“What are you doing?” Stephen asked as he scrambled out of the car. “And what’s going on in there?” His eyes were wide with fear.

“Listen, my brother and I run Draco Security. I was sent here for work. I head up the personal security division.” I opened my mouth to finish explaining, but he interrupted.

“Well, it looks like you’re doing a bang-up job.” He gestured to Peri, unconscious in my arms.

“Her boss has been murdered,” I continued.

He shook his head. “Remind me to never have you guard me.”

Now I no longer cared about offering an explanation. “Shut the fuck up and open the car door,” I growled. Once he did so, I climbed in the backseat with Peri in my arms. After shutting the door, Stephen hopped in the front.

“Now what? Or am I still not allowed to speak?” the driver grumbled.

“You were a lot nicer earlier,” I noted.

He frowned. “Well, I hadn’t been working for twelve hours then. And I didn’t worry I was ferrying around a killer.” Stephen looked at me pointedly.

“I saved her. That’s my thing.” I rolled my eyes. “Never mind.” I stared out the window. “We need to get out of here before the police show up.”

Even as I spoke, several cop cars with lights and sirens came blaring up the road. “Right now, I trust no one. I have no idea what’s going on, or who’s involved.”

“So, we’re not talking to the cops?” His brows rose.

“Nope. Not a word.” I held Peri a little closer to my chest.

Stephen inhaled deeply. “Am I going to regret this?” He peered at me through the rearview mirror.

“Not if you do as I say,” I murmured. “Drive.”

“Where?” He threw his hands in the air.

The man had a point. Peri had a room, but we couldn’t exactly go back there. I didn’t have a room for us either. I closed my eyes so I could picture the map of the area.

“This is no time to sleep,” Stephen mumbled.

“I’m not sleeping. I’m thinking.” I huffed. Then I recalled a little cottage on the property. “I need your phone.” Stephen looked at me and I could feel his resistance. “My phone is in the trunk. You call then. The Biltmore cottage. Let’s see if it’s available. We’ll rent that. I have cash. And we check in under your name.”

“My name?” He shook his head wildly. “How’d I get involved in this?”

I sighed. “Just lucky I guess.”

The reservations were made. By some miracle, the cottage wasn’t already booked. Soon we were standing inside. “Here are your bags,” Stephen announced. “I guess I’ll just be going…”

“Nice try.” I blew out a breath. “How much do you make an hour?”

He puffed out his chest. “I make twenty dollars an hour.”

“Cool. Have you been paid for your work yet today?” I reached into my bag and pulled out the bank bag. After I unlocked it, I started counting out hundred dollar bills.

Stephen watched me, fascinated. “No, not yet.”

“Here,” I passed him a wad of bills. “It’s five thousand dollars. You can count it. I won’t be offended.”

“But that’s more than ten days working twenty-four hours a day!” His eyes widened.

“Yes, well, plan to be at our beck and call. I’ll be sending you for groceries. You’ll be driving us wherever we need to go. And I don’t want an argument about any of it. Got it?” I stared at him sternly.

“No argument. Yes, sir.” He smiled so widely I thought his face might crack.

“Pick your room. You take one. We’ll take the other.” I nodded and urged him up the stairs. He glanced at Peri and I knew what he was thinking. “I’m not sleeping with her, but I refuse to leave her side. You might as well take the other room. I’ll sleep sitting in a chair if I have to.”

“I’ll get your bags,” Stephen whispered as we climbed the stairs. When we reached the top, he peeked in one room, then the other. “I think you’ll be more comfortable in this one,” he explained. “Look, there’s an ottoman. If you have to sleep sitting up, at least your feet will be up too.”

My shoulders sagged. “Thank you, Stephen.”

He walked in, dropped our bags on the floor, then closed the door behind him as he exited. With one hand, I swept the bulk of the pillows off the bed. Then I laid her on the comforter and folded the other side over her, sleeping bag style. As soon as I was certain she was comfortable, I checked out the rest of the house to ensure all the windows and doors were locked, and the curtains drawn. Confident we were safe for now, I settled into the chair, kicked off my shoes, and studied Peri.

Her feet had kicked out of the comforter, and I was suddenly aware of the cuts and abrasions she’d suffered while racing through the woods barefoot. Standing, I tiptoed into the bathroom, grabbed a washcloth and soaked it with warm water from the sink. After wringing it out, I grabbed a hand towel and sat on the end of the bed. Slowly, I moved the bedding and the hem of her dress out of the way so I could wash her feet. If she ended up with an infection, I’d feel terrible.

Slowly, I wiped away the dirt and inspected her cuts for debris. Then I patted them dry. Peri had cute toes and tiny feet. A recent pedicure had her nails painted a pale pink. And for some reason, I wanted to kiss them. Actually, at the moment, I wanted to kiss all of her. Inhaling deeply, I tucked her feet in with shaking hands. When I finished, I glanced up and realized she was watching me.

* * *

“Hi,” I whispered, after I blinked a few times. The lighting in the room was low, but somehow, I still couldn’t trust my eyes. “Are you really here, Mishal?” I slowly propped myself up on my elbows. I hadn’t seen the man for many years, but he hadn’t changed a bit.

Mishal moved up the bed to sit at my side. "How are your feet?" His brow furrowed with concern.

I glanced down at them. They hurt, but I'd never let on. "Good as new," I lied.

He pursed his lips. "You don't have to hide things from me. I can read everything I need to know in your face."

Inhaling sharply, I sat up. "Like what?"

He shook his head and frowned. "Now is not the time. We need to talk about what happened tonight."

