Page 16 of Claimed By the Dragon

Did Trahern sound almost petulant?

Surely not. Still, she glanced up and noted he looked off to the side again. Normally, she’d drop it or make a sarcastic remark. However, that wouldn’t work with the dragonman. She remembered his words:“So will you be honest with me? I mean brutally honest.”

Taking a deep breath, she decided to see if he really meant it. “But you’re not as honest as you think you are.”

His eyes shot back to hers. “What do you mean?”

“Why have you kept away, Trahern? Because if you were as open as you believe, you would’ve at least told me why you needed space. I don’t begrudge you the distance since this isn’t a real mating. However, you ran away and hid, and that’s another form of dishonesty.”

As the seconds ticked by in silence, Grace waited to see if Trahern really wanted the truth from her or not.

Chapter Six

Trahern frowned as he digested Grace’s words, and his dragon spoke up.She’s right. I know sharing things is difficult, even with me. But she needs us, all of us.

I can’t share everything at once. She will get frustrated or laugh at me.

Father’s words were bullshit, and untrue. I wish you would’ve listened to me.

Ignoring his beast, he glanced at Grace. She plucked at her top and bit her bottom lip, clearly not at ease.

His dragon sighed.Say something.

Unable to maintain eye contact—he didn’t want to see her frown or roll her eyes at him—he cleared his throat and said, “I learned a long time ago to keep to myself, as a kind of protection.”

“Why? From what?”

Such simple questions with such difficult answers.

Trahern rearranged some supplies on the nearby counter as he said, “My father.”

He heard Grace shuffling, and he glanced at her from the corner of his eye. As soon as he did, she tilted her head andsaid, “I kind of did the same thing—hid myself—because of my stepfather. So I understand.”

Just imagining someone trying to hurt Grace made his fingers curl into fists. “What did he do to you?”

It was her turn to look away, toward the floor. “My father died when I was little, and my mum struggled. She thought having a man around would solve everything and went from one to the other. Untilhim.” She paused, took a deep breath, and added, “He beat her. And every time, my mum made up an excuse, and I could never convince her he was anything but her protector.”

He turned toward Grace and took a step closer. “Did he touch you?”

She shook her head, her curly hair bouncing. “No. As soon as he tried, I ran away. And because of me, my mum…”

Her voice cracked, and Trahern knew something must be wrong. He moved closer. “What happened to your mum?”

“He killed her and then himself.”

Bloody hell.Self-absorbed as he was, Trahern rarely wondered about other people’s difficulties with their parents. Grace had seemed so…normal.

His dragon spoke up.Everyone has a past.

Given Grace’s words “because of me,” he suspected she felt guilty. Which was rubbish. He stated, “That was not your fault.”

Lifting her head, Grace met his eyes again. “I shouldn’t have abandoned her. If I hadn’t run, he probably wouldn’t have done it.”

“Maybe, maybe not. But he would’ve hurt you. Your mother made her choice when she gave excuses and refused to leave. By doing that, she put you in danger.”

“It’s not that simple, Trahern. Everyone has their own struggles and ways of coping. I suspect from what little you’ve shared, you keep to yourself as a way of dealing with some innerdemons. With what, I’m not exactly sure. However, my mother was the same. She so desperately wanted to be loved that she put up with anything to think she was.”

“Perhaps. But you were the child, and she was the parent. It wasn’t your job to take her place, allowing your stepfather to abuse you, so she could be spared a little. A difficult choice, yes. But if you’d stayed, he might’ve killed you, too.”