Flame and Ink
An Anthology
By
Carrie Ann Ryan
Flame and Ink By: Carrie Ann Ryan © 2015 Carrie Ann Ryan ISBN: 978-1-943123-44-5
Cover Art by Charity Hendry
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given
away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an
additional copy for each person or use proper retail channels to lend a copy. If you’re reading this
book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and
purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
All characters in this book are fiction and figments of the author’s imagination.
For more information, please join Carrie Ann Ryan’s
Author Highlights
Praise for Carrie Ann Ryan….
“Carrie Ann Ryan knows how to pull your heartstrings and make your pulse pound! Her
wonderful Redwood Pack series will draw you in and keep you reading long into the night. I can’t
wait to see what comes next with the new generation, the Talons. Keep them coming, Carrie Ann!” –
Lara Adrian, New York Times bestselling author of CRAVE THE NIGHT
“Carrie Ann Ryan never fails to draw readers in with passion, raw sensuality, and characters that
pop off the page. Any book by Carrie Ann is an absolute treat.” – New York Times Bestselling Author
J. Kenner "With snarky humor, sizzling love scenes, and brilliant, imaginative worldbuilding, The
Dante's Circle series reads as if Carrie Ann Ryan peeked at my personal wish list!" – NYT
Bestselling Author, Larissa Ione "Carrie Ann Ryan writes sexy shifters in a world full of passionate
happily-ever-afters." – New York Times Bestselling Author Vivian Arend “Carrie Ann’s books are
sexy with characters you can’t help but love from page one. They are heat and heart blended to
perfection.” New York Times Bestselling Author Jayne Rylon Carrie Ann Ryan's books are wickedly
funny and deliciously hot, with plenty of twists to keep you guessing. They'll keep you up all night!”
USA Today Bestselling Author Cari Quinn "Once again, Carrie Ann Ryan knocks the Dante's Circle
series out of the park. The queen of hot, sexy, enthralling paranormal romance, Carrie Ann is an
author not to miss!" New York Times bestselling Author Marie Harte
Praise for the Redwood Pack Series…
“You will not be disappointed in the Redwood Pack.” Books-n-Kisses “I was so completely
immersed in this story that I felt what the characters felt. BLOWN AWAY.” Delphina’s Book Reviews.
“I love all the wolves in the Redwood Pack and eagerly anticipate all the brothers’ stories.” The
Book Vixen “Shifter romances are a dime a dozen, but good ones aren’t as plentiful as one would
think. This is one of the goods one.” Book Binge “With the hints of things to come for the Redwoods, I
can’t wait to read the next book!” Scorching Book Reviews “Ryan outdid herself on this book.” The
Romance Reviews
Praise for the Dante’s Circle Series…
“This author better write the next books quickly or I will Occupy Her Lawn until she releases
more! Pure romance enjoyment here. Now go put this on your TBR pile—shoo!” The Book Vixen “I,
for one, will definitely be following the series to see what happens to the seven.” Cocktails & Books
“The world of Dante’s Circle series is enthralling and with each book gets deeper and deeper as does
Carrie Ann’s writing.” Literal Addiction
Praise for the Montgomery Ink Series…
“Shea and Shep are so cute together and really offset each other in a brilliant way. “ Literal
Addiction “This was a very quick and spicy read. I really enjoyed reading about Sassy, Rafe & Ian. I
really hope there will be more of these three in the future.” Books n Kisses
Praise for the Holiday, Montana Series…
“Charmed Spirits was a solid first book in this new series and I’m looking forward to seeing
where it goes.” RR@H Novel Thoughts & Book Thoughts “If you’re looking for a light book full of
magic, love and hot little scenes on various objects, then this book is for you! You’ll soon find that
tables are no longer for eating meals of the food variety … Bon appétit!” Under the Covers “The
book was well written and had the perfect setting the steamy bits where really really hot and the story
one of sweet romance. Well done Carrie” Bitten by Love Reviews
From the New York Times bestselling author of the Montgomery Ink and Talon Pack series
comes an anthology filled with deleted scenes and extras from many of her fan-favorite series.
