Preview: The Blackstone Bad Dragon
Four Weeks Ago…
Pretending to be his twin brother was something Jason Lennox was very good at.
People mixed up him and Matthew all the time anyway, so acting like his cool, more aloof twin was just a matter of switching his personality. When they were younger, it was a lot of fun, and they both got a kick out of playing pranks on other people.
No one could tell them apart, not even their parents or sister, though as they grew older and developed their own separate interests and personalities, people started to notice the difference. Matthew was inclined to stay in his room and finish his homework (even on a Friday night), while Jason preferred the company of his friends. Matthew was more serious, which is why he was chosen to be CEO of Lennox Corporation when their mother retired. But he wasn’t resentful or anything. Jason didn’t want that responsibility. He preferred running the Lennox Foundation and working in the blackstone mines, in his dragon form. His inner dragon loved nothing more than being free. And he couldn’t do that if he was stuck in board meetings all day.
Still, despite their differing personalities, the two were as close as anyone could be. Jason would do anything for Matthew. Pretending to be him for the day to help save his twin’s reputation and the family company was easy enough.
While he couldn’t analyze spreadsheets and stock reports like Matthew, Jason could get by for just a day. When they looked at him, in his immaculate suit and tie, hair groomed back perfectly, a cool expression on his face, people thought he was Matthew. Easiest gig in the world. And it was a for a good cause, after all.
Matthew’s mate, Catherine, had been injured followed by an attack by a pride of lions who had been trying to kill her. Turns out, she had been hiding in Blackstone, but the lions had somehow found her. Matthew was able to save her in time, but she’d been badly hurt. Matthew couldn’t leave her side, which is why Jason had to pretend to be him. Catherine had pulled through and made it through the night, but there were other complications. The frantic call from Matthew explained most of what happened.
“Matthew Lennox,” Jason said, answering the phone as he sat in Matthew’s plush office at the Lennox Corp headquarters.
“It’s me,” Matthew answered.
“Oh good,” Jason visibly relaxed and put his feet up on the large oak desk. “What’s happening? She’s…good, right?” Aside from the fact that she was his brother’s mate and he knew it would destroy Matthew if anything happened to her, Jason happened to actually like Catherine. She was a good person, and she could also dish out as much as she could take.
“Yeah…she’s stable,” Matthew said.
“So, what’s wrong?” Jason asked, sensing his twin’s distress.
“Well, you see…it turns out Catherine has family. A sister. We met and things didn’t go too well. She blames me for what happened and she’s trying to take her away.”
“Fuck, no!” Jason cursed, swiveling the leather chair around and getting to his feet. “She can’t do that. What do we gotta do to stop her?”
“That’s why I called you. She jut left the hospital and is on her way back to her hotel. You have to make sure she doesn’t leave?”
“And how am I going to do that?”
“I don’t know…just…pretend to be me. Intercept her at the lobby and tell he you’re sorry about today and that you just want to talk to her. Charm her. Make her think like you’re on her side and that you’re not trying to stop her. We just need some time to get into Catherine’s room so I can talk to her.”
“Ah,” Jason said with a nod. “Gotcha.”
“Oh and by the way—shit!” Matthew cursed. “Sorry, Jason, I gotta go.”
And so here he was, waiting at the lobby of The Ritz Ski Resort, just 30 miles out of Blackstone town. He sat in one of the wing back chairs, nursing a whiskey as he scanned the area for…what was her name? Christina. Matthew had forgotten to tell him what this Christina looked like. He supposed if she was related to Catherine, they would look alike. Would she be pretty? Jason let out a snort. Who cared? If she was trying to take Catherine away, then Jason would do anything to stop her. Even if she looked like the Wicked Witch of the West, he would do his best to charm her, at the very least, distract her long enough for Matthew to convince Catherine they were mates and make her stay with him forever.
He let out another snort and swirled the crystal glass in his hand before taking another sip. Not that he wasn’t happy for his twin. Matthew was finally getting that stick out of his ass, and that was all thanks to Catherine. Dragons rarely found mates, after all. Matthew’s dragon not only recognized Catherine as his mate, but also confirmed a legend from his mom’s side of the family.
