Chapter 29
Erin
The days blurred, one into the next. I kept my hands busy, pouring coffee and wiping counters with mechanical precision.
My mind, however, refused to cooperate, replaying Ashton's departure on an endless loop over the last week.
Guests came and went, their faces a mere blur.
It was like moving through water, every step, every motion felt heavier, saturated with his absence.
I missed Ashton terribly, but I was still unsure what to do.
"Erin," Laurie said through the monotony of my routine. I looked up to find her standing there with two steaming mugs and a concerned frown etching her forehead.
"Sit down with me for a sec, will you?" She gestured to the empty table by the window.
I obliged, sliding into the chair opposite her. The warmth from the mug seeped into my palms but did nothing to thaw the icy knot inside my chest.
"Talk to me," Laurie said, her eyes kind yet probing. "You've been walking around like a ghost since Ashton left. Before you say it's nothing, I've seen enough heartache to recognize it."
I opened my mouth, then closed it again. How could I explain the truth—that the man I loved wasn't entirely human? That he belonged to a world of witches and dragons?
"Unless he cheated on you or hit you... something truly unforgivable, you should find a way to forgive him," Laurie said, softly but rather insistent. "You two are clearly made for each other. Whatever it is, it can't be beyond repair, right?"
I stared at her, the words lodging in my throat.
Forgiveness. The concept seemed foreign, yet achingly familiar.
Ashton hadn't betrayed me. He didn't have a reason to need forgiveness.
He had protected me, even from the truth that now lay between us.
Then he'd told me the truth, and I'd acted badly.
The problem was: Could I accept a pre-destined dragon mate?
"Life's too short for what-ifs. Don't let pride or fear dictate your happiness." She reached over to give my hand a reassuring squeeze.
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. She was right. I really did miss him, so much that I was pretty sure I was in love with him. The realization that I loved Ashton didn't just make me sad—it hollowed me out with longing for what I'd pushed away.
I paced my living room, Laurie's words still echoing in my mind. The truth was, she was right. Ashton had done nothing but protect me, his secrets notwithstanding. He saved me at the cabin—that wasn't a dream or drugs. My heart raced at the memory, not with fear, but with longing.
"Okay," I mumbled to the empty room, "he's never harmed you. He's only ever kept you safe."
My hands trembled slightly as I stopped pacing and sat down on the couch.
Why had I reacted so badly? Ashton's nature, his true self, was just a part of who he was.
Part of the man I had fallen for. Was it really fair to judge him for being something more than human when all he'd shown me was kindness?
"Stupid." I chastised myself. I wanted to accept him, everything about him, but first, I had to find the courage to face him after how I'd left things. Worse, I had to figure out how to apologize, to grovel, if necessary, because I was embarrassed by my ignorance and fear.
How would I grovel? Was there a good way? It felt ridiculous but necessary. Ashton deserved that much—an apology given face to face, with as much sincerity as I could muster. What would I say?
I stood, walked to the mirror hanging by the door. "Okay, Erin," I told my reflection. "You can do this. You have to do this."
With those words, a shaky determination settled.
I stepped outside, the sky dimming as dusk took its hold, colors bleeding out into a deep indigo.
Gravel crunched under my feet, as I headed toward my car to go to Ashton's house to apologize.
I froze when I saw a stranger, leaning casually against my car, his presence an unexpected blot in the fading light.
He was straight out of a gangster film, with slicked-back hair and a suit that screamed expensive and dangerous.
A gold chain glinted at his neck, and he twirled a ring on his finger, catching the last rays of sunlight.
His eyes were hidden behind mirrored sunglasses, even though night was nearly upon us.
"Can I help you?" My voice didn't waver, but my heart thudded against my ribs, a frantic drumbeat. My senses screamed for me to run.
He pushed away from the car, stepping closer, and I instinctively stepped back. "I think so," he said smoothly, almost charming. There was no mistaking the threat underlying his words. "I'm here for you."
Understanding dawned, icy fear spreading through my veins. There was no other reason for him to be here, no other explanation for the danger signals flaring in my mind.
I should've known it wasn't over. I should never have let myself get excited.
