Page 61 of The Black Dragon
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For months,Justin had imagined the moment he’d confront the man he hated above all others. In his mind, he’d rehearsed what to say, how to say it, and how he’d lift Leo Harrington by the throat and shake him until his brainsrattled.
Fury and grief twined inside him ashe stared at his nemesis. Immobilized by emotion, he could not move. Silence draped the air between them, broken only by the distant call of birds and the wind sweeping down the jaggedrocks.
Finding strength, Justin took a step forward. Cold, hard anger replaced the fury. He longed to shift into dragon, lash into Harrington with sharp teeth and claws. Watch his hot blood splatter overthe path, hear his piercing screams. Maybe then the screams of his own would finallycease.
I will tear you topieces.
And then he felt a small, warm palm slide into his hand. Ariel. Quivering, he closed his eyes, breathing in her scent, feeling her presence soothe his raggednerves.
I made a promise not to kill you and I signed it in blood. If not for your daughter, I’d breakthat promise because I don’t give a damn about theconsequences.
But I do care aboutAriel.
Leo halted, staring back at him. And then looking at his daughter. Justin cleared histhroat.
“Hello you bastard,” he growled. “Looking for me? I’m not as easy to capture now. I’m into your littletricks.”
This was his fight, his moment. Maybe he couldn’t kill Harrington. Buthe could make him suffer, strip the skin from him and laugh while hebled.
Ariel made a small choking sound. Concerned, he glanceddown.
Stunned, he realized she wept. The tears rolling down her cheeks deflated hisanger.
I can’t do this. It will hurt her toomuch.
He almost laughed. All this time he’d craved revenge, and one small, feisty woman had turned his worldupside down, erasing his sole purpose forliving.
Leo Harrington wasn’t his concern any longer. Deep inside, he felt something ease, like air released from a pressurevalve.
Justin turned, and wiped one with the pad of his thumb. “Ariel, sweetheart, I’m not going to kill him. Iwon’t.”
But if his own anger had abated, hers had ignited. Ignoring him, Ariel dropped his handand flung out her hands. “When were you going to tell me the truth about what I am? That I’m half-dragon,Father?”
The words screamed into the air echoed through the valley. Justin watched Leo flinch as if his daughter slapped him. His enemy looked older, moreharried.
“So you know at last.” Leo put a shaking hand to hisface.
“I know, and I hate you for it,” she yelled. “Youlied to me about my entire life! Tell me the truth about my mother!Now!”
If Justin had planned his revenge, he couldn’t have asked for anything better – for Leo’s daughter to hate him as much as he did. And yet he found the satisfaction lacking. All these long months, waiting for this moment, and it felt curiouslyflat.
Ariel mattered most. Not revenge. Norjustice.
Leo finallylifted his head. “No.”
“Youbastard!”
As she lunged forward, he wrapped an arm around her waist. “Easy sweetheart,” he murmured. “He’s not worthit.”
How well he knewthis.
Her father was aliar.
She deserved to know and yet the man who sired her, the only one who did know the truth, blocked her from it. Ariel’sfeelings boiled over. She forgot Justin, forgot everything except her rage at Leo lying to her all these long years. Dimly she felt a strong, muscled arm around her waist, holding her back as she strained forward, wanting to shake sense into herfather.
“Why? Why didn’t you tell me Mama was a dragon? You knew how much I loved dragons, and you told me they were evil! Was my mother evil?Was this why you marriedher?”
