A Choice of Fate

by Jezz de Silva

  Olivia looked to Jarrah for support only to have him wiggle his eyebrows. She rolled her eyes before turning back to Helen. “So you’re telling me all I have to do to land a guy is sacrifice the dream career I’ve worked decades for, pick up my entire life and move it into the middle of nowhere, and sit through even more exams to certify my qualifications in Australia?” She looked Jarrah up and down while screwing up her face and shaking her head. “I’m truly grateful, Helen, but you’re going to have to put up something better than this guy, and I’m going to need a heap more beer before I even think about it.”

  Helen almost dropped the Heineken she’d grabbed from the fridge while struggling to rein in her laughter. “Can’t blame a mayor for trying.” She flashed Jarrah a conspiratorial grin before shrugging. “He does grow on you after a while, though.”

  Olivia had no doubt he would and that’s exactly why she needed to swallow the blue pill and drag her focus back onto the path she’d been marching along for God knew how long.

  A hint of mischief clung to Helen’s smile as she plonked the Heineken on the tray beside the four beers she’d already poured. “Four Four Xs for four kick-ass chicky babes and one imported bottle of Dutch rat’s piss for my hoity-toity big-city lawyer.”

  Olivia brandished her credit card again only to have Helen’s grin transform into a glare as the Grand’s matriarch dismissed her with a flick of an arthritic hand. “If I ever get out from behind this damned bar before you leave, I’m dropping in to have a chat with you about my lady parts, so drink up.”

  She answered Helen’s scowl with a nod and a smile before tucking away her credit card. “Any time, Madame Mayor.”

  “And that’s my cue.” Jarrah recoiled before grabbing the tray and escaping.

  “Fucking men.” Helen delivered the curse with enthusiasm but little venom. Olivia followed Helen’s wistful gaze and watched Jarrah weave and slow-dance through the crowd toward his sisters as if the horde crammed into the hotel were just more members of his family, which in a way they probably were.

  “If I were thirty years younger, I’d wrap my thighs around that man and never let go.”

  Age hadn’t dulled Helen’s taste. If Olivia had been a few years younger herself, she’d have done exactly the same thing for the three odd weeks she had left. She wondered if that was how life went. Maybe hormones ruled either ends of a woman’s reproductive years while logic took the wheel during middle age when women searched for more than just cheeky smiles and hard bodies. Olivia had no idea whether that was true or not. She was sure of one thing, however. A lot more than just lust was responsible for the turmoil twisting her insides.

  Over the last few days she’d learned more about Jarrah than she’d dreamed existed. Yet there was so much more she wanted to know. Number one on the list was that with the exception of Dean and the Backstreet Boys, everyone she’d met seemed indebted to him in some way. Even stranger was the fact that no one appeared to be the least bit upset about repaying that debt. She’d considered asking Abi or Ryder what the hell was going on, but trying to separate Ryder from her sister had proved impossible, and the last thing she needed was Abi knowing how deep Jarrah had charmed his way beneath her skin.

  Olivia turned back to find Helen’s wily eyes still fixed on Jarrah as she wiped down the already perfectly dry bar. “Does everyone in town owe him favors?”

  Helen blinked and still had to shake her head twice to regain focus before one corner of her crimson lips curved into a sly grin. “That delicious slab of beef’s directly responsible for saving the legacy and livelihoods of half the people in here. And he’s probably indirectly helped the rest in some way.” Helen shrugged. “If someone needs help with anything remotely related to the law, the government, or the banks, he’s the first person they call. I’ve got no idea how he squeezes it all in given that fancy company he runs.”

  The image of the penthouse’s elevator doors closing on Jarrah’s haggard features on her first night in Australia crept back into Olivia’s thoughts. She had a sinking feeling she knew how he managed. She was also pretty sure Charlie was the only other person who knew what he sacrificed for his career and his people. The reality of that added yet another layer to the emotions she tried and failed to rationalize.

  Pompous laughter from the far end of the hotel had them turning to find Dean leaning back in his chair and slapping his meaty hand on his even meatier thigh. Helen hurled a curse Dean’s way before hefting a clean tray of glasses onto the bar. “Did Jarrah tell you what those fuckers tried to do?”

