Chapter Nine
Birk couldn’t think straight. All he wanted to do was charge out of Lily’s apartment, fly to Glen Meadows, and kill the son of a bitch. “Did Toma tell Dorlack no, or did he claim that Lily would be happy to be one of the man’s slaves in exchange for his two daughters?”
Declan held up his hands. “Take it easy. Nothing is going to happen to Lily.”
A sharp vibration stabbed his chest, followed by a blast of heat. It took him a moment to realize that Lily must be rubbing the ring. He looked down at her hands, and sure enough, she was dragging her thumb across the surface. At least the ring worked.
“Tell me,” Birk demanded.
“Toma told Dorlack that he’d work on delivering Lily.”
“What the fuck does that mean? He’s not a dragon shifter. He can’t possibly think he can get through me to Lily.” When Birk looked over at her, she was looking up at him as if he was her only hope. Birk clasped her hand and brought it to his lips. “Don’t worry, Lily, I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“I have a plan, and it involves Anderson letting Toma go free—for now,” Declan said.
“What are you thinking?” Birk shot back.
“I’m still working on it, but it will entail using every available Guardian. We don’t want Dorlack to become suspicious.”
Lily squeezed his hand. “Who are these Guardians? Kyle mentioned something about them.”
After spending time with her over dinner, and seeing her so relaxed with him, Birk was convinced they would be mates at some point. It was time to tell her. “The Guardians are dragons who have been imbued with certain talents—magic, if you will—passed down for generations. Fate designated the Sinclairs and Caspians as the torchbearers so to speak. Our role is to protect those on Tarradon who need our help.”
“I never would have guessed, but I can see now that it must be true. Since you all have jobs, how do you manage all this protection stuff too?”
He smiled. “We have a good team in place to take over when we have to fight.”
“And my brother? Is he a Guardian now too?”
Birk nodded. “He is an amazing fighter and a real asset to the team. He chose to be with us.”
Lily looked down at her hands for a moment. “What about Nessa, Greer, and Tory? Are they required to do battle?”
He could only hope she was projecting what might be required of her someday. “Not required, but most do. Women and men have their different strengths, but it’s not like the human world where the men are necessarily more powerful.”
“Oh.”
They’d have to talk about this later. Lily didn’t need anything more to stress over.
Declan stood. “I don’t need to tell you to keep an eye on Lily. The rest of us will figure out our next move. Time is ticking.” His cousin stepped over to Lily. “Listen to Birk. He has close to one hundred years of experience.”
She tried to smile, but her lips faltered. “Thank you.”
As soon as Declan left, Lily looked up at him. “Why did that man target me? He doesn’t even know me.”
Birk’s heart broke. Lily was so beautiful and delicate, and yet she couldn’t see it at all. “Take a look in the mirror. Any man would want you, but note, no one but your mate will have you.”
“You are a good man, Birk Caspian.”
His heart swelled at those words. “Even though I’m a dragon shifter?”
Lily glanced to the side. “Yes, even though you are a dragon who can shoot fire. I know now that you would never aim it at me.”
“No, never.” He considered that a huge victory. When Lily yawned, he could see the stress in her face. “If you could bring me a pillow and a blanket, I’ll sack out on the sofa.”
“You can’t sleep in here.”
Damn. Her tone suddenly changed. “Lily, listen, I’m not leaving you alone.”
She held up her hands. “No, I mean the sofa is too small. Sleep in my bed and I’ll sleep out here.”
He smiled at her generous heart. “No can do. If Dorlack sends a few of his goons to snatch you, I need to be the first one they see.”
She sighed. “Do you know if those men are dragons or regular shifters?”
He wasn’t sure if he should tell her, but he believed in honesty. “Many of the men who are involved in human trafficking are dragons. Dorlack may or may not be one, but most of his minions are. When it comes to fighting, dragons can’t be beat.”
Lily looked around. “I need you refreshed in the morning, and I doubt you’ll get any sleep here.” A small smile lifted her lips and she wagged a finger at him. “And no, sharing my double bed won’t be any better.”
Birk wasn’t sure why he cracked up, but the idea of Lily thinking along those lines bolstered his spirits. “You have a better idea?”
“No.”
“How about going to the safe house?” he said.
Her shoulders sagged. “Ugh. While it is beautiful, there’s no natural sunlight.”
“You’d be safe.”
“I’d be a prisoner,” she shot back.
