“So, what’s the plan? Shall we call in the whole team to go after him?” Mishal sat on the corner of my desk, phone in hand and at the ready, while I sat behind it staring at my phone screen.

“We can’t very well do that, since he called me a freak. He’s going to try to out me, cost me the business, or at least hold it over my head as leverage.” I slammed my hand on the desk while Fredo stood to my left at the ready to do my bidding. “We have to remove all leverage. Let’s see what we have going for us.”

“Well, I doubt he knows you chipped your girlfriend.” Mishal rolled his eyes. “Hell, I doubt she knows. I know, and I don’t understand why.”

“She’s not my girlfriend,” I murmured sadly.

He rubbed the stubble on his chin. “I think that may be even worse.”

“She’s his mate,” Fredo interjected. When he saw me glaring at him, he murmured, “Sorry, sir.”

Mishal hopped off the corner of my desk. “Wow! It finally happened for you, Blaise. I’m so excited. Can’t wait to meet her!”

I blew out a breath. “We haven’t mated yet. She’s reluctant…afraid even.”

“So…she knows you’re a dragon.” He nodded his head knowingly.

I stood up and turned to stare out the window, my hands clasped behind my back. “Yes, but oddly enough, that didn’t scare her. You should’ve seen her.” I shook my head. “Maggie is incredible…beautiful, intelligent, articulate…”

“Argumentative, stubborn, independent,” Fredo grumbled.

Mishal chuckled. “She sounds perfect for you.”

I faced him once more. “I can’t lose her. I think I’d be heartsick without her, even though we haven’t mated. I’ve waited hundreds of years for this woman. I’m sure my eagerness to tie her down scares her, but if I have the chance, I can help her understand.”

My brother clapped a hand on my shoulder. “We’ll save her. Let’s figure this out.”

“Where’s Maggie? And who are you?” Malcolm stood in the doorway. “Oh, Fredo, there you are. I was hungry.”

I glanced at the clock. Already, it was midafternoon. “How could we forget about you?” I shot a look at Fredo. “Get this man some food.”

Fredo strode across the room and began to escort him from my office, but he grabbed onto the wood molding. “Wait. I couldn’t find my daughter anywhere!” He glanced back and forth between us. “You know where she is and you’re not telling me. I can see it in your faces. You don’t trust me.” His voice quivered and I remembered about his panic attacks.

“Let him in.” I sighed and Fredo stepped aside so Malcolm could return. “Take a seat.” I gestured to the couch across from me.

His brows rose. “I’m taking a seat? Dear God. What happened?”

I walked around my desk. “Calm down, Malcolm. You’ll do no one any good if you’re in the hospital with another panic attack. Have you been taking your meds?”

Fredo nodded. “Let me get him some food while you talk.” Then my butler ducked out of the room.

“This is my brother, Mishal.” I jerked my thumb over my shoulder.

“Are you sure? You look nothing alike.” Malcolm frowned as he picked apart our differences. “You’re dark. He’s light.”

“Yes, we know. I take after father, while he more closely resembles a very rugged and manly version of our mother.” I forced a laugh. Clapping my hands together, I began, “Now let’s talk about Maggie. And promise you’ll remain calm.”

The man nodded hesitantly. I knew I was asking much of him.

“Maggie was kidnapped. She opened the gate against our warnings and was snatched. We’re working to get her back.” I leaned on the edge of the desk and crossed my legs at the ankles in an effort to appear more relaxed than I actually felt.

“Do you know where she is?” He studied me carefully.

Mishal snorted and I glared at him before responding. “Yes. We do.” I licked my lips. “They claim they will call with ransom demands.”

“What do they want?” His eyes widened. “I have nothing. How will we get her back?”

My eyes closed while I inhaled deeply. “My guess? This is about your program. They’re so determined to get it they used a child to lure Maggie out.”

Malcolm scowled. “Then it sounds like they’re already using it.”

I uncrossed my ankles and stiffened. “What do you mean?”

“They knew Maggie’s buttons. And if they took Maggie, they know yours too.” He nodded sadly. Tilting his head, he mused, “I wonder how they would even get this far. The technology is completely different than anything anyone has ever invented before.” He scratched his head. “They’d need someone who knew what I was already working on. Other than Maggie…oh boy.” His eyes widened.

“What, Malcolm?” I gripped the desk with my hands.

“My old assistant, Joel. He has to be working with them.” He shook his head sadly. “Maybe I should have kept him on. I just…ran out of money.” Malcolm stared at me with watery eyes. “He was angry when he left. I never thought he’d be this angry though.”

