We’d need to go it alone. This might be the time I was successfully kidnapped.

Fourteen

The next afternoon, I paused midway through sweeping on some makeup when I felt Austin step down on the property.

He’d delivered on all of the promises he’d made the previous night. He’d learned how to decipher the scent of a magical user, retraced the prowler’s trail, deduced the unknown Big Bad out front was a middle-range magical worker at best—less than whoever was trekking over the Basajaun’s mountain—and stayed the night so I could sleep soundly.

And I had. No nightmares had troubled me. Worry hadn’t kept me tossing and turning. I’d woken up refreshed and ready to figure this thing out.

It was amazing how safe he made me feel.

Come morning, he hadn’t shown any fatigue, but I’d tapped into our connection for long enough to feel it. I’d set to work on healing it without saying anything. After the breakfast forced on him by my mother, he’d given me a secret smile and whispered, “Thanks,” before heading out to check in with the people he had watching the town. The guy never took a day off.

Not that I was complaining, given the situation.

He’d texted in the early afternoon telling me to get ready; he had somewhere to take me. He hadn’t specified where.

Now he was here.

I was terrified he had bad news he didn’t want to break to me over the phone.

Ever the optimist, though, I finished my makeup before checking to make sure I hadn’t spilled any powder on my shirt. Could be bad news, or it could be a trip to the winery he planned to buy for barrel tasting, or something else less awful than people coming after me. Given nothing had triggered my magical tripwire last night, which I had put near the flowers even though he’d said to put it near the grass, and Edgar hadn’t seen anyone at the front, Niamh and Austin reckoned the people interested in the house were taking a step back to size each other up.

But it could be bad news. Austin and Niamh had made their assessment this morning based on very little information. I was nervous, which was why I’d decided to put on nicer clothes and some makeup. When I felt bad on the inside, jazzing up my appearance helped distract me. In this particular situation, it was also an excuse to escape Mr. Tom and my parents for a second.

I reached the bottom of the stairs before Austin had made much progress at all, his slow pace making me more anxious. He was obviously reluctant to tell me whatever he’d found out.

Mr. Tom stepped forward and pointed to the front sitting room.

“In there, miss, while I greet Mr. Steele.”

I frowned at him. Did Mr. Tom know what was going on? Oh God, they knew the attack was coming tonight and they didn’t want to freak me out too soon.

My mother sat in a chair near the fireplace, book in hand. She smiled at me as I sat down, and then lowered the book, clearly seeing from my expression that something was wrong.

“What is it—”

I didn’t hear her finish the question because I felt Austin’s arrival. I could sense him stopping at the front door and Mr. Tom opening it. His words were but a hum, washed out by my mother repeating her question.

“Miss.” Mr. Tom stood in the doorway, his expression grim. “Mr. Steele is here to see you.”

“Oh, how nice!” My mother beamed. “And good choice on your clothes, dear. Sophisticated and pretty, but casual. It’s inviting, but it doesn’t make you look like a sure thing.” She gave me an “okay” sign.

Stomach churning, I didn’t comment as I left the room. Better for her to think Austin had come to whisk me away than to inform me that we’d shortly be attacked by two unknown forces with mages and shifters and who knew what else.

In the foyer, though, the first glimpse of Austin took my breath away. He stood just in front of the door wearing stylish ripped jeans that hugged his muscular thighs and a white dress shirt with cream-colored, somewhat metallic horizontal stripes—subtle, but just enough to showcase the girth of his muscular torso. A few buttons had been left open, showing the groove of his pec muscles without revealing too much. Man cleavage. The sleeves were rolled up to his forearms, displaying a shiny watch with diamonds around the face. His hair, long on top and short on the sides, was stylishly messy, swooshed just a little to the right in a way that enhanced his incredibly attractive face.

He held an orchid plant in a distressed wooden base. The middle of the flower was a bluish white that exploded into purples and deep blues toward the outer rim, colors unlike any I’d ever seen in that type of flower. The base was stylish and amazing and exactly my taste.

“What’s…” I glanced behind him, not sure what I was looking for, then around, wondering if I’d fallen back asleep somewhere and was dreaming right now. “What’s going on?”

“You need a break from this circus,” Mr. Tom said. “You are wound up so tightly you’re about to crack.”

“Right, but…”

“Welcome to the perfect date,” Austin said.

