Deryk (Dragon Hearts #2)(38)

She drew in a deep and ragged breath. “There are some things we still need to talk about before—well, before,” she said awkwardly.

His eyes narrowed. “What things?”

“You mentioned someone important in your life, said you would tell me about her another time,” she reminded.

“Him,” he corrected.

“Him?” she repeated uncertainly. Deryk had been alive a long time, so perhaps, sometime in the past, he’d had a male lov—

“Not a him in the way you’re now thinking,” he drawled. “I had another brother.”

She nodded. “You already told me about Rufus and Gideon.”

“Not them.” Deryk shook his head. “I also had a completely human brother.”

“Oh.”

He nodded. “Now will you come inside?”

“Not until you promise not to spank me,” she maintained stubbornly.

Deryk admired his mate’s spirit, and he never wanted to break that, but he also needed Izabella to know that when she put herself in danger, as she had at the Petrovs’ apartment, she endangered them both.

But perhaps spanking her wasn’t the way to do that.

“Very well.” He nodded. “No spanking.”

“Or any other physical chastisement.”

Deryk studied Izabella for several long seconds. Her eyes were feverish again now that they were no longer touching. There was a delicate sheen to her skin, indicating she was feeling overwarm despite the coolness of the late evening air. Her aroused nipples were visibly pressing against her sweater. Her hands clenched and unclenched at her sides.

Izabella was deeply aroused.

Not by the thought of his spanking her, admittedly, but she was certainly physically aroused.

And in need of relief.

His brow cleared. “Okay, no physical punishment.”

She eyed him suspiciously. “You’re being very…obliging, all of a sudden.”

He gave a shrug. “What can I say? I’m a reasonable man.”

“Hah,” she scorned. “You’re as arrogant as Vlad.”

Deryk sobered at the mention of the Russian dragon. “Did you notice his reaction to Tanya Petrov earlier?”

“What sort of reaction?”

“Never mind.” Deryk dismissed, deciding he really didn’t want to have a conversation about the Russian dragon right now. “Can we go inside now? I need to talk to Dylan.”

“And what am I supposed to do while you’re talking to your brother?”

“If Chloe’s about, I’ll introduce the two of you.”

Her gaze sharpened with interest. “You will?”

“Yes. Now let’s go inside.” He grabbed her arm and guided her over to the steps leading down into the castle. “A word of warning, though,” he added with a frown as a thought occurred to him. “Don’t believe everything Chloe has to say about me.”

Izabella eyed him curiously. “Why not?”

“Chloe and I have a love/hate relationship—”

“More like hate/hate,” a red-haired woman drawled as they stepped into the entrance of the castle. “Or mockery/mockery, maybe.”

Deryk closed his eyes briefly before turning to look at Chloe. She was six inches over five feet tall, with long red hair and mischievous blue eyes, and her almost six-month pregnancy was very noticeable on her slender form. “Izabella, this is Chloe, my brother Nathaniel’s mate. Chloe, meet Izabella Mikhailova. My mate,” he added proudly.

Chloe’s eyes widened. “Goddess, you found her.”

“Found who?” Izabella prompted.

“A woman who can put up with him.” Chloe’s grin widened. “I was so sure no woman would ever be able to stand his bloody-minded arrogance. Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” she teased Izabella

Izzi bit her top lip to stop from smiling at Deryk’s obvious irritation. “Not since the moment I met Deryk, no,” she answered truthfully.

Chloe stepped forward and linked her arm through Izzi’s. “Well I, for one, will be very pleased to have another woman living in the castle. Let’s go to the kitchen, and I’ll make some coffee.” She turned to Deryk. “Nathaniel will be back later today, but Dylan is in his laboratory.”

“Will you be okay for a few minutes?” Deryk looked intently at Izzi.

“Fine.” She nodded, liking Chloe already.

“I’ll come and find you once I’ve spoken to Dylan. After which, we’ll be leaving again. And you”—he glared at Chloe—“try not to fill her head with a lot of nonsense about me.”

“I’ll try,” she mocked, waiting until Deryk had strode off toward the back of the castle before speaking again. “Now I want to hear all the details about how the two of you met.”

“All of them?” Izzi repeated doubtfully.

“Every juicy detail,” Chloe confirmed with relish. “And don’t listen to Deryk. We love each other, really. It’s just so easy to tease him and get a reaction.”

The kitchen was warm and cozy after the long flight, the heat provided by a heavy range in one corner of the stone-walled room. Within minutes, Chloe had made them both a fresh pot of coffee and the two women were seated at the kitchen table, talking as if they had known each other for years.