Dragon's Second Chance Romance - Riley Storm Page 0,22

sadly.

Pietro could see the hurt on Lilly’s face, but he didn’t have time for that right now. Claire was in more trouble than just with the law. If he didn’t get her to safety soon, she would be vulnerable to the Hunters. The police station would be no obstacle to them.

“I have to go,” he said. “Once this is settled and Claire is safe, then you two can hash it out. You’re friends. You’ll get over it.”

Lilly shrugged. “Probably. I just can’t believe she didn’t trust me.”

“Embarrassment and regret are powerful silencers,” Pietro muttered, looking away. “I need to go.”

“Where are you going?” Lilly asked. “She’s in a jail cell.”

“To get her out. She’s in danger there. I need to keep her safe.”

Lilly brought a hand to her mouth, but not before Pietro saw the blossoming of a smile there. “Thank you, by the way,” she said quietly.

“For what?”

“Looking after my friend. Protecting her.”

Pietro nodded, shoving all that to the side as he headed for the door, his mind focused on Claire.

“Let’s just hope I’m not too late,” he growled.

There was a crowd blocking his path to the exit as he emerged from the office, but one look at the look on his face and they parted like water as the hulking dragon headed for the door, his eyes fixed on something none of them but him could see.

I’m coming, Claire. I’m coming.

Chapter Thirteen

Claire

The cold metal of the ‘bed’ was slowly seeping into her bones as she lay on her back staring at the ceiling, counting the tiles for the eightieth time.

“One-hundred-forty-three. One-hundred-forty-four…forty-five. Forty-six.”

She sighed. The number wasn’t going to change. But then again, what else did she have to do? This was Five Peaks. It wasn’t as if the jail at the Sheriff’s Department was full or anything. She was its only occupant at the moment.

Is this what my life has come to? she asked herself, feeling like an abject failure.

Growing up, everything had been given to her. All the tools necessary to succeed. Her father was a lawyer practicing in Five Peaks and Kennewick Falls. He made good money. She never lacked in a home life. Her mother was attentive, caring, and practiced orthopedic medicine, altering her routine to work around her daughter.

Life had been good growing up for Claire. She’d been one of the lucky few to grow up without wants, and she was well aware of it.

So, why the hell was I always going after the assholes like Pete? I should have known it would end up in this sort of situation. Shouldn’t I?

Her thoughts wandered down that path of their own accord, but she didn’t stop them. The time she was going to spend in jail certainly wouldn’t be short. Perhaps some good old-fashioned self-improvement would help her emerge with a better perspective on the world and also an answer to the question.

It probably had something to do with her upbringing. For so long, Claire had striven to be perfect. First had come the perfect little daughter, joining dance to become a ballerina. After that, it had been school, where she’d always gotten excellent grades, sat in the front of class, done everything that was expected of her. She’d not once broken the rules.

Until boys.

Even that had started off ‘perfect’. She’d found herself a nice computer nerd, someone she got along well with and who had similar interests. It was supposed to be perfect. They should have been an excellent match.

Claire had been bored out of her mind within a couple of months. From there, it had been a slow descent down the ‘quality’ list of men, she realized now, desperately searching for something.

A spark. Not of chemistry, but of something else. Excitement, she thought, sitting up on the slab of metal that called itself a bed.

All I wanted was a little excitement in my life, is that it? A thrill?

She just as quickly laid back down to stare at the ceiling and start counting tiles again.

“Couldn’t handle the stress of being perfect, so you had to go the complete opposite direction, is that it?” she muttered to herself, angry that she’d had to go so far as committing a felony to come to the conclusion that she was being stupid.

Absolutely done with that now. No more of that type.

There wasn’t going to be anymore of any type for a while though.

“Wonder what will be left in a decade,” she said ruefully.

Although Claire wasn’t looking forward to her jail term, one thing she was happy