Her Thee Dragon MatchMates (Dragon's MatchMate Agency Book 3) Read online

  Yet after those first few seconds of staring back, my mind turns to paranoia, and I think I’m staring at three men who might have been hired by my ex-boyfriend to find me. I won’t put it past him since that’s just the kind of man Maxen is.

  Jerking back into a walk, I seem to stumble away, those three men watching me like hawks, or maybe vultures waiting to go in for the kill. I begin to hyperventilate, and people that walk by give me concerned or weird looks. Eventually, I force myself to step to the side and into a small park, where I sit on a bench and bend over to breathe. Nearly every day since I left, I have these bouts. They’re difficult to deal with, yet I keep pushing myself to get over them. I have bigger issues to worry about.

  Slowly, I lean back on the bench, resting my shoulders against the wood. My eyes are still on the ground, but I slowly lift them up to look across to a building on the other side of the park where a large poster is strewn across the brick wall. On the poster are three men, all shirtless, all smiling their pearly white smiles, all muscled and clearly well built. All three are enough to make any woman probably drool over just the sight of them. Even me, if my paranoia wasn’t controlling me right now.

  My eyes lift from their defined abs to their broad shoulders to their gorgeous faces, and finally to the slogan at the very top. In big black letters against a red background, the poster says: “Need Some Protection? Check Out Protector Hearts Security Service!”

  I swallow the excess saliva in my mouth and stare at the slogan, running the words through my head over and over until they sink in.

  The Protector Hearts Security Service...I’ve heard of that before somewhere, but I just can’t place it.

  But then it hits me, and I jolt to my feet, staring at the sign. It’s from Fiery Hearts Inc! The service is meant for anyone looking to hire bodyguards. As far as I remember, the company works mostly with dragon shifters. Dragons surely beat out all other shifters when it comes to pure strength, right? Shaking at the prospect of having a dragon shifter as a bodyguard, I smile. As much as I don’t really want anything to do with shifters anymore, the idea of being safe far outweighs my dislike. Finding protection is third on my list of things to do, but if my paranoia proves true, and those three men were hired to find me, then I need to hurry up and hire a bodyguard first.

  Whipping out the smartphone I bought, I type in the number displayed on the bottom of the poster and press the cold metal to my ear. The phone rings and rings, and I think no one will pick up.

  But someone does pick up. “Hello! My name is Audrey from Fiery Hearts Inc. How may I—”

  “Hi! Oh, s-sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt, but I want...no, need to hire a bodyguard.”

  “It’s perfectly fine! You want to hire a bodyguard, you say? Hm, from the Protector Hearts Security Service?”

  “Exactly.”

  “That’s definitely something we can do. How soon would you like to come in and talk details?”

  “Can I come in today?”

  “You sure can! Can I get your name? You can come in anytime and just tell the front desk clerks that you’re in to see me, Audrey.”

  “My name is Erika Botten, and thank you, Audrey.”

  “It’s no problem. Have a wonderful day!”

  I slide my smartphone back in my pants pocket and sit back down on the park bench, calmer than I imagined I’d be right now. I take a deep breath, and then rise to my feet and walk off, ready to walk into Fiery Hearts and get the protection I deserve.

  But then I remember I have no idea where the Fiery Hearts offices are and whip out my smartphone to Google the place.↡

  Chapter Four

  Reed

  It isn’t easy waiting around on a couch to hear one of our phones ring. Yet here we are, staring mindlessly at the wall-mounted TV.

  I glance at Hayden to see him tossing his phone up in the air and catching it in one hand. The very act makes my eye twitch.

  “Stop doing that,” I say.

  Hayden stares at me. “Stop doing what?”

  “Throwing your phone up in the air. You’re going to drop it and break it.”

  My friend smiles and catches his phone in the air one last time, grinning at me, and then places it gently on the coffee table in front of us. “You need to learn how to relax, Reed.”

  Stuffing my own phone into my pants pockets, I cross my arms and slouch further into the couch. “We can’t work without functioning phones, man.”

