Dragon's Secret Bride Read online

He stepped further into the room, his eyes still locked onto Adie.

  "Um, yes," she said.

  "Then you know that the locked rooms are strictly off-limits. What are you doing in here?"

  Adie's mind scrambled for an excuse.

  "Uh, the door...wasn't locked. I just came in here after I finished the bedroom on the other side of the hall. I'm so sorry."

  The man turned his gaze from Adie down to the floor. He shook his head and cursed silently under his breath.

  "Goddamnit, Emil," he said.

  The man turned his eyes toward the papers on the desk.

  "What did you see?"

  "N-nothing," said Adie.

  The man took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a brief moment.

  "Sit down."

  Adie stood in place for a moment, not sure what to do with herself.

  "I said, ‘sit'," said the man, pointing toward the couch against the room's back wall.

  Adie, knowing she didn't have a choice in the matter, hurried over and took a seat. The man then shut the door, Adie's heart skipping a beat as he did. His back to her, the man said nothing, a silence hanging in the air for a long moment.

  "I suppose this is the sort of thing that was bound to happen when we decided to be hands-off with the help."

  "Huh?" asked Adie.

  "What's your name," he said, turning toward Adie and taking a seat in the high-backed chair across from her.

  "Adie," she said. "Adie Raine."

  "And…" he said, sniffing the air. "You're a fox."

  "I…I am," she said.

  Adie understood that this meant if there were any doubts about whether or not the owners of this home were shifters, they were gone now.

  "Well, Miss Adie Raine, you managed to stumble across some information that you weren't meant to see."

  "Those…those names are for the bear gangs who've been in town recently, right?" she asked.

  The man nodded.

  "Indeed, they are."

  "And that means you're the reason why they're here."

  The man nodded.

  "But I'm getting ahead of myself," he said. "My name is Julio Mendoza."

  He placed his hand on his chest in a mildly theatrical manner.

  "And my family is the owner of this humble estate."

  "Don't know if ‘humble' is the word I'd use for it," she said.

  Julio gave a wry smile.

  "Perhaps my family and I did go a little overboard when we decided on square footage, but when you've been living in San Francisco penthouses for the last few decades, space begins to sound very, very nice."

  Adie raised an eyebrow.

  "Why are you just admitting to all of this?" she asked. "You're just admitting that you've brought in an army of biker bears into the city; why not even try to hide it?"

  "Because," he said, "my family has been trying to keep a low profile here in Starwood, staying on the fringes of the town while we get…settled. But now, I believe it's time to start reaching out to the citizens of this fine city. And I think you're a perfect first choice – you're a shifter, you're already familiar with us, and you're part of the community. Why not start with the little people?"

  "I don't understand what you're asking," she said.

  "I'm asking you to come work for me," he said, another smile forming on his lips. "Well, work for me in a capacity that's not as the help."

  Adie crinkled her eyebrows.

  "And do what?"

  "Be my eyes and ears in the city. You see, Miss Raine, big changes are coming to Starwood, whether you want them or not. This humble little town of yours has been a safe haven for shifters looking to live more quiet lives, away from the intrigue and drama of the cities. But the world is changing, and that's not going to last."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Anything other than that, I'm not at liberty to say. That is, unless you agree to work for me."

  Adie considered all of this, how it was all happening so fast.

  "You still haven't told me what kind of work I'd be doing."

  "Well," said Julio. "I don't think I need to tell you that you're a particularly lovely young fox."

  His eyes drifted up Adie's body.

  "And someone like you would be a lovely companion to have for my trips into San Francisco. And when not doing this, you'd be my eyes and ears in Starwood, letting me know how people are reacting to the changes that are going to be taking place in this little town of theirs."

  "You want me to be a spy?"

  "That's one way to look at it," he said. "But here's another: when the clans from San Francisco begin moving in on this city, every single shifter here is going to have to take a side. And many of them are going to be taking sides that they find themselves forced into. I'm giving you the choice that many will never have."

