Rockstar Dragon's Bride Read online

  She didn’t know. She just couldn’t sit there in her fancy cream-colored dress in front of all those people who loved her and wanted the best for her. She couldn’t smile and eat fancy French cuisine while inside she was being shredded.

  She had to go back to Garrett’s penthouse. She’d left her purse, taking only her phone and some cash in a tiny bag. She made her way back up to the top floor. She was already halfway inside before she forgot that she wouldn’t be alone.

  The Texas group was all still there.

  Dammit. She couldn’t slip in and out, not with their extra-special hearing.

  She’d tried to get them to come to the rehearsal dinner, but they’d declined, saying they’d cause too much chaos.

  Now that she’d been around them, she understood what they meant. Currently, one of the younger children, possibly named Shannon, was throwing the couch cushions at an older boy, the one named Declan.

  The other kids were running up and down the hallway. One of them was seated on a skateboard, and the skateboard had a rope tied to the front, which was being pulled by the other older boy, Rowan.

  Their shrieks were deafening.

  “Hi,” Fallon called out. “Did you forget something?” Then she rushed forward. “Honey, are you okay?”

  Lily figured her makeup was smeared across her face by that point. She opened her mouth to speak, but only a hiccuping sob came out. Fallon led her to the den, and she sat down on Garrett’s couch.

  One of the other women gathered the kids up and sent them into the game room, and Fallon disappeared for a second. She came back with Juliana.

  Lily felt marginally better. Juliana had been so kind to her.

  “Can you tell me what happened?”

  “My stepfather is a wolf shifter,” she blurted out. Just saying the words aloud felt absurd. But she kept that to herself. After all, she was surrounded by supernatural creatures here in this penthouse.

  She found herself telling Juliana everything that had just transpired. “So you can see, I had planned for this to be something fun to do with Garrett. But finding out that my ex only wanted me because of who my stepfather is… I’m having trouble with that.” She sniffed. “What if I hadn’t walked in on him? What if I was really marrying him tomorrow?”

  “I’m glad you did find out.”

  “I just don’t understand how he could do that to me.”

  “I think I understand a little bit.” Juliana told her about her family, which was all human. But her parents were a part of the Romanian mafia, and they had arranged a marriage for her to further their own career. She’d run away to escape them, and run right into Quinn.

  “Hearing that makes me really thankful that my stepfather is a good man.” She put her hand on Juliana’s arm. “I’m sorry your father was so crappy.” Juliana’s story was a good kick in the pants for Lily. She realized that her situation could have been far worse. She’d lost her ex, but she still had her parents, and the rest of her family and friends. No one had tried to force her into a dangerous marriage. She needed to get her act together and appreciate what she had.

  “Me too,” Juliana said. “Can I ask where Garrett is?”

  Lily groaned. Speaking of appreciating what she had, she’d done a bad job of appreciating Garrett. “I ran away again. I left him at the rehearsal dinner.” She hid her face. “God, I’m such a shitty person.”

  Juliana rubbed her back. “You aren’t shitty. You’ve been through a lot in just a few days.”

  “I don’t know what to do.”

  “What do you want to do?”

  “I don’t even know.” She bit her lip. “I know that I love Garrett. I’ve been afraid to admit it, but it’s true. We had just started talking about how we wanted to try a real relationship. Then tonight he told me my stepfather was a wolf shifter, and I just fell apart.”

  “The important part in all that is that you love him.”

  “Yeah, but love isn’t going to be enough if I keep running away.”

  “I agree that you need to come up with a new strategy, but it’s understandable.” Juliana pressed her lips together. “Has Garrett told you how he feels?”

  “Not much. He said he wants to date. I don’t think he’s ever dated much. He’s just had a parade of women in and out of his bed.”

  “Does that bother you?”

  “No. Not if he stops when we’re together,” Lily said.

  “I don’t know how much he’s told you, but he won’t cheat. It’s not in the nature of a dragon shifter.”

