Page 27 of Claimed By the Dragon

With that, Scarlett waved and left Grace alone to think of what the dragonwoman had shared and how to approach Trahern the next time she saw him.

If she saw him.

No,he would return home. He would.

She hoped.

Chapter Nine

Not wanting to go home to an empty home—Grace understood Trahern needed space, but she wanted to be around other people right now as a distraction—she headed for Dawn’s house. After arriving, she knocked, and Blake opened the door, frowning. “Sorry, Grace, but it might not be the best time right now.”

“What’s wrong? Can I help?”

He opened his mouth to reply when Daisy appeared at his side. “Oh, Grace. Mum is crying, and I don’t know why. She won’t let me into the spare room, and I’m worried. I can watch the twins with my dad if you go check on her. Will you? Please?”

Grace moved her gaze to Blake, saw his flashing pupils and the grim set of his jaw, and knew something was very, very wrong. And after everything Dawn had done for her, Grace wanted to do something for her friend. “Let me help if I can, Blake. Please.”

After a few seconds, he nodded curtly and motioned inside. “I’ll take the boys into the living room and watch them for you. Dawn is in the spare room upstairs.”

Daisy took her hand and squeezed. “Thank you, Grace. My mum sometimes thinks she can handle everything herself, but it’s not always true.”

The girl’s cracking voice shot straight to her heart. “I’ll try my best, Daisy, I promise. You and your mum are my friends, after all, and friends help each other.”

Something she wouldn’t have believed even a month ago.

However, as Blake herded Daisy and the pram into the living room, Grace pushed all other thoughts aside as she ascended the stairs. She heard murmured voices behind the door and hesitated before knocking. “Dawn? It’s Grace.”

The door opened a crack, and Dawn peered through, looking on the verge of tears. “Grace? Why are you here?”

“Daisy said you could use some help, and something is obviously wrong.” As Dawn hesitated, Grace added, “Whatever it is, I can keep a secret.”

The other woman bit her bottom lip and wrung her hands before nodding. “Okay. Although if you have a weak stomach, you should turn around now and go back downstairs. She’s been beaten quite badly.”

“Who?”

“My friend, Marianna. She’s human and shouldn’t be here, but I refuse to let her ex hurt her any worse. He might kill her.”

A Scottish male voice she didn’t recognize said, “He won’t ever touch her again.”

Dawn stood back, let Grace in, and closed the door.

A tall, ginger-haired man stood beside the bed, his arms crossed over his chest, and his pupils flashing. A dragonman.

Dawn rushed back to her friend’s side, and Grace forced her gaze to the figure on the bed and barely contained a gasp.

The woman had black hair and light tan skin, but her face was swollen and covered in bruises, her arm was in a cast, and sowas one of her legs. There were also numerous cuts on her chest and even more bruises. She looked to be unconscious.

“What happened?”

The Scottish dragonman replied, “Her ex-husband beat her, left her for dead, and kidnapped her children.”

Dawn sat in a chair next to the bed and reached out to brush some hair off the woman’s forehead. “Oh, Marianna. Why didn’t you reach out to me? I would’ve helped you.”

The dragonman grunted. “We can’t change the past, aye? But I’m staying on Stonefire until she’s well enough to be moved or we catch her bastard ex. The fewer who know she’s here, the better.”

Grace finally tore her gaze from Marianna and met the dragonman’s. “Who are you?”

“Brodie MacNeil, from Clan Lochguard.”