If he were Dorlack, he’d send a ton of men. “Then there is only one solution.”
“What is that?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Stay at my place. I have two bedrooms and excellent security.”
“How long before you find this Dorlack person?” she asked.
“I don’t know, but I imagine if we do nothing, Dorlack will sell Toma’s two daughters.”
“Shit.”
Whoa. That was totally out of character for his sweet princess. However, he liked her backbone. “What will it be? Stay with me, or remain awake all night knowing I’ll be tossing and turning on this way too small sofa?”
Lily chuckled. “You know how to hit low.”
“I do.”
“Fine, we can stay at your place, but come Monday, I’m going into work. You’re welcome to come along, but it will be boring.” She rubbed her ring, but he felt nothing. “I have this, remember?”
“Yes, but even if I shift immediately, it will take me time to reach you, assuming I know where you are.”
Her brows scrunched. “There’s no GPS thingy inside?”
That was a great idea. “No, but maybe I can have my brother fashion something that attaches to the side. I would like to know your precise location.”
“Good.” Lily stood. “I’ll go pack.”
Lily should be afraid—well, okay, she was scared—just not of Birk. It made sense that if she stayed at his place, the men who wanted to abduct her would be harder pressed to find her. With a bit more pep, she packed her bag as quickly as possible. If she needed more clothes, she figured she could return.
With her case in hand, she walked into the living room where Birk was standing by the window looking out. “See anyone?” she asked, working hard to keep her tone light.
“No. I wish I knew what they were planning though.”
Lily wasn’t sure if she wanted to know. “I’m ready.”
“How about we drive to my place in your car so you’ll have it to get to work?”
“That’s great, but what about your car?”
“I won’t need it. If I do, I’ll pick it up.”
“Okay.” Lily stuck her hand in her pocket and extracted the key. Birk slipped it from her fingers. “I’ll drive.”
She was about to say she was perfectly capable, but then she realized he was probably better at doing evasive maneuvers should the need arise. Fingers crossed they weren’t. After leading her to the apartment entrance, Birk motioned she remain behind the door while he checked the area. Surprisingly, his protective nature didn’t bother her this time. It actually helped calm her rather than frustrate her. Knowing this was more than a job to him also helped a lot too.
“We’re good,” he said as he led her to her car, his gaze constantly searching the sky and the surrounding area.
“I should walk around town wearing a halter top to expose my back. Then this acquaintance of Toma wouldn’t want me.”
“Lily.” Birk drew out her name, and she noticed his tone had dropped low. “Don’t say things like that. There are a lot of men who wouldn’t care about your scars. You know I certainly don’t.”
For the first time since her scarring, she had to admit that Birk might be right.
Thankfully, the ride to Birk’s condo was uneventful.
“Does your whole family live in condos?”
He quirked a brow. “No, but I do. Does that bother you?”
“Not at all, but you seem like the type to want your own place—separate from others.”
He chuckled. “You mean, I’m not the social type?”
“No, but…”
He chuckled. “I get it. You’re right. I would like a home away from it all, but I stay here for two reasons. One is that I am close to everything, and secondly, I don’t spend much time here anyway. What about you? You live in an apartment.”
“I’m only renting, because I can’t afford a home.”
“I see.”
He helped her out, and then led her to the elevator to his floor. She wasn’t sure what she expected his place to look like, but the sparsely decorated living room fit him—nothing like Nessa’s that was well lit and decorated with an eye to excellence. Birk’s was minimal at best, looking like an unused bachelor pad.
“I can see by the look on your face that you were expecting something a little more upscale,” he said.
Oh, crap. Lily needed to work harder at controlling her facial expressions. “No. It’s much bigger than my place.”
He smiled. “The extra bedroom helps. Come on. I’ll show you to the guest room.”
For one second, she was tempted to ask to see his room. If he had a large bed, would it be to accommodate his size or did he share it often with women? It was stupid to think about those things now. If she believed Birk, she would be the only woman to ever share his bed again. At the thought, heat raced up her body.
Birk set down her suitcase and faced her. “Are you okay? You look a little flushed.”
“I’m good.” Oh, crap. He could read her mind. Or was it the damn ring? He smiled once more and her insides did a little dance.
“You have your own bathroom so you don’t have to worry about sharing with me. Help yourself to anything in the kitchen, but I have to warn you, there’s not much there.”
