Page 12

Three Years Later

“Settling your tab?” The old bartender raised a silver brow even as he rested his fingertips over the top of Zeno’s card. “You’re a creature of habit, old friend. The last time you cleared your tab you were newly mated.”

Zeno chuckled, tipping the glass still in his hand in acknowledgment before knocking back what remained of the drink. One wouldn’t hurt, and for old-time’s sake, it felt right. “Don’t look so worried, Clive. I’m just going away for a while. It would be rude of me to leave a balance hanging, no matter how well I know the owners are doing.”

Clive hummed and swept the card through the requisite machine. “I heard you’ve pulled from the last of your local business affiliations. Is everything all right with the family?” He handed back the card as he spoke.

Zeno slid the glass forward and accepted the piece of plastic that passed for money, tucking it back into his wallet. “Of course. You think I’d be worried about a small bar tab if there was something wrong with Harmony, or Nova?” Even the theoretical thought made his insides twist as though his organs were caught in a clawed vice. He pushed it down and offered the man across from him a genuine smile. Every word he said here would get back to Dario, so it saved him the trouble of one more phone call. “Now that Nova’s a little older, Harmony wants to see some of the places I’ve told her about. We were only able to travel the one time before our daughter was born, I think she’s feeling restless.”

Clive’s lips twitched. “I wouldn’t expect a dragon’s mate to be overly complacent in one place for long.” He lifted the glass. “I’m glad to hear you’re heading out for good reasons for once.”

Zeno grunted, unable to deny the accusation, bade the bartender a temporary farewell, and made one more exit from The Gin Room. Roland was already waiting for him and the car was in motion as soon as Zeno clicked his seat belt into place. Flying would have been faster, but he generally tried to play by the rules while he was living among society.

“Will you be away for a while, sir?” Roland asked as they neared the building.

“Yes,” Zeno said. “We’re going to let the penthouse go, but Harmony wants to come back to New York eventually. I’ll need you to be my eyes for that when the time comes, so don’t worry about your income. Just enjoy the respite.”

Roland’s response was hesitant, the scent of surprise wafting from him. “Sir … thank you.”

As the car rolled to a stop in the parking garage, Zeno released the restrictive belt and said, “Loyalty is always rewarded, Roland. You’ve been good to me. Now, get some rest, our flight leaves early tomorrow and we’ll need one more drive.”

“I’ll bring coffee and cocoa.”

Zeno clapped his long-time employee—currently his only employee—on the shoulder, climbed from the car, and strode swiftly to the elevator. He supposed he was glad he hadn’t paid some black-market agency to remove the box in favor of being able to fly himself up and down, in hindsight. Though he remembered he’d been tempted once. Whatever home they chose when they returned to the New York area, it would need to have land for their children, and most importantly, not be restricted by technological boxes.

He could hear the giggling before he was even through the inner door, and any irritation faded away.

“Daddy’s going to love it,” Harmony was saying as he stepped through the door. Her sweet voice was laced with laughter and adoration.

Young giggling from the same direction assured him she was standing with their two-year-old, and both females were facing the wall of windows he’d had to have enhanced security put in to keep their toddler from climbing through. And then he saw what they were looking at. Little Nova had taken her new children’s paint set and decorated the glass.

Zeno smiled as he approached. “I see we have new artwork.”

Harmony turned a bright smile up to him, her blue eyes shining. They’d gained so much more life and vibrancy since she’d separated from her parents. Even her skin, still naturally pale, had a permanently healthier glow. And as it always did, the sight of her standing in front of him made him want to haul her closer, to leave more marks on that beautiful skin and watch the way those eyes sparkled when she climaxed. To feel her tremble in release in his arms. She was a hard woman to resist, his mate.

“Daddy!” Nova launched herself at his legs, latching on with all her little might—which was still entirely manageable at her young age. “Do you like it?” She tipped her head back and blinked blue eyes that perfectly matched her mother’s up at him, grinning wide beneath her head of wild, dark hair she’d inherited from him.

Zeno smiled and scooped her up, setting her on his shoulder. She was his daughter, after all, and when she hit puberty she would start shifting. She already loved high places. “I do,” he said, obediently studying the scribbled mess painted onto the window again. “It’s a masterpiece.”

Harmony laughed and stepped up to him, reaching up to teasingly tickle Nova’s bare foot. “I think we should leave it for the next owner.”

“Agreed.” He met her gaze. “However, Wife, is there something else?”

“Yes.” She pushed up on her tiptoes and stretched her arms around his torso, her voice softening. “Welcome home.”

“Kiss, kiss, kiss!” Nova squealed, squirming on his shoulder even as he leaned forward to do exactly that.

Zeno lingered on Harmony’s lips for a long second, his free hand coming up to press her closer and tangle in her hair before he forced himself to ease back. He appreciated that, at two, their daughter still enjoyed her parents’ affection, but he wasn’t stupid. In a few short years such displays would be “gross” and they would have to learn entirely new tactics. That was the life they’d asked for. The life he’d yearned for, for so long.

Zeno lifted Nova off his shoulder and set her on her feet, ruffled her already mussed hair, and said, “Why don’t you help Mommy out and go wash those hands before we eat?”

Nova sighed dramatically. “Okay.” Then she sprinted off for the first-floor powder room.

Harmony traced a finger over his chest. “Is everything settled?”

“Of course.” Zeno wrapped his arms around her and lowered his head, letting his lips graze the fully healed mark on the base of her neck. She wore his ring every day, she’d taken his name, but this was the mark that mattered most—to both of them. “My dove,” he whispered against her skin. “I do not thank you enough.”

Harmony tugged up his shirt until she could press her hands to his skin, a soft, muffled laugh rising from her. “You spoil me rotten. What could I possibly need to be thanked for?”

He kissed her neck, then her jaw, and brushed another kiss to her lips. “Existing, and accepting me.” He kissed her again. “You were worth every day of waiting, of searching. You are everything to me.”

Tears built in front of her widened eyes, just for a moment, before her smile broadened and she burrowed closer. Her hands spread over his skin. “I love you, too.” She squeezed, then eased back, a teasing scowl on her lips. “Now stop making me all mushy, you promised me at least a year of seeing the world before I had to contend with morning sickness again.”

Zeno grinned, dropped both his hands to her luscious ass, and kissed her deeply. “So I did.” She was fucking perfect for him. He’d endure another four hundred years of solitude if he knew for certain she waited at the end. Her, and the beautiful future they built together.

The End