  It had taken some Sherlock Holmesing and some mild flirting to pry the story out of Jarrah, but she’d succeeded. “More or less.”

  Helen rested her forearms on the bar. “Did he tell you about all the others?”

  Olivia shook her head and leaned closer.

  Helen nodded toward an elderly indigenous couple enjoying the pandemonium from the relative safety of a corner table as she pulled beers and passed them along to the bartenders scurrying behind the bar. “Mary and Jack Bunurong.” Helen nodded to a middle-aged couple sitting a few tables away. “Jo and Dick Chapman.” Helen slowly swept her gaze from left to right and counted off names until she got to the other side of the hotel. “Fucking mining corporations tried stealing all their stations a few years back under some bullshit commonwealth exploration legislation.”

  Helen paused long enough to take in her shock before nodding. “He kicked the shit out of every last one of the arseholes. Even managed to choke compensation out of a few of them. Rumor has it he didn’t even have a law degree the first time the miners came after Wingarra.” Helen shrugged and shook her head. “Didn’t seem to slow him down any because he still sent them packing before they’d even stuck a shovel in the ground.”

  Olivia’s mouth gaped as she turned and studied Jarrah. While casually leaning back in his chair and laughing with his sisters, he could’ve been mistaken for any one of the guys in the place. And then, just like it had done whenever they’d been in the same room, his gaze slowly locked with hers and he looked nothing like any other man she’d ever seen. Olivia spun back to Helen so quickly she had to latch onto the bar to keep from stumbling.

  Helen chuckled and gently pried loose Olivia’s fingers before nodding toward Jarrah. “Time’s a-wasting, Doc.”

  Olivia’s heart rate and breathing had returned to something resembling normal by the time she’d smiled and nodded her way through the crowd and taken her seat among her soon-to-be in-laws.

  “About freaking time.” Maddie glared at her and tapped the huge black sports watch strapped to her wrist as Kira passed out the beers and waved her sister’s moaning away.

  “To old family.” All teasing and cursing fell silent as Jeddah raised her glass. Jeddah waited until everyone raised their drinks before grinning at Olivia. “And to new family.”

  Olivia’s glass stalled midair as the sincerity of Jeddah’s words hit her square in the feels. Four smiling faces turned to her as glasses and bottles clinked.

  “To-to new family.” Olivia squeezed the words past the lump in her throat before taking a sip of beer.

  She had no idea whether it was the 115-degree day she’d survived, the emotional roller coaster she’d ridden the last week, or the skill of whoever the hell brewed Four X, but the beer flooding her mouth was the best she’d ever tasted. She was savoring another mouthful when Jeddah and Kira choked on their beers and stared wide-eyed toward the bar’s entrance.

  A broad, expensive-looking man in his late twenties or early thirties strode in. He wore the same combination of jeans, cotton button down, and boots as nearly everyone else in the pub, yet somehow looked classier. It was like he’d purchased his Outback wear from Neiman Marcus instead of Walmart. But unlike Dean and Wrong Direction, his stockman outfit didn’t look fake, only new.

  The dark eyes set below the brim of his perfectly shaped tan hat scanned the hotel before zeroing in on Maddie as if that had been the intention all along. Maddi
e lowered her beer and slowly turned as if she’d felt the weight of the man’s attention before spinning back.

  Outback Barbie couldn’t have glared at him for more than a second, but if looks could kill, all that would’ve been left of the man staring back at them would’ve been a very expensive-looking pile of smoldering ashes. Maddie looked to Jeddah, then to Kira, and finally to Jarrah, however her siblings were too focused on the man striding toward them to notice her panic.

  The man paused a few feet behind Maddie, as if he was too scared to come any closer, and removed his hat. His barrel chest stretched the buttons of his shirt as he drew in a deep breath and slowly released it on a sigh. “Sorry to intrude, just wanted to pay my respects.” He nodded to each of them in turn before staring at the back of Maddie’s head.