  Hayden raises an eyebrow, his grin fading. “You don’t think they’d call Sven first, do you? I mean, Protector Hearts Security Service is notorious for getting the bulkier guys hired first. Which is plain old wrong if this bodyguard business is also meant to get us our mates.” He puts his feet on the coffee table. “Bulky doesn’t equal skill! I mean, for Sven, sure. I’ll back him up any day of the week, even if I’d rather get a job quicker than him, but all those other fools they’re probably hiring?” He rolls his eyes.

  Shrugging, I eye the TV, which is playing a ghost hunting TV show. I watch as one of the investigators runs from a shadow figure on screen, screaming his head off in fear. Snorting, I readjust my glasses, which have slid a bit down the arch of my nose. “Pathetic.”

  Just then, Hayden’s phone rings, vibrating on the table. My inner dragon wakes up immediately, and my mind races as my friend hurries to pick up the phone. Did he just get a job? Did Fiery Hearts just call him for a position as a bodyguard? He grins annoyingly at me, but then his face slackens when he places the phone up to his ear, and when he slouches back and stares up at the ceiling, I know something’s wrong.

  Hayden doesn’t say a word as the rumbling voice on the other end speaks, and eventually, he looks at me, handing me his phone. Curious, I place it up to my ear and hear none other than Sven’s deep voice on the other end.

  “...want chocolate or vanilla ice cream? Hayden? You there?” Sven says.

  “Terrible timing, Sven,” I say.

  “Wait, Reed? I swore I called Hayden...”

  “Hayden just handed me his phone. Did you say something about ice cream?”

  “Yeah, I’m at the grocery store picking some stuff up. Do you want anything?”

  Without answering, I end the call and toss Hayden’s phone back to him, causing him to jerk up and catch it. He glares at me. “Hey, what about all that about being careful with my phone?”

  “That’s not my phone, so I don’t need to be as careful,” I say.

  Groaning, Hayden rises to his feet and steps around the couch, striding into the kitchen.

  “Look, Hayden, you just had a girlfriend; you can afford to wait a little bit longer to find your mate. But for someone like me? It’s been much longer. I should take priority, honestly. Then maybe Sven.”

  I hear Hayden open the fridge and mess around with some bagged food. Looking over my shoulder, I see him then pull out a blender and place it directly on the kitchen counter. He rips open bag after bag of frozen fruit and pours them into the blender. “Uh-huh,” he says.

  “I’m just saying, it’s a bit rougher for Sven and me, not having a woman to sleep with for a while.”

  “Then go out and be proactive, man,” Hayden calls after he turns on the blender.

  Jumping to my feet, I waltz into our tiny kitchen and lean over the counter. After the blender finishes, Hayden opens one of the cabinets and pulls out a glass. “Want some of the smoothie? No? More for me.” He pours his fruit smoothie into a glass and then stares at me as he takes a swig.

  “I have...but, as you’ve probably guessed, I haven’t found the right girl yet,” I say, eyeing him. “None of us have; it’s the whole reason we signed up for this service in the first place.” Hayden stays silent, staring back at the TV. “Though, there was that one woman we saw across the street…”

  “Oh, that red-headed beauty?”

  “She had auburn hair...it wasn’t just red.”

  “Right, right. Yeah, what I wouldn’t kill to meet her again.” Hayden pretended to s
woon as he placed a hand over his heart. “I mean, my inner dragon went wild just at the sight of her! Imagine if I could sweet talk her, sweep her off her feet. I can just imagine how she’d fall head over heels for me.”

  Laughing, I match his grin. “Then let’s make a bet. If one of us sees her again, we’ll try to get her to go out on a date. Whoever gets to take her out first wins.”

  “And how much are we betting here?”

  “My first paycheck,” I say.

  “Fine, then it’ll be my first two paychecks.” He gulps down the rest of his smoothie and slams the glass on the counter. “It’s on, Reed.”

  Just then, Hayden’s phone goes off again. We both sigh, knowing how Sven works. If one of us hangs up on the guy, he’ll wait maybe ten minutes or a little less and then call us back nonstop until we stop putting him off. Sighing, Hayden walks over to his phone. “I wonder what kind of food he wants me to pick out this time.”