Their mother, Riva, told them of a saying from the Sinclair family: the one who knows you from your twin is your soulmate. And it seem Matthew had indeed found his soulmate. Jason wouldn’t have believed it if he hadn’t seen it himself. Despite seeing them side-by-side, Catherine didn’t believe they were twins. In fact, she said they looked different in her eyes. Jason found her cute, even flirted with her, but it was obvious that Matthew’s dragon had already staked its claim.
Good for him. Having a mate was something his brother needed. Someone to lean on during the tough times, and of course, have cute little dragonlings who would carry on the family name. If there was one thing Jason was glad about not being the heir to Lennox Corp, was that he was free. Free to do whatever he wanted. And whomever he wanted. In fact…he was antsy now. He hoped this wouldn’t take too long, because all he wanted was to head over the The Den and find some friendly company for the evening. Maybe someone new, someone he hadn’t banged before. The thrill of the chase, of a new, gorgeous woman in his bed. And—
The glass in his hand dropped with a soft thud, spilling the amber contents onto plush, white carpet. But he didn’t notice it; in fact, the entire room seemed to quiet down as he stared ahead.
His heart hammered against his rib cage. She walked into the lobby of The Ritz like she was a queen, like she owned it. Dressed in a a white wool coat, stiletto heels, and a cool expression on her beautiful face. A very familiar face.
“Goddamn Matthew,” he swore. Christina wasn’t just Catherine’s sister. She was her twin. His brother had conveniently forgotten to mention that. She was the spitting image of Catherine, but there was something about her…he couldn’t stop staring at her. And she turned her head and ice blue eyes stared right back at him, his heart stopped beating. Everything slowed down and froze.
Mine.
Huh? Jason shook his head. It was noisy in the lobby again, and it was like everything sped up again. But she was still staring at him, and for just a brief second he saw that cool mask disappear. She had seemed surprised to see him, flustered even. Of course she was, he told himself. She and Matthew had met earlier and had a nasty confrontation. But, she turned away and began to walk toward the doors.
Shit! Can’t let her get away! Jason shot to his feet, threw a couple of bills on the table, and strode after Christina. She was standing by the door, hands on her hips, an impatient look on her face.
“Uhm, Christina,” he called as the stopped in front of her. “I’m glad I caught up with you.”
She looked up at him, those light blue eyes pinning him with a frosty gaze. “Excuse me?”
“Look, I came here to apologize. For this…morning?” God, he sounded like an idiot. He really should have gotten more details from Matthew.
“What are you talking about? Do I know you?” she asked with a frown. Her accent was posh and elegant, very different from Catherine’s.
Was this chick on something? “Yes, you do.”
“I don’t think so. I’m not from around here. You must have mistaken me for someone else,” she said, then turned away.
“Wait, you don’t know me?” he asked.
She turned her head back at him, her gaze perusing him from head to toe. “I don’t think so.”
Oh no.
Oh hell no.
Jason’s heart began to sped up again. There’s got to be some mistake. “Listen, Christina. I—”
“Please don’t address me in such a familiar tone,” she snapped in a cold voice voice. “I told you, I’m not who you think I am.”
“Christina…Archer?”
Her eyes narrowed to slits. “It’s Stavros,” she corrected. “So, obviously, I’m not who you’re looking for.” She began to walk away from him and headed out the front door.
Mine.
“Shut the fuck up!” he growled at his inner dragon. No, there was some mistake. Christina…whatever her name was, was not his mate. He didn’t want a mate. He didn’t need a mate. His life was perfectly fine the way it was. Drinking and having fun and fucking any woman he wanted. “Shit!” As much as he wanted to run far, far away, he promised Matthew he would keep her away from the hospital.
As he walked out of the hotel lobby, Jason told himself there had to be a reasonable explanation. Christina and Catherine shared DNA. Yeah, that was it. It didn’t mean Christina was his mate. It couldn’t because otherwise, karma was really kicking his ass.
The Blackstone Bad Dragon
Blackstone Mountain Book 2
Coming late January 2017.
Want a reminder this book comes out? !