Vowed in Ink (A Montgomery Ink Novella) It’s a very important day for Sassy, Rafe, and Ian. The
three are ready to form their union in body and soul as well as legally for one of the pairs. Only when
the day comes, not everything turns out how they've planned. The triad will have to look deep into
their hearts and remember why they fought for each other not once, but twice in their lives so they can
find their true happy ending.
Delicate Arrival (A Montgomery Ink Novella) A look into the lives of Austin and Sierra as they
welcome their baby to the world. They've been through hell together and now have one more trial to
pass before they can keep going.
Edward and Pat’s Day Off (A Redwood Pack Short Story) A look into the Alpha pair’s day off.
Babysitting Finn and Brie (A Redwood Pack Short Story) A fun scene with Edward and his
grandchildren.
On the Other Side (A Redwood Pack Short Story) A bonus scene featuring Edward and Pat.
Bewitching (A Holiday, Montana Short Story) A cute bonus scene with Jordan and Matt.
At Home with Cupid (A Holiday, Montana Short Story) A look at Tyler and Abigail’s evenings
with their new babies.
A Wedding with Wings (A Dante’s Circle Short Story) Lily and Shade’s wedding.
The Meeting (A Dante’s Circle Short Story) Jame introduces her men to her parents…but all is not
what it seems.
Author Note: Many of these scenes have been featured in Carrie Ann Ryan’s newsletters and on her
website in the past. You can still read some of them for free on her website. This anthology is so
people can have easy access to this material as well as the new bonus content. Happy Reading!
Dedication
To my Charitys. Because you ladies are two sides to the coin I need
daily.
Vowed in Ink
A Montgomery Ink Novella
Author Note: Vowed in Ink is set in between Delicate Ink (Montgomery Ink Book 2) and
Tempting Boundaries (Montgomery Ink Book 3). If you haven’t read the series, you should be fine
jumping in, but beware there might be a couple spoilers. This is not meant to be a full novel or
even a full novella. It’s just a day in the life—a very important day in the life of Rafe, Ian, and
Sassy from Ink Reunited (Montgomery Ink Book 1.6).
ONE
Sassy had waited for this day for what felt like months. Years if she were honest with herself.
Rafe and Ian had stormed into her tattoo shop and her life over a year ago, and the three of them were
engaged to be married soon after. They’d fallen in love as young adults, spent far too long apart, and
were now going to spend the rest of their lives together. She had their ink on her skin, the memory of
their hands and bodies on hers, and the feeling of their souls connected with her own.
She loved the two men—like she never thought she would be able to. And in turn, they loved her
just as deeply. The passion and emotion they held for each other brought her to tears. She knew she
was blessed.
They were a true triad.
A relationship between three people in which there were no secrets, no way to hide things. Once
one of them started to hide within themselves, the other two would bring them out. Communication
and pure openness were the only way the three of them could work. And she would never have it any
other way.
Of course, all of that worked well in theory.
In real life? Not so much.
They three of them yelled and growled at one another often, and while most times it led to very
sweaty, kinky sex, sometimes, it led to even more discussions.
All of that angst and tension was only with the three of them, though.
Add in the fact that her father was a gigantic asshole who wouldn’t speak to her, and yet, had
tried to ruin her relationship with her two men because he wanted money…she wanted to scream,
again. Oh, and Ian’s parents weren’t thrilled. That was being vague, and she knew it. His parents
were white-collar snobs who not only didn’t like the fact that he was marrying some tattoo
receptionist with ink and piercings, but that he was also doing a commitment ceremony with a brown-
skinned mechanic.
It didn’t matter that Sassy came from white-collar money of her own—hence why her father was
an asshole on a whole other level. Sassy has long since turned her back on that money anyway. It
didn’t matter that Rafe owned four—and counting—shops on his own and was a millionaire in his
own right.
Ian was a billionaire.
Rafe and Sassy were, therefore, trash.
Put them together in a kinky ménage, and Ian’s family made Sassy want to scream.
So, of course, instead of getting married in New Orleans—their home—they were getting
married in New York. Rafe’s family loved Sassy and Ian and had opened their arms to them. There
were a few stragglers who thought the idea of two men and a woman being together was a sin, but
those close to Rafe loved them all.
But no, they couldn’t get married in New Orleans near them.