We stared at each other for a silent beat. Mr. Tom and I stared at each other for another silent beat.

“Oh, how wonderful,” my mother exclaimed, listening at the door.

“Mother, stop listening at the door,” I said. I lowered my voice. “Okay, but… There are people who can sneak onto the property. We don’t know when they are going to attack. My parents are here. I’d love an outing, yes, but obviously that’s not realistic. I can’t possibly chill out for a freaking date.”

“We have a window,” Austin said, stepping closer and lowering his voice as well. “Just in case, I won’t hide the fact that I’m taking you out of here. If anyone is watching, they will see that you are traveling with me. Leaving the house. They won’t attack while you are gone—why would they? You’re the prize, not the house. Your parents will be safe, and worst case, they can hide in the walls. Should anything happen, Niamh and Cedric will make sure they are out of harm’s way.”

“But…”

“Jasper, Ulric, and the hotel gargoyles will be following us overhead, close at hand. If anyone makes a move on you, we’ll be ready. I’ll hold the line while you take to the air. They’ve been staking you out at the house; they won’t be ready for a moving target. I doubt they’d be able to regroup quickly enough to intercept us. Even still, I have an underground route they won’t find. They might follow us for a ways, but they won’t follow us forever. I can get you out of here in safety. This is doable.”

“You need the break,” Mr. Tom said. “You need your wits, and you need your rest. Let Mr. Steele take you for a reprieve.”

I stared into Austin’s cobalt eyes, at a loss. “Okay… But wow, you have your work cut out for you.”

“One thing you must know about me, Jess. I always rise to the challenge.” He smirked and held out the orchid. “I got you a living flower. It’s something to remember me by when I’m not here.” The smirk turned into a mouth-watering smile. “Or, if the date doesn’t go well, you can take the garden shears to it. Vengeance.”

I laughed despite my churning unease about the whole situation, moving forward to take the orchid. “Thanks. It’s gorgeous.”

Mr. Tom reached out for it, but I set it on the little table near the door. “The entranceway needed an orchid.”

“Perfect start,” Austin said softly.

“You do need this outing,” Mr. Tom said, “but be mindful. He’s had forty years of practice at these things.”

Austin’s eyes dulled and flicked to Mr. Tom. He leaned back just a little, his smile faltering.

“Oh now, don’t listen to him.” My mom bustled out of the room, where she’d clearly continued listening at the door. Hopefully she hadn’t heard the whispered part of our conversation. “He wears a cape. His opinion is bound to be suspect.” She smiled at Austin. “My, you sure do clean up nice. Well, shoo, you kids. Shoo, shoo.” She gasped as she shoved me toward the door. “Look at that gorgeous orchid. And the base! Great taste. Did you pick that out all by yourself, Austin?”

“Yes, ma’am. Just struck me as something Jess might like.”

“Well, yes, she does.” My mom opened the front door and motioned Austin out of it. “You should have seen her old house. All the wood looked like she’d picked it up off the side of the street. Trendy, my big toe. Her father kept telling her that he could’ve found all that for free.”

“Shabby chic,” I muttered, pushed out after Austin.

“Stay safe. Don’t worry about us. We won’t wait up.” My mom waved and shut the door behind us.

“Send-off…” I made like I was writing on a tablet. “Less than ideal.”

He paused by the passenger door of the Jeep, the tops and doors still on this early in the season. “Listen.” His expression and tone were both dead serious. “I’ve never tried very hard on dates. I’m always respectful and try to show my date a good time, but I don’t go out of my way. Not ever. For you—for this—I did. I care about you, Jess. I care about our friendship. This isn’t an everyday kind of thing for me. I’m not pulling stuff out of some womanizer playbook to try to schmooze you.” He paused, then added, “I just wanted you to know that. Whatever Earl and Niamh might say about me—those things might usually be true, but they’re not when it comes you, okay? I will protect you in all things, including from myself if need be. I will not do you wrong.”

My heart nearly exploded, and I put out my arms, wrapping them around his neck when he leaned down to hug me.

“Thank you. That’s nice of you to say.” I closed my eyes within the strength of his arms. “Send-off back to perfect.”

“Back on track.” He laughed and pulled back. “Before we head out…” He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a clump of crushed flowers. With his opposite finger, he spread them out along his palm. “Which do you fancy?”