by K. F. Breene
“Why did you never tell me?” I asked the dead-silent room. I wrapped a bubble of silence around us, letting the walls shimmer so he knew what it was. “How could you let me continue believing I was giving us both privacy when you knew it was completely one-sided? The new guys listened in to my…private time, Austin,” I said with a tightening throat, the embarrassment almost choking me. I’d tried to push that aside earlier, but the thought was mortifying. How often, how long… “Can you even fathom how embarrassing that is?”
White-hot rage sparked in his eyes.
“Oh no.” I held up a finger, power pumping out of me in heady waves, more now than I’d ever felt. “No way. You get to apologize, you get to make it up to me, but you do not get to be angry. Do you understand me, Austin Steele? If you don’t listen, I will give you the beating of your life. I’ll be the fire that melts your steel into a puddle. Try me and see if I’m lying.”
“I overheard Mr. Tom, Niamh, and Edgar discussing the way they control their link to you,” he said, his voice so rough it sounded like a growl. “I assumed they’d passed that on to Jasper and Ulric. Those guys should not have access to…” His hands fisted and the weight of his power threatened to push me to the floor. My limbs started to quiver, my reaction to him entirely primal. “I will ensure that ends immediately.”
“None of you should have access to that time, least of all you, considering how desperate you’ve been for distance from me. But you won’t do a damn thing. You don’t rule me, Austin Steele. You don’t control my life. I will ensure that ends immediately. In the meantime…”
I stared at him, grappling for a threat of some kind. I’d overshot my tirade and left myself dangling.
“Go to hell,” I finished lamely.
And then kept standing there, because I had business in the bar. This had to be one of the world’s worst standoffs. No wonder my ex had always won our arguments. I was just plain bad at them.
“Can I speak to you outside, please?” Austin said, his voice softer, more subdued. “We’re making everyone incredibly uncomfortable.” Guilt still pumped through the link. Guilt, discomfort, anger, and regret.
“You don’t really want to start a fight with me right now,” I warned him.
“I don’t ever want to start a fight with you, Jacinta. I’d never lift a finger to you outside of training, you know that. You’d pummel me.”
“Don’t be cute.” I tore down my privacy spell—the irony was not lost on me—and nearly staggered into Sebastian, knocked forward by the menace pulsing from the corner of the room.
“That’s a neat spell you devised,” Sebastian said. “I made it better. Maybe I shouldn’t have. It’s a little too strong right now.”
The spell I’d used to lock Austin and me in a soundproof bubble had also blocked my awareness of the other spell, the one I’d sent to suss out trouble.
“You just made Austin Steele look incredibly weak to those who don’t know him,” Niamh said with a little smile. “Or you.”
I’d seen that smile before, usually before Edgar got the brunt of one of her violent practical jokes.
Austin’s gaze snapped to the corner. He didn’t need a spell to feel the danger.
“Oh wow, interesting,” Sebastian said, watching Austin with thinly veiled fascination. He’d realized the same thing.
“Get out of the bar, Jess,” Austin growled, putting out his hand to nudge Paul to the side. Donna, the cute twenty-something bartender who’d turned into a rat to induct me into the magical world, had already scattered, leaving Austin alone behind the bar.
“Ye’ll want to clear away now, lad.” Niamh nudged Sebastian before standing, her full glass clutched in her hand. She didn’t leave drinks behind. “They’re about to make bags of the bar.”
Sebastian rose, his movements surprisingly unhurried, and followed Niamh to the side as the menace from the back worked its way forward, one guy at the front, two flanking him, and three more at their backs. People had stepped aside for me earlier, sensing my mood and knowing my power, but now they were tripping over each other in their haste to clear the way for this crew. They poured into the pool room or out of the front door.
“Jess, get out of here,” Austin said, and I felt the command down to my toes.
It took everything I had to stay put.
“No.”
