Sassy Ever After: Selling Sass (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Sheel Series Book 2) Read online

  Table of Contents

  Dedication

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Thank you

  Biography

  Text copyright ©2018 by the Author.

  This work was made possible by a special license through the Kindle Worlds publishing program and has not necessarily been reviewed by LATIN GODDESS PRESS INC.. All characters, scenes, events, plots and related elements appearing in the original Sassy Ever After remain the exclusive copyrighted and/or trademarked property of LATIN GODDESS PRESS INC., or their affiliates or licensors.

  For more information on Kindle Worlds: http://www.amazon.com/kindleworlds

  Selling Sass

  Jeni Burns

  Contents

  Dedication

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Thank you

  Biography

  For all the women who embrace

  their inner warrior…

  Your courage is your strength.

  1

  Sales pitch

  "LOOK, I GET it. Your client wants what they paid for, but I can't deliver what I don't have."

  Lindsay Sheel pressed two fingers to her temple to ward off the headache coming her way. Ever since her grandmother passed, life's little complications had taken on a life of their own. Her one cousin, Kara, disappeared without a word and her other cousin, Julia, now seemed surgically attached to their grandmother's ancient rotary phone every time it rang.

  "Here's the deal, Lindsay. Get me the equipment by the end of the week and we won't switch suppliers. But if you can't deliver, Sin-Sation will be the latest has-beens in Vegas. Okay? My clients want this party to be epic and Francine promised she could deliver 50 Shades meets Magic Mike."

  "I understand, Sam, but as you know, my grandmother passed a few weeks ago and we've been having some problems figuring out her ordering system." She took a deep breath and exhaled. "I'll make sure all the equipment gets delivered on time if I have to build it all myself. Sin-Sation never disappoints a client."

  "Fantastic. This party will set the tone for the season. Don't disappoint me. We'll talk soon."

  She stabbed the disconnect button with all she had. Dropping her head into her hands, she leaned on the counter and wished today would be the day her life magically changed for the better.

  "Penny for your thoughts."

  The low tenor tickled her spine and sent heat trickling through her veins. Ronin. Always there when she needed him. Dependable. Faithful. Strong. Everything she'd ever dreamed of in a man and yet, something in the back of her mind always wondered if he was too good to be true. She let the thought drift away and met his gaze.

  "Rough day?"

  The gold ring around his eyes shone bright in the pale lighting in the family owned sex shop. "You could say that." She plastered a playful smile on her face.

  He returned her smile with a wolfish one of his own. "We both know you like when it's rough." He stalked around the counter and wrapped her in a tight embrace. "And we both know I'm more than happy to give you what you want." His eyebrows wiggled.

  "As much fun as that sounds, right about now, I need to find a whole host of furniture pieces for that event Nana got us on the hook for."

  "Which one?" He nipped at her neck before swirling his tongue over the shell of her ear.

  "That dildos, debutantes, and dalliances thing or whatever it's called." She sank into his embrace and enjoyed the feel of solid muscles beneath her wandering fingers. "Ever since the magical community learned of Nana's passing, every weird ritual seems to need something they think we can provide."

  "But it's good for the business, right?"

  He made a good point. Nana's life insurance wasn't going to keep the store in business forever and now that Kara was gone, their family side-business disappeared with her.

  "Yeah, but do you have any idea where to find a Saint Andrew's Cross and a spanking bench on short notice? Because I'm tempted to go to the hardware store and start building at this point."

  "Mmm. Wood. Hardware. Spanking. You aren't like most women, Linds. How did I get so lucky?"

  The mischief in his eyes brought a smile to her face. "Pretty sure I'm the lucky one." She placed a tender kiss on his chin. "Now, help me find this list of items from the stock room. If we get done before Thursday, maybe we can try out the new pieces." She raised an eyebrow and slid an index finger down his chest.

  "I'm in." Ronin grabbed her around the waist and lifted her in his arms.

  Hours later over plates heaping with pasta, Lindsay locked gazes with the man who's smile lit her world on fire. "Thanks again. I'd still be making calls and rooting in back corners of the storage room had you not been there today." She offered him a shy smile before asking the question she was dying to know. "I guess work was okay without you again?"

  "I'm sure they didn't even notice I was gone." He twirled his fork in the spaghetti and lifted a bite to his mouth.

  "But aren't they wondering where you disappear to in the middle of day?"

  Even though they'd been dating for months, she still had yet to pinpoint what exactly he did for a living. When they'd first met, he'd led her to believe he was in sales with a flippant, 'we're in the same industry I see.' Considering the circumstances of that day, she never really questioned it and assumed he did something in Vegas that was supposed to stay quiet. Now, however, it stuck in her mind that maybe there was more than meets the eye about her beau.

  Ever since her Nana passed and her cousin went missing, he'd spent more time at Sin-Sation than ever and she couldn't imagine him finding the time to put in a full forty hours elsewhere unless he snuck out while she slept.

