I'm The Dragon King's Heir

Chapter Five: Tough Love

    My jaw drops.
"Dragoness of your flight? Have you lost your damn mind?!" I look up at Ryder in disbelief. "Your flight will NEVER allow me to lead with you."
    "They will if they think you're my wife," Ryder insists.
    "Think?" I exclaim. "So you want to lie to your entire dragon flight and fake being married?!"
    Ryder just grins. "Yes."
    With an incredulous look, I throw my hands in the air. "No one will believe we'd marry each other. As of right now, the whole territory thinks I'm a runaway bride."
    "So?" Ryder shrugs. "We'll tell everyone Nestor double-crossed you for power. Which is true."
    "Ryder..." I sigh, running my hands over my face. "This is crazy. You're crazy."
    "I know," Ryder laughs. "Which is why it'll work. It has to. Both of our lives depend on it. All we're doing is extending the truce. You help me find who betrayed me, and I'll make sure you get your dragon flight back from Celeste and Nestor."
    "Won't your dragons turn on you later for lying about being married?" I ask.
    Ryder shakes his head. "They'll understand when I weed out the traitor."
    I take a deep breath, wondering if this plan is just crazy enough to work. Ryder's right. I can't just walk into my dragon flight and take it back. I'll need power and force behind me.
    "Onyx," Ryder says, grabbing my attention, "I would never ask this of you if it wasn't absolutely necessary. I need to know who betrayed me."
    "Fine," I say with a nod. "I'll pretend to be your wife and assume the title of Dragoness while we find the traitor in your flight– as long as you swear you'll help me get control of my flight after."
    "I swear, Onyx," Ryder says firmly. "You have my word. Now," he grins, "just don't fall in love with me."
    "Oh, please," I laugh, "you're the one who keeps proposing to me."
    That earns a chuckle from Ryder. "Fake marriage." He runs a hand behind his neck as he eyes me up and down. "It's too bad we can't say we're mates."
    "Dragon mates don't exist anymore," I say with a shake of my head. "My parents were a strange exception– a human and a dragon. And the only way to prove being mates is the branding that comes to true mates."
    Hesitantly, my eyes drift down to the symbol that has appeared on my forearm, but I push that thought away.
    "I know," Ryder says. "So we'll need to do much better than we did with the hunters to convince my flight we're in love." He reaches out to take my hand, but I pull it back. "This is what I mean. You can't flinch every time I touch you."
    "I don't flinch when you touch me," I scoff.
    In just a few seconds, Ryder backs me up against a tree, pressing his body against mine. His intoxicating scent envelopes me, and I instinctively lean closer.
    "When we get to my castle someone will always be watching, even when you think they're not," Ryder says, his hand trailing the side of my face. "You need to act like my wife at all times. That means welcoming my kisses and kissing me back."
    "I understand, Ryder," I say, rolling my eyes. "I'm fine playing the part."
    Then he leans in and kisses my neck, sending shivers down my whole body. Heat floods through me, equal parts irritation and excitement.
    "We need to do more than play the part, Onyx," Ryder says, his voice low. "My flight knows me. They'll know if it's not real."
    "Fine," I sigh. With a grin, I put my arms around Ryder's neck and press my lips to his. He immediately responds, plunging his tongue inside my welcoming mouth, tasting all I have to offer. I quickly end the kiss, but I stay pressed up against him. Ryder presses his lips to my jaw with a low growl.
    "At least we have chemistry," he says. "That's something that can't be faked."
    "Of course it can," I say with a laugh.
    Ryder's hands move up and down my body and my lungs tighten beneath his dark gaze. "Are you saying you don't want me, Onyx?" He hooks his fingers under my thighs and lifts me to straddle his hips, pressing me harder against the tree. I gasp and throw my arms around his neck, pulling him even closer. With a small whimper, I lift myself higher onto his hard body, grinding my hips against his.
    "Oh," Ryder says with a grin, "you definitely want me. If we're going to fake being married, we may as well get as much pleasure out of this as we can."
    I suck in a breath, torn between my logical brain and the need pulsing between my legs. His lips find mine and I can't help but moan.
    I don't know what this feeling is, but I need more.
    Ryder's lips hungrily explore mine, and I gasp when one of his hands grasps my breast.
    "You've got great tits, Onyx," Ryder says teasingly and I roll my eyes. After a few more passionate kisses, Ryder pulls back. "From now on, we'll need to act like we're completely in love– even when we're alone."
    Before I can think better of it, I nod. "I'm all in, Ryder. So this better work."
   
