Dragon's Second Chance Romance - Riley Storm Page 0,68

who got kidnapped, right?” she drawled. “I came to rescue you. Why is it that I don’t get to ask you the same?”

“We’re old,” her father said. “We’ve lived. You’re our child. You’ll understand if you decide to have children of your own. It’s different.”

Claire blushed and gave her dad another hug.

They were in the main foyer of her parent’s house. Pietro had brought them there after they left the old broadcasting building ruins. Maybe it was only because of everything that had happened, but Claire had been welcomed back with open arms, her parents smothering her with the love she’d desperately been in need of since Pete had released the tape of her crime to the world.

The only question that remained now was whether or not it was a permanent welcome. Once the adrenaline of everything that had just happened subsided, would they be ready to have their ‘criminal’ daughter around? Claire was dreading that moment because she feared she knew what the answer would be.

“You guys are both okay though? No physical damage that you’re hiding?” she asked. “Now’s the time to go to the hospital if so. I don’t want either of you acting like you’re too tough to go.”

“Says the girl with the black eye,” her father chided.

“Yeah,” she said, touching the puffy, tender skin of her right eye. It was swelling, but not too bad. She’d have a mark for some time, but she didn’t think it would be that bad.

“You all did well,” Pietro rumbled from closer to the door where he stood apart from the group.

The other dragon, the one named Rann, was outside, patrolling. He’d insisted, feeling sheepish for how he’d been so easily surprised and overcome by the vampire.

“But despite that, I must extend my deepest apologies to all three of you. I’m sure Rann would too, if he hasn’t been knocked out again.”

There were chuckles, despite the seriousness of the mood. Everyone knew that it was a close thing, that they had been very lucky to get out of there in one piece.

“This is all my fault,” Pietro said quietly. “It’s because of me that the vampires were even after Claire in the first place. None of you would have been in any danger if it weren’t for me, and I cannot say I’m sorry enough. I will do my best to make it up to each of you, but I’m not sure I ever could.”

There was a long silence, and Claire began to worry that her parents were going to hold a grudge against Pietro too. That they would never be able to look at him the same.

Her father was the first to speak.

“A lot has happened in the past few weeks,” he said. “From us discovering that dragons are real, to the knowledge that there are more than just your kind out there, Pietro. That there are many other types of nonhuman creatures. Most of whom want nothing more than to hurt us, according to what you said on the way here.”

“That is correct,” Pietro said.

“Maybe you led them to Claire,” her father said with a shrug. “Maybe not. I choose, however, to believe that you did not do so in any intentional or negligent way. That’s not the impression I get of you as a person.”

Claire reached out to squeeze her dad’s upper arm. All of it was true, though they hadn’t explained the full story to her parents just yet. But her dad was a smart man and had become a pretty good judge of character over the years as a lawyer.

“What I know you did do, is you came for us. You came to rescue us, and you put your life on the line to do so. Nor, according to Claire here, did you hesitate. Neither did your friend, Bran.”

“Rann,” Pietro corrected quietly, with a smirk. “But I’m glad you figured out Bran-Flakes’ nickname. He really loves it.”

Claire tilted her head. “Ro…” she chided.

Pietro managed to somehow look completely innocent and ignorant. “Yes?”

“My point,” her father said, interrupting the byplay. “Is that despite any mistake, intentional or not, that you may have made, you sought to correct it. You wanted to do the right thing. We’re all thankful and appreciative of that. There is nothing for you to apologize for, Pietro. Nothing at all.”

The big dragon shifter bowed his head low in relief. “Thank you.”

“And you,” her dad said, turning to face Claire, looking his daughter straight in the eyes.

“Yes, Dad?”

“To you, I must say