  Adie knew that she'd gotten in far, far over her head. And all it had taken was for Hoxson to have come back into her life.

  "You'll be taken care of – don't you worry," said Julio. "That is, if you decide to work with me."

  "And if I refuse?"

  A small smirk formed on Julio's full lips.

  "Then you'll be making an enemy of the clan who will soon be running this little town. Not a choice you want to make lightly, I'm sure."

  Adie felt a small well of courage form in her.

  "I could just tell someone what you've told me, tell the police, tell the mayor. Anyone!"

  Another smirk.

  "You underestimate us," he said. "You think that the city government weren't the first shifters we paid off when we moved into town? And the police? Take a look at that list you were snooping over if you want to know just who the police of this town are."

  Adie didn't know what else to say. Fear and anxiety swirled in her mind.

  "Think the matter over," said Julio, standing up. "Take one day – exactly one day. If you feel that this is an offer that you'd be interested in, then you know where to find me."

  With that, he rose, walked over to the door, and opened it.

  "Now, take the rest of the day off. And tell no one on staff about our conversation."

  Adie gave a quick nod and rushed out of the room, the events of the last fifteen minutes feeling like a strange dream from which she'd just awoken.

  ***

  "You have to take the job."

  Hoxson's voice was stern as he paced slowly back and forth across his living room.

  Once they'd gotten back to the apartment, Adie told him everything – the information that she'd found, the conversation with Julio, the offer; it flowed out of her as soon as they were alone.

  She hated that Hoxson was the only person she could trust, that he was the only person who seemed to have her best interests in mind. And she didn't even know that for sure.

  "Why, so I can be your insider with these people?"

  Hoxson turned to Adie.

  "That's exactly why," he said.

  "But I can just run away," said Adie. "I can just leave Starwood behind and get out while I can."

  "You could," said Hoxson. "If you just want to run away from everything."

  Adie narrowed her eyes, incredulous that Hoxson was implying that she was some kind of coward.

  "Yeah, running away is your specialty."

  Hoxson ignored the comment.

  "Adie, this is our town. Put aside your feelings about me for one damn second. If what this Mendoza guy said is true, then it means Starwood is about to get pulled into some kind of war between the shifters in San Francisco."

  "But why Starwood?" she asked. "Why do they care about this place? It's nothing compared to San Francisco."

  "That's probably exactly why," said Hoxson, taking a sip of his beer. "I've seen enough of this shit in New York to know how things go between the shifter clans. They're always looking for just how to get an edge on one another, finding what territory they can claim and use to their advantage. If they've got their eyes on a place like Starwood, then the Mendozas
might be planning on using it as some kind of power base, some way to get a hold of more of the territory surrounding San Francisco. It could be just the edge they need."

  "This is bullshit," said Adie. "The whole reason shifters live in a town like this is to get away from that kind of thing."

  "And they care not a damn bit about what anyone wants. They want power, and that's all."

  Adie shook her head, realizing that Hoxson was right, that she'd have to go along with what Julio wanted. At least, for now.

  "This just all seems like so much to take," said Adie. "Like, one minute I'm working as a maid in some rich person's house, and now I'm in the middle of some kind of power struggle between shifter clans that I don't even know."

  Hoxson nodded.

  "And one of them is the clan that hired the Silver Talons. So, I've gotta find some way to get the recon that I'm looking for. But more than that, I'm gonna keep you safe."

  Adie looked up at Hoxson, his expression grave.

  "You'd better," she said.

  In spite of how unsure she was about everything else, Adie felt like the one thing she could count on was Hoxson’s desire to protect her. She couldn't believe how mad she'd been at him about the marriage pact; all of that seemed so remote now.

  "Then let's not waste any more time," said Hoxson.

  CHAPTER 8

  One week later…

  "You ready to do this?" asked Hoxson as he looked over Adie, who was clad in a long, gorgeous gown of dark red that clung to her every curve.

