Page 13 of The Dragon 1

But withneed.

Dark, worshipful, dangerous need.

What the fuck is going on?!

The suited men along the wall stirred, telling me that this wasn’t their boss’s typical behavior. One of them looked at another and raised a brow. Another pair exchanged glances in silence.

Meanwhile, Zo froze beside me, completely still as if he sensed a ripple of something not meant for the living.

Mr. Sato whispered. “How. . .odd. . .”

My stomach flipped. “What?”

He blinked, just once, as if still shaken. “You smell like something I’ve been searching for.”

The words made the hair on my arms rise.

I don’t understand. What has he been searching for?

He watched me. “Do you know what it means to finally find something you’ve hunted in your dreams?”

I wanted to laugh it off and say something snarky or sarcastic. Instead, I froze. Not because I was afraid. But because some part of me—some reckless, aching part—wantedto know what it felt like to be the thing a man likehimdreamed of.

My voice came out softer than I intended. “I. . .I’m just here to write.”

“Tell me something, Ms. Palmer.”

“Okay. . .”

“What do people usually do. . .when they finally find what they’ve been chasing?”

“Be happy. . .I guess. . .”

His eyes narrowed in curiosity. “What perfume are you wearing?”

“I’m not wearing any perfume.”

That seemed to shake him more than anything else.

He stepped back half an inch, enough for me to finally breathe, but not enough to release me from whatever hold had just wrapped itself around us both.

“No perfume,” his voice went deeper now. “That’s impossible.”

I shook my head. “I put on lotion this morning. Drugstore brand. Vanilla something, maybe. That’s it.”

His lips parted slightly but no words came.

Finally, he murmured more to himself than anyone else. “Black amber and ripe plum.”

O-kay. . .what the fuck is that?

He extended his hand. “Give me the device.”

Just four words.

But the way he said it—low, edged in command—sent a rush of heat low in my belly.

I looked down at my recorder, then back up at him. “Give it to you?”