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their boss changing into a supposedly mythical creature. “You’re starting to smoke and your scales are showing.”
    Closing his eyes, Drake took several deep breaths in an effort to get his temper under control. Who would take these pictures? Who would know to send them to him? He hadn’t told anyone but Martin of his discovery.
    He couldn’t believe Martin was anyone’s informant. The man was frightened of everything, he was surely afraid of dying at Drake’s hand.
    “I’ll be in my office,” he told Martin as he walked to his door. “I don’t want to be disturbed and get the IP
    address off that email before you delete it.” He needed 53
     
     

     
    solitude to think and he must come up with a reason for April and her sisters to trust him, because it was quite obvious that April, if not all of them, was someone’s target.
    Once he sat at his desk, he took the time to shuffle through all of the photos in the pile. Every one of them was of April or one of her sisters and he could tell they had all been taken without the sisters’ consent because they were all in various states of undress.
    Resting his elbows on his desk, he scrubbed his face with his hands. What next? First his familiar shows him just what a coward he really was. Take the killer toadstool instance for example. What in hell was wrong with the man? He shook his head.
    “Drake.”
    He looked up to see Martin standing in the doorway looking nervous as usual. Sometimes he wondered what the other man would do if he just looked at him and said boo!
    “I thought I told you that I didn’t want to be disturbed.” Drake scowled at the other man. Why was it so damned difficult to find good help these days?
    “I didn’t think you would mind me disturbing you for this.”
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    “Let me pass, you big goon!” The unmistakable sound of April’s voice came through the doorway. His blood warmed and his dragon calmed in the presence of his mate. Nothing could soothe a dragon faster than the voice, scent or presence of the woman bound to them.
    Drake sat up, grabbed the photos and stuffed them into a desk drawer just before she pushed her way past his familiar. He wanted to rip Martin’s heart out for looking at her the way he did. It reminded him that the other man had seen his mate nude. He didn’t like it, but there was nothing he could do about it. Why did that make him feel so helpless?
    Everyone knew the legends of dragons. They counted their treasure the most important thing in their world. It was true. He kept his treasures well hidden. As his mate, April was his newest, most coveted prize and he would guard her jealously.
    He stood when April entered the room. After hundreds of years, old habits did die hard, especially the best ones—like good manners. “To what do I owe this honor…April?” He almost added my mate to the end of that sentence, but decided she wasn’t ready to hear that yet.
    “My sisters and I decided to give you the benefit of 55

     

     
    doubt.” She looked over her shoulder at Martin, then back at him, a question in her gaze.
    “You can speak in front of him.” He waved Martin into the room. “May I introduce you to Martin Baccus?
    Martin, this is April Flowers, the woman I told you about.” He gave the other man a look that clearly stated, say anything about what you know and I will kill you.
    Martin swallowed nervously, smiled and said, “I’m pleased to meet you, Miss Flowers.” He turned back to Drake. “If you don’t mind, sir, I have a ton of work on my desk with more coming in every minute.”
    Drake nodded and waved him away. “We’ll be fine.
    I think, by the look on Miss Flowers’ face, she would like us to be alone anyway.” Martin left quickly, closing the door behind him. Drake knew he couldn’t keep the other man around now that he’d seen April in those photos. As long as the other man remained single, it was only a matter of time before his possessive dragon ripped the