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“I don’t know if my boyfriend would like that.” Her voice was sultry, but she looked like she was holding back a grin. She was eagerly waiting for my reaction to that statement. Her delusional mind probably thought I’d be jealous.

“Forrest?” I asked. “Do you have any idea who you’re involved with?”

“Is that why you’re here in the middle of the night?” she asked. “You heard about my boyfriend and had to rush right over here, huh?”

I rolled my eyes. “Don’t flatter yourself. I’ve already saved your ass once, and I’m not too keen on doing it again.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Blakely snapped.

“It means you’re getting yourself involved in something dangerous.”

She scoffed. “You think everything is dangerous. IlikeForrest. He takes care of me. Prioritizes me. Unlikesomeguys I used to date.”

“We never dated.”

“And Forrest understands how badly you hurt me. I love that about him.”

That smug smirk was back. My dragon cringed at the lies rolling off her like a stench. She obviously didn’t give a single fuck about Forrest. She was involved with him to get to me, but in what way?

“I told you you’d pay for what you did to me,” Harley continued.

“You don’t want to play this game.”

“It’s not a game. It’s a negotiation.” Blakely glowered at me. “I can get Forrest off your back, you know. One snap of my fingers, and he’ll leave you completely alone. He’s wrapped around my little finger.”

“Right.” I wasn’t buying this for a second. “And let me guess. I’d have to do something for you, wouldn’t I?”

“Tell Harley to leave Lakeview. Your son can stay—I don’t care about him. But she needs to be gone. For good. And then this mess with Forrest will end.”

“I gave you a chance to butt out of my life,” I said in a low, gravelly growl. My dragon surged forth, flashing in my eyes, and Blakely took a small step back. “Multiple chances. And every time you come back to cause problems again. I’m running out of patience, Blakely.”

“I— I’m offering you a deal,” she stammered.

“This goes so far beyond Forrest. You think you hold any kind of negotiating power here? Just because you’re giving Forrest some pussy? You’re even dumber than I thought.”

Blakely’s eyes widened. “You pig!” She slapped me hard across the face. Her face was pink with fury, and a little bit of surprise, like she couldn’t believe she’d actually done that.

I barely felt the blow. I let my fangs drop anyway and bared them at her. “You’ve sealed your fate, Blakely,” I growled. “You’re going down with Forrest and the rest of them. I’ll make sure of it.”

Fear radiated off her, following me like fog as I stormed back to my bike. I held no illusions that my anger would dissuade Blakely from her stupid plans. If anything, she’d be more determined now. She must have known her negotiations wouldn’t work. I wouldn’t put it past her to have some other ridiculous idea up her sleeve. So when it came time to take down Forrest, I’d be sure to take down Blakely as well.

My dragon growled with frustration. He was unsettled, anxious, bordering on enraged. We both felt trapped. There was nothing we could do other than hurl threats, hide out, and wait. My dragon wanted to lash out. Attack. Kill. End these threatsnow,no matter the consequences to the future of my clan.

I got on my bike and gunned the engine. I needed to get home. I needed to be with my mate.

The house was quiet when I got home, as it often was. I was sick of being out so late and so often. My dragon’s ears listened for the soft sounds of my clan: there was Striker, snoring in the guest room, Cassidy’s white noise machine humming in her room, and Dylan snuffling in his sleep over the sounds of his video game save screen. And there, at the far end of the hall, in my room, Harley was breathing. If I focused hard enough, I could hear her heartbeat.

My dragon nearly whined with desire. I needed her. Needed her closeness. Needed her touch. Needed her bite—no, not tonight. I exhaled hard, but my dragon wouldn’t settle. My feet carried me to my room.

I pushed the bedroom door open slowly. The room was dark and warm, and Harley was asleep under the comforter. From the door, I could only see the shape of her curvy body cuddled under the dark fabric. I pulled my boots off in a hurry and climbed onto the bed. I needed a shower—I still smelled like sweat and motor oil. I didn’t care. I needed her.

The mattress dipped under my weight, and Harley hummed out a low sound. “Steph?” she murmured, her voice rough with sleep.

She rolled onto her back, and her hair fanned across the pillow. Her gaze was half-lidded, and her lips were parted. Barely awake, but so desirable. So gorgeous. I climbed on top of her, so I was on my hands and knees above her perfect body. The comforter was pulled up to her shoulders. Between the comforter and my clothes, there was way too much fabric between us, but I was too restless to get it all out of the way. My brain was static with only one thought.Need you. Need you.

I dropped down and pressed my face into the crook of her neck, carefully keeping my fangs retracted. She smelled so good. She always smelled good in sleep, all warm and soft and musky. I growled, restless, and she wrapped her arms around me as she laughed lightly. “I’m here, baby.”

“Harley,” I growled into her skin. “Need you.”