  Maddie’s laughter could’ve cut steel. “Fuck off, Carter, before I throw you out.” Maddie lashed out a hand toward Dean and his cronies, who were once again glaring their way. “And take those arseholes with you.”

  Maddie’s rage and the table’s silence suddenly made perfect sense. Olivia had pictured Carter being as sleazy and arrogant as Dean, but no matter how hard Olivia studied the man’s features, all she found was the same honest regret and humbleness she’d heard in an apology that went far deeper than a simple greeting.

  Despite everything she’d picked up about the Harpers’ neighbor, Olivia couldn’t help but respect the way the man stood up to Maddie’s open disdain for his very existence. He hadn’t flinched or scurried off. Neither had he gotten angry or puffed himself up to regain self-esteem.

  The man slowly shrugged at the back of Maddie’s head before regarding Jarrah. Something passed between the two of them that seemed to reach back in time before the man glanced at Dean and sighed. “For a feral savage, you’ve become one hell of lawyer.”

  The words had her hands automatically clenching into fists, but they were delivered with an almost-intimate familiarity and respect that had Jarrah simply nodding in return.

  Jarrah gestured to the man and turned to her. “Doc, this is Jai Carter.”

  Jarrah paused and regarded the man. She sensed he wanted to go on, but he held his tongue and gestured to her. “Jai Carter, this is Dr. Olivia Williams. The doc’s staying with us for a few weeks.”

  Jai nodded. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Williams.”

  His smile was so genuine she found it impossible not to return it.

  Some of the tension drained from Jai’s shoulders as he nodded to Jeddah and Kira, who’d closed their mouths but hadn’t yet recovered enough to answer. “You couldn’t have found a more perfect way to experience the Outback. Wingarra’s a magical place.”

  “And you’ll never get your fucking hands on it.”

  Maddie’s curse could’ve torn flesh from bone, yet Jai simply nodded and dropped his gaze to the hat clutched in his hands.

  Jarrah’s gaze toggled between Jai and Maddie before he raised his glass to Jai. “Care to join us?”

  The glare Maddie shot Jarrah was almost as poisonous as the one she’d fired at Jai. Jeddah’s and Kira’s mouths dropped open again as their gazes swung back and forth like tennis spectators.

  Jai chuckled, yet it lacked any real humor. “Maybe one day.”

  Jai stared at the back of Maddie’s head for what seemed an eternity before nodding to each of them in turn. “Maybe one day.” With a sigh that seemed to deflate his entire body, he glanced at Maddie before resettling his hat on his head and striding toward Dean’s table.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Olivia lingered beside Jarrah as they strolled through the Grand Hotel’s car park toward the Cruiser before bumping him with her shoulder. “I thought Maddie would end you right there at the table for asking Jai to join us.”

  Jarrah nudged her back and pretended he hadn’t feared the exact same thing.

  “So how long before Maddie speaks to you again?”

  He made the mistake of inhaling too deeply and caught a whiff of the vanilla and caramel drifting off Olivia’s skin and all hopes of a good night’s sleep evaporated into the cool night air. “She’s mellowing with age. I’m guessing halfway through the wet season.”

  “Thought as much.”

  Her laughter embraced him, and he once again found himself clenching and unclenching his hands. He tried convincing himself it was to work loose the damage caused by his juvenile yet satisfying handshake with good old Dean. He knew damned well it was to keep from reaching for her. She was so close his skin prickled, and if he touched her, he was shit scared he might not be able to let her go.

  He shoved his hands in his pockets and focused on the simple joy of being back among the people who’d known him all his life. No pretending to be something he wasn’t. No bullshit conversations about stock portfolios and corporate mergers. And no fake people claiming to be his friends. As far as nights out went, the evening he’d just shared with a couple of hundred of his closest friends had been right up there. Three things could’ve made the night even more perfect: not having to spend an hour reassuring his sisters that Carter Industries had a long way to go before causing any more problems, not having to spend another hour talking them out of burying Jai and Dean in the desert, and finally, if he’d allowed Olivia to knock Manningham and his grabby hands the fuck out.