My eyes burned so I closed them and pressed my palms to them. "He's dead. Devon, my boss." Slowly, I moved my hands and opened my eyes to watch his reaction.

"I saw. How did this happen?" He leaned closer as we spoke, but I inched away.

Shaking my head, I tried to explain. "I can't think when you're that close."

Mishal tilted his head and studied me before he scooted back a good eighteen inches. "Is this better?"

I tucked my feet under my dress and pushed myself up against the headboard. "Some," I admitted quietly. Sure, I could more easily concentrate, but for some reason I missed his closeness too.

"Peri, I need to know what’s going on. You called your uncle for a reason." He stared at me. “Start with telling me about tonight.” 

"We had our best third quarter earnings in a really long time," I began.

"For what?" He licked his lips and I was momentarily distracted.

I groaned and then I rubbed my forehead. "Investments. Draco Investments." 

"Right. Go on," he urged as he tucked some of his long blond hair behind his ear.

"I spent two months planning this party. Devon stood up to toast his clients and me, then he took a drink, and died.” My bottom lip trembled as I recalled that horrible moment.

"Did he die fast or slow? Was he convulsing or contorting?" His brow furrowed as he shot off questions he needed answered.

I wrapped my arms around my body. "I'm not sure. I just remember the fall, the look on his face as he collapsed, like he wanted me to help and I had no idea how..."

"Think," he demanded. 

"Why?" I glared at him. "I don't want to remember that moment. It was terrible. My heart broke in that instant." I choked for a moment as I tried to hold back my tears.

Mishal reached out and took my hand in his. I stared down at his warm fingers laced through mine. "This is how you help him," he murmured. "This is how we catch his killer."

For a second, I focused on his soothing touch before I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths while I tried to recall every painful detail surrounding Devon’s death. "It was fast. Well, it seemed fast and in slow motion all at the same time. He was at the head of the table and I was way down at the other end. I didn't even have time to reach his side.” I squeezed Mishal’s hand for comfort. “Devon grabbed the table, then he just...fell over." I stared into Mishal's eyes. They were blue, but so different from Devon's. "He grabbed his chest. Then it was over. I was crouching there by his side."

"From what you described, my guess...cyanide. It’s fast-acting and has similar effects." He wrapped his hair up into a bun and used the ponytail holder he had around his wrist to secure it. "Your uncle sent me to talk to you. He said you know something about the dragons dying. If this is all connected, you're in danger."

I swallowed hard and nodded. “I expected as much. The guy said I was in danger, the one chasing me.” 

"We have to figure this out. We especially need to figure out that man’s identity." He glanced at the clock on the nightstand. "Crap. We should try to catch the news, see what the police are saying."

He snatched the remote and clicked the television on. As soon as the screen lit up, he began flipping through, stopping when he found the first news channel. 

"Police are searching for this woman,” the anchor announced while a picture of me appeared on the screen. “Peri Winkler is a person of interest. She was last seen fleeing the scene of the crime. If you know anything..."

Mishal clicked off the television. His mouth hung open for a split second before he shook his head. “Your name is Peri Winkler?”

“Yes.” I sighed and rolled my eyes. “You want the long or short version?”

“We’re kinda on a time schedule here.” He jerked his thumb toward the wall clock in the dining room.

“Right. Short version it is.” I took a deep breath. “So, when I was born, Mom hemorrhaged. The doctors had to perform emergency surgery. She ended up having a hysterectomy, which is why I’m an only child and why she didn’t speak to my father for days afterwards.”

Mishal interrupted. “Wait. She didn’t speak to him because of the surgery?”

I laughed. “No, because of my name. I was supposed to be Persephone. The nurse had my father filling out the birth certificate while the surgery was taking place. He was shaking like a leaf, couldn’t write to save his life. The nurse took over.”

“And your father said Peri?” He grinned.

“Worse. He couldn’t get that out either. The man was a wreck. The best he could do…Peri.” I giggled. “My mother was furious. I’m her only child, her one chance, and he blew it. I’m practically purple, in her mind.” I shook my head. “At least they aren’t around for this. And thank goodness they were cremated or they’d be rolling in their graves at me being a person of interest.”

“I’m sorry. I had no idea they passed away.” He reached out and smoothed my hair back in a way I found entirely too comforting.

“It was a long time ago. I’m better. And hardly anyone teases me about my name.” I grinned.

“That makes one of us. Growing up, I dealt with plenty of teasing. In Arabic, my name means ‘torch.’ Outside of Morocco, where I was born, it caused years of torment. The go-to was always Michelle.” He grimaced. “And in truth, this may have a lot to do with why I look like a badass biker all the time instead of a refined billionaire, like my brother. Hell, I’m so rebellious, I made sure I lived on the other side of the country to exercise my freedom.”

“I like freedom,” I whispered.

“I like having you free.” Mishal scrubbed his hands down his face. "Sooner rather than later, we need to get to work."

“I’m a person of interest. Let’s work now,” I suggested. “I can’t go to jail, Mishal. This guy is clever. I bet he’d implicate me to get me out of the way.”

“I’m sure he would too. Although I bet he’d prefer you were dead, because then you couldn’t talk.” Mishal blew out a breath. “Now we need to start from the beginning. Tell me everything you know, why I’m here.” He stood up and shook his head. “Huh. I almost forgot.” He pulled off his shoe and then peeled off his bloody sock. “The fucker shot me. It’s the only reason he got away. Sorry, Peri.”

My eyes widened. “You took a bullet for me.”

Mishal grinned. “I’m in security, cupcake. I’d die to protect you.”