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When we were both done, I let go of her neck and admired the gorgeous bite mark. There was a connection there that hadn’t been there before. I smiled at Bethany as she stared at me in wonder. “Whoa,” she whispered.

  “I know.” Chuckling, I pressed my forehead to hers. “Now you’re mine. And I’m yours.”

  “We’ll get through it,” she said. “Together.”

  I pulled back and looked at my mate in surprise. “Get through what?” I asked.

  “Your college. In California.” She looked supportive and optimistic, but I felt her sadness through the bond.

  “Oh, Bethany,” I whispered. “I was only going to California because I couldn’t stand to be so near you without having you. I’m staying right here with you and Tiffany. There isn’t any place I’d rather be in the world.”

  She laughed and hugged me close. “But if your dream is to go to law school in California, I’ll support you.”

  “Bethany, I was also admitted to a law school a few towns over. I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying here. I want to marry you. I want to raise Tiffany. I’m here, with you.”

  “You do have to go somewhere,” she said.

  I furrowed my brow and looked at her. “Where?”

  Her eyes twinkled, then she lifted herself off of me and into the passenger seat again. “You’ve got to take me home and do whatever you did when I came again.” She wiggled her eyebrows up and down. “That was amazing.”

  Artemis and I roared with laughter as I tucked myself back in my jeans and turned the car around. “Yes, ma’am.”

  25

  Rico

  “I’m hearing none of this. Find your purpose in Black Claw. Let that branch of our family influence you. You’ve got a long life of leadership ahead of you. You are not coming home until both Maverick and I are convinced you’re ready, and that’s that.” My grandfather slammed the phone down. I pictured him in his study, behind his massive oak desk. He was one of the few people I knew of that still had an old-fashioned landline phone.

  I sighed and looked down at my cell. I was miserable in Black Claw. I wanted to go back home. I had friends in Arizona. Family.

  Sure, being in a small town had its perks. Mainly the women, but hell. I could’ve gotten women in Arizona just as easily, thanks to the Kingston good looks. Women weren’t my focus.

  My Uncle James had gotten me a job at the local auto body shop. I didn’t know how to do much in life, but I could work on motorcycles. It kept me busy and away from trouble, which I seemed to be able to find no matter what was going on. Back in Arizona, it didn’t seem to matter, I’d find a way to get myself into trouble.

  Here, not so much, except I’d been bored out of my freaking mind. My Uncle James and Cousin Maverick were two men I had no desire to cross, so I did exactly as I was told as much as I could.

  The only thing they didn’t seem to mind me doing was going to the local bar for a few beers after work as long as I didn’t drive myself home.

  That was not a problem. With the extra stamina from Valor, my dragon, it was nothing to walk through the woods at the end of the night back to the manor where I stayed with Uncle James and Aunt Carla.

  At least she was awesome. She cooked like a dream and always had a kind word.

  At first, when I came to Black Claw, I’d avoided everyone, but I’d gotten bored enough to start going out again. I hadn’t missed all the looks I’d gotten from the various single women of Black Claw. I could’ve had my pick of the litter, but women were trouble I really didn’t need right then.

  I’d just gotten to the bar and sat down with a couple of guys that worked at the body shop when something strange tugged at my chest. What the hell was it? I looked around, confused by the internal struggle I didn’t understand.

  Valor began to growl.

  Mate.

  Oh, no. Not this Black Claw bullshit. I turned and walked toward the bar, trying to look straight ahead and not around at all. The moment I spotted her, it would’ve all been over. If I laid eyes on her, it would be an enormous problem on top of my other problems. A gigantic female problem I did not need. When I got my beer and got back to the table without seeing her, I decided I wasn’t ready to risk it. Valor was about to go nuts under my skin, and I could only keep my head down in the bar for so long. “Guys, I’m going to head home,” I said with my eyes on the tabletop. “I’ve got a sudden headache.” I slid the beer toward one of the guys who liked the same brand. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  I walked out of the bar with my gaze glued to my feet. I didn’t have any spare time for a mate.

  Maybe another time. Another life.

  Not today.

  Get Ready for Book 6 in the Black Claw Dragons Series, Her Dragon Rebel

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  Her Dragon Rebel

  Get Ready for Book 6 in the Black Claw Dragons Series, Her Dragon Rebel

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  Her Dragon Destiny

  Black Claw Dragons: Book 5

  Roxie Ray

  © 2020

  Disclaimer

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and events are all fictitious for the reader’s pleasure. Any similarities to real people, places, events, living or dead are all coincidental.

  This book contains sexually explicit content that is intended for ADULTS ONLY (+18).