"Look, I don't know what you want, but I have nothing to give you.
" I edged sideways, aiming for the open front door of my house, hoping against hope that I could make a dash for it.
"I don't know who you are or why you would be here. I don't know anything, never have."
"Let's not play games." He took another step forward. "You're going to want to come quietly."
My breath caught in my throat as I weighed the odds of racing to the door, but before my muscles could tense for the sprint, he was upon me.
Cold metal kissed my ribs through my t-shirt, and his voice, a low murmur, promised violence without a single shouted threat.
"Don't scream. It won't end well for you. "
Ashton's name clawed up my throat, desperate to break free, but the gun pressed to my side held my words hostage. My mind screamed for my dragon savior, yet not a sound escaped. The mafia man had closed the distance with predatory ease, leaving no room for escape.
"Walk to the car." His command was a velvet threat wrapped in calm, his grip firm on my arm.
As we moved around the inn, each step felt surreal, like a nightmare where the boogeyman had stepped out from under the bed and into reality.
The warm night air turned chilly as fear crawled up my spine.
The sky was a dusky blue, but all the beauty of the evening was lost in the gun's shadow and the man who wielded it.
He opened the passenger door of a sleek, black car I didn't recognize—definitely not the type that blended into small town life.
He'd parked in the guest parking, just out of sight.
I slid into the seat, every sense heightened to the presence of this stranger.
He kept the gun trained on me with his left hand as he maneuvered with his right.
The engine purred to life, and we were moving, the houses blurring past us as we headed toward the city. The silence in the car was thick, punctuated only by the quiet hum of the road beneath us.
"You've been quite elusive," he said after a few miles, breaking the silence with the same eerie calm he'd maintained since appearing next to my car. "I'm impressed. Few can say they've given us the slip for so long."
I swallowed hard, my throat dry. "What do you want from me?"
"Your talents." He cast me a glance that felt like sizing up prey. "You've got potential. Potential I could use."
"Use for what?" I sounded small, even to my own ears, drowned out by the rush of wind and the steady beat of my heart.
"Let's just call it... specialized work. You've shown remarkable skill in staying off the radar. That's a rare quality, one that could be very valuable to the right employer."
His words hung between us, an unspoken offer laced with danger.
In the dim glow of the dashboard lights, I looked at the outline of his profile, a man accustomed to power, to getting what he wanted.
Right now, he wanted me. For what purpose, I couldn't begin to imagine.
How could my being able to find a place to hide in Stock Creek help him?
"Of course." He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, "this kind of opportunity comes with a... personal touch."
I knew what that meant. I'd heard stories, rumors about girls who got caught up in that world and never came out the same. My stomach twisted into knots. "If I refuse?" My voice was steady, but my hands trembled where they lay in my lap.
"Refusal isn't really an option," he said, his tone casual as if discussing the weather. "Not if you value your life."
I stared out the window, watching the highway lights blur into one continuous stream. The choices laid out before me were simple. Surrender my freedom or face death. Neither option seemed bearable.
Suddenly, a massive shadow descended upon the highway. It wasn’t a cloud, but something impossibly vast, casting the asphalt into sudden darkness. The roar that followed wasn’t engine noise, it was a powerful rush of air and ancient fury that vibrated through the car’s frame, rattling my teeth.
My breath hitched. Ashton. Without a second thought, I unclipped my seatbelt and flung open the door, ready to jump as soon as I could.
The car screeched to a halt, tires screaming against the pavement. I stumbled out onto the asphalt, not looking back as I sprinted to the safety of the shoulder. Adrenaline fueled my legs, heart pounding in my ears. I had to get clear, had to give Ashton room.
What came next would be a reckoning, a storm of fire and scale. I pressed myself against the guardrail, waiting for the disorder to unfold.
Ashton reared up, his wings unfolding like the gates of hell itself opening wide.
The air shimmered as if reality bent around him.
His jaws parted and what followed wasn't a sound but an inferno—a torrent of dragon fire that roared from deep within his ancient soul.
It was so hot I had to turn and run up the highway a bit. Holy shit. Talk about hellfire.