  Yet even as he grinned at the thought of the doc opening up a can of whip ass on the arsehole, a few more things popped into his head that’d make the night truly unforgettable, and they all revolved around the woman strolling beside him.

  The hat he’d bought her sat precisely at the right angle to allow the moonlight to bathe her features in an almost mythical glow that somehow made her even more beautiful.

  “Well, well, it appears the good doctor’s come down with a serious case of jungle fever.” Dean’s slurred voice slaughtered the calm like a rusty chainsaw as a chorus of muttered curses and laughter accompanied his insult.

  Jarrah had been dealing with this shit for thirty years, and the only things that had changed with his move to the city were the age and social standing of the bullies. He turned and stepped between Dean and his three-member cheer squad and Olivia while silently cursing his stupidity.

  If he’d paid attention to his surroundings instead of Olivia, he’d have left with the rest of the mustering crew, or at least kept an eye on Dean and Out of Sync. But he’d been so mesmerized by her smile and laughter and the way her eyes found his he’d completely ignored the angry elephant in the room. Now that elephant was staggering toward him on rubber legs with a gut full of courage and an ego in need of repair. Thank God his sisters were still inside. The last thing he needed was Maddie escalating the situation.

  “What’s the matter, Doc? Your own kind not good enough for you?”

  Olivia’s skin turned to ice beneath his palm as he latched onto her arm and tucked her further behind him. “The night doesn’t need to end like this, Dean.”

  “Or are you just looking for some tiny black cock to add to your collection?” Dean’s glassy eyes stared straight through Jarrah as he wiped the spittle from his mouth and lumbered forward.

  So much for de-escalation. The man had passed reason five beers ago. And by the look of his posse, his men weren’t far behind. Jarrah scanned the car park and found nothing except silence and cursed himself again for ignoring the lessons beaten into him since he’d started walking. Christ, slapping down corporate bullies in boardrooms and putting society racists in their place at dinner parties had dulled his senses and softened him.

  “I can take Dean, he won’t be expecting it. And Pee-wee Herman can barely stand. Think you can handle the two fuckers on the left?”

  He wasn’t sure what amped him up more—the approaching wave of intoxicated anger and pasty-white flesh, or the steel reinforcing Olivia’s voice. His sisters had shown him what a pissed-off woman who’d learned to defend herself was capable of. And the beating Olivia had given him in his gym proved she could throw a punch. Yet the thought
of these pieces of shit getting anywhere near her filled him with an all-to-familiar rage he’d thought he’d learned to control.

  He blinked away the adrenaline-induced tunnel vision that had focused his attention on the men closing fast and surveyed their battlefield: no help, no escape, no option. The fuckers were going down.

  Dean hauled himself up just as he staggered into range and rolled his shoulders. “What’s the matter, boy, that white slut got your tong—”

  “Fuck you.” Olivia’s guttural battle cry stunned Dean’s mouth shut.

  Jarrah snapped out of his trance as a blonde blur shoved past him. He grabbed hold of Olivia and wrenched her back as Dean jutted out his hands and stumbled backward.

  “One word, you slimy piece of shit. One more fucking word about him, and I’ll beat the white right off you.”

  And just like that, the red haze drained from Jarrah’s vision along with the tension in his muscles. She was the one. The one he hadn’t been searching for. The one he hadn’t even realized he needed. And the one who was about to go into battle to defend his honor.

  She fought his hold like a glorious Valkyrie while snarling threats and curses over his shoulder at Dean. She was without a doubt the most ferociously magnificent creature he’d ever seen, and she scared the absolute crap out of him in every way imaginable.

  “I’d listen to her, Dean.” Jai Carter strolled across the car park toward them as if he hadn’t a care in the world.

  “Fuck you, Carter.” Dean spat out the words while regaining his balance and groping for his shattered pride.

  Jai casually surveyed the scene and chuckled as his gaze settled on Hurricane Olivia. “I’d watch my step, Mr. Manningham, otherwise I might ask the good doctor here to teach you some manners.”

  Jai stepped in front of Dean before eyeing each of his men. “I’d say our board of directors would believe we’ve had enough fun for one night. Wouldn’t you agree, gentlemen?”