Ian’s parents had insisted that the wedding happen in New York. Why, Sassy didn’t know. The
actual binding contract would be between Ian and Sassy since it wasn’t legal for a triad to be
married, but Rafe would be standing up there as their third, even if he didn’t get to sign the paper and
have someone bless him.
He was theirs as they were his.
The Steele family had insisted on a pure New York wedding, where they would try to do damage
control on their inner circles from within. And Sassy, not wanting to make waves—very unlike
herself—had agreed to it.
Now she was having a giant wedding of epic New York Upper East Side proportions, and with
only one man while the other had to smile along and pretend he wasn’t breaking inside. Rafe may not
have said as much, but she knew this wasn’t exactly what he wanted.
Hell, it wasn’t exactly what she and Ian wanted either.
And yet, she wore her fucking wedding dress and stared out into the New York City landscape,
wondering how in the hell she’d gotten here. She wanted to marry Ian. Wanted to marry Rafe, as well.
The only reason they were even going through with a marriage license was because it made things
easier legally. If she ended up in the hospital or when they had kids, it made things…easier. And they
would have documentation for Rafe, as well.
So, yeah, all of this pain, this strife, was because of damn legalities.
She should have forced Rafe and Ian to be married in the ceremony, and she could have sat back
and smiled, knowing she was part of that union, as well—but Ian’s parents had needed consideration.
She also could have married Rafe and had Ian be on the side, but since Ian’s parents…
Damn it.
She hated this.
Her chest hurt, her lungs seizing.
Because they were in New York and not in New Orleans, most of her friends hadn’t been able to
come. Shep and Shea were there because they’d been able to get off work, but they couldn’t shut
down the entire shop for a single wedding. Even Shep’s cousin Austin and his woman, Sierra were
there, but it still wasn’t everyone.
Rafe’s family had flown up to see the wedding, even though their son wouldn’t be the one
speaking the vows that day. They loved their son that much.
Sassy’s father had not been invited.
And Ian’s parents…well, they were his fucking parents. Not much more she could do about that.
She barely resisted the urge to run a hand over her face. If she did that, she’d have to sit in the
makeup chair again and let that woman put more crap on her skin. Sassy hadn’t even been allowed to
do her own makeup, nor had someone she trusted been allowed to do it.
No. Instead, Ian’s mother had taken care of everything.
And by everything, Sassy meant everything.
The flowers, Sassy’s dress, the venue, her makeup, every-fucking-thing.
And Sassy had gone along with it with a damn smile on her face because that bitch would one
day be her child’s grandmother. Her kids needed family.
Only Sassy had a feeling she was horribly wrong about that. Her kids might need family, but there
was no way Sassy would be able to let her children near that vile woman or her friends.
She hadn’t even told her men that she’d hated every moment of their wedding preparations. It had
taken so much of her time, she hadn’t even seen them every day. She’d hidden her feelings from her
loves, and now she was paying the price.
She knew they thought something was wrong, but perhaps they just thought it was bridal jitters.
Except they hadn’t had sex in over a month.
A month.
She didn’t know if the two of them had been with each other in that month, but she hadn’t slept
with either of them—together or separately. The fact that she hadn’t had sex with them, and didn’t
even know if they’d been with each other, just told her what a giant mistake she was making.
She wanted to marry her men.
Just not like this.
“Looks like you’ve moved up in the world.”
Sassy gripped the curtains on either side of her. That voice. That fucking voice. What the hell
was he doing here?
Of course, he’d be here to try and ruin today.
“Get. Out.” She bit out each word, forcing herself not to turn and throw something at him. The
only thing near her was a vase that probably cost more than her car, but she’d throw it if she had to.
“Is that any way to talk to your old man?”
She turned then, staring at the man who’d helped to give her life…then stepped back and did
nothing to raise her. He’d put her down, tried to mold her into the perfect society daughter with no
sense of self, no sense of anything—just someone for another rich man to have on his arm.
She hated this man. She’d left the fold of his society, and now with marrying Ian, she was
strolling right back in.
But it would be on her terms…
Was it?
She pushed that errant thought away. She’d deal with this wedding and Ian’s parents in a moment.
First, though, she needed to deal with the asshole in front of her. When her father had let the news
outlets know his whore of a daughter was shacking up with Ian of the New York Steeles, as well as a
mechanic in some form of wicked, demon-loving orgy, she hadn’t been able to confront him.
