“Jesus,” I breathe before I can stop myself.
Dragon’s mouth curves in a humorless smile. “Not quite,” he says, his voice eerily similar to Demon’s pleasant tone. “Sit.” He gestures to the section of couch opposite him.
I lower myself onto the worn leather, hyperaware of the men watching from around the room. Dragon doesn’t look happy to see me. In fact, he looks rather annoyed, as if I’m an unexpected bill he has to deal with.
I cross the remaining distance and lower myself onto the couch, never taking my eyes off him. The resemblance to Demon is uncanny, unsettling. How did I not know about this? How did none of us know?
“What do you want, Viper?” Dragon asks, getting straight to the point.
“I need to talk to you about Demon,” I say, not bothering with pleasantries.
The energy in the room shifts instantly, a collective tension rippling through the men scattered around us. Dragon’s expression darkens further, his eyes growing cold.
“Clear the room,” he says, his voice barely above a murmur. Yet every man immediately stands and begins filing toward various exits. No questions, no hesitation. Within thirty seconds, the vast space is empty except for Dragon, myself, and the VP who led me in here, and one other man who I assume is a trusted officer.
Dragon waits until the last footsteps fade before speaking again. “What’s your business with Demon?”
“I need to find him.” I meet those unsettling eyes directly, refusing to look away.
“And why would you think I’d know where he is?” Dragon asks, tilting his head slightly in a gesture so similar to Demon’s it makes my skin crawl.
I don’t answer, just give him a long look.
After a moment, Dragon chuckles, a sound without humor. “I guess there’s a family resemblance, huh?” He leans back, stretching one arm along the back of the couch. “Not something I go out of my way to advertise.”
“I need to find him,” I repeat, leaning forward. “It’s urgent.”
Dragon shakes his head. “Whatever beef you’ve got with my brother is your business, not mine. I don’t get involved in Kit’s dealings any more than necessary.”
“He kidnapped my wife.”
Dragon’s eyebrows rise fractionally, surprise flashing across his face before he masks it.
“Are you sure about that?” he asks carefully. “Sure she didn’t go with him willingly?”
My hands clench into fists on my knees. “I have proof.”
Dragon tilts his head, considering me. “Kit has never kidnapped anyone before,” he says. “That would be a first.”
“Well, he’s branching out,” I snap, my patience wearing thin. I pull out my phone, navigating to the video. “See for yourself.”
I pass him the phone, and Dragon takes it, eyes never leaving mine until he finally looks down at the screen. I watch as he plays the video. When it finishes, he plays it again, this time paying closer attention to the details.
“What did you do to piss Kit off?” he asks finally, handing the phone back to me.
I start to explain about Naomi, about how Demon had pursued her, tried to turn her against the club, about the ambush where Naomi shot him. But Dragon holds up a hand, cutting me off.
“My brother wouldn’t do something like this over a turf war or a club squabble,” he says, his voice harder now. “If you don’t know why he’s gunning for you specifically, you better figure it out quick. Kit is not an enemy you want to have.”
“I don’t give a shit about the why,” I say, my voice rising despite my best efforts to stay calm. “The only thing I care about is finding my wife.”
Dragon watches me for a long moment, his eyes narrowing slightly as if he’s reassessing me. Finally, he nods, almost to himself.
“I don’t know where Kit is,” he says. “We haven’t been in contact for some time.”
My heart sinks, the brief flare of hope extinguished. I start to stand, furious at having wasted precious time, but Dragon continues.
“But I know some people who might have an idea where he’s hiding,” he says. “I’ll contact them.”