  "As ready as I'm going to be."

  It'd been a week since Adie had agreed to work with Mendoza. He'd been overjoyed when she told him that she was onboard and let her know that, in addition to keeping him abreast of what was going on in Starwood, she would be accompanying him to a gala in San Francisco, where he would be her date for the evening.

  And making matters more complicated, Hoxson had also been invited to that same soiree by his clients. The most elite shifters of San Francisco were going to be there, and Adie had no idea what to expect.

  "Okay," said Hoxson. "I'm taking my bike to the city, and you're riding with the Mendozas. Same plan as before – you're spying for them and you're spying on them."

  "A double-freaking-agent," she said.

  "That's right," he said. "You're going to have to learn the fine art of recon and espionage fast. First rule is be exactly the kind of person that the person you're talking to wants you to be. They want a flirty sex kitten, you be that. They want an intellectually-stimulating conversation partner, you're that. You get the idea."

  As Hoxson spoke, Adie felt her eyes drift over Hoxson. He was dressed in a stylish, sleek tuxedo – an outfit that was about as sharp a contrast to his usual denim-and-t-shirt as it could possibly get. And she couldn't help but notice how goddamn handsome he was; part of her wanted to jump him right then and there, if only to take her mind off the night ahead.

  But she knew she didn't have time for anything fun like that.

  "Okay," she said, sighing. "Time to go."

  Hoxson nodded and closed the distance between the two of them. He took her hands into his and looked deep into her eyes, his blues shimmering with animal passion.

  "I'm going to keep you safe," he said. "Don't think for a moment that you're not my top priority. I swear that I won't let anything happen to you."

  Adie nodded. Though he seemed sincere, she still didn't know just how much she could trust him not to leave again like he'd done before. But she knew that she had no other choice – Hoxson was the only person who was on her side. At least, she hoped.

  After a brief drive to the Mendoza estate, Adie pulled in through the gates of the mansion where a row of luxury cars were parked along the circular driveway in front of the house. A helicopter was parked on a large square of concrete just to the side of the mansion, and the building was lit up with evening lights.

  "There she is," said Julio Mendoza as he stepped out through the large front doors and onto the steps. "Been wondering when my lovely date would show up. Come in; come in."

  Adie moved her hands along the curves of her gown, feeling suddenly very self-conscious. As she stepped up the stairs, arriving at Julio's side, he placed his hand on her hip and led her into the entry hallway. The place struck her as strange right away; she'd never been there at night, and the elegant space struck her as something from another time.

  Julio led her into a small drawing room, where two other well-dressed, good-looking people –a man and a woman- sat in eveningwear, drinks in their hands. The woman was a gorgeous brunette with long, silky hair draped around her dark shoulders, a smoldering, sensual expression on her features. The man was slim, with a strikingly handsome face that seemed almost feminine. His hair was as dark as pitch, and close-cropped. Both had the same chocolate eyes as Julio.

  "I'd like to introduce you to my sister, Lucia, and my brother, Emil."

  The two both regarded Adie with the same skeptical expression.

  "This is the little fox that you've decided to bring into our plan?" asked Lucia as she looked over Adie dismissively.

  "Now, Lucia," said Julio. "What did I tell you about being welcoming?"

  "I choose to take what you said as more of a suggestion," she said.

  "A pleasure to meet you," said Emil as he stepped over to Adie and took her hand and shook it.

  "Nice to meet you both," said Adie.

  She still couldn't shake the fact that she couldn't pick up on what species, exactly, this family was. They had a strange lack of scent to them. They weren't bears, they weren't foxes, and they weren't tigers. They were something else, something that reminded her of…Hoxson.

  "Wait a minute," she said. "Are you all dragons?"

  The three of them shared the same raised-eyebrow look of surprise.

  "Very good," said Julio. "Why yes, we are."

  "See?" asked Emil to Lucia. "She's already proven herself observant."

