Ronan nodded. “It’s opening time! Welcome to the supernatural family, Averly. You know you can’t tell your mother, right?”
I nodded and he winked and then left.
While Clara walked over to unlock the door, I finished wiping down the bar.
Vampires and fae bad. Fae Lords obvi bad. Witches and warlocks good.
Okay, I was getting the hang of this. I started making drinks and easily fell into the routine of bartending. There was something about it that I loved. I liked that I had over one hundred recipes in my memory to pull from at will. I liked that I had new clients every night and a few regulars. I loved being active and on my feet.
The first two hours passed quickly and I’d learned a few things.
This town had a ton of witches and warlocks.
This town had a decent number of werewolves, all who flicked glances at me, nostrils flaring, but said nothing.
Brayden was totally stalking me.
His bright red truck was parked outside all night, and if I walked over and peered through the glass I could see him looking right back at me.
Leah, Jason, and some of his friends finally stopped by.
There were a few rowdy customers, one of whom Clara had to throw out, but all in all a normal night and I made eighty-seven dollars in tips.
Score.
My macho werewolf stalker who wanted me to become a secretary was still in the truck by the time I got out of work, except he was asleep behind the wheel.
I sighed.
Poor guy, why was he just sitting around? Did he not remember that I savedhislife? I could handle myself.
I contemplated just walking home and letting him sleep the night in the parking lot of the Rusty Spoon but my guilty conscience would eat me alive. He did save my life… and he’d been through a lot since then at my expense. Walking over, I tapped on the window. His eyes sprang open, going golden for a split second as he bolted upright. When he saw me, he turned on the motor and rolled down the window. “Want a ride?” he asked.
I rolled my eyes. “No. I want you to go home with Maddy and get some proper sleep.”
His gaze sharpened until I was staring at a very grumpy werewolf.
“Are you seriously going to just follow me everywhere and sleep outside in the truck?” I asked him.
He nodded. “If you don’t want to move in with us, then Maddy and I will trade off nights shadowing you.”
Shadowing was a fancy word for astalking.
I frowned. “What would it take for you to go home and get a good night’s sleep in your own bed?” I asked him.
I didn’t want the dude sleeping all night in his truck.
“If you came home with me. Averly, we’re pack. You belong with Maddy and I.” His response was instant and my cheeks heated. I know he didn’t mean come home and sleep in his bed but my mind went there.
“Well—”
A bottle crashed behind me and I spun.
Four giant men stepped out of the shadows and my whole body stiffened. The door to Brayden’s truck door popped open so fast it smacked me in the back and I bolted forward a step so he could get out. One of the men shifted instantly into his wolf form, shredding his clothes, and it took my brain too long to realize what was happening.
We were totally about to get jumped! Brayden’s arms came around my waist just as the wolf lunged for me, and he yanked me backward. One second I was reaching for the gun in my purse and the next Brayden was chucking me into the truck and slamming the door behind him.
“Go!” he shouted to me over his back just as the wolf lunged for him.
