Bride Of The Dragon Read Online Free

Sunrise Citrine, was believed to be his target.
    Emerson managed to get off with a mere breaking and entering charge, because he had an excellent lawyer, and he’d never actually been arrested before. That arrest had been an anomaly for the Kingsley family; unusually sloppy for them.
    The Kingsleys were widely known as dragon scoundrels, although they also owned a world-renowned jewelry store to make it seem as if they’d gone legit. True, they travelled around the world making completely legal, aboveboard purchases of various gemstones these days, but the rumors dogged them – famous gems had a habit of disappearing when the Kingsleys were in town.
    “Mother, Father, this is Kelly Donovan, the woman I’m going to marry. She’s that delightful insurance investigator I told you about, the one who’s after the Dragonsblood Ruby. She sneaked in and substituted herself for Pandora. Kelly, this is Tabitha and Emerson.”
    She braced herself as his mother drew her breath in sharply. She waited for the insults, and maybe some threats.
    His mother waved at a group of servants, who hurried over to her. “Pull down that banner at once!” she bellowed. “He’s not marrying Pandora! Let the celebration begin!”
    The crowd cheered as Kelly stared at them in astonishment. Had his parents missed the part where he’d said that she was trying to arrest him?
    “I told you it would all work out in the end, dear,” Emerson said, with an affection stroke of his wife’s arm.
    “Yes, you did. You’re always right.”
    Tabitha stood on her tiptoes and kissed Emerson on the cheek. Then she suddenly threw her arms around Kelly and crushed her in an enormous hug. She smelled of sweet rose petals and just the faintest whiff of sulfur.
    Then she released Kelly and stood back, looking her up and down with approval and nodding to her husband.
    “Welcome to the family,” Emerson said cheerfully. “Don’t worry, you’ll get used to us. In time.”
    “Oh, thank heavens,” Tabitha said to Gabriel. “What a relief! I’ve barely slept for weeks. I was planning on wearing mourning attire to your wedding, you know. Now I can wear my new Givenchy. Or perhaps the Pierre Cardin.”
    Gabriel gave Kelly a devilish smile. “Pandora was not very popular.”
    Kelly looked at Tabitha in a desperate appeal for common sense. “Are you saying you want your son to marry someone who is actively trying to throw his scaly tail in prison?”
    “Oh, dear, we all know what a trial Gabriel can be.” His mother rolled her eyes at Gabriel. “I’m sure you’ll come to love him as much as we all do, and then the urge to throw him behind bars or off a cliff will lessen.”
    “She actually has thrown me off a cliff, back when I was a child,” Gabriel confided to Kelly. “Something about me setting the cook’s hair on fire, as I recall.”
    “Oh, don’t be dramatic about it,” his mother snorted. “I waited until I was sure that you could fly.” She paused. “ Pretty sure.” Then she hurried over to the banner as the servants struggled to pull it down. She tipped her head back and let out a mighty stream of fire that burned the banner to ashes.
    Kelly stood there with her mouth opening and shutting like a fish flopping on a boat deck.
    Then she realized that the two women from earlier – the women who’d rushed her over to the stage – were now up here, circulating among the crowd. Had Gabriel known she was in town? Had he orchestrated this whole thing somehow? She would put nothing past him.
    “Can I get you a drink?” asked Gabriel, who seemed to be enjoying this far too much. He went to put his arm around Kelly’s shoulders, but she stepped away.
    “Yes, please .” Kelly looked around at the crowd, who were starting to stream towards her. “Make it a double,” she added. “Whatever it is, make it a double.”

Chapter Four
     
    He led her over to a bar, and the people crowding around it stepped aside to let her and Gabriel walk to