The Loneliest Dragon at Christmas (An MM Monster Christmas #2)

Chapter 24

CHAPTER 24

“ T he dragon circled the knight, gaze hungry.” Avery read as he leaned against the armchair.

Jack sat beside him on the floor. They’d returned to the library after dinner, taking turns reading. It had been everything he’d hoped for when Jack first came to his home. It had been what he’d hoped for over the years, someone to just be with him, read in his den, surrounded by his books.

“But the knight didn’t feel any fear.” Avery struggled to follow the words he read, too aware of Jack only a breath away. He could feel Jack’s gaze on him. “The knight stepped towards the dragon, lifting his chin.”

Avery inhaled, and the warm, musky scent of Jack filled his nostrils. Jack adjusted his position. The robe Jack wore fell open, revealing his thick hairy thighs. Avery licked his lips.

Surprisingly, Avery wanted to stop reading. It was an unfamiliar feeling for Avery, who never wanted to put down a book. But he wanted to stop now so he could turn and kiss Jack.

Avery read, “The knight stared at the dragon. ‘Do you want me?’” Avery paused, and he looked up from the book. His gaze locked with Jack’s.

Avery wanted Jack. He wanted to kiss him so much. And the way Jack looked at him, and the way his gaze darted to Avery’s lips, made Avery think Jack wanted to be kissed.

Mine.

His dragon rose inside him, and Avery couldn’t resist the witch a second longer. He leaned forward and kissed Jack.

Immediately, he remembered Jack had ended their relationship. Jack didn’t want Avery. So Avery shouldn’t be kissing him.

Avery yanked back. “I’m sorry. I got carried away.” He touched his finger to his lips, moistened from the kiss. “I know you said we can’t be together.”

“I…” Jack cleared his throat. “I did say that.”

“But why?” Avery stared into Jack’s deep-brown eyes, searching for answers.

Jack hesitated. “We’re so different. I have doubts that we could be happy together.” But his tone sounded uncertain.

“What do you mean, we’re so different?”

Jack’s thick brows furrowed. “You don’t see it? Isn’t it obvious to you?”

Avery tried to think. There were lots of differences between them. He would struggle to list them all. But certain obvious differences jumped to mind.

Jack had a family. Avery didn’t.

Jack was loved. Avery wasn’t.

They were both tall. But Jack was big and broad-shouldered and had such nice thick thighs and shoulders, whilst Avery was lean all over.

And of course, there was the obvious thing. Was that the problem?

“I’m a dragon. You’re a witch,” Avery said the words slowly. “Is that the difference?”

Historically, dragons did tend to mate with other dragons. That was true. But it wasn’t a rule. And these days, there were so few dragons around that it was the norm for a dragon to mate with a non-dragon. As far as Avery knew, it wasn’t a problem for a dragon and witch to mate.

Unless witches didn’t want to mate dragons.

Jack made a noise. “That’s not it.”

“Then what?” Avery’s brows furrowed.

“You’re rich. I’m poor,” Jack blurted. “We’re from completely different classes. I mean, look at your place.” Jack gestured around them. “You have lavish furniture. You wear fancy clothes. You have servants who answer doors, take coats, and then just stand around waiting for you to tell them what to do. You have a cook. You don’t worry about money. Nothing is too expensive for you.”

Avery glanced around his room, suddenly feeling very small. Uncertainty rippled through his body. “And that is bad?”

He’d wanted Jack to like his home. He’d wanted Jack to like him. He’d wanted to impress the man. And Jack thought him to be what? Too rich and wealthy?

Avery had always had money. In fact, his father had warned him when he befriended the butler that people would try to get close to him for his money. That people would use him. Turned out his money did the opposite with Jack. It made him dislike Avery. It kept Jack away.

“I don’t understand.” Avery’s brows furrowed. “You don’t like me because of my money?”

Jack looked away. “I don’t dislike you. But it just makes us too different. I share a room with my brother. My family’s apartment, which held ten of us before Ordelia moved out, could fit in this one room. And it held twelve before my parents died.” Jack’s brown eyes bored into Avery, his tone intense. “I couldn’t even get a job in a house like yours. I’m too coarse and rough. I don’t belong here.”

Avery opened his mouth to protest. He wasn’t looking for a servant. He wanted Jack to be his mate.

Jack rubbed a hand at his hair. “The first time I came here, I worried about sullying and dirtying your house. When I broke the vase, I felt wretched because I knew I couldn’t afford to replace it.”

“I didn’t want a new vase,” Avery said softly. “I just wanted you. I just wanted you relaxed in my home. It made me so sad how uncomfortable you were. Then you ran off.” He stared down at his hands, pain spiking inside him.

“I kept wondering what I’d done wrong. I never wanted you to feel bad in my home. I don’t care if you damage or dirty things.” Avery sagged. “And I thought we were having a nice time together tonight. Don’t you like my library?” A whine started in Avery’s chest. He suppressed it. Dragons don’t whine .