  It sure was in the nature of a wolf. But she wasn’t going to dwell on her ex, or the past any longer. “He hasn’t told me much.”

  “Well, I’m not a shifter. And I don’t know what’s going through Garrett’s mind. But I will tell you that he seems crazy about you. And if he ends up telling you he loves you, then he’s very committed to you. You won’t be able to find a better partner. He’ll love you with everything he has.”

  That got her crying again, and Juliana just sat with her and handed her tissues. Once she was done crying, Juliana took her into one of the spare rooms and made her take a hot bath. At one point she thought she heard Garrett’s voice, but Juliana just closed the door and locked it.

  She cried a little more in the bathroom. She’d had the perfect guy in Garrett, and she’d walked away from him again because she’d been frustrated and angry with someone else.

  Juliana got her out, and then made her lie down. “I’ll stay with you,” she said. “You’ll feel much better tomorrow.”

  “It was supposed to be my wedding day.”

  “It's not too late for that.”

  “Oh, I think it's definitely too late for that. There’s no way Garrett’s going to marry me, pretend or otherwise, after I walked out on him in front of a room full of people. They probably blame him for something that he didn't even do.”

  “I wouldn’t rule anything out until you’ve talked to Garrett.”

  Lily closed her eyes. What she wouldn’t give to go back in time and redo the evening. She wanted Garrett back. She wanted to have not left him. She wanted the wedding to be real. She only hoped she hadn’t destroyed her chances.

  She drifted off, and in the middle of the night she was woken by several loud voices. She sat up, alarmed until she remembered she was in Garrett’s very secure penthouse. She was also surrounded by several very tough dragon shifters. If her ex was trying to get back at her for dumping him, he would not stand a chance.

  She glanced at her phone. It was 5:30 a.m. Then the door burst open. Framed in the doorway, illuminated by the light from the den, stood Garrett.

  He didn’t hesitate. He walked straight to the edge of the bed. He knelt beside her. “Lily. I love you. I want to be with you. I don’t care about the wedding, or about what we call our relationship. I want a second chance, and I promise I’ll never keep secrets from you again.”

  She couldn’t find the words to speak, but she threw her arms around his neck. “Garrett,” she said. She was drawn to him. and the prospect of moving forward without him had really sucked. “I’m sorry.”

  “Hey,” he said. “It’s fine. Finding out your stepfather is a wolf was a big deal, and so was finding out about your ex. Anyone would have reacted that way.”

  “I don’t care that he’s a wolf. I cared that he targeted me because he wanted to win favor with my stepfather. Or maybe get revenge on him. I’m not even sure which one, and I’ll never know.” She wasn’t going to waste any more time trying to find out. He was in her past. Garrett was her future, if he’d have her back. “But I don’t want to talk about him anymore. I want to talk about us. I am really sorry I walked away again last night.”

  He kissed her forehead. “Thank you, but I’m not upset with you. I’m hoping you’ll still be willing to give me another chance.”

  She was the lucky one, and she intended to make sure he always knew that. But there was another problem. “How can we date while we’re living on opposi
te sides of the country?”

  “I’m not tied to Vegas. I have a few more concerts I’m obligated to perform here, but I can live anywhere.”

  “I don’t want to interfere with your career.”

  Garrett got up and sat on the edge of the bed. He put his arm around her. “Juliana told me she talked to you last night. Did she mention anything about mates?”

  “No.” Lily scooted closer, cuddling into his side, grateful to feel his solid body against hers. “She did tell me that you’d be committed. And that you would never cheat on me.”

  “I wouldn’t. I can promise that.”

  “Is that because you’re a shifter? What about…” She hated to bring up the string of women he’d dated.

  “Are you asking about my dating history?” he asked.

  That was one way to put it. “Yes.”

  “I have dated a lot of women. But I was always honest with them that I wasn’t going to be asking them out. They all were aware of my limits. But you’re different. You are the first woman I’ve ever loved. And I would not cheat on a woman I love.” He turned toward her, pulling her even closer until she was practically in his lap.