Her men had done that.
Of course, she’d been fucking pissed that she hadn’t been able to do anything at the time. But now
her father was back.
There would be no stopping Sassy this time.
She ran a hand down the dress she hated, the overflowing tulle and handcrafted lace far too big
for her, far too ostentatious. “You were specifically not invited.”
“My daughter is getting married. Of course, I’m here,” her father said simply. He smiled, and she
wanted to smack the smile right off his face. “Of course, I wanted to know which one you picked.
Glad you picked the one with the most money. But since you’re a detail-orientated whore anyway, I
figured that’s the one you’d choose. Now you have your little cabana boy on the side.”
She hadn’t known she’d moved closer to him until she felt the pain in her fist. Her father cried
out as he fell, clutching his eye. Since he was down, she kicked him in the nuts with her very pointy,
very expensive shoes. She might hate the dress, but she loved the shoes.
Her father screamed again, and she snarled. “Get the fuck out of my life, you piece of trash. If you
ever say my name or talk about my men again, I’ll gut you where you stand. You hear me? You think I
didn’t learn a thing from living on the streets when I left the hell you called home? Think again, little
man. I’ll fuck you up. Now get out of my sight before I get really mad.”
“Holy shit,” Rafe said from the doorway, looking far too sexy in his tux. “Holy fucking shit.”
She raised her chin, her chest heaving. She loved Rafe with all of her heart, and if he helped her
just then, she’d love him even more. Maybe even give him a nice wedding night blowjob. “Think you
can help me take out the trash?”
One of the loves of her life winked—though she saw the rage beneath the surface. He wanted a
piece of her father, she could tell. While she’d told her father she’d gut him, she didn’t want Rafe to
end up in jail for murder. “Hell, yeah, I can help. Have I told you lately that I love it when you’re
feisty?”
She stepped over her father’s prone form and pulled at her dress so it wouldn’t touch the piece of
filth on the floor before reaching up to cup Rafe’s cheek. “I love you, Rafe,” she whispered. “So
fucking much.”
His eyes filled with understanding, and he lowered his head to brush his lips over hers. “I love
you, too, darling. Now, let’s take care of this asshole.”
“Just don’t get blood on my dress,” she said simply. “It cost a mint.”
He rolled his eyes and grinned, even though the anger and hurt warring in his eyes broke her.
“Anything for you, babe.”
He said that, but did he mean it? Because now that she’d broken her father’s nose and probably
his nuts, she had a feeling she was finally strong enough to make a change.
A change that would be the best for her men and herself.
She just had to make sure Rafe and Ian would be up for it.
TWO
Rafe had never been so in love with Sassy as he was right then. She stood tall, her hands fisted at
her sides and her eyes bright. She was swimming in a mountain of tulle, silk, and lace and looked hot
as hell—even if it wasn’t something she’d normally wear.
But it didn’t matter what she wore, it was all about the fire in her eyes and the look on her face.
She was his.
Ian’s, as well.
She was just…Sassy.
He kissed her, her lips soft and yielding against his firmer ones. She moaned into him before
pulling back.
“Hold up there, tiger. No making out with the douchebag still within kicking distance.”
He snorted at her words then shook his head. “No problem, darling. You want me to get security
to pick up him? Call the cops? Or just throw him in the dumpster?”
He cupped her face, knowing he was probably fucking up her makeup, but it was hard enough not
to run his fingers through her hair. He loved her hair, all chestnut-hued and soft on his skin. He loved
the way it looked with her head thrown back, or as it splayed over his or Ian’s chest while they made
love.
“Let’s just leave him here. I’m done with him.” She gave him a shaky smile. He hated seeing it
shake. She was just so fucking strong most days that it worried him when she didn’t look herself. He
also had a feeling that her father being here was only part of what was going on in her mind.
He’d seen the way she’d pulled away in the past few weeks. The more Ian’s mother had pushed,
the more closed off Sassy had become. Ian and Rafe had both wanted to do something about it, but
Sassy had waved them off.
She had dealt with the Steeles for them, and yet, he should have made sure she knew he didn’t
need it. Didn’t need the elegance and show the wedding had become. He knew Ian felt the same way,
and yet, they hadn’t made sure Sassy knew that.
