Free Smoke and Fire by Donna Grant Page B

whoever saw the two of you together before you left knew it was something deep between both of you.”
    Ryder held his gaze. “You want to know if I’m in love with her?”
    â€œI know you are.” Con inhaled deeply. “You didna volunteer to go to Glasgow. I sent you there. Had I sent someone else, would you’ve asked to go instead?”
    There was a long pause before Ryder said, “No.”
    â€œWhy? You love her.”
    â€œI feared that I would see her. Then I feared that I might no’. I was terrified I’d find her dead body with Dark all around her.”
    Con studied Ryder as he spoke. He should’ve realized Ryder’s affections were given to someone. Ryder was one of the few Kings who didn’t actively go looking for a woman to warm their beds.
    Ryder talked a big game, but he never carried through with any of the women.
    â€œBut you went, and you saved her,” Con said. “Tell me why you left her.”
    Ryder’s hazel eyes went hard. “No’ for the reasons you think.”
    â€œYou doona know what I’m thinking. I’d rather you just tell me.”
    â€œI left because I’d fallen in love, but as far as I knew, the spell you cast was still in place. I worried what you might do to her.”
    Con was appalled. Did his men think so little of him? “Because you fell in love? I vowed to protect the humans, Ryder. I sent our dragons away for them. Did you really think I’d harm her?”
    â€œI wasna exactly thinking clearly.”
    So he came home. Con inwardly groaned, because that was around the time Cassie arrived, and Con had worked hard to put the spell back in place so Hal wouldn’t love her. No wonder Ryder never said anything.
    â€œKinsey is here now. For good or bad, she’s at Dreagan learning everything MI5 is searching for,” Con said.
    Ryder leaned forward in his chair and clasped his hands together as he rested his forearms on his knees. “I know her, Con.”
    â€œYou knew her. Three years is a long time in a human’s life. Anything could’ve happened.”
    â€œI watched her.”
    Just as Con suspected. “Every moment of every day?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œDid you see who she spent time with?”
    Ryder swallowed. “Sometimes.”
    â€œWhat about the men she dates? She’s a beautiful woman who is smart and gifted in her field. Women like her doona stay single long.”
    Ryder grew very still, his anger obvious. “You know I saw the men she dated.”
    â€œI’d wager no’ all of them. Did you see what she did on the dates?”
    â€œNo,” Ryder stated in a hard voice.
    â€œWhich means you can no’ attest to her character now. You knew her better than anyone at one time, but that doesna translate to the here and now.”
    Ryder blew out a breath and leaned back in the chair. “I could use her help searching for Ulrik and anyone else involved.”
    â€œShe’s that good?”
    â€œAye,” Ryder affirmed.
    Con had been considering this since he’d learned of her arrival. If he separated Ryder and Kinsey, Ryder would get little work done because he’d be checking on Kinsey.
    At least with them together, Ryder would watch over her. Hopefully his emotions wouldn’t get in the way if he discovered her doing something she shouldn’t.
    â€œNothing she brought in has been tampered with,” Ryder said. “It’s all clean.”
    â€œI find it interesting you didna say she was clean.”
    Ryder’s face fell. “I can no’ be sure that she’s no’. She’s no’ even sure if she is. I willna know until I spend more time with her.”
    Con could see this taking a very bad turn. He leaned forward to rest his arms on his desk. “Do you know what you’re agreeing to?”
    â€œI do. I’ll be the one held solely responsible if Kinsey does anything