    We walk through the forest in the direction of Ryder's territory, and that's when I realize I don't know much about Ryder's dragon flight– only what I've studied for war.
    Like he had the same thought, Ryder looks down at me. "So who were the two humans you knew?"
    "Theo and Lillian," I say with a smile. "My mother's best friends. She and Lillian were friends for years before she was taken, and Theo was actually one of Celeste's slaves. They helped my parents create our flight and are the only humans that our flight has accepted as our own."
    Ryder nods, but says nothing more.
"What about your mother?" I ask. "Do you think she made it back to your castle?"
    "I hope so," Ryder sighs beside me. "I'm sure my brother's already sent out search parties for us."
    "Are you close with her?" I ask. "Your mother?"
    "Not particularly," Ryder shrugs. "We get along, but we're both busy with our own things. My biggest issue is dealing with our dragon elders. They make up a council that is supposed to 'advise' the flight's dragon lord, whoever that may be."
    "But do you have the final say in all decisions?" I ask curiously.
    "Yes," he nods. "However, the council has recently tried to take more power."
    "Do you think someone on the council had a hand in your kidnapping?"
    Ryder's hand tightens on mine as tension pulses through him. "As of right now, everyone but you and my mother is a suspect."
    "Even your brother?" I ask.
    "I trust him with my life," Ryder says slowly, "but he's next in line as dragon lord if I die, so he has the most to gain. It would be ignorant if I didn't consider him a suspect." His voice takes a hard edge, and I can tell I've struck a nerve.
    "I'm glad mine isn't the only fucked up family," I say lightly. "My stepmother slept with my fiance and killed my father while you're wondering if you can trust your brother."
    Ryder's lips quirk as his body eases out some of the tension. "Being a dragon leader is a dangerous position."
    I grin up at him. "But we're both too stubborn to give that position up."
    Ryder looks down at me with a smirk. "Is that your way of trying to make me feel better?"
    "You look upset," I shrug. "I wasn't sure how to comfort you."
    Ryder chuckles. "I don't need comfort. But it's nice to see you taking your role as my wife seriously."
    I look up, shooting Ryder a look. "Can't drop your guard for even a minute, can you?"
    "My guard is dropped," he insists. "I'm trusting my enemy over my own flight." With that he takes my hand and leads me deeper into the forest. He's walking slower than normal, and I can't help but wonder if something is wrong.
    "Ryder," I say slowly, "why the sudden change? You were practically racing to get home."
    His eyes are cold, but I see a hint of vulnerability to them.
    "What is it?" I ask again. "Seriously, you can tell me."
    Ryder stops in his tracks and looks at me with a sigh. "I need you to promise you won't take any unnecessary risks."
    "This whole thing is an unnecessary risk," I laugh.
    "I know," Ryder says, his voice firm, "which is why I need you to combat your stubborn, headstrong nature. I will give you orders and you need to follow them."
    I shift on my feet and cross my arms. "Give me some credit, Ryder. I can take orders when I need to."
    Ryder's large body moves closer; raw power emanating from him. "It's more than taking orders, Onyx. You need to want to serve me."
    I step closer to him, placing my hands against his chest and meeting his gaze. "Oh, Ryder," I say with a grin, "I live to serve you. Just tell me what you want and you shall have it."
    Ryder rolls his eyes, but a smirk tugs at his lips. "That's a good start. Keep working and soon it'll be believable." He takes a step back and turns to continue on, but I grab his shirt and bring him down to me. I kiss him hard, forcing him to stop in his tracks. Temporarily stunned, it takes a moment before Ryder kisses me back. As soon as his arms encircle my waist and I feel him give into me, I pull back. "How was that for believable?" But before I can answer, I take Ryder's hand and continue walking. He eyes me, but says nothing.