“I’ll be fine.”
He set down her case by the door and then Birk clasped his hands behind his back. “I guess if you don’t need me, I’ll let you get settled.”
As exhausted as she was, Lily didn’t want to be alone. “I could use a glass of wine if you have any.”
His brows rose. Birk was probably trying to decide whether he was invited to share a glass with her. “Let me check.”
She wasn’t sure if he expected her to stay in her room or follow him out. Talk about awkward. The cabinets banged, and she thought she heard a curse. A minute later, he returned. “Sorry. I’m fresh out. Tomorrow, we can shop, and we can pick up anything you want. How about a beer?”
She wasn’t much of a beer drinker, but she didn’t want to turn him down. “That’s great. I’m guessing you eat out a lot?”
“Yes, most of the time.”
When he’d been her bodyguard the last time, they’d stayed at the underground mine located on the Sinclair property, and the chefs had prepared their meals.
Lily stepped toward him, and it was as if some force lifted her hand to his chest. “Have I said anything to make you uncomfortable? You seem different around me now,” she said.
Her heart beat harder in her chest as she awaited his answer.
“Yes, I’m different. Now that I’ve told you that you are my mate, it’s all I can think about. Only another shifter can understand what it is like to be around the person Fate has paired him with.” Birk looked away, but she didn’t miss his fingers elongating and turning into talons.
“Birk?”
“Huh?”
She nodded to his hands.
“Oh, shit. Sorry. My dragon is acting up right now. The thought of us sleeping under the same roof—albeit in different rooms—has him a tad over-the-top excited.”
Lily swallowed a smile. “Good to know.”
Nessa had let a few things slip about how much she had wanted to be with Kyle, but it wasn’t a topic Lily was very familiar with. “Is there something I can do? Like stay away from you?”
Birk huffed out a laugh. “Even when you aren’t near me, you’re still on my mind.”
Lily was a bit shocked that he thought about her so much. “I would think that would be downright distracting when you’re trying to do your job. How did all of this happen?”
Birk placed a hand on her head and stroked her hair. To her delight, his gentle touch soothed her, and she had to consciously refrain from moaning. Lily couldn’t remember the last time a man touched her like that.
“All I can say is that the moment I walked into your apartment and saw you injured, lying on the floor, it was as if some invisible force invaded my body. This overwhelming urge to take care of you, wanting to be the only one near you or allowed to touch you, suddenly overtook all of my thoughts.”
That caused more questions to surface. “What if you’d seen me at a restaurant or shopping with friends? Would you have had the same reaction? Or was it my injured state that caused you to feel this way?”
He smiled. “No. Once Fate decides it is time for me to meet my mate, it just happens. It could be at the grocery store or on a blind date.”
That made her feel better. She certainly didn’t want him to think they belonged together because she needed his protection. “Good to know.”
Birk ran his hand over her shoulder and around to her back. “I’ll grab those drinks, and then we can sit in the living room for a bit. And chat.”
Lily wasn’t able to tell whether this would be a serious talk about why he needed to hover over her, or if he just needed to explain a few more things.
Once he retrieved two beers, she followed him to the black leather sofa. He motioned she sit. Birk twisted off the cap and handed her the bottle. She thought it cute that it didn’t occur to him that she might like a glass.
He angled toward her. “What about you?”
“What about me?”
He looked down at his hands for a moment. “Do you feel anything for me?”
Her chest nearly caved. She never thought this gorgeous, strong man would have an ounce of insecurity. “Of course, I do. Since I’m now past my insecurities about your reaction to seeing my back, I’ve been able to acknowledge my feelings. I care about you—a lot.”
He leaned closer, his brows pinched. “Is it because you feel safe with me?”
Lily wasn’t sure how to answer. Did she have the courage to say she’d grown to care for him more than she thought was possible? “I feel safe with you, yes, but it’s more than that.”
When Birk cupped her face, she nearly melted. “Tell me.”
This was so embarrassing. “You’re very attractive.”
His eyes widened slightly. “I’ll take attractive. Anything else?” He let go of her face and held up a hand. “I’m only asking because I don’t want to move too fast.”
“Oh, no,” she said too quickly. “I’ll tell you the moment you do something that makes me uncomfortable.”
Birk smiled and her whole body lit up from the inside. “Then how about if I do this?”
As she was trying to figure out what this was, Birk leaned over, tilted her head back, and kissed her.