This was on them as much as it was on the Steeles.
Okay, so maybe it was more on the Steeles.
He moved back then tugged on her hand. “I’m beyond done with him, too. Come with me.”
She grinned. “I’ll come with you anywhere.”
“I wasn’t talking sex, but damn, now I’m just picturing you bent over and this skirt at your hips as
I fuck you.”
“I think there might be too much skirt for that,” she said dryly.
He kissed her again then led her to an empty room that had nothing to do with the wedding; where
he was pretty sure Ian’s mother and the crazy intense wedding planner wouldn’t find them.
When he closed the door behind them, he brought her close, wrapped his arms around her waist
and kissed her. Hard.
She moaned into him and ran her hands down his back.
“I love you, Sassy. I hope you know that. I know I’m not the one marrying you today legally, and
most people here don’t understand what having me up there with you and Ian means, but I wanted you
to know that. I love you. If we had it our way, I’d be married to both you and Ian legally, and we
wouldn’t have to worry about powers of attorney and shit like that, but since we can’t do that, I’m
fine being on the side.”
She let out a small sexy growl. “You’re never on the side, Rafe. You’re part of this. I’m only
marrying Ian because his parents…well, they’re assholes. If I had it my way…”
“If you had it your way, I think you’d have me and Ian up there at the altar so you wouldn’t have
to wear all this tulle.”
She smiled at him and he had to kiss her again. “It’s a little much, isn’t it?”
He pressed his lips together, not sure what to say.
“You can be honest,” she whispered, and he caught that same sadness in her eyes.
“If you don’t like it, then why did you say you’d wear it?”
“To make Ian’s mother happy?” she said, but it sounded more like a question.
“Now why would you want to make her happy if it makes you unhappy?” Ian asked from the now
open doorway.
Rafe turned toward his other love and had to hold back a sigh. He loved the way Ian filled out a
tux—all broad shoulders and sexy as hell. Rafe was one lucky son of a bitch.
“Ian,” Sassy whispered.
“Fuck,” Ian muttered then closed the door behind him. “I hate that we got this far and none of us
are happy.”
Rafe took a step back as if he’d taken a fist to the chest. “What the fuck?”
Ian’s eyes widened and he quickly moved forward, taking both Sassy’s and Rafe’s hands in his.
“That’s not what I meant. I was talking about this monstrosity of a wedding. I don’t see a single thing
that’s us. I mean, hell, we’re all tattooed, pierced, and like it when the three of us can be naked and
together, not shit like this.” Ian met Sassy’s eyes. “Your ink is still on your arms, but I can see the
makeup on your back, Sassy. Did my mother ask to have that covered? And I know the dress has a
shawl or cowl thing that comes with it. Was she going to cover that, too?”
Sassy pressed her lips together then let out a stream of curses that made Rafe’s eyes widen. He
had a mouth on him, but sometimes he forgot that Sassy cursed more than he and Ian combined. Sexy
as hell.
“I…I don’t know how it came to this,” Sassy said, this time anger and a hint of sadness lacing her
tone. “I started saying yes to things to make your mother happy, and frankly, it was easier than fighting,
you know? I mean, hell, we’d already said yes to the wedding in New York, and I didn’t feel like
making all the decisions when we were going to have a party later in New Orleans anyway.”
Ian ran his knuckles along Sassy’s cheek, even as he squeezed Rafe’s hand. “This isn’t us,” he
said calmly.
Rafe wrapped his arm around Sassy’s shoulders so the three of them were touching, connected as
they were meant to be, as they would always be.
“Take me home,” Sassy said, her voice strong, not a hint of tears. “Take me home, to the
penthouse, then back to New Orleans when we can.”
Rafe met Ian’s gaze. “I can sneak us out of here if you want to follow.”
Ian let out a breath. “My mother is going to freak.” He smiled then. “Too bad I’ll miss the look on
her face when she sees us go. Your bike in the garage?”
Rafe grinned. “Hell, yeah.” He turned to Sassy. “What do you say about getting on the back of my
bike in that dress? It’ll make a pretty picture.”
“Runaway bride?” Sassy asked, even as she put both hands on her skirt and lifted ever so slightly
so she wouldn’t trip as they ran.
