Smoke and Fire Read Free Page B

now.”
    â€œYou’re no’ going anywhere,” Ryder stated.
    Kinsey cut him a look and snorted. “Good luck trying to keep me. My company knows I’m here.”
    She walked to the door and tried to open it, but the knob wouldn’t budge. No matter how hard she turned, pushed, and pulled, the door wasn’t moving.
    Breathing hard, she whirled around to the men. “You can’t hold me here.”
    â€œYour company sent you,” Dmitri said. “They obviously want you here.”
    â€œThat’s insane,” she argued.
    Ryder lifted a blond brow. “Is it?”
    Kinsey dropped her purse and bag and put her hands to her head. “Stop.”
    â€œThat willna change the facts.”
    â€œI can’t hear this. I can’t see any more or learn any more,” she said, closing her eyes. As if that would stop all of it.
    â€œI never harmed you.” Ryder’s voice was a whisper, said in her ear.
    Her eyes snapped open. How had he moved so quickly without her hearing him? Kinsey dropped her hands to her sides and shook her head.
    Having him so close was a reminder of how she used to feel safe and loved with him. That was before she saw the real him. “Tell me this isn’t really happening. Tell me it’s all fake.”
    â€œIt’s real,” Ryder said. He lifted his hand to touch her cheek, but stopped at the last moment. “This is my life, Kinsey. This is where I live and work. These people are my family.”
    â€œDragons?” she whispered.
    â€œDragons.”
    Kinsey didn’t know what to say. She’d seen Ryder, the real Ryder. A massive, flying, fire-breathing monster that dove from the sky with scales the color of smoke, and blending in with the night.
    â€œYou were never supposed to know that was me,” he said. “Then I saw one of the Dark go after you. I couldna attack him without hurting you unless I was in this form.”
    She wanted to touch him. There had always been something about being in his arms that made her feel as if she could tackle anything and the world wouldn’t dare get in her way.
    â€œHow long have you been a … dragon?” she asked.
    His eyes looked away for a second. “The exact time doesna matter. Just know it’s been for a verra long time.”
    â€œHow long?” she pressed. There had been something in his words, something that told her he hadn’t told her everything.
    Ryder studied her for a long time. Then he said, “Millions of years.”
    Kinsey gave a dry laugh. “Nice one. The truth, please.”
    â€œThat is the truth,” Dmitri said with his back still to them.
    She looked from Ryder to Dmitri and then back to Ryder. “Millions?”
    â€œWe can no’ die.”
    â€œImmortal?” she whispered in awe.
    â€œAye.”
    Kinsey put her hand to her throat as it all came into focus. “You were never going to tell me about who and what you are, were you?”
    Ryder gave a single shake of his head.
    She wanted to cry. All the old feelings welled up just like when he’d left her. “I thought we had something special. I thought you were The One. I saw my life with you by my side. You let me think that. You let me fall in love with you.”
    â€œKinsey,” he began.
    â€œThen you left. You left me standing on the sidewalk, waiting for you to show for our lunch date.” She sniffed back her tears, anger beginning to bubble. “You canceled your mobile and your e-mail account. You made sure I couldn’t get in touch with you in any way. I thought I did something to push you away.”
    Ryder grasped her arms. “Never,” he said adamantly.
    She shoved him away with all her might. He couldn’t touch her, because when he did, she forgot all the bad and focused on how he’d once made her feel. “Now I know it wasn’t me. It was you. Is this what your kind does? They get involved