Chapter Three
Aweek later, Max sat inside the tiny cottage near the city of Bath, furiously typing his latest progress report for the DDA, when a familiar voice filled the room. "Hello, Max."
Turning slowly, he did his best to keep a smile from showing on his face. "Lavinia."
He'd been expecting her. Thanks to the years he'd spent working secretly with his brother, Max religiously checked all his equipment for tampering. He knew Lavinia had cloned his phone, but he'd acted as if he were oblivious.
Because he’d wanted her to come to him. If she hadn't by the time the solstice arrived, he would've ditched his phone. However, she was here, and he inwardly grinned. Because now he could keep her out of his way until he found the coordinates he needed.
It was early morning, and she had several layers on, hiding the curves of her body. However, her brown eyes were bright with a mixture of triumph and determination. The combination shot straight to his cock.
His gaze fell to her lips, shiny from some sort of lip gloss, but full and entirely kissable, before meeting her gaze again. If she were ever up for some hate fucking, he'd be there in a heartbeat.
Not wanting his cock to stand to attention and fully salute her, he focused on how this dragonwoman could destroy his lifelong plans. And he refused to allow that to happen.
He could always find a woman to fuck later, after the solstice.
Lavinia finally took one of her hands from behind her back and pointed a tranquilizer gun at him.
Well, damn. He hadn't expected that. "Shoot me, and you'll be sent back to Australia."
She raised her dark brows. "You did the same to me first."
He shrugged, determined to play the bastard. Because if she ever found out he fancied her—against his better judgment—she wouldn't hesitate to use it to her advantage.
It was one of the things he liked about her, the ability to find weaknesses and pounce. According to the research Max had done when he'd first heard he'd have to work with her, Lavinia had often beat her rivals back in Australia to all kinds of sites, or solved riddles and published papers on the subject long before others who'd been ahead of her in terms of information. "Yes, I knocked you out back at the villa site. However, I'm human and you're a dragon-shifter. You're the one who'll be punished."
Anger glinted in her eyes, and his cock stirred again.
Together they'd be on fire in bed; he just knew it.
Stop thinking with your dick, Holbrook. Don't be a fool and let it lead you astray like so many important men in history.
Lavinia didn't lower her tranquilizer gun. "Try getting me arrested. I dare you. The Skyhunter leaders know what happened and will vouch for me. Even if I'm the one ultimately thrown in jail, you broke the contract with the DDA, and your career will be over too."
He casually took a small remote from his pocket and stood. "Well played, Dr. Walker." He took another step, but the dragonwoman never took a step back. "But there's something you're forgetting."
Her brows came together. "What the fuck is that?"
He smiled slowly. "I play dirty and always win."
Max pressed the button, and he knew an ultra-high-pitched sound blared in the room, although human hearing couldn’t detect it. Lavinia screamed, dropped the gun, and clapped her hands over her ears.
She begged him to stop, and for a split second, it didn't sit right with him to see her in pain.
But he quickly pushed aside his reaction. Finding Dragon's Court was at stake, and he wouldn't let weakness or momentary sympathy stand in his way.
Quickly grabbing a pair of special metal handcuffs, he slapped one on Lavinia's wrist, pulled the other down, and clicked the remaining cuff onto it. Only then did he turn off the high-pitched sound. Before she could do more than slump in relief, he grabbed the chain between her cuffs and tugged her down the hallway and into the spare bedroom he'd prepared for exactly this purpose. Still drained from his attack, Lavinia didn't struggle as he hooked the long chain from the floor to the one between her cuffs. After checking it was secure, he walked back to the doorway.
She'd regained enough of her wits to glare at him as she tried to pull the cuffs and chain apart. "What the fuck is this?"
He ignored the slight pang at the sight of her in chains. Instead, one of her chained spread eagle came into his mind, where she begged for his cock.
Needing to focus on the present, Max cleared his throat. "I've told you since the beginning I'll be the one to find Dragon's Court, and this will ensure I do. And don't waste your strength,as those are specially made, and if you try to shift into a dragon, they will break your bones."
The hatred in her eyes burned brighter. "If I don't come back within a day or two, Skyhunter will come looking for me."
He had no idea if she was bluffing or not, but he casually shrugged. "I'll ensure they receive 'word' from you about staying at a dig site. No one will think twice about your absence."