  This was all very strange to Adie. Typically, dragons never ventured outside of the major cities where they lived. She began to wonder if Hoxson's assessment of what was going on was indeed accurate.

  "Why are you all here?" she asked. "Why are dragons in a place like Starwood?"

  "And now she's already asking questions that she doesn't need to bother her pretty little head about," said Lucia.

  Adie shot a scowl toward Lucia, who met the expression with a pleased little smirk on her ruby-red lips.

  "Enough, ladies," said Julio. "We've a busy night ahead of us, and if you're going to catfight, I suggest you wait until you're at the party where I can put some distance between your little squabbling and myself."

  "So," said Emil. "They're all going to be there?"

  Julio's eyes flashed.

  "They certainly are," he said.

  Adie's ears perked up at this. She opened her mouth to speak, but before a word could come out, Julio began again.

  "Enough of this; let's get to the city – we have an interesting night ahead of us. I can just feel it."

  The group gathered up and was soon in the back of the helicopter and rising up over the estate. Adie watched as the massive house turned into a small, illuminated squire below them. After a few more moments, she could see the crisscrossing orange lights of Starwood off in the distance. She glanced downward at the highway that led toward San Francisco, thinking of just where Hoxson might be down there, and wishing he was at her side rather than this strange family of dragons.

  After a time, the glittering form of San Francisco appeared in the distance, the dark waters of the bay beyond. The helicopter flew over the city and toward one of the taller towers near the edge of the city. Eventually, it descended on a helipad, the vehicle lurching as it landed.

  The Mendozas stepped out first, with Julio extending his hand toward Adie and helping her out onto the helipad. He flashed her a sly-eyed look and a warm smile, and Adie, at that moment, began to get the sense that there was more to Julio's desire to h
ave her on board with this operation than just that she'd make a good employee.

  A suited man stood at the door leading from the roof, opening the door for the group. They soon descended a flight of stairs that led to a pair of tall, black doors. On the other side, Adie could hear chamber music along with the din of many conversations. A doorman gave the group a nod as he recognized the Mendozas. His eyes then locked on Adie.

  "She's with me," said Julio with another one of his charming smiles.

  The doorman nodded slightly and let them in. Pulling open the doors, he revealed an enormous penthouse apartment with ceilings that had to have been two dozen feet high at least, and floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out over the sweep of San Francisco. Dozens upon dozens of well-dressed men and women packed the place, and the scent of many different shifter species wafted into Adie's nose.

  "This is amazing," she said, stepping into the apartment.

  "You like it?" asked Julio. "It's mine."

  Adie's eyes went wide.

  "You own this place and the mansion near Starwood?"

  "Then you must be fucking loaded" almost slipped out of her mouth, but she caught herself just in time. She didn't want to look more impressed than she already had.

  "When you've lived as long as we have," said Julio, "that allows you to accumulate quite a bit of personal capital."

  "I'm getting a drink," said Lucia, flashing a smile at some dashing silver-haired man near the bar. "I'll do my best to not get in the way of the little fox's fawning."

  Julio gave her a dismissive wave as she strolled off.

  "Don't mind her," said Emil. "She's only a bitch like that to women she feels threatened by."

  "Why, little brother," said Julio, "she'd carve your eyes out for making a comment like that."

  "Which is why I did it after she left," he said with a smirk.

  "So, what's the occasion?" asked Adie, looking around.

  Her eyes eagerly scanned the place for any sign of Hoxson, but she couldn't spot him. She was worried for a moment, but then remembered that he was arriving by bike while she'd taken a helicopter. Still, she wished he'd hurry up and get there. Part of her hated how much she wanted to feel safe at his side.

  "The occasion is a yearly gathering of the elite dragon families of the city. There are five of us in total – the Dubois family, the Van Wauters clan, the Rochesters, the Graystones, and us, of course. Between five of us, we run the shifter societies in San Francisco. And once a year, we meet at the home of one of the heads of the families to discuss various boring municipal matters that you needn't trouble your pretty little head with."