  He finished chewing. "Nah. It's slow this time of year and my numbers are good. Besides, I told them about Francine and Kara so they've given me some leeway while you and Julia try to put the pieces back together." He flashed her a smile and spun a new forkful. "Speaking of your cousin, where is she tonight?"

  "Who knows. She's been keeping some odd hours. Pretty sure she's got some strange addiction to that old phone of Nana's in the back office. I never hear it ring, but she's always on it these days."

  "Yeah?"

  "I don't get the appeal. I think Nana used it for..." she let her words die on her lips. The family side business wasn't usually up for discussion with non-family members. Regardless how helpful Ronin had been recently, she didn't need her Nana haunting her from her grave over family secrets. She ran a finger over her lips until she found a safer subject. "Oh, did I tell you they offered Jules and I each an invitation with a plus one for the party?"

  "You don't say."

  "Yeah. I've never been to a Fae coming of age event. Have you?"

  "I can't say that I have." He cocked an eyebrow and studied her.

  "Well, this one promises to be epic as long as I can pull it off." She forced a smile and tried to ignore the flash of heat coursing through her body at his inspection. The Fae were notorious for hosting the most sensual parties in the supernatural community. They took the hippie motto of peace and love quite literal when I came to the loving.

  "What do you still need?"

  "The furniture piec
es are the last bit I think. I just hope the new supplier will deliver on time. I hate to leave such a big event hanging until the last minute like this."

  "Trust me. They'll deliver." He pointed his fork in her direction. "You need to eat, Linds. I have plans for us tonight and you're gonna need the fuel."

  His smile disarmed her worries and set her blood on fire. Of all the things going wrong in her life, Ronin was the one thing going right. His tanned skin made his green eyes glow with the hint of his magical upbringing. Like her cousins, she'd spent her entire life trying to hide the magic flowing through her family's veins. Turned out Ronin did too.

  Unlike most children, Lindsay barely remembered her mom. Those young memories were instead replaced with images of meeting strange... creatures... in the oddest corners of Vegas handing off various trinkets for cold, hard cash. Yeah. Her life had very little in common with those of the other children she grew up with. The funny part was neither she, nor Kara, the next Sheel cousin in line, ever questioned their odd jobs.

  Sure, they gave Nana hell about almost everything. Everything except the side business they stepped into when their moms died. Of all the memories Lindsay tucked away in her brain and refused to contemplate, the day her mom and aunts died was the most guarded of them all. While Kara and Julia believed the carefully crafted tale their grandmother concocted, she knew the truth. Despite all the memes and mantras to the contrary, the truth held her prisoner and made her do unspeakable things.

  But all that changed when Ronin came into her life.

  Somehow the man who held his secrets closer to his chest than guards protecting the crown jewels themselves, seemed to understand her need to be evasive and short at times. It wasn't until their third month together when she began to suspect there was more to her hunky boyfriend than met the eye. Years of making herself nearly invisible paid off late one night as she followed him to the outskirts of Vegas where the city sprawl gave way to mountains and trees as far as the eye could see.

  Under the glow of a full moon, her fears and hopes collided in one massive explosion of reality. The too-good-to-true-man-of-her-dreams indeed kept secrets of his own. She'd watched transfixed as he'd joined a group of people around a blazing fire. She could close her eyes now and still see their silhouettes as they unceremoniously stripped down to their bare skin. However, the contorting and cracking of bones that should've scared her brought a flood of relief to her system. Ronin would understand.

  She'd stayed hidden in the shadows all night until the first rays of daylight sprang through the darkness and called the wolves home.

  "You realize being here was dangerous."

  She hadn't heard Ronin's approach and the glamor she so carefully controlled slipped. She hadn't known if she should apologize or shrug his comment off, but nothing needed to be said. Instead, he'd gathered her against his solid frame and inhaled deeply.

  "I think we have a lot to discuss, Linds, but I've spent all night with your scent within my hunting range. I'm not sure if you know distracting that is for a wolf this time of the month." His words had been more purr than perfect English and they'd sent every nerve ending to high alert.

  From that moment on, she never cared much about his secrets, because what they shared far outweighed anything.

  That hungry look was back in his eyes now. With a small nod, she picked up her fork and finished her meal.

  Between bites, they chatted about the most recent gossip surrounding Kara's disappearance.

  "Pack rumor has it that the bloodsucker is holding her hostage. Threatening to turn her if she won't work for them," Ronin intoned.

  "Do you really think that's true?" It was hard to believe her kick-ass cousin would let a vampire take her against her will. Not only did she train in martial arts, but she also tended to be the most overprotective one of the three of them, always standing up for the underdog and protecting the innocent.

  "I don't know. Who really knows where these ideas even come from in the first place." His shrug spoke volumes. "Besides, what would they need from a small business owner?"

