Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 227(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 227(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
“Maybe,” Austin said noncommittally, and they both knew he suspected Tristan had played a hand in that disappearance. He’d been incredibly discreet, leaving no scent trails to follow or any hint of foul play. Austin had absolutely no proof. He just had a hunch. This guy was good, and even now, his body posturing gave nothing away. This was why Niamh hadn’t been able to get much on him. He was well practiced in shrugging off scrutiny.
“Anyway,” Austin said, moving around the table. “That shifter was a disgrace. He dug his own grave. Someone just did him a favor and threw him into it. I was only surprised Ulric wasn’t the person who did it.”
“He should’ve. He’s small, but he’s a good guardian. He would’ve been more than capable.”
“Agreed.”
They played in amicable silence for a while, finally putting money down. Austin won the next game. When Tristan was racking, he finally spoke again, his tone friendly and light.
“So you need to put your woman’s ex in his place, huh?”
Austin leaned his hands onto the pool table. “Technically, he hasn’t done anything wrong. But speaking of reading body language—Jess’s in this case—I think the guy has a lot of passive abuse to answer for over the years. He’s a Dick, though, so I can’t just beat the hell out of him.”
“What’s the plan?”
“Tie up the loose ends I should’ve dealt with before now. Jess has been incredibly patient, not asking for signed documents or even a key to my place—our place, as soon as I make it official. Nessa will be managing the social media angle. Jess is supposed to take me out on a perfect date soon—long story, and I half wonder if I shouldn’t wine and dine her instead. She certainly deserves to be pampered more than I do. It would probably look better for her on social media, too. Not that I see her letting me turn the tables on the date even if I tried. Regardless, I guess we’re basically engaging in passive aggressive warfare to take the wind out of his sails.”
“Until you see him in person?”
“If I do.”
“And if you do…are you going to lean into him a little?” Tristan’s grin was sly, his eyes shining brightly.
Austin matched it, readying to break the balls. “You bet I am. First we have to get invited to see them.”
“If you make him jealous enough, he’ll invite you so he can size you up,” Tristan said. “He’ll hate that another man is making her happy. Dicks aren’t so different from shifters. This guy had a claim. He won’t want to give it up without a fight, especially if he’s controlling. Make him jealous, and he’ll extend the invite, guaranteed.”
NINE
Jessie
Not long after sunset, I braced myself outside of Austin’s bar, butterflies swarming my belly, worried I might not be able to pull this off. He’d taken me on the perfect date once. I would now return the favor.
Hopefully.
My problem was that I wasn’t great at coming up with thoughtful and sentimental gifts. I’d always asked my kid what he wanted for Christmas and his birthday. I never guessed.
This time I had to get it together enough to prove I knew Austin well enough to give him an experience he’d fondly remember.
No pressure.
“What are you standing around gawking at, creature?”
My nemesis, Sasquatch, stood across from me, sucking on the end of a cigarette. He scowled, waiting for an answer.
“You look like some sort of lost mountain man. Do you not own any mirrors?”
“Says the woman with lipstick on her teeth.” He smirked at me, flicked his cigarette, and peeled off into the bar.
I took a step back quickly, bringing my finger up to my teeth. Then I remembered I hadn’t applied lipstick, and the pale gloss I wore wouldn’t show up on my teeth in the dark.
“Butthead,” I said, finally entering the bar.
Austin stood on the customer side of the bar wearing a gray button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up around his muscular forearms. One arm was bent, holding a beer, and he was in a conversation with a couple of shifters. He glanced over as I came in, sensing my arrival. He quickly did a double take, his shoulders swinging my way as though he couldn’t help himself. His gaze roamed my body, taking in the low neckline of my sparkly dress and the high reaching slit up my thigh. I’d dressed sexy. My outfit wasn’t incredibly fancy because of where we’d end up, but the do-me heels and tight, revealing dress were intended to heat up his blood.
A path parted in front of me, shifters and gargoyles alike giving me plenty of space. I received nods and salutations, everyone being very conscious about where their eyes went. By now they all knew alpha shifters weren’t rational when it came to their mates, and Austin was more alpha than most.