“Are you sure it’s him?” I frowned.

Standing, Malcolm nodded. “There’s no other way.”

An hour later, we’d managed to collect all the technology we needed for this mission, but none of the manpower. Only Mishal and I could be involved. As we packed my trunk, Malcolm stormed over.

“I’m going with you.” He had his laptop in a bag, slung over his shoulder. “I have a hotspot. You’ll need technical support. I’ll stay in the car, but I’m going.” Malcolm crossed his arms over his chest. For a split second, I half-expected him to threaten to hold his breath.

I was too tired and scared to argue. “Do not leave the vehicle,” I growled. “I don’t have time to save you too. Got it?” I stared at him sternly.

He nodded once while wearing what I can only assume was his game face.

“Fine. Hop in.” I pointed to the passenger seat and watched as he scrambled toward the door and hopped in. Mishal and I exchanged looks before he pulled on his helmet and I hopped in the car. Glancing at Malcolm, I murmured, “Let’s go save your daughter.”

* * *

“Think we’ve made him stew long enough?” Sterling sneered as he pulled his cell out of his pocket.

“I doubt he has given this a second thought.” I shrugged, then grew serious. “So, what’s a girl gotta do to get a bathroom break around here? I’m seriously struggling here.”

“Let me call him. He may want proof of life. Then Ira will take you to go potty.” He spoke in his most condescending tone.

As long as I had a chance to pee, he could sound however he wanted. “Thanks,” I replied brightly. “I mean, I have no idea where I am. My feet are bound, which we’ll have to fix long enough for me to pee, by the way, and my hands are too. Again…a problem for peeing. I have no desire to run away, and only partially because I don’t run.” I tilted my head. “Also because I couldn’t find my way out of a paper bag. I’d be dead in a ditch before I was rescued.” I sighed while Sterling glared at me.

“Are you finished?” He huffed.

“With my pontification about why I’m not a flight risk? Sure. But man, do I have to pee.” I pasted a smile on my face.

He hit a button and made the call, placing the phone on speaker. I listened to it ring a few times before Blaise answered.

“This is Blaise.” He sounded happy, which merely confused me.

From the look on the billionaire’s face, it confounded him too. “Did you get the money?”

“I have money. There’s a safe at my home. What I didn’t get is a number. Let’s start the negotiation.” He chuckled.

Sterling narrowed his eyes and paced in front of the table for a few minutes before speaking. “Does your safe hold fifty million dollars?”

I rolled my eyes. He was the worst villain ever. I swear he pulled that number out of his ass. I shook my head and stared at the cement floor.

“I must be having trouble hearing you. It’s really echoic. Where are you?” In the background, I could’ve sworn I heard my father gasp.

I tilted my head. Did they know where we were?

Sterling chuckled. “Nice try, Blaise. So, do you have it or not?”

“Fifty million? Not.” He sighed. “But I can get it. I’ll just need a little more time. The banks won’t close for a few hours.”

“Well, if you don’t have it, I would consider a trade.” His Cheshire cat grin widened.

My head hung. I knew what was coming. “Don’t do it. Whatever he wants, I’m not worth it!” I shouted.

I heard someone inhale sharply. Maybe two someones even.

Sterling took two big steps and stood looming over me. “No talking.” Then he backhanded me.

The sound of his hand connecting with my cheek echoed through the room. Tears of humiliation stung my eyes. I’d never been hit before.

“Did you just hit her?” Blaise sounded controlled but furious. “There will be no exchange for damaged goods. Think about that.” Then the phone went dead.

Tears trickled down my cheeks. I sniffled. When I looked up, Joel’s mouth was gaping open. I looked at Sterling as proudly as I could manage. “Can I go to the bathroom now?”

“No.” He shook with rage. “If you’ve cost me this deal…”

“You’ll what?” My brow rose. Humiliation had been replaced with rage. My throbbing cheek wasn’t helping matters. I reached up, swiped at what I thought to be lingering tears, only to find my cheek was bleeding. When I glanced at his hand, I realized he was wearing a big silver pinky ring. “You cut me,” I noted. “You’d better be glad I mean nothing to Mr. Draco. If he cared about me and saw this, you’d be sorry.”

Sterling leaned in, until his nose nearly touched mine. “You want to know why he doesn’t care about you, why no man will ever care about you?”

I braced. This was going to get ugly. “It’s not true.” I shook my head.

