“At that point, I figured my ass was already toast, so I told the cops the truth.” Cora issued a sarcastic laugh. “Needless to say, the people I’d been ferrying boxes for were none too pleased.”
More tears welled in her eyes. She sniffled loudly. “I went ahead and opened for breakfast the next morning. You know, burritos and pastries and all that. Right before eight, some jerk in a white cargo van drove by and tossed two Molotov cocktails through the front windows. We barely made it out alive. After the police were done questioning me yesterday morning, I grabbed my stuff and I ran.”
“To me,” Stig murmured.
“To you.” Cora dabbed at her face with a napkin. “You were the first person to pop into my head. I knew you’d find a way to help me, but that eight-hour drive here was the longest of my life. ”
Stig reeled with shock at Cora’s revelation of criminal misdeeds. “We’ll have to get you a lawyer.”
She nodded. “A friend of mine is an intern in the public defender’s office. Her boss was able to keep me out of cuffs but he thinks the district attorney will probably hold jail over my head in exchange for testimony.”
Stig cursed softly and wiped a hand down his face. “Why didn’t you come to me before, Cora?” He didn’t even bother to hide the aggravation in his voice. “I would have helped you! I would have given you the money to cover Hector’s debts.”
“There’s no way you have the kind of cash on hand these people wanted, Stig. You were a marine just like Hector. I’m sure your furniture business does well, but there’s no way you’re pulling in those kinds of profits.”
Of course, Stig thought with some sadness. Cora had no idea what kind of wealth he’d amassed over the centuries. To her, he was nothing more than a former marine and woodworker. She had no way of knowing the truth—that he was an immortal dragon. During his lifetime, he’d bought and sold property, invested in new technologies and pharmaceuticals and more. He wasn’t as wealthy as, say, Ignatius or Reynard, but his bank account showed a very healthy balance.
“I would have found a way, Cora.” He should let it go but he couldn’t. He fumed over the situation she’d gotten herself into because she’d been too proud—and silly—to ask for help.
“I know,” she whispered. “I just didn’t want to involve you in something so ugly.”
“I would have gladly mired myself in it. You’re very important to me, Cora.”
Her head snapped up at that revelation. Their gazes locked across the table. Stig couldn’t believe he’d said that aloud, yet he had no urge to take it back. It was the truth, plain and simple. Cora meant a great deal to him.
Other than the handful of marines he still kept in touch with via e-mail or phone, Cora was his last connection to humanity. She was something sweet and sassy and beautiful he wanted to protect. Her genuine love of life kept him tethered to reality. It would be so easy to shut himself away in his isolated fortress and live as many of his Brothers preferred: in solitude. Embracing the loner lifestyle had proven useful over the years. It kept him safe and his life free from complications. It allowed him to keep his mind on his duty and on protecting the dragon community from the Knights who wanted them extinct.
For Stig, it had always been easy to separate himself from the outside world. He liked living alone in the middle of nowhere.
Until Cora.
Sitting here in his kitchen, sharing a home-cooked breakfast, made him painfully aware of all the simple pleasures he’d been missing. There was something alluring about the idea of coming down to a kitchen filled with the smells of breakfast cooked by the woman sharing his life. He hadn’t realized just how lonely his solitary lifestyle was until then.
But those types of ideas were dangerous. Cora wasn’t the girl for him. The rules of the Brotherhood of the Green Hide were painfully clear. Other dragons in the general population might stray across species lines but it wasn’t allowed among the Brothers. The very act that had made the Brotherhood necessary and that had put the Knights of St. George on the hunt for them had been caused by a human woman and a dragon. It simply wasn’t done.
Even if Stig’s blood oath to the Brotherhood hadn’t stood in his way, Cora belonged to another world and deserved things he could never give her. To protect her from the danger that always surrounded him, he should send her away. His dragon was already sniffing around and trespassing into her dreams. It was only going to get worse.
Unfortunately, a very real threat to her existed outside the safety of his home. Until it was sorted out, he had to keep her close.
“You can stay until we sort this out.” Stig rose quickly and cleaned off his plate. “You’ll be safe here.”
Cora stood and caught his hand as he turned to leave. Her touch branded him and sent electric arcs up his arm and across his chest. His breath arrested in his lungs as Cora slid her arms around him and hugged him. Stig didn’t know what to do. His arms dangled uselessly at his sides. Her curvaceous body pressed against him in all the wrong—and right—places. He could so easily cup her cheek and tilt back her head, finally claim that pink pout for his own.
Arms still around his waist, Cora smiled up at him. “Thank you, Stig.”
“Anything for Hector’s sister.” He quickly pecked her forehead and stepped back. “I’ll be in the shop if you need me.”
Lips on fire and pulse sprinting, Stig spun on his heel and left the house. He had to get away from her before he made a colossal mistake.
But he was afraid. She’d sensed that clearly. Of what, she couldn’t say. There was some line he wasn’t prepared to cross. Cora’s mischievous side wondered what it would take to get him to throw caution to the wind and take the leap. She supposed a little aggressiveness on her part might work.
Was that a good strategy? Probably not, she admitted. Stig didn’t seem like the type to be led into anything he didn’t want. He was principled like that. She mentally crossed off any plans to strut naked around the house or display any sort of seductive behavior. The last thing she wanted to do was alienate or annoy him. She needed to stay in Stig’s good graces. He was the only thing between her, the streets, and some very bad men.
Disappointment seemed to be Cora’s default setting as of late.
She cleaned up the kitchen and headed upstairs to change out of her pajamas. A pair of jeans and a simple yellow tank top were the first things she spotted when she opened her suitcase. Once dressed, Cora found her laptop and cell phone and moved downstairs. A comfy brown leather couch in the living room called to her. She nabbed the corner seat, stretched out her legs, and started making phone calls and typing notes.
The detective in charge of her case gave her an update. There were no leads on the arson at the bakery, nor were there likely to be any in the future. None of the witnesses were talking.
“Where are you staying?” he asked.
“I’d rather not say.” Cora didn’t want to risk anyone finding out where she was. The kind of people who would burn down her bakery were the kind of people who probably had someone on the inside. “You can reach me on my cell.”
“Sure.”
The call ended and Cora returned a message from her insurance agent. There was some question as to whether the policy would pay for the total loss since Cora had technically been engaged in illegal activities, albeit under duress. That piece of information left her even angrier at herself. What the hell had she been thinking? Why hadn’t she been braver and told those punks to go to hell? Why hadn’t she been smarter and reported their sorry asses to the police?
But what was done was done and there was no changing it. She’d made her bed. At least she’d be able to start over in a new city. Where or how she’d build her new bakery, she had no idea. She’d find the right place eventually. She had to because the thought of never again waking up early to knead dough or decorate cupcakes or mix up some of her grandmother’s famous pastries was unimaginable. Baking was in her blood.
Her business dealt with, Cora called and texted a few friends to let them know she was okay. She hedged on the location with them as well. She couldn’t be too careful.