Read Matching Dragons Chinese Zodiac Romance Series Book 6 for Free Online Page A

overcome her in Lok’s embrace?
    It was as if something deep inside her had taken the driver’s seat, and didn’t even invite Kadence along for the ride. His words jabbed at her mind. Like this. Lok must have recognized whatever had happened to her. He’d been chained to her the whole day, so he knew she hadn’t been drunk.
    Not from alcohol. The buzz singing through her veins hadn’t abated yet. When it did, would she crash, hung over from one taste of Lok’s lips?
    A cry yelped from the direction of the armchair. Lok twitched, his arm flinging to brace against an unseen attack.
    He’s dreaming.
    He grunted, almost whimpering.
    A nightmare, then.
    Kadence bit her lip, but Lok twisted again, his breathing strained, so she slid off the bed and padded to his side. “Hey, it’s okay.”
    He didn’t respond, not even as she grasped his arm and rubbed her hand up and down his smooth skin. The pull of his dream was deep. Bolder, she gave his cheek a light slap. He grunted but didn’t open his eyes.
    A moan echoed in his chest, and his shoulders shook. Almost as if he was…weeping?
    Oh. This wasn’t a dream. Or a nightmare. Lok was reliving some tragic episode from his past. From the agony etched into his drawn brows and grimacing mouth, it had to be horrible.
    “You’re safe now. It’s okay.” Before she reasoned against it, Kadence climbed onto his lap and rested her head against his chest. She snared his hand and squeezed it between hers, hoping some of her reassurance reached him in this dream-state.
    Mel had nightmares too, and the only thing that ever soothed them was Kadence climbing into bed with her.
    After their mom had remarried and had other kids with her new husband, the two girls had become something of an afterthought for their mother. Kadence hadn’t missed the look of relief on their mom’s face when the girls had moved out on their own. Far away too, from Canada to Thailand.
    It wasn’t an intentional kind of dismissal, but ever since their dad had died from stomach cancer when Kadence was seven, her mom had never looked at her or her sister the same. As though her two daughters were too painful a reminder of her loss.
    Their dad had left them with quite the inheritance, so Kadence had set Mel up in private care in their home in Bangkok. Since they hadn’t spoken to their mom in years, Kadence hadn’t bothered to inform her of Mel’s illness. Besides, Kadence was going to save her sister.
    Lok groaned, jerking to the side.
    “Hey there, it’s okay. You’re okay. I’m here,” Kadence murmured in soft, soothing tones, stroking her fingertips along his arm. A few beads of sweat condensed on his forehead and his breath puffed out in shaking tremors.
    Poor guy. Whatever he’d experienced, it must have been terrible, for him to suffer like this.
    Still, she was kind of glad to witness his streak of humanity, even though she’d begun to doubt Lok was entirely human. That cocky grin was, for once, missing from his features. A vulnerability she was certain he wouldn’t reveal when awake.
    Don’t do it. Don’t fall for him, Kadence.
    Her good sense kicked in. This was not the time to be swooning over sexy, tortured men.
    Maybe, once she retrieved the cure for Mel, she might decide to keep her promise and return to the League. With Lok as her partner.
    She rested her cheek against his chest, his breaths evening out.
    Yeah, she might like that.

Lok sniffed. A sugary, blossom-like fragrance teased his nostrils and a light weight draped across his lap and chest. A blanket?
    He peeled one eye open. Nope. A woman. Kadence. When—and why—had she snuck onto his lap?
    Her slumbering breaths played in a lulling rhythm, her cheek resting against his chest. He wanted to stroke aside the hair falling across her face, but a pressure weighted his hand.
    Hers.
    Her slender fingers entwined with his. He frowned at the sight. Had he ever held the hand of a human woman? Likely not, yet Kadence’s warm hand