“Which part? The part where you let your mother die? Or the part where you’ll never allow yourself to love or be loved because of it?” He leaned back slightly.

Digging deep, I somehow managed to keep my chin up, but my lower lip quivered. “That isn’t why he doesn’t care about me.”

“Are you sure about that?” He leaned closer again. “When I think about what you did, I’m thinking you might be my perfect match. What do you say?” He waggled his brows at me.

Completely revolted, I looked away, but he grabbed my chin and forced me to meet his gaze. “If you were the last man on earth, you still wouldn’t have a shot with me.”

Sterling glared, but then grabbed the back of my neck and I knew he was going to try to kiss me. Without considering the consequences, I reared back and made sure the top of my forehead connected with the bridge of his nose. He stood, screaming in pain, holding his nose with one hand. This time, his free hand formed a fist. “You vicious bitch!” Then he punched me, but since I was expecting it, his fist only glanced off my other cheek.

I glared at him, so angry I’d almost forgotten how badly I had to pee. Then on the back side of the building, there was a roar, and the sound of breaking glass. My heart pounded in my chest. He was here. Somehow, Blaise had found me.

A second later, my dragon burst through the back wall and spit a line of fire that had the men scrambling for the front door. No one even gave me a second thought. Only, when they pulled open the sliding doors at the front of the building, they found a second dragon standing there. Instead of having red and black scales like Blaise, this one was black and purple. My head tilted. Who the hell was that?

The men rushed away from the door as he lazily entered the room, his eyes fixed on his prey. They couldn’t evade both dragons. Ira tripped and landed hard on his knee. “Help me, boss!” he shouted. I laughed. I knew what would happen. Men like Sterling only helped themselves.

Sure enough, the billionaire hesitated for a split second before he bolted for the steps that would take him to the catwalk and eventually the roof. I watched as Blaise shifted, landing on the catwalk in a crouch. “Girard.” He spoke in a low angry voice.

“You!” Sterling was scared for a second before he puffed out his chest. “I have you breathing fire on film. Let me go, or I’ll ruin your business and end your career.”

Blaise chuckled. “You saw me turn into a dragon and you still think you can threaten me? You’re a special kind of stupid, Sterling.” He leaned close and hissed, “It’ll be harder to threaten me when you’re dead.” The man’s eyes widened. “Yes. I could kill you for what you did to Maggie.”

“No!” Sterling bolted toward the open window. There was a good five feet between the metal catwalk and his escape plan. He struggled to climb over the railing.

“Don’t do it,” Blaise warned. “You’ll never make it.”

“Of course I will. And when I do, I’m going to broadcast your secret all over the news.” He gestured to Blaise’s naked body. “They’ll have to blur much of this out, of course, but I’m sure Joel has been recording everything.”

I glanced around for Joel, who I’d all but forgotten during the confusion. He was cowering behind me. “Get away from me, you rat bastard.” Then I realized he wasn’t holding a phone or his computer. When I scanned the table, I realized they had both been a casualty of Blaise’s firestorm. I laughed and jerked my head to the burned pile.

Blaise smirked. “Apparently not.”

Sterling’s smile faltered. “It doesn’t matter. I’ll tell them everything and they’ll believe me.”

“And what’s to stop me from turning you into a shish kabob while you sleep?” Blaise whispered.

His eyes widened with fear, and then he turned and made a daring leap for the window, which fell hopelessly short. I watched as he clawed at the air, falling so quickly Blaise couldn’t save him, and the other dragon didn’t try. He was too busy breathing over Ira. I looked away, afraid of what I’d see. Instead, I offered Blaise a pleading look. He shook his head and I knew Sterling had perished. I didn’t know what to do.

Apparently, Ira didn’t either. When he saw his partner in crime fall and land with a resounding thud, he winced. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a pistol and stared at me. The dragon seemed to think the guy was going to shoot me and moved in between us. I knew better. Ira was a coward, not a killer. “I’m not going down for all this,” he said simply before holding the gun to his temple and pulling the trigger.

The shot rang out and reverberated through the huge empty building. I closed my eyes and winced. Then I felt familiar hands on my skin, and in my hair. I felt puffs of warm breath against my cheek as he pressed his lips to my temple. My tension melted. Opening my eyes, I whispered, “I thought I’d never see you again.”

“You wish,” Blaise teased. “Let’s get you out of here. You feel okay?”

I shook my head and my eyes watered.

“No?” He ran his hands over my limbs.

“It’s not that.” I swallowed hard and felt my cheeks heat. “I really have to pee.”