I stood tall, back to the bar, watching the tide of muscle coming toward us. Those in the back of the group topped Austin’s six-foot-two frame by a few inches, but their thick bodies were layered over with fat. The man in front was made of iron. Pecs popped under his tight black shirt and robust thighs strained his snug trousers. Those to his sides were shorter and stockier, blocks of muscle with smooth grace. They’d be trouble in a fight.
Adrenaline coursed through me, followed by fear. The fear of the woman I’d been rather than the woman I’d become. This was always the way before action. I’d snap out of it. Usually I had Ivy House at my back, but Austin would do just fine in a tight squeeze. If worse came to worst, I knew Niamh could change into her second puca form, the horrible little goblin with razor-sharp teeth. That thing loved tight spaces.
“You have a pretty little territory here, Austin.” His use of Austin’s name rather than his title was an insult. A challenge. “Thanks for setting it up for me.”
“Bit early to move in.” Austin put a hand onto the bar and launched himself over it, sticking the landing right next to me. He took a step forward before reaching back, his hand connecting with my hip and then tucking me in behind him.
I wrapped my hand around his arm and pushed, but it didn’t budge. Luckily, I didn’t need to be face to face with these guys to work my magic.
“I’ve barely mapped everything out,” Austin said.
The guy to the leader’s right, a guy whose buzzcut drew attention to his pinhead, smirked at me as I peered out from behind Austin’s broad back.
“Looks like he’s got a mate all picked out for you, too, alpha,” Pinhead said. “Pretty, but you’d better bed her quick if you want heirs—”
Austin moved so fast that I jumped. With a vicious growl, he grabbed Pinhead by the shirt, and in a show of savage aggression that had the guys in the back widening their eyes, he slammed his fist into Pinhead’s face three times in quick succession before lifting him and throwing him into the wide-eyed guys.
The leader barely had time to flinch before Austin was on him, one hand at his throat, the other at his nuts. He squeezed, and a strangled, high-pitched shriek barely made it past the guy’s lips. Austin used him as a club, swinging and hitting the last man standing, knocking him toward the bar. Another step forward, and Austin threw the leader against the wall so hard that the entire building shook. He was on him again a moment later, pummeling him with a fist before lifting him, swinging him, and throwing him out through the door.
The three guys pushed Pinhead off and struggled to their feet.
Too late.
Austin was like a tornado of rage and power and destruction, touching down on them before hurling them out through the door, one after the other. The guy that had staggered into the bar tried to crawl out, desperate to get away, but Austin delivered a few more strikes before evacuating him.
Pinhead was left cowering on the ground, a dark stain down the insides of his pants.
“Please, alpha.” He lifted his hands over his head. “Please, alpha.”
Austin stalked toward him like a wild thing, savage and untamed. Blistering rage burned in his eyes, and a killer’s grace sang in every movement. The predator had sighted his prey.
“You dare disrespect her?” His voice was not his own, fueled by the darkness within him.
Austin grabbed Pinhead by the throat and held him above the ground, his feet dangling.
I felt my eyes widen and my heart pound. I’d seen Austin on the warpath, but never like this. Not in human form, anyway.
“You dare come into my territory, my bar, and disrespect someone as pure
and good as Jacinta.” He squeezed.
The man kicked, his face turning red. He grabbed at Austin’s hand, his wrist, and tried to push at his face. His strength was draining.
“Say you’re sorry,” Austin seethed.
Pinhead’s mouth worked, but no sound came forth.
Austin shook him as if he were a mouse, not a shifter made of solid muscle.
The shifter’s slight to me had been enough to completely derail Austin’s control. What Pinhead had said had pushed Austin into his dark place, creating an opening for the beast to emerge.
Austin had allowed himself to get too close to me, and hearing someone belittle me had sent him into a tailspin. It had brought one of his greatest fears roaring to life. He had lost himself.
I had to set him to rights. If I didn’t, he might never forgive himself for the loss of control. He’d think all of his years of penance had been for nothing.