  "Yeah. I doubt it's true. If Kara isn't getting in touch, there has to be a good reason." She dropped her fork to her empty place and smiled. "So, the full moon is coming up. Are you going running with the pack again or something different this time?" She knew it was a loaded question and her pulse quickened as she hoped he'd finally take her up on her offer to spend the full moon together.

  "I haven't decided yet."

  Her heart sank. "You know I trust you, right? I mean, I wouldn't suggest going somewhere that night if I didn't believe you could control your..."

  "Beast? Demon? Predator?" He supplied.

  "Wolf," she answered. "You didn't hurt me that first night," she reminded gently.

  "No. I didn't hurt you. But I also didn't hunt because once I got a whiff of you, I warned off the rest of the pack and then stayed close to be sure no one tried anything."

  Her jaw fell. Impossible. She'd have known if he'd been there. She could sense creatures lurking in shadows better than anyone thanks to the Sheel family blood running through her veins. "I never knew that."

  "Well, now you do." He rose from his chair, dropped a chaste kiss on her forehead and carried their dishes to the kitchen. When he returned to the dining room, he offered his hand and led her upstairs.

  As they entered her room, he worked her shirt over her head and trailed a line of kisses from her lips to breasts before finally adding, "So, unless you're willing to join the pack and run with us, I think it's best if you stay home."

  He had her there.

  She'd never be one of them.

  2

  Running with fangs

  RONIN'S PHONE VIBRATED against the hard wood floors of Lindsay's bedroom. He checked to make sure she was asleep before slipping his arm from beneath her, grabbing his phone, and tiptoeing from the room.

  "I thought I told you never to call me when I'm with the Sheels," he demanded as way of greeting.

  "But, lover, I miss you." Madeline Gillies' purred words turned his stomach.

  "Maddie..." he warned.

  "Cool it, Ronin. I was asked to reach out and get an update. You haven't checked in since the last time we all ran together."

  "And I already explained my absences to Trevan, which means I don't owe you one."

  "Oh, but you do. If you remember correctly, I'm the one who assigned you this task. Plus, Trevan put me in charge of this operation and you're a good little pup who won't let his master down, aren't you?"

  He hated the way her tone affected him. The subordinate genes in his body forced his head to drop despite not standing in front of the Alpha's mate. Damnit.

  "You may be Caleb's mate, but you aren't my alpha. Not by a long shot, Maddie." He forced himself to stand tall as he spoke and willed his restored confidence to resonate over the phone lines.

  "Ronin." His name was a hiss on her lips. "You know my family has a whole long line of females who make Alphas out of nothing. You had your chance with me. Remember?"

  Of course he remembered. How could he forget? Growing up, their families were the kind of close that assumed it would someday become one. All the pressure landed squarely on his shoulders. At first, it seemed reasonable. Logical even. A way for the Sgot's and Gillies' to reclaim some ancient tie reminiscent of the clan days in Scotland. It wasn't until he left home for college that he realized his parents' ideas and musings were mere delusions of grandeur and less about a new pack order. Too many nights spent drinking around fires and wishing for a better life had driven this maddening notion into their heads.

  After graduation he went home to find Madeline waiting for him as if he'd never left. But not in an adorable I've-missed-you kind of way. Nope. Not Maddie. She'd stayed with the pack and studied up on nothing besides how to be the best mate a she-wolf could be. The majority of the lessons must've focused on seducing ones intended mate, because he walked into his parents' home and found Maddie draped over the co
uch in perfect wolf-mating presentation, candles flickering, music down low, and the heady scent of her willingness hanging in the air.

  The rejection hurt. He knew it did. And if he was to venture a guess, he'd think it still did now, even all these years later. Hence, why this 'mission' felt more like revenge and less like a way to reclaim his position in the pack order.

  He clenched his teeth and counted. He only got as far as eight before she spoke.

  "Seriously, Ronin. I know Caleb's made his claim, but we could still be together. Our whole lives, I thought it'd be you and I."

  The wistful tone in her voice pulled at his heart. She never sounded this... Sad?

  "How many times will I need to apologize? I never intended to hurt you, Maddie. I wasn't ready, and neither were you if you really think about it. And who's to say we would've worked? You seem happy with Caleb." He paused to let the sentiment hit home for him as much as he did for her. The small pang in his gut spoke more about possibly hurting her again and less about a desire to have her as his own. "I never really wanted to run a pack. It was a dream I was force-fed and digested out of necessity. But the reality is, I never wanted that life. I wanted a quiet life with a woman who loved me the way I was. You wanted so much more than I could ever hope to give you. You deserved better." Thoughts of their new Alpha streamed through his head. While Ronin wasn't his biggest fan, it had more to do with his politics and less about his integrity and standing. "You deserved Caleb," he added.

  Her tone grew cold. "I deserved what I wanted. Hell, I still do. And who says you had to run the pack? We could've done it together."

  "I'm sorry. It wasn't meant to be." Trite as it sounded even to his own ears, he hoped it worked for her. Hurting her over and over again wasn't his plan, but if he had to do it to make her understand, he would.