Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 113319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
We stopped next to our car, and Austin pulled me into a tight hug. “I’m proud of you,” he said. “I had no idea how bad things actually were. You were always so blasé about everything. But that’s your personality, I guess. Easygoing…until you aren’t. Bendable so that you don’t break. Were you able to get through to Camila?”
“I don’t know.” I angled my face up for a kiss before I stepped back as Aurora and Mimi caught up with us. “We need to get her a burner phone—or Niamh does, because I have no idea how to do that—so she can call if she needs help. The choice will be hers, but I made it clear that she isn’t alone. He won’t be able to isolate her like he did me.”
“Good.” He crossed to the driver’s side, glancing up as a cop car slowed along the street. It stopped even with our car, the more dominant cop driving. His partner was in the car behind him.
“I’m impressed by your control, alpha,” the officer said, flashing a grin. “I would’ve ripped that guy’s jugular clean out. But then, I don’t associate with that brand of Dicks when I’m off duty. I look forward to seeing you guys again.”
Austin bent a little to get a clear view. “If you’re ever up in our neighborhood, stop in.”
“Will do. Take’r easy.” The officer pulled forward. His partner drove by, staring at us through the window, not at all amused.
“That guy was a shifter?” I whispered, watching the cars move slowly down the street as I sat down. “No way!”
“Just the one, yeah.” Austin sat into the car. “I recognized his smell from the other night. Smart, having some guys on the police force.”
“Is that why he let you go?”
“I don’t know. In O’Briens they wouldn’t haul someone in for what I did, but L.A. is a different situation.”
“And it’s an affluent neighborhood.” We waited for Mimi and Aurora to get in and then pulled forward. Up ahead, Jimmy was being hovered over by Mr. Tom and, very similar to me, didn’t seem to mind one bit. “I guess we got lucky,” I continued.
“It’s about time.”
I dropped my hand to Austin’s thigh as he drove.
“That party…was awful,” Aurora said into the quiet car. “The worst. How did you stand those people for twenty years, Jessie? Are you some sort of saint?”
“She must be,” Mimi said. “I had intended to stir up a little drama, turn people against each other, but it turned out I didn’t need to. The whole place is nothing but turmoil. They’ve already turned against each other. Then Patty got in there, and they spilled all their secrets. I just sat back and watched.”
“When we get back to the rental,” Austin said, “what do you say we make some dinner and relax for our last night, huh? Tomorrow we can head back early.”
“Sounds like a plan.” And it did. Maybe we’d even invite my parents over for dinner. I might be from humble roots, but my parents were genuine, caring people. I’d take that over Matt’s family any day.
As we headed back, I watched my ring play against the light and enjoyed the sense of peace that flowed over me. I wore Austin’s claim for all to see. I loved him, my new friends, my crew, and even Ivy House, as crazy as it had made everything. This trip had made me realize how much I loved my new life, weirdness and all. I wouldn’t change anything.
Except for maybe those damn gnomes.
EPILOGUE
Jessie
The storage room was empty except for one small pink note lying on a chair in the very middle. I stared at it for a long beat before casting magic through the space to make sure there weren’t any booby traps. Not finding any, I cautiously approached the center of the room and picked up the note.
Jessie,
I have some new tricks! They come from a book I pinched from Ivy House. She didn’t kill me, so I assumed it was okay to borrow. They could use a little refining, though (sorry about the burned areas). I see you’ve been finding some tricks of your own. That defensive spell was fantastic. A few little tweaks, and it’ll be unstoppable.
Miss you guys. I’ll do better about staying in contact—we’re just busy kicking ass and taking…bodies to undisclosed locations to get rid of them.
That was Nessa’s joke. She said to put it in.
Good job the other day. Thank you for trusting us. It couldn’t have been easy to put on a dress like that and play at seriousness, but you did it incredibly well. Better than we anticipated.
As for the mages you were storing here, don’t worry about those jokers. Nessa and I will record our dealings with them and send the transcripts to the resident monster. He seems to think he has the stomach for the big time—again, Nessa’s words.