Sass Appeal_Sassy Ever After Universe Page 4
Laughing, he kissed her forehead. “No, babe. Not at all.”
“Don’t make fun of me. Your try getting attacked by Bigfoot and see how quickly you’ll agree to a bodyguard.”
“I suppose you’re right. Come on, let’s get ready.”
Chapter Nine
Peter watched from the parking lot as a Mercedes pulled up to the office. Seeing a luxury car at Covington Properties wasn’t unheard of. There was something different about this visit, though.
The men who got out looked to be in their fifties. Definitely businessmen and not the average people looking for a home. He tried to place where he’d seen them but drew a blank.
With no other means of finding out what was going on in the office, Peter resorted to the old-fashioned method of detective work. Peeking through a window.
The two men were drinking coffee, smiling and nodding as Jane showed them reports of some kind.
He’d tried his best to stay hidden. Still, his efforts failed. One of the men noticed him crouching behind a bush and stormed outside to confront him.
“Who are you? What are you doing?” he demanded.
Jane hurried to run outside. “Mr. Covington, this is Peter Alden. He’s one of your lead tradesmen.”
“Oh?” The man adjusted his tie. “Well, what is one of our lead men doing lurking in bushes?”
“Mr. Covington, if you’ll come back inside I’m sure that I can –.”
“No.” Peter held up his hand to silence Jane. “Mr. Covington, if you’ll come inside with me I’ll be happy to explain.”
“Alright then.” The man ushered them all inside and sat down, crossing his arms. “Well, let’s hear it.”
“I have only worked for you a few months, sir. But, I do enjoy and value my job. It’s important to me. Just as it’s important to Jane.”
The man cocked a brow. “Why do I feel like there’s a but coming?”
“But…” Peter offered with hesitance. “There are some strange things going on here. Some potentially dangerous things.”
“Dangerous? How so?” Mr. Covington’s colleague asked.
“Mr. Alden, this is my son. Geraldo Covington, the third.”
“Good to meet you,” Peter replied.
“Enough with the formalities.” Covington interrupted. “What sort of dangerous things?”
“Last night, Jane was attacked.”
“Oh my God. Are you okay?”
Both Covington and his son seemed to be genuinely concerned for Jane, something that Peter was grateful for.
“I’m fine. But, there are some strange things that aren’t quite adding up.”
“Such as?”
“Well, to be honest, sir. I shouldn’t have this job. I mean… I love this job. And I’ve been working very hard at it. But, experience wise, I was not your best option.”
“Okay,” Covington steepled his fingers together before continuing, “So, how did you get the job then?”
“Jerry. Jerry Larsen.”
“Larsen. I know that name.” he turned toward his son. “Where do I know that name?”
“He disappeared. About six months ago. He was supposed to meet us here for the ground-breaking ceremony and he never showed. We’ve tried several ways to get a hold of him, but we weren’t successful.”
“I see. And you say you know this Jerry Larsen?”
“Yes.” Peter replied. “He’s far from missing. He’s been here for months.”
“And this man, Larsen. He’s the one who attacked you?”
“Well…” Jane looked over at Peter. “Not exactly. I mean, maybe?”
“Mr. Alden, would you mind explaining to me what is going on here?” Mr. Covington asked, his obvious annoyance growing.
“You see yesterday Jerry sort of vanished. Couldn’t find him anywhere. And then last night, Jane was attacked.”
“Right. You already said that. But, if it wasn’t this Jerry fellow, what was it? A mountain lion? A –.”
“I think it was Bigfoot.” Jane blurted her response, shocking their two visitors.
Covington turned to her, his expression curious. “Bigfoot you say?”
“Well, yes. I think it was a Bigfoot. Or a Sasquatch. I don’t know.”
“Look,” Peter answered, “all we know for sure is that a big hairy ape-like man tried to grab her and take her. It wasn’t until last night that we realized some things about Jerry just didn’t make much sense.”
“Here.” Geraldo held up his phone, showing a picture to Jane and Peter. “Is this Jerry?”
Shocked by the image of an older African-American male, Peter shook his head. “No. Not at all.”
“You’re sure?”
“He’s sure.” Jane replied. “The Jerry Larsen that I have known for weeks is a middle-aged Caucasian.”
“Then where pray tell is Jerry Larsen?” Peter posed the question, though it was more rhetorical than anything. He didn’t suspect anyone had the answer. Nor did he expect what Mr. Covington was about to tell them.
“Listen, have a seat. I think there’s something you should know.” Mr. Covington took a breath and began to explain. “A long time ago, my family had some allies. Barbara and Tristan Wolfe. They were shifters, wolf shifters coincidentally enough. Their safety and family didn’t come easily to them. They fought many battles. They suffered before they were blessed. The Wolfe’s are… good people. Good shifters. But, their happiness came at a price. Someone else’s price. There was a long stretch of land that was untouched, at least as far as anyone knew. Barbara and Tristan had gone there, hoping to find serenity for their children. What they didn’t realize was that the land had already been claimed. Not by man, or even a shifter. But, by a mythical creature that some to this day don’t even believe actually exists. They weren’t bad creatures. They just never evolved like us shifters did. Humans have a place in this world. Shifters have a place in this world. But, Bigfoot, and others like them, they have no place. And occasionally, whenever we build in new areas, we come across some. They are either fighting for their land. Fighting for their families. Sometimes even fighting for their lives. They’re dying off. Slowly, but gradually their numbers are diminishing. No longer able to mate with their kind due to their decreased population, it has been rumored that they would take captives. Kidnap women for mating and other purposes.”