  “There’s something else,” he said.

  “What is it?” His tone sounded a little ominous.

  “I just mentioned mates. It’s a part of how we function as dragon shifters. When a shifter meets his or her mate and falls in love, then there’s no other person for them. Ever. Dragons mate for life.”

  “Okay,” she said. Her mind was whirling, but she was still unsure of what he was trying to say.

  “Lily, you are my mate.”

  20

  Garrett

  Garrett watched Lily’s face as the truth settled around her. He’d been desperate to tell her the truth as soon as he got back to the penthouse, but Juliana had asked him to wait. She wanted Lily to be able to get some sleep.

  As soon as he’d heard her stir, he burst into the room. He wasn’t willing to wait any longer or chance anymore misunderstandings between them. He wanted to lay it all out for her and let her know that he loved her, that she was his mate, and that he wanted to marry her, and not in a fake ceremony. He wanted to marry her for real.

  If she agreed, then they had quite a few obstacles. She’d have to deal with marrying a dragon shifter and a guy who was recognized in public wherever he went. His fame was manageable in Vegas, but in other towns it was a distraction. And she’d have to come to terms with being his mate. For him, the commitment was for life.

  He could only hope the same would be true for her.

  “I’m your mate?” she asked.

  “Yes.”

  “How can you be sure?” she asked.

  “There’s no doubt about it for us. It’s an instinct.”

  “So how long have you been feeling this way?”

  Garrett was going to be honest. “As soon as I saw you at your bachelorette party, I knew there was something special about you. Even when I sat down with you at that table, I was pissed at myself. I knew it would never go anywhere, because you were getting married, and I’d never get in the way of someone else’s happiness. But I just had to say hello.”

  “I felt the same way,” she whispered. “I was about to get married, and all I could think about was you.”

  He pulled her closer as his dragon relaxed a little. His dragon had been keyed up all night, clawing at him, wanting to take action.

  “As for the mate part, I knew the truth the first time we made love.” He put his hand on his chest. “I could feel the sensation here. I’d heard other dragons speak about it, but I’d just assumed it wouldn’t happen to me.” He ran his hand over her hair. “But all of that changed when I met you.”

  She laid her head on his shoulder. “You really think we’re mates?”

  “I don’t just think it. I know it. I understand that it’s quick. And that you haven’t known me for long. But I know you’re it for me. For the rest of my life.”

  She wrapped her arms around him and held on. She pressed a kiss to his neck. “I love you too. I don’t know if humans can mate, but I feel the same way about you. I regretted walking out on you as soon as I did it. And I’ll never do it again.”

  He stood up, sweeping her up into his arms. “Humans can mate. You may not feel the same instinct as we do, but Clara and Juliana’s bond with their husbands are just as strong and valid as what they’d have with a shifter female.”

  “And what about your clan? Do they accept humans?”

  “I don’t know. We haven’t had any human pairings in my clan that I know of. But if they don’t, then we’ll deal with it. We already have a clan that we know will accept us. I’m sure they’ll be accepting—Jackson tried to knock some sense into me early on.”

  “He did?”

  He sat her back down on the bed. “Yes. He told me to quit screwing around. He knew that you were my mate, even when I was still trying to deny it.”

  “Wait. Jackson knew? He could tell?”

  “Yep.”

  “Wow.” Lily put her hands on his cheeks. “I’m glad you told me.”

  It was time for him to act. Today was supposed to be their fake wedding day, and if things went his way, it would be their real wedding day. And if she rejected him, then they had a lot of explaining to do to all the guests who were still in Vegas.

  After Lily had stormed off the night before, Garrett had asked the crowd to stay and enjoy their food. He’d explained that she’d gotten some bad news, and to be patient. It hadn’t really been his place, but her stepfather had agreed with him that it was the right thing to do.

