Charmed Wolf Aimee Easterling (free children's online books .txt) 📖

refreshingly honest. I unbent enough to ask a question. “Why did you come then?”

His face opened into a wide smile. “Like I told your security guard, I want to buy glitter. My son’s girlfriend works in your factory. Told me all about how hard y’all have been working. How your glitter’s been piling up in that storeroom with no buyers. I figured we might be able to engage in a mutually beneficial arrangement.”

That sounded like salesman-speak for wanting something for nothing. I raised one eyebrow. “Do you intend to buy our glitter?”

“Why, of course! But we’ll put it on social media too. Maybe open up a new market for you among individual buyers.”

“And in exchange?”

He attempted to look wounded, but didn’t do a very good job of it. “Small business people have to work together.”

I cleared my throat. Waited.

“And, well, if you end up needing to ship out lots of small orders, perhaps Kimberley could be moved over to the mail room? The factory line is hard on her feet.”

Lenny was looking out for his pack. That made sense. Still, I couldn’t imagine a small-scale use of glitter so interesting that a video about it would go viral. “What exactly do you plan to do with my product?”

Rather than answering, Lenny pulled out his cell phone. Drew up a photo of a smiling woman who looked as plump and homey as this man appeared gym-toned and citified. “That’s Vanessa,” he said proudly. When I offered no comment, he added, “My wife. We’ve been married for twenty years, or will have been come September first. We were just kids when we got hitched, though. Could barely afford the wedding dress. I figure she deserves a party. Better late than never. A renewal of vows.”

“With glitter.” That actually made a modicum of sense. “What did you have in mind?”

“Something custom.” He leaned in closer, eyes sharpening. “I was thinking maybe heart-shaped sparkles on glitter to throw at the bride instead of rice.”

Heart-shaped glitter would be easy, and a biodegradable product would be appropriate for outdoor use. Making the sparkles shine in a heart pattern, though, was beyond my understanding. Still, I wouldn’t put it past Natalie to be able to create the desired effect.

“That might be possible,” I told him. “I’ll be in touch Monday with details.”

It was a clear dismissal, but Lenny lingered rather than heading for his car. “Don’t you need my number?”

“The kids have it.”

Before he could ask any more unnecessary questions, a throaty motor roared up the drive toward us, materializing into an unfortunately familiar shifter.

RYDER WASN’T THE KIND of companion I wanted business associates to consider when they thought of my glitter factory. Especially not a whooping Ryder spinning gravel to ping against the gatehouse as he swerved his motorcycle to a stop far too close to us for safety’s sake.

Had he expanded his tattoo collection since I saw him last? Or maybe the wind had just roughed up his hair when he rode without a helmet? Either way, he looked wilder than before. Wilder, but just as annoying when he greeted me with:

“Darlin’. You’re a sight for sore eyes.”

I blinked, wishing we were alone so I could suggest Ryder shove that particular pet name where the sun didn’t shine.

Instead, I pasted on the best customer-service smile I could manage and dismissed Lenny. “I’ll call you Monday,” I repeated. “In the meantime, please congratulate your wife.”

“With pleasure,” Lenny answered, this time willing to leave. So I guessed Ryder’s rough edges were good for something after all.

Still, my voice was hard when I addressed him. “You,” I told Ryder once the realtor was safely in his vehicle, “come with me.”

“With pleasure, darlin’.” He propped the motorcycle up on its kickstand in the middle of our driveway. But I ignored the irritant and instead took off at a trot for the holding cells.

“We don’t have all day,” I called over my shoulder.

“Can’t wait to get me alone, huh?”

Despite my lack of warning, Ryder’s rumble followed far too close for comfort. His presence at my back was the exact opposite of Rune’s. Hairs prickled as I remembered how easily Ryder had overwhelmed my alpha command. My breathing sped up until I forced it to slow.

“You will behave yourself while within my territory,” I growled once I was sure there would be no tremor in my voice. The holding cells were on the ground floor and we were nearly to the entryway. I couldn’t be certain, however, who other than Rune and Ash might be inside.

Which meant reining in this shifter who appeared unreinable. He was also stronger than me and possessed no apparent understanding of politeness. Even as I turned over ideas, Ryder’s innuendo filled the conversational gap.

“No canoodling? I’m disappointed, darlin’. Don’t you want...?”

He made an obscene gesture, his body just a little too close for comfort. I ignored my wolf’s impulse to raise her hackles and snap, which might have been a mistake. Because Ryder advanced one inch nearer...

...And a hand came out of nowhere to yank my companion off his feet.

Chapter 27

“You will stay out of her personal space.” Rune’s face was more bestial than I’d ever seen it. Not actually shifted, but his inner beast was so close to the surface that his words came out as a growl. Since I’d met him, this was the closest he’d come to donning lupine fur.

“Or...what?” Ryder taunted. “You won’t go wolf. You won’t even ride my motorcycle. Tara deserves a man with balls.”

What I deserved was this comeuppance. I’d known Rune was struggling when I broke our bond. I’d just assumed his control was too great for him to lash out in response.

I shut my eyes for one split second as I thought through a way to defuse the situation. And when I opened them again it was to the sight of swords.

Not a friendly sparring match either. We were outside, on a lawn that had been used over the years for