“But, wait.” Peter cut in. “If they aren’t shifters, and if Jerry is one of these Bigfoot creatures, I mean… that is what you’re saying, right?”
Mr. Covington nodded.
“Okay, so if that were true, then how could he recruit potential mates? If he has a human form and saw Jane as some sort of a mate for himself, how could he appear as human and Bigfoot?”
“Just like I said. They’re dying off. They are no longer mating with their own kind. They’re mixing between humans and shifters. Anyway, they can find to stay alive they have taken it. And so –.”
“They’re not just Bigfoot anymore.” Jane finished Mr. Covington’s thoughts. “They’re becoming shifters now.”
“That is what I believe.” Mr. Covington answered. “The only question is, how many more are out there? And what are they capable of?”
Chapter Ten
Jenny sat in her chair after seeing the two Covington men off. Peter had sat speechless for most of the history that was told to them. She wasn’t sure if he was in shock or if he just didn’t believe it. Either way, she needed to talk with him.
“Hey.” She offered as a greeting as she stepped back inside the office.
“Huh? Oh hi.”
“You alright?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Are you sure? Because you don’t seem like it.”
“Well, I’m a little stunned.”
“Stunned? Why?”
He raised his brows. “Why? Geez, Jane, I don’t know. Maybe because my boss, hell our boss just told us this really involved story about the Bigfoot being real and how they’re morphing into shifters b
y kidnapping women and taking them as their mate. This isn’t to mention of course that my girlfriend was attacked by one last night and could have… hell, I don’t even want to fucking thing what could have happened.”
She smiled. “Can we go back to that girlfriend part?”
“What?” He ran his fingers through his hair and let out an exasperated sigh. “Jane, this isn’t funny. I’m serious.”
“And so am I. I’d like to hear that part about your girlfriend again.”
He smirked. “You think you’re pretty cute, don’t you?”
“I mean… yeah, a little.”
Shaking his head, he pulled her down to his lap. “You’ll make me crazy, you know this, right?”
“Please. If I can handle the past three days that I’ve had, I’m pretty sure your tiger shifting ass can handle the rest.”
“Tiger shifting…” he cocked a brow at her. “Someone’s awfully sassy today.”
“What can I say? Falling for a guy who turns out to be a tiger, all the while learning your boss is actually a Bigfoot who wants to kidnap you… it kinda puts things into perspective.”
“I’ll put things into perspective for you.”
He ground his hips upward, pressing his hardened length between her legs.
“Crazy Bigfoot trying to kidnap me suddenly doesn’t seem so bad. I mean, if it keeps you close by…” she smirked.
“Sweet, sexy, and fucking sassy! I love it!”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nicole Morgan has been writing since 2009 and is an author of erotic romance novels, which more often than not have a suspenseful back story. Erotic romance mixed with good old-fashioned whodunit. While she’s written everything from contemporary to paranormal, her leading men will more than likely be wearing a uniform of some kind. From military to police officers, she has a love for writing about those who protect and serve. From her very first novel (which turned into a four book series) about Navy SEALs to her more recent releases you will be sure to find a few twists and turns you were not expecting.
Nicole also writes under the pen names of Taylor Brooks and Nicki Day.
www.NicoleMorganAuthor.com
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Other titles by Nicole Morgan
Series Books
Intimate Persuasions (Intimate Temptations 1)
Intimate Confessions (Intimate Temptations 2)
Intimate Seductions (Intimate Temptations 3)
Sweet Redemption (Sweet Awakenings 1)
Sweet Salvation (Sweet Awakenings 2)
Sweet Vengeance (Sweet Awakenings 3)
Sweet Affliction (Sweet Awakenings 4)
Impetuous (Incessant Passions 1)
Tempestuous (Incessant Passions 2)
The Nexus (The Paladins 1)
Risqué Renovation (Blue Collar 1)
USA Today bestselling title,
Shadow’s Mark (Shadow Legions 1)
Night Falls (Racinitine Pack 1)
Super Nova (Racinitine Pack 2)
Secrets of the Hollows (The Hollows 1)
Storm of Seduction (Gilpin County Search and Rescue 1)
Bossy Boots (Spryth Bloodline 1)
Kindle Worlds
The Omega Team: Any Means Necessary
The Omega Team: Imminent Danger
The Omega Team: Collateral Damage
The Phoenix Agency: Fatal Desires
PDA: Wolf at the Door
Sassy Ever After: Pain in the Sass
Standalone Titles
Cowboys Only
Removing the Layers
Surrender Her Inhibitions
Beautiful Mess
Surrounded by Roses
Remind Me
Love Knows No Boundaries
Sudden Devotion
When Promise Meets Passion
Entice Me
USA Today bestselling title,
The Best Man
Coming Soon
Ricochet
Lost in You (Imperfect Love KW)