I shoved a few spectators out of the way and slammed the door shut, locking it. Like a shepherd, I herded everyone who remained inside, Niamh and Sebastian included, into the pool room. Once they were safely tucked away, I sectioned them off with the spell Sebastian had devised earlier that day. They would not see or hear us. I worked quickly, knowing Pinhead’s time was running out.
“Enough, Austin,” I said softly, walking closer with slow, even steps. I didn’t want to startle him. “You’ve made your point.” I dropped my hand to his shoulder, my breath hitching when Austin shook the man again. “It’s time to stop this now. Let it go.”
Radiating calming emotions through our magical link, I rubbed up the center of his back and then reached around and put my other palm over his chest, the beat of his heart filtering through me until it almost beat in time with mine. Until I felt our connection in my center.
“That’s enough, Austin, please.” I slid my palm up his chest and cupped his chin, ever so gently pulling his face toward mine. I threaded a little command into my tone, just enough to get through to him. “Look at me, Austin.”
His arm dropped a little. His fingers relaxed, but not enough. Pinhead slowly stilled, just about out of air, his legs barely kicking now.
“Look at me,” I whispered, applying a little more pressure to Austin’s chin, turning his head. His eyes, dazed with violence, lost to his primal side, weren’t focusing. “Come back to me. Remember the meadow with all the flowers? Remember that perfect day, with the sun and the wine? Remember how sublime it was, how peaceful? I need you to return to that headspace. Come back to me, Austin.”
His eyebrows dipped, and I took my hand from his chin and ran it down his outstretched arm, the one that was choking Pinhead.
“You’ve made your point. You’re worrying me. Let’s let him go.” By the time my hand reached his, his arm relaxed, dropping, letting go.
The man fell away, a puddle of flesh and bone, gasping through a tight, bruised throat. But he was alive. He’d heal, he’d live, and, if he were smart, he’d never show his face in these parts again.
As Austin’s eyes cleared, blinking down at me, I acted quickly—using my magic to rip open the door, fling Pinhead out, and slam it shut again.
Putting my hand back on Austin’s chin, I ran the other over his shoulders and down to the base of his neck. His arms came around me then, pulling me to him. He dipped his head and his lips claimed mine, possessive, insistent. His tongue ran along my bottom lip, demanding admission.
Surprised, I opened to him, feeling his tongue plunge in before sweeping through, striking up a deep rhythm that stole my breath and made my heart thunder in my chest. I tightened my arms around his neck, rewarded with a deep, masculine growl, his kiss deepening, his hands splaying across my back. The world turned sideways, and all other thoughts fled as I fell into the feel of him, hard against my body. His taste overwhelmed me, spicy yet sweet, and I melted against him, utterly lost.
I’d forgotten how good this felt. How unbelievably he kissed, claiming all of my focus and stealing my breath.
Too soon he pulled back, gently biting my bottom lip, hot and passionate one moment, sultry and sanguine the next. I ached to find out if he was as good within the sheets as he was with his lips.
“Sorry,” he murmured. “For all of that. For this, for everything. I didn’t know how to tell you about the link. At first I didn’t intend to use it. But you’d been kidnapped under my watch, and I was terrified of it happening again. I’m trying to give you as much privacy as I can. I don’t know how to muffle it automatically, so whenever it feels like you need your space, I push the link away. I ignore it. Please believe that. This isn’t about me spying on you.”
“But why didn’t you mention it? I would’ve understood.”
He shook his head. “Embarrassment, at first. I’d made such a big deal about Ivy House, and here I was, sticking my hand in the cookie jar. But after that…” He took a deep breath. “Someone suggested to me that it would be dangerous for you to know. That you might figure out a way to cut yourself off from us if you found yourself in a sticky situation. Which…you would. We both know it. You’d worry more about us than whatever was happening to you.”
I grimaced. That “someone” was likely Niamh, given she’d said the same thing. They weren’t totally wrong, although I’d evolved in my thinking.
He traced his thumb along my bottom lip. “I will accept your wrath. I deserve it.” He kissed me again, so incredibly open in his physical intimacy at the moment, which he would have usually shut down by now.