“Runaway grooms, as well,” Rafe said smoothly. “Let’s do this our way.”
“Our way,” Sassy said.
“Our way,” Ian whispered.
Rafe pressed his lips to both of his lovers’ mouths, one at a time, just a hint of what would come
later that night.
“Then let’s do it, biker babe,” Rafe said. “Our man will be in his car behind us, probably making
plans as we go.”
Sassy laughed, and Rafe’s shoulders relaxed. They’d be walking out of a wedding that had taken
months and way too much money to plan, and yet he didn’t care. They’d figure out the next step soon,
but whatever that next step was, they’d be doing it on their own terms.
They wore each other’s ink, had made vows with the art that covered their skin, and soon, they
would make their own vows.
Their way.
THREE
Ian’s mother wouldn’t dare scream or shout. That wasn’t the way the calculating, cold woman
worked. But he could sense the fire behind him as he drove off behind the two loves of his life.
For as long as he lived, he’d never forget the look of Rafe on his bike, his black tux elegant on
his dangerous body. Sassy sat on the bike behind him, the tulle of her dress not so elegant in the way it
billowed behind them as they drove off on the Harley. They both wore helmets, but Sassy’s veil
danced along with the wind as Rafe drove along the busy roads.
Ian followed in his car, using his Bluetooth to make plans and contingencies. He should have
done this in the first place, but he’d stepped back to make Sassy happy. Only he hadn’t made her
happy, and had hurt her and Rafe in the process.
For all their promises of communication, they’d hurt themselves because they hadn’t wanted to
essentially hurt the others. Well, he’d do his best not to have that happen again. He couldn’t promise
it, not when three hearts were involved, but he’d do his damned best.
By the time he pulled up to his penthouse and parked in his private garage, Rafe was helping
Sassy off the back of the bike. Normally, she’d be able to hop off on her own, but the dress got in the
way of that.
His phone buzzed, and he hit ignore as soon as he saw the readout.
“Your mom?” Rafe asked as he cupped Sassy’s ass. Ian nodded.
She grinned and cupped Rafe’s dick. Damn he loved that woman. Rafe let out a groan before
stepping away.
“Hands off, darling. No need to get arrested. We’re technically still in public.”
She rolled her eyes, looking far happier than Ian had seen her in weeks. Damn it, he shouldn’t
have let his mother take control.
“Stop looking like that,” Sassy said then wrapped her arms around Ian’s waist. He immediately
held her close, needing her scent to center him. “We made mistakes along the way, but all couples and
triads do. We’re going to do this our way, remember?”
Ian kissed her softly then stepped away so they could move toward the private elevator. “I
remember. I’m just going to apologize for my family once. I’m sorry they took over, and I’m sorry I let
them. I’m sorry that somehow it become a Steele show, rather than what we wanted and needed our
wedding to be.”
Sassy leaned into his hold as they rode up to the penthouse suite. Rafe stood on her other side but
had his hand on Rafe’s shoulder. He loved it when the three touched at once. It just drove home that
they were a true triad in all ways that mattered.
When they walked into the living area, Sassy turned toward both of them. “Someone unzip me. I
need to put on normal clothes.”
Ian grinned as Rafe beat him to their love, slowly unzipping her. She shivered, and Ian licked his
lips.
“No sex,” she said softly. “We didn’t have sex last night and we won’t until we’re married.” She
winced. “I know it’s silly…”
“We just walked out on our own wedding,” Rafe added. “I get the superstitions.”
Ian tugged on his tie, and Rafe did the same. “Go put on a dress you prefer. Rafe’s family will be
here soon. As well as the minister. Oh, and Shep and Shea and the others from the shop.”
Rafe and Sassy’s eyes widened and she threw her head back and laughed. “Seriously?” she
asked.
Ian shrugged. “You said to make plans. If you want something else, let me know and we can do it.
But I figured we could get married with the people that matter. We have the license for New York, not
Louisiana. This way, we get married now with the three of us together. And we’ll still hold our big
ass party in New Orleans.”
Sassy jumped, her dress falling to the wayside as Ian caught her. “I fucking love you, Ian Steele.”
Rafe wrapped his arms around them both, kissing Ian’s jaw. “I love it when you get all bossy