He’d promised to protect these people, and no big city Jane was going to stop him.Niamh watched Austin Steele strut out the nearest exit, going after the hilarious, headstrong Jane who would do nicely. She wasn’t, in a million years, someone Niamh would’ve picked for the job. Not in a million. She was…ordinary. Average. Just a normal Jane in middle life.
But therein lay her magic, which was the very reason Niamh was not in charge of choosing for the house.
When Jessie’s life had fallen apart, she hadn’t crawled under a rock in a puddle of tears. She’d risen up, grabbed life by the balls, and said, “Screw this. I’ll find something better.”
She’d finally punched fear in the teeth, taken a random job in a secluded town, and marched on in with her head held high.
Looks were deceiving, because that wasn’t ordinary. It was extraordinary.
She had fire, that one. She’d come out with a perfect stranger on her first night in town, challenging her comfort zone. She’d stood up to the biggest, baddest alpha shifter these parts had ever seen. And she’d ended the night by sneaking out to drunkenly stumble home by herself, refusing to rely on anyone else to see her to safety.
Niamh chuckled. Tonight had been a hoot.
Jessie had not kept up with Niamh, drink for drink—thankfully, or she would’ve died of alcohol poisoning—but she hadn’t folded in the towel, either. She’d taken it at her own pace.
Yeah, Jessie would do nicely. All she had to do was find the heart of the house again. Without help. And then the house would make its choice.
A couple of young guys sat in the corner, sucking up the last of their way-too-strong drinks. Paul slowly finished up his duties before moving around the bar to put up the chairs. He knew why Niamh was lingering behind.
“Hundred bucks in it if you want to help,” she told him as he passed. “All you gotta do is help carry him.”
Paul’s eyes tightened.
“Two hundred.”
“Austin Steele doesn’t want people poaching from his bar,” Paul said.
“I’m not poaching. I’m going to see if anyone wants a ride. If one of ’em takes me up on it, then I’ll go home with him. What I do with him at home, like hand him over to a very thirsty vampire who I have lost a bet to, is no one’s business.”
“Then what do you need me for?”
“You have a car, don’t you?”
“Yes…?”
“Yes? You’re not sure?”
“Yes. I do.”
“Yes, you do, what?”
The kid started visibly shaking. He’d run away from his wolf pack when he was just shy of fifteen. He’d been the orphaned runt. The weakest link. He’d been starved, tortured, picked on, and belittled. Running had taken great courage, because if he hadn’t reached the town limits before his pursuers—if he hadn’t reached Austin Steele—they would’ve made his life so much worse. Death would’ve been a blessing for the poor kid.
But he had reached the town limits. And when his wolf alpha, who’d thought he was the toughest, strongest thing on four legs, ran up against Austin Steele, the old fool had turned tail and ran for the first time in his life. He’d swaggered over, and he’d scampered back, limping and baying and missing an ear and an eye.
No one took down Austin Steele.
Niamh had designated herself as the bad cop to Austin’s good-guy hero, and she tried to push the kid’s buttons any way she could. One day she knew he would push back. Or throw something at her head. Or mutter a nasty name. Anything. Niamh had seen late bloomers before, and this kid was definitely a late bloomer. All he needed was a little confidence. Until then, she kept him so focused on her he forgot to be scared of anyone else. When he wasn’t scared, he didn’t get picked on. Simple.
“Yes, I do, missus,” Paul replied. “But I thought you said you were going to see if the guy wanted a ride?”
“I am. Different sort of ride, Paul. Keep up. You’re old enough to understand the birds and the bees.”
His face reddened. Definitely a late bloomer.
Paul was silent for a long time, going about his business. Niamh eyed the guys in the corner, making sure they wouldn’t try to get away. But no, they were nursing their drinks, waiting to be kicked out.
“I don’t understand something, missus,” Paul said as he made his way back around the bar and took her glass. He emptied the remainder of the ice down the sink.
“What’s that, Paul?” she asked, slowly getting up.
“Austin Steele said he won’t protect that house. That he’ll have nothing to do with it. Even that he’ll try to stop the house from choosing someone.”
“Heard all that, did ye? Good at eavesdroppin’, then?”
“Well, if the house wants to choose Jessie, and he’s off getting her home safely—protecting her—doesn’t that count as working for the house?”