“What should I expect from what just happened?” I pulled my hands down his chest, realizing I didn’t want to pull back. I didn’t want to step away. Keeping my distance from him for the last month and a half had been excruciating. Just work and no play made this former Jane a very dull girl. I was going crazy with only the Ivy House staff to hang out with. That way lay insanity. I’d end up asking to be retired like Edgar always did.
Shadows passed over Austin’s eyes, but before he could answer, I said, “I want you back. I want our friendship back. I’ve missed you. I want you hanging around again. And I want to help you with your territory…if you’ll let me.”
His gaze was deep. “What can you expect from what just happened? Nothing. Once they challenged me, their lives were in my hands. Every last one of them. I could’ve killed them without remorse.”
I frowned at him. “No, I meant, will you freak out that you got lost to your dark side?”
The shadows returned again, and he looked at me for a long moment, as if debating. “Yep,” he finally said. “And you are the only soul who will hear that truth. I trust you won’t pass it on.”
“Okay, well…how do I help with that?”
His smile was soft. “You already did. You pulled me out of it. I can’t remember a single person, besides my little niece, who has ever been able to do that. You are a remarkable woman. But I’ll need to think on what happened and why. I have to make sure it doesn’t happen again, or I’ll need to step down as alpha. These people deserve more than someone who loses control.”
I nodded slowly, basking in his heat, seeing the cool logic return to his eyes. He took a step back.
“As for our friendship… I’ve missed you too.” He shrugged, a smile flitting across his lips. “Maybe we’re just friends who kiss from time to time. It happens.”
I released a breath I hadn’t known I was holding. “Yeah. It’s worked for us so far.”
“Thank you, for pulling me back,” he said seriously. “For knowing when…and how.”
“You’ve had my back enough; the least I could do was return the favor.” I turned and headed to the bar. I needed a drink after all of that. “Ivy House took your side, by the way. When I was mad.”
“Oh yeah?” He pulled out the seat Sebastian had been using so I could sit down. It was my regular seat. Sebastian would have to understand. Surprisingly, Austin took the one next to it.
“Yeah. She says she really needs you, which apparently means you can get away w
ith almost anything. I mean…she said I should beat the crap out of you, but that I need to forgive you in the end.”
“That’s a comfort. Do you want to let everyone back in?”
“Oh yeah, sorry. Are you…?” I nodded at the chair.
“Taking the rest of the night off. I need to catch up with an old friend. I might even get to slip in a smile or two. After what I did to that guy with the terrible haircut and all his friends, I’ll get a few days’ leeway before someone else acts the fool.”
It was clear he hadn’t processed everything. He was trying not to think about what had happened, but I knew he’d turn a corner at some point and find himself in that dark place. The best thing I could do for him now was stay by his side and help make that transition as easy as possible. Because, honestly, that had been crazy. I’d never seen Austin react like that, like some kind of movie villain. And yet…I hadn’t been afraid for one moment, not for myself and not for the people tucked into the other room. I’d only worried about the man hanging from his vise grip.
No, that wasn’t quite true. I’d mostly been worried about Austin, and how far into the shadows he’d charged.
I had caused him to do that. I had to own that. He’d only lost control when the conversation had turned to me. I’d caused it, and I would help fix it.
Niamh was the first to stomp back into the room, her glass empty and her expression closed down in irritation. “What took yis? Stop playing with your food, Austin Steele, or do it somewhere else. I’m choking with thirst!”
Sebastian drifted in slowly with his hands in his pockets, slightly bowed, his hair still sticking up all over, and his gaze rooted to Austin.
“I want to thank you,” he said when he got within range. “I haven’t felt proper fear in a very long time. I was a little afraid when I saw all the fierce muscle in the bar, just knowing what could happen, but seeing it…” He shook his head, then shivered. “Thank you for reminding me what it’s like.”
“He’ll fit in with Ivy House at least,” Austin murmured, turning away as Donna bustled in behind the bar.
“What can I get ya, alpha?” she chirped, as though nothing had happened.