“I do like your library,” Jack said softly. He reached out and touched Avery’s wrist. “I’ve really enjoyed spending tonight with you.” He smiled.

Avery perked up. “You have?”

“I do. But…” Jack closed his eyes. “It’s hard to explain.” He exhaled heavily. “When my parents died, I was only fifteen. My brother was seventeen, and we were the eldest of the ten siblings. So we took charge. It was shit. Really shit.” Jack swallowed. The muscles in his throat tightened.

“We had to scrimp, save, and count every penny. We worked hard. We worried about money constantly,” Jack said, voice strained. “There often wasn’t enough food or clothes or anything. Grady and I often went without. Grady and I both got jobs working at night after the bakery closed each day. We barely slept. We barely ate.” His jaw ticked. “It was a horrible time.”

“I’m so sorry, Jack.” It hurt Avery to think of a young Jack, grieving and having to struggle to get by. He wished he had the power to go back in time and help him.

“When I see all this, all I can think of is how different it is to the world I know.” Jack looked around the room. “And when I see all you have and how you spend money, it’s hard for me to comprehend. It’s hard for me not to be reminded of how absolutely horrible it was for us back then.”

“No one helped you?”

“We asked my uncle and aunt for help after my parents died,” Jack said, voice bitter. “They’re servants, but they work in a good part of the city. Like this area.” He hugged himself. “But probably less nice and rich. They sneered and mocked us, said we looked like beggars in rags. Then they slammed the door in our faces.”

Red blurred Avery’s vision. Anger pumped steadily through his veins. He straightened.

He would find them, this aunt and uncle who’d turned Jack away when he was in need. He’d find this supposed family and teach them not to harm his Jack. “Where do they live?”

“Avery?” Jack sat up straight. “Your eyes!”

“They should have helped you,” Avery growled. “You needed them. They should have looked after you. I would have looked after you. I would have protected and cared for you.” The air trembled as Avery reached out and placed a hand that did not look very human on Jack’s cheek. “I would keep you safe always.”

Avery could feel that he was on the verge of shifting.

Jack’s mouth fell open, gaze snapping over Avery’s face. He looked wary. Nervous.

Avery didn’t want that.

Closing his eyes, he dropped his clawed hand and took a deep breath. He tried to release the rage that burned inside him. He breathed in and out.

Calm. I need to calm myself.

He kept breathing steadily. After a few moments, his claws shifted back. The anger ebbed away.

“Sorry.” Avery’s voice had returned to normal. “When I feel strongly, sometimes my dragon comes out.”

Jack nodded, eyes wide.

Avery cleared his throat. “But they should have helped you.”

Jack didn’t speak for several moments. Had Avery scared Jack with his lack of control?

Jack let out a breath. “I think maybe I’ve been a bit of an arsehole.”

“No!” Avery disagreed.

Jack shook his head. “You’ve never said or done a single thing to me to make me feel anything but welcomed and cared for. You’ve never looked down on me. Not like my aunt or uncle.”

Jack took Avery’s hand. And the hope in Avery’s chest blazed.

“But when I’m in your home, I sometimes feel like I did when my aunt and uncle looked down on me. I felt ashamed of myself, of my clothes, of who I am. I hate that feeling. I’m proud of what me and my siblings have worked together to achieve. I hate feeling embarrassed and like I’m not enough. And I just assumed because you were so rich…” Jack paused, staring at their hands.

“I made a lot of assumptions. I took my own insecurities and ran with them. I’m sorry.” Jack raised his gaze to Avery’s. “You know, I thought you were a servant who worked in one of these wealthy houses when we first met. I couldn’t even imagine you might live in one.”

“You wouldn’t have asked me to the Christmas markets if you’d known that I lived here.” Avery knew it to be true.

“I couldn’t imagine what I’d have to offer someone as wealthy as you,” Jack said.

A choked noise escaped Avery. “Jack!” He leaned in. “You have so much to offer.” He gripped Jack’s hand. “You’re wonderful. You’re kind. You’re caring. I like just being around you. What more would you need to offer than yourself?”

Jack laughed. He leaned his head against Avery’s. “I’m clearly a fucking idiot. I think you’d be better off without a stupid prat like me.”

Avery opened his mouth to protest, but Jack kept speaking.

“But if you are willing to give me a chance, I’d like to see if we could make this work.”

His blood singing with joy, Avery yanked Jack towards him and kissed him. Jack’s mouth opened. Their tongues entwined.

But it wasn’t enough. Avery needed to touch more skin. He needed to feel all of Jack. He needed it now!

The dragon inside Avery demanded it.

Mine.

Dick filling, Avery slid his hands beneath Jack’s robe as he pulled Jack on top of him.