She was furious, but she reminded herself she was dealing with dragons. Kinsey wasn’t sure how far she could go without them burning her to a crisp.
But she also couldn’t hold back the irritation and sarcasm that were a part of her nature.
“You think I did this?” she asked with a laugh and rolled her eyes. “I never wanted to see you again. I ran, remember?”
“I remember,” Ryder murmured.
Kinsey threw up her hands. “Then why would I come here?”
“There are numerous reasons,” Dmitri said.
Tristan nodded. “Aye, lass.”
Her head swung back to Ryder. “I didn’t put in the work order. I didn’t even know you worked for Dreagan.”
Dreagan.
It hit her then like a wrecking ball. Dreagan was Gaelic for dragon. OMG! How could she have been such an idiot not to put two and two together?
Ryder hid the keyboard with a tap and rested his arms on the table. “You’re intelligent, Kinsey. It wouldna have taken you long to piece it all together.”
“I wanted to forget that I saw you shift. I was petrified. I ran. From you.”
She had the thought after she spoke that perhaps she should’ve waited until she was alone with Ryder to say such things. But it was too late. The words were already out.
“I know exactly what you did,” he said in a clipped voice.
So she had hurt him? All because she ran? What had he expected her to do? Run toward him?
Then his words penetrated her mind. “What do you mean I would’ve pieced it together?”
Dmitri made a sound at the back of his throat as he got to his feet. “Nice try.”
“What the hell?” she asked in frustration. “I want to know what you’re referring to.”
“The videos of dragons on the Internet,” Tristan said.
Kinsey closed her mouth and took a couple of steps back until she ran into the wall. “Of course I saw the video.”
Ryder’s gaze narrowed on her, but he didn’t say a word.
“That doesn’t mean anything,” Kinsey argued. “Millions of people have seen that video.”
Tristan glanced in the hallway and pushed the door. He looked at Ryder and said, “It willna take Con long to learn she’s here. Get this sorted quickly.”
“Aye,” Ryder replied.
“It’s obvious she’s seen Ryder,” Dmitri murmured.
Kinsey swallowed nervously. Silent looks passed between the three men as if they were communicating. Then Tristan left, closing the door softly behind him.
Dmitri walked to the window and looked out over the rolling hills and the sheep that dotted the countryside. He kept his back to them, but he wasn’t going anywhere.
Kinsey returned her gaze to Ryder. “What’s going on?”
“Whether on purpose or no’, you’ve walked right into the middle of a war.”
She gave a shake of her head. “No. I don’t want to be here. I want to leave. Right now.”
“You’re no’ going anywhere,” Ryder stated.
Kinsey cut him a look and snorted. “Good luck trying to keep me. My company knows I’m here.”
She walked to the door and tried to open it, but the knob wouldn’t budge. No matter how hard she turned, pushed, and pulled, the door wasn’t moving.
Breathing hard, she whirled around to the men. “You can’t hold me here.”
“Your company sent you,” Dmitri said. “They obviously want you here.”
“That’s insane,” she argued.
Ryder lifted a blond brow. “Is it?”
Kinsey dropped her purse and bag and put her hands to her head. “Stop.”
“That willna change the facts.”
“I can’t hear this. I can’t see any more or learn any more,” she said, closing her eyes. As if that would stop all of it.
“I never harmed you.” Ryder’s voice was a whisper, said in her ear.
Her eyes snapped open. How had he moved so quickly without her hearing him? Kinsey dropped her hands to her sides and shook her head.
Having him so close was a reminder of how she used to feel safe and loved with him. That was before she saw the real him. “Tell me this isn’t really happening. Tell me it’s all fake.”
“It’s real,” Ryder said. He lifted his hand to touch her cheek, but stopped at the last moment. “This is my life, Kinsey. This is where I live and work. These people are my family.”
“Dragons?” she whispered.
“Dragons.”
Kinsey didn’t know what to say. She’d seen Ryder, the real Ryder. A massive, flying, fire-breathing monster that dove from the sky with scales the color of smoke, and blending in with the night.
“You were never supposed to know that was me,” he said. “Then I saw one of the Dark go after you. I couldna attack him without hurting you unless I was in this form.”
She wanted to touch him. There had always been something about being in his arms that made her feel as if she could tackle anything and the world wouldn’t dare get in her way.
“How long have you been a … dragon?” she asked.
His eyes looked away for a second. “The exact time doesna matter. Just know it’s been for a verra long time.”
“How long?” she pressed. There had been something in his words, something that told her he hadn’t told her everything.
Ryder studied her for a long time. Then he said, “Millions of years.”