Read Online Dragon's Pride: BBW Paranormal Dragon Romance by Ruby Glass - Free Book Online

couldn’t.”
     
    “Oh, honey, I’m sorry.”
     
    I didn’t know which part felt better: hearing her call me “honey” or feeling her softness suddenly wrapped around me. Apparently my mother’s coldness made me deserving of a hug.
     
    I had to put a stop to this, or Kale was going to make me tell her more than I wanted to. Reluctantly, I dragged myself out of the bed. “I’m sure you have things to do,” I said.
     
    “Are you kicking me out? You have to do your mysterious research?”
     
    “Yes,” I said simply.
     
    “And when are you going to tell me what that’s all about?”
     
    I tried to hide my wince as I pulled clothes on. Kale deserved to know. But how could I even start to explain? “Eventually,” I told her. “Everything in due time.”
     
    She didn’t look too happy as she climbed out of bed and threw on her own clothes. “I guess we shouldn’t have sex again until ‘due time,’ then. Too bad I just gave you my virginity out of ‘due time.’”
     
    “Kale, don’t be like that.”
     
    She shook her head, her lips a hard line. “I don’t think I’m being anything. I give you everything, and you won’t even meet me halfway. Why all the secrets? What are you hiding?”
     
    “I answered your questions!” I said, pausing with my jeans unzipped.
     
    “You think I can’t tell how much you’re still keeping from me? You’ve never once given me a straight answer. You practically talk in riddles!” She stopped and glared at me. “The more I think about it, maybe you should find yourself a new trainer.”
     
    I caught her as she stormed towards the door. “Kale, stop. Kale. Honey. Vegetable girl.”
     
    Sighing, she turned to look at me. From the expression on her face, I estimated I had about a minute to convince her I wasn’t a jerk before she left for good.
     
    “I haven’t told you the truth because you wouldn’t believe me. Okay? I can’t tell you my secrets because you’d think I was crazy. That’s all it is.”
     
    One eyebrow rose higher than I thought possible. “So you’re delusional. That makes things a lot better.”
     
    “I’m not. I’m just saying… if and when I ever tell you… you’re going to have a hard time wrapping your head around it.”
     
    “Why’s that?” she hissed. “I’m too stupid?”
     
    “You’re too human!”
     
    Kale gaped at me silently. I had let too much out. I shouldn’t have said so much, so fast. I was going to have to tell her the truth, and then she was going to run out of my house forever. I’d be lucky if she didn’t call the cops. They’d have to be warned there was a crazy person on the loose.
     
    “So what does that make you?” she asked. I could tell she was trying to sound as confident as always, but her voice was unsteady. “Some kind of… vampire?”
     
    “No,” I said, lowering my eyes. “I’m a dragon shifter.”
     
    I don’t know what kind of response I expected. The laugh that bubbled out of Kale a moment later wasn’t it. She laughed and laughed, holding her sides until tears streamed down her cheeks. “A fucking dragon shifter?”
     
    The only other human I’d told was my ex, and I told her by demonstration. I had her over to my parents’ mansion on my last night there. There wasn’t much room for amusement when she was faced with a live, fire-breathing, jeweled-back dragon.
     
    I’d never thought she would mind. True love conquers all – that was what I’d always been told. I’d waited until the last possible moment. With my parents disowning me for being with a human, I’d taken comfort in knowing I’d be with the woman I loved. But my ex just screamed and ran. She couldn’t get away from me fast enough.
     
    “Couldn’t you come up with something better than that?” Kale wheezed. “I mean, a dragon shifter?”
     
    I said nothing, just standing there until she realized I wasn’t laughing.
     
    “Okay, you’re serious,” she said, calming herself.