  So now Garrett was about to propose. When Juliana told him not to bother Lily, he had not been able to sleep. Kellan and Davi had taken him out on the town, and they’d gone ring shopping. Garrett knew nothing about jewelry or rings. He’d never bought a single gift for a woman before that wasn’t related to him.

  Thank God for Kellan. He knew exactly what to get. He’d chosen a six-prong diamond solitaire. The six prongs made it look like a starburst shape, and it would look perfect on her delicate hand.

  Now he pulled it from his pocket. He got down on one knee.

  Lily’s eyes shimmered, but she didn’t try to stop him, so he took that as a good sign. “Lily, you are my mate, and I love you. I consider it fate that led me to be near you while you were rock climbing, and I’m grateful everyday you wanted to give a reformed playboy like me a chance. Will you marry me today? Not in a fake ceremony, but a real one?”

  Lily leapt up from the bed and flung herself into his arms. He held onto the ring, but stood up, holding her while he spun them in a circle.

  “Yes,” she said. “I’ll marry you!”

  From the living area, a loud cheer erupted with lots of screaming and clapping. Lily looked at him with alarm. “They can hear us?”

  “All the shifters can hear us. And they knew I was doing this. I’m sorry. It’s part of being a dragon, our hearing is really good.”

  “No, it doesn’t bother me. I just didn’t realize.” She smiled at him. “Like I told you earlier, I love my family, but they aren’t very involved in my life. I look forward to having people get in my business every now and then.”

  “Well you’ll definitely get that from the crew waiting in my den. In fact, they’re clamoring to get in here and congratulate us.”

  Just as he finished speaking, the door opened and Juliana stuck her head in. She beamed at both of them. “You guys are going to have to save the smooching for later on. We have a wedding to get ready for!”

  Lily laughed and sniffled at the same time. “Come on. Let’s go get married.”

  For the first time in two weeks, Garrett’s dragon roared with approval. He was finally going to claim his mate and make her his wife.

  21

  Lily

  After Lily stepped into Garrett’s living area, everything was a whirlwind. Each of the Texas shifter clan hugged her, including all the kids. Then Davi and Car
olina kissed her cheeks. Right after that, Jackson arrived, and that set off another round of introductions.

  Garrett had told her earlier how Jackson had felt a little left out of Garrett’s life after he moved to Vegas, so they each made a point to include him. He and Brennan seemed to hit it off especially well, maybe because of their similar professions, with Brennan being a sheriff and Jackson being a firefighter.

  Lily didn’t get to stay for all the chatter, because Clara and Juliana pulled her into the bathroom. In quick order, they made her shower and wash her hair. Then Clara dried her hair and curled it while Juliana applied her makeup. Then they helped her into her wedding gown.

  “Do you think it’s okay that I’m wearing the dress I originally picked out to marry someone else?” she asked.

  “Did your ex pick it out?”

  “No.” She and Carmen had chosen it. After all of this, she was going to owe her best friend a few explanations. She couldn’t tell her the full truth, but she’d need to spend some time with her after the honeymoon, or her friend would think she’d lost her mind with all the erratic choices she’d made lately.

  “Then no,” Clara said. “You picked it out. It’s your dress. And you look like a vision.” She stared at herself in the mirror. It was a ball-gown style, with a fitted waist and a sweetheart neckline.

  Juliana put her hands on Lily’s shoulders. “Garrett is going to go nuts when he sees you. He might just grab you and fly off into the sunset.”

  “That wouldn’t be so bad,” Lily said.

  “Time to go,” Clara said. And then everything was a blur. Once again, Lily found herself in the Waldorf-Astoria, but this time she was going to be creating a happy memory. As she ducked into the room where her bridesmaids were waiting, she hugged each of them, saving Carmen for last.

  “I’m so sorry I’ve been so crazy. I’ll make it up to you soon.”

  Carmen squeezed her back. “I’m just glad you’re happy. We’ll go on a girls trip after the honeymoon,” she called out as the wedding planner came to get the bridesmaids.