  Turning around, I watch as Hayden picks up the call and goes rigid. His smile grows nearly every couple seconds as whoever on the other end speaks.

  “Yes! Yes, of course, I can be there in a few minutes. Thank you for the call,” Hayden says, finally hanging up.

  Frowning, I wave at him to get his attention. “So, was that Sven?”

  Hayden chuckles and cracks his knuckles. “It was Fiery Hearts...looks like I’ve got a job.”

  Chapter Five

  Erika

  Now that I’m standing in front of the Fiery Hearts Inc building, I’m not sure that hiring a bodyguard was the right choice. The white building looms above me, its shadow covering me completely. There are numerous windows on each floor, and I can practically see meetings take place in some of them.

  I’m almost too nervous to just walk inside and give the front desk clerk my name. Shifters are dangerous people, and I’ve had a front seat view of one for a year. If this bodyguard that Audrey picked out for me is anything like Maxen, whether that be controlling, demanding, or just plain arrogant, I might fire him instantly.

  But then that would leave me vulnerable for Maxen to pluck me off the streets of San Francisco. Plus, I would be out a lot of money. These bodyguards don’t come cheap. Jolting at the sight of a man in a business suit walking inside, I step back and place a hand over my heart. The guy blinks at me, confused, and then pushes open the front door. Working up my courage, I realize other people are staring at me just standing outside, so I nod and push the doors open.

  Inside, the lobby is huge, with a red velvet carpet leading up to a long row of front desks. To my left is a large waiting area, where dozens of people are sitting looking at their phones or chatting with their friends. More people are walking or jogging around the place, a few just barely dodging me. I weave my way through the crowd to reach the front desk, where a cheery woman greets me.

  “Welcome to Fiery hearts Inc!” she says. I figured that all the employees of this company would be shifters...but this woman looks pretty average to me. Pretty human. But I guess that’s one of the reasons why shifters can be so scary: I can never tell if I’m speaking to one or not. “Do you have an appointment with us today?”

  “Uh, yes. With Audrey. For the Protector Hearts Security Service,” I say, keeping my voice low. I redden as a pair of guys glance at me from a few counters over. One winks, and I instantly look away. I’m way over my head here.

  The clerk gets right to typing on her computer, probably bringing up my appointment. “Ah, Erika Botten, correct? Audrey is already in one of the meeting rooms. Room 367. I can show you to the room if you’d like?”

  “Yes, that would be great! Thanks.”

  “It’s no problem!”

  Rising, the clerk saunters out from behind the counter and hurries away. I quickly follow, trying not to lose her in the mess of people. We soon are walking down a wide corridor, until she suddenly stops at a pair of elevators. After she presses the button, we wait in silence. My heart is pounding now, and I’m convinced it’s quiet enough that this clerk can hear it. She glances at me, and I hold myself tighter, shyly smiling back.

  “Is this your first time at Fiery Hearts?” she asks politely.

  “Yes, how could you tell?”

  The clerk shrugs. “It’s easy to tell who’s dealt with dragon shifters before and who hasn’t. You’re very tense. I can see it in the way you’re holding yourself.”

  The elevator doors slide open, and the clerk shuffles me inside. “Am I that obvious?”

  She laughs. “A bit. It’s quite adorable, really, if you don’t mind me saying.”

  When the elevators open again, she leads me out and places a hand on my back, steering me down the hallway. “Don’t worry. You’ll only be meeting with Audrey for now. When you’re ready, she’ll bring in your shifter bodyguard for you to meet. Just take a deep breath and think about the positives.”

  Nodding, I stare at the room straight ahead, which is Room 367. We stop before the door, and the clerk knocks. “The client is here, Audrey!” She winks at me before striding away.

  Nervously, I stand outside the door, unsure of what to do. But then I just shake my head and step inside.

  The room is smaller than I’d imagined but is quite cozy. There are three love seats arranged in a triangle in the middle of the room. Sitting in the chair with its back to the window is a smiling woman whose very presence makes my nerves practically dissolve into thin air. She looks up while she finishes up writing some notes down on a clipboard. “Erika, I take it? Come in and sit down.”

  “And you’re Audrey?” I ask, sitting down in the closest seat to the door.

  “Indeed, I am! I’m the one who talked to you over the phone. Now, if you don’t mind, I want to get us straight down to business.” She’s pulling out pictures and handing them to me. Each one shows a smiling, blond-haired, ripped guy. His smile draws me in, and of course, his muscles are easy on the eyes. Honestly, I wouldn’t doubt Audrey if she said she tore these out of a beauty magazine. “This is Hayden, the dragon shifter we’ve assigned to be your bodyguard. This will be his first assignment with us, but we’re confident in his ability. What do you think?”

  I find myself smiling at the sheer charisma oozing out of Hayden’s picture. Honestly, it still hasn’t hit me yet that this guy is a shifter. If he were just human, he’d be perfect, but…

  Looking over just this one guy, I get chills, and not because he’s a shifter. I get chills because I wonder if he’s truly enough to stand between Maxen and me. Having one bodyguard was already expensive enough, yet I can’t help but want more.

  “Is it possible to add on two more bodyguards?” I say, looking up at a blinking Audrey.

  Audrey cocks her head. “Well, yes, but we don’t typically advise that. Hayden here would certainly be enough.”

  I shake my head. “No, I’m sorry, but I want two more bodyguards.”

  Audrey stares at me, seemingly dumbfounded, but soon enough, she smiles. “I think that can be arranged.”

  Chapter Six

  Hayden

  By the time I find myself in front of the Fiery Hearts building, I’m all smiles.

  My walk here was a great one. Not only did I get looks from pretty women, but the sun was brighter, the warm breeze felt amazing, and above all, I was the first of my clan to find my true mate. Maybe it was a bit premature to think that, yet I couldn’t help myself. I was chosen above Reed and Sven, meaning I could tease them more now.

  And as I walk through the front doors of the building, I’m whistling a happy tune. Not many people are really paying me much attention since there are plenty of other guys like me with smiles on their faces, but I still feel like a star.

  At the front desk, I spy a long-legged woman who’s leaning over chatting with one of the clerks. I recognize her instantly as Audrey, the woman I’ve spoken to over the phone a number of times when my clan and I were first getting registered here. She notices me walk up and straightens, smiling sweetly at me.

  “Well,
well, so I finally see you walk in the door for your first job. And hopefully, your only job, if you know what I mean,” she says, winking.

  I chuckle. “Of course! I’m just glad you picked me over Sven or Reed. Now I can lord it over them.”

  Audrey rolls her eyes but grins at my comment. “It was a random pick. Honestly. You know we care about finding all three of you mates, but since the public doesn’t know about this other objective of ours, our human clients often don’t make decisions because of that.”

  I blink. “Wow, okay, this sounds like you’re about to tell me something major. What is it? Did my beautiful client request something odd?”

  “Ha! Look at you already calling her beautiful before you’ve even met her.” Audrey pokes me in the side. “Listen, you’ll just have to see for yourself. I was just...negotiating with her about some changes she’s requested. She’ll tell you herself what those are. So, you ready to go up?”

  Nodding, I motion with my hand. “Lead the way!”

  So we walk all the way down a hallway and step into an elevator.

  “Are Sven and Reed bummed out that they weren’t picked for a job yet?” Audrey says.

  “Reed is, though I didn’t tell Sven yet. Reed will tell him.”

  “Well, they won’t be disappointed for too long.”

  “What does that mean?”

  But Audrey doesn’t explain herself, and when the elevator reaches the third floor, she steps out and hurries off, forcing me to quickly follow. It’s easy for a shifter like myself to keep up with her pace, yet still the woman walks annoyingly fast for a human. When we arrive at Room 367, she knocks on the door. “Try not to scare the poor girl, okay? She’s all nerves right now.”

  Then she opens the door and steps inside. I follow after, my eyes instantly locking onto the woman I’ll be protecting from now on.