Read Online Taming the Dragon (Loved by the Dragon, #3) by Vivienne Savage - Free Book Online Page A

ruined the taste. Her appetite suffered during the silent lunch. Eventually she put her leftovers in the small fridge behind the desk and moved back to her easel. Painting, at least, occupied her mind and made the passing hours seem to fly.
    “All done.” Marcy applied a last paint stroke then set her palette aside. It was, without a doubt, the best watercolor she’d ever put to canvas.
    Some rich bitch is going to have this. A small stab of jealousy struck her at the thought. She had depicted the stoic man in natural colors, utilizing a photorealistic style to highlight his strong jaw and handsome features. His Spix added a bold splash of color against the brown skin painted on canvas.
    “You have great talent.” Teo had already pulled on his clothes. “Will it be dry in time for the auction Friday night?”
    “Er...” Fine, he wants to be all professional about this. I can do the same. “Yes, it should be fine once I seal it. It will need a frame though.”
    “Already ordered. Kekoa will deliver it tomorrow.”
    “I prefer to mount and frame my own work.”
    “As you wish. Do what you must and I will compensate you. Now then, I see you made many organizational changes with my accounts. Are my funds secure?”
    His sudden jump from one business matter to another baffled her. He hadn’t touched her once and he barely even looked at her.
    “Not so much. You’re missing large chunks of money, Teo. I’ve flagged over three dozen different transactions where the numbers don’t add up. Each is for a small amount, by your standards anyway — sixty dollars here, a hundred there. They’re interspersed in with hundreds of other transactions between your many charities but the bulk of them are drawn from the main umbrella organization.”
    “Do you know who the thief is?”
    “No names, but I do have account numbers. There are three of them in offshore accounts. I don’t have the needed access for determining who it is, but there’s enough evidence here to report so an investigation can be launched. Kekoa had no record of them. Your friend is very overworked, so please don’t blame him.”
    The quiet dragon regarded her with a tense expression, his jaw clenched. “I do not blame Kekoa.”
    “Good. I’ve seen tricks like this before and heard about others. Whoever hit you has stretched this out over a long time, Teo. I only traced it back about a year, but it may have gone on for even longer...” Her voice trailed as she took in Teo’s features. He looked scary.
    “I should have known better than to trust a mortal with any extension of my horde. This is typical of human monkeys; thieves and liars, taking what is not rightfully theirs!”
    “Excuse me?” Marcy stiffened. “Human monkeys? You’re calling humans monkeys now?”
    “You are right. I’ve paid an unfair insult to monkeys when humans are rarely more than parasites infecting this Earth,” Teo rumbled. His high cheekbones were flushed with color.
    “Right. I think it’s time for me to go. Here, I printed it all out and highlighted the accounts for Kekoa.” She passed over a thick manila folder with a thumb drive taped to the outside. “Everything is also saved on the flash drive there and on a CD I locked away in your drawer. Multiple backup copies never hurt.”
    “I did not include you in my generalization, Marcy. Your kind are not worthy to have you among their number.”
    “Save it. This human monkey has a date at the bar.”
    Marcy claimed her supplies and collapsed her easel without another word to him. Teo stood tall and straight, his face an impassive mask. He gave her no argument. Once she stalked to her suite and jumped into the shower, she scrubbed dried ocean salt and remnants of sand from her skin. She donned the perfect short and flirty dress for a night at the bar.
    Maybe she didn’t have a date, but she’d be damned if she waited around for a spoiled dragon.

Chapter 7
    “H ave you seen Teo around anywhere?”
    Marcy