“I am…” He hesitated, searching for the words that would hide his fears. “I’m not like you and Mikhail. I’m not cut out to have amate.”
“I didn’t think I was either. I was obsessed with work and forgot how to live. Having a mate changes everything. You can’t imagine going back to your old life once you findher.”
