Page 20 of The Black Dragon
7
Alittle over a year ago,Ariel felt fresh hope in the slim possibility she could break free of her life. Find new adventure, be free to explore theworld.
Leo crushed that hope shortly after she’d freed Justin from his cell. He worried about her constantly. And she couldnot fault him, because she knew it came fromlove.
Marriage to Parker would solve everything. At leastfinancially.
She walked around the living room, her chest aching. If not for her mother’s relatives finally finding a judge to challenge her mother’s will and seize all assets, life would have continued likethis.
Marian, her mother, had an endless store ofwealth.
All that was gone now. Only the house remained, for it was in Leo’s name. Yesterday the real estate agent called and told her the goodnews.
At least it’s sold. Maybe I don’t have to marry Parker after all. I can make my own way in life, despite what Fathersays.
Ariel peered through the floor to ceiling windows at the outside deck. That voice in her head on the deck outside, it hadsounded familiar. Faint, butfamiliar.
In the bathroom, she fetched a tube of anti-chafing cream. She plopped down on the torn leather sofa and peered around. Silly. No one couldsee.
Ariel removed her prosthesis and exhaled. Today was a bad day and her stump hurt. She rubbed the cream on her limb. Yesterday she’d been in a hurry to get to work at the restaurant and failed to usethe cream, and as a result, she hadsores.
Today the pain was barely tolerable, phantom pain from her missing foot. Ariel’s hand trembled as sherubbed.
A distant scream echoed in her mind. Theaccident.
Don’t go there.Using the technique her father taught her, Ariel thought of the colors in Sedona’s canyons and cliffs and remembered joy from watching eagles soar to theiraeries.
A heavy medicinal smell filled the air. She winced, hating it as much as the pain. The cream was a necessary reminder of her missing foot. With a resigned sigh, she donned theprosthesis.
Time to cleanse the house and rid it of negative energy. Bundles of dried sage stashed in the dining room sideboard would suffice. Ariel took one, lit it and smudged the room with cleansingsmoke.
Yet her senses still tingled, as if something wasoff.
Maybe I’m hungry.She headed into the kitchen to make dinner. Her father was gone, and she had to fend forherself.
Again.
Ariel opened a cabinet, sighing at the slim pickings. “What to make for dinner? I suppose spaghetti and meatballsagain.”
“I like spaghetti andmeatballs.”
The deep, familiarvoice made her lose her grip on the glass jar. Only a last minute save kept it from tumbling to the floor. Ariel turned, her legstrembling.
Justin.
The black dragon in Skin exuded raw masculine power as much as his dragon form radiated danger. Faded jeans covered his long, muscled legs. Feet stuffed into motorcycle boots were crossed as he leaned against the pantry door. His blackhair was cut short, giving her a tantalizing peek at the intriguing dragon tattoo snaking down his neck to his shoulder. A black leather jacket and black T-shirt hid his strongchest.
Forget dinner. Here was a feast for the eyes for a hungrywoman.
How had he gotten inside? And what did he want? Fear for her father tightened her chest. He must not see how afraid she was for Leo.Ariel silently thanked the powers above that Leo had traveled to see the Covingtons inSeattle.
She glared at him. “I knew something heavy was in the air I couldn’t get rid of with smudging. I’m going to need a lot more sage. Maybe an acre’sworth.”
He laughed. “I’ve missed you,Ariel.”
Then he appeared to catch himself and his expression turned serious, as if regretting theadmission. A thrill rushed through her. Maybe Justin did feel what she’d experienced in his presence last year. Maybe all those long, lonely nights where she’d lain in bed, staring at the ceiling, her imagination hadn’t conjured the potent chemistry betweenthem.
Maybe it wasreal.
