such a strong animal, if you will. My son Arden was born a dragon, though his mother was a grizzly, and you inherited her traits. You are my grandson, and that precious child in Gia’s stomach is my great-grandchild.”
Gia’s heart pounded against her ribcage as she jerked her shocked gaze to Creed. Holy fireballs, he was the son of a half-blood dragon, and the grandson of the last immortal dragon.
Gia could see the gooseflesh ripple over Creed’s skin from here. She couldn’t take her eyes from him as he stared at Damon with an unfathomable expression.
Creed scrubbed his hand down his face, then linked his hands behind his head. “Why didn’t you tell me? I thought I had no family left but my mother. Why didn’t you tell me I was your grandson?”
Damon leaned back in his chair and pressed his fingers together, resting them in front of his chin. “Because I was ashamed of what my son had done. I was ashamed because his actions have caused you pain, just as my actions have caused my own children pain. His failure was a reflection of my own failure as a parent.” His lip twitched again. “It seems to be a cycle with the dragon-blooded. You’re different, though. Warmer. Caring. Strong with an apex dominant grizzly inside of you, but with a level head and a big heart that makes you better than my son. Better than me. I wanted you to find your own way before you knew what kind of lineage Arden cursed you with. Would you like to see a picture of your father?”
Creed sank back into his chair and rested his hand on Gia’s round stomach. In her, the baby fluttered. Creed stared at her for a long time, and at last, he turned to Damon and said, “No. My father is nothing to me but a hard lesson. Dragon-blooded or not, it doesn’t matter where I came from.” He looked back at Gia with those lightened silver eyes, now so like his grandfather’s. “All that matters is being enough for Gia and my crew and the life we’re building.”
Chapter Eleven
“Are you angry he didn’t tell you sooner?” Gia asked.
Creed was propped up against the headboard of the hotel bed, hugging a white pillow to his bare chest. He’d been staring at the television without seeing it for a half an hour. She knew because she’d turned it off five minutes ago, and he was still staring.
Creed softened and hunkered down closer to where she lay on her side, watching him and worrying.
“I should be, but I’m not. I think a part of me knew we were related somehow. I just didn’t consciously piece it all together.
Gia shoved a pillow between her knees to relieve her aching hips and slid her hand over his taut belly. “So will our baby be born a dragon shifter?”
“I don’t think so. Too much grizzly blood.”
Gia snuggled against his side and stared at the blank television screen that held Creed’s attention. She realized he was staring at himself. He’d been quiet all day, barely speaking on the car ride with Willa and Matt to the airport or on the plane. He’d touched her constantly, though, as if he needed her affection. Creed had been through so much already, and to find out about his lineage just as he was starting his own family? Gia squeezed her arms around his hips and sighed. She wished she could make things easier for him. He already carried such an enormous burden on his shoulders with the Gray Back Crew. With her barreling back into his life pregnant and with the breadcrumbs Damon had given him today about where he came from, it was perhaps too much at once.
“It seems like a lot to do lunch with my parents tomorrow considering everything that is happening right now,” she murmured, giving him an out.
“Bullshit,” Creed said with the ghost of a grin. “I’ve always wanted to eat a luncheon at a country club right off a golf course.” His accent had gone proper at the end.
She laughed and bit his side gently. “That’s a typical power-play done by Graham and Judy Cromwell, a-k-a the kind and
Gia’s heart pounded against her ribcage as she jerked her shocked gaze to Creed. Holy fireballs, he was the son of a half-blood dragon, and the grandson of the last immortal dragon.
Gia could see the gooseflesh ripple over Creed’s skin from here. She couldn’t take her eyes from him as he stared at Damon with an unfathomable expression.
Creed scrubbed his hand down his face, then linked his hands behind his head. “Why didn’t you tell me? I thought I had no family left but my mother. Why didn’t you tell me I was your grandson?”
Damon leaned back in his chair and pressed his fingers together, resting them in front of his chin. “Because I was ashamed of what my son had done. I was ashamed because his actions have caused you pain, just as my actions have caused my own children pain. His failure was a reflection of my own failure as a parent.” His lip twitched again. “It seems to be a cycle with the dragon-blooded. You’re different, though. Warmer. Caring. Strong with an apex dominant grizzly inside of you, but with a level head and a big heart that makes you better than my son. Better than me. I wanted you to find your own way before you knew what kind of lineage Arden cursed you with. Would you like to see a picture of your father?”
Creed sank back into his chair and rested his hand on Gia’s round stomach. In her, the baby fluttered. Creed stared at her for a long time, and at last, he turned to Damon and said, “No. My father is nothing to me but a hard lesson. Dragon-blooded or not, it doesn’t matter where I came from.” He looked back at Gia with those lightened silver eyes, now so like his grandfather’s. “All that matters is being enough for Gia and my crew and the life we’re building.”
Chapter Eleven
“Are you angry he didn’t tell you sooner?” Gia asked.
Creed was propped up against the headboard of the hotel bed, hugging a white pillow to his bare chest. He’d been staring at the television without seeing it for a half an hour. She knew because she’d turned it off five minutes ago, and he was still staring.
Creed softened and hunkered down closer to where she lay on her side, watching him and worrying.
“I should be, but I’m not. I think a part of me knew we were related somehow. I just didn’t consciously piece it all together.
Gia shoved a pillow between her knees to relieve her aching hips and slid her hand over his taut belly. “So will our baby be born a dragon shifter?”
“I don’t think so. Too much grizzly blood.”
Gia snuggled against his side and stared at the blank television screen that held Creed’s attention. She realized he was staring at himself. He’d been quiet all day, barely speaking on the car ride with Willa and Matt to the airport or on the plane. He’d touched her constantly, though, as if he needed her affection. Creed had been through so much already, and to find out about his lineage just as he was starting his own family? Gia squeezed her arms around his hips and sighed. She wished she could make things easier for him. He already carried such an enormous burden on his shoulders with the Gray Back Crew. With her barreling back into his life pregnant and with the breadcrumbs Damon had given him today about where he came from, it was perhaps too much at once.
“It seems like a lot to do lunch with my parents tomorrow considering everything that is happening right now,” she murmured, giving him an out.
“Bullshit,” Creed said with the ghost of a grin. “I’ve always wanted to eat a luncheon at a country club right off a golf course.” His accent had gone proper at the end.
She laughed and bit his side gently. “That’s a typical power-play done by Graham and Judy Cromwell, a-k-a the kind and
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