The Dragon (G.O.N.Y. - Double Dragon) by Violette Dubrinsky Page B

from her. She wanted him out of her room. She wanted him out of her life, out of her child’s life.
    His hands suddenly caught hers, keeping them against his chest.
    “Get off of me!” Even to her own ears, her voice sounded raw, ragged. He tightened his hold. She shook her head. “You bastard!”
    Jezebel slumped forward, bracing her weight against the hands that rested on his chest. She felt tired, drained, as if there was a boulder on her shoulders and she was unable to get it down.
    Ramsey released her hands, but before she could process it, he pulled her against his body. With her face against his shirt, she could smell the citrusy maleness he exuded, and though she despised herself for it, it soothed her. She closed her eyes, blotted him out, and took the comfort. He could have been a stranger, she told herself. She just needed someone to hold her up right now. When familiar fingers slid into her hair, and began to massage her scalp, she sighed and let him.
    Jezebel didn’t know how long he held her, how long she allowed him to comfort her, but she did remember when it ended. She was fully leaning on him, his fingers stroking her scalp, when his lips pressed to her ear.
    “I’m many things, Jezebel,” he whispered. “But most of all, I’m a man who protects his family.” She’d pulled back to look into his face. What she saw sent a shiver down her spine. With cold eyes and determination etched into every crevice of his face, he continued, “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to keep you and my child safe. Nothing .”
    As she pulled out of his embrace and turned her back to him, Jezebel shook her head. “Get out.”
    She didn’t hear any footsteps, so she glared over her shoulder to find him still there, watching her. As she spun to confront him, he held up a hand.
    “Get dressed, Jezebel.” He looked at the two bags in the middle of the guest bedroom. “The plane leaves at two in the morning. We need to be at the airport by midnight.”
    It was just after seven in the evening. 
    “I don’t even have a passport…”
    “I took care of everything,” he assured.
    He’d turned and was walking to the door when she called after him. He turned to her with a lifted brow. “What about my sister?”
    “It’s best if she stays—”
    Jezebel laughed. Was he insane? “I’m not going anywhere without my sister.”
    His lips tightened but he nodded once. “We’ll leave at eleven.”
    He turned and began heading for the door but she halted him again. “And Brandon and the rest of the team?” She’d been in Ramsey’s apartment for three days, and each day she inquired about the team who’d protected her, particularly Brandon. She wanted to know because she cared and wasn’t sure she’d be able to live with knowing she’d been the reason for their deaths. They were only doing their jobs.
    Ramsey stiffened, and when he turned to face her, his expression was even colder. “He’s in stable condition, like the rest of his team.” Jezebel sighed and closed her eyes. At least there was some good news. She’d have to tell Delilah.
    “Thank you,” she murmured.
    He didn’t reply, and when she opened her eyes, it was just in time to see the door close behind him.

Chapter 6
    “I am my brother’s keeper; I am my sister’s keeper too.”
    ―Anonymous
     
    She’d traded one prison for another.
    As Jezebel descended the large spiral staircase, taking time to place one slipper covered foot before the other and holding on to the polished wood, she couldn’t help the thought. Granted, her new prison was extremely luxurious compared to the last, with thousands upon thousands of square feet for her to traverse, an army of servants, including a cook and maids, a pool, sauna, indoor gym, indoor and outdoor gardens, and so many other amenities she’d forgotten most of them. A prison, no matter how gilded, was still a prison.
    They’d arrived in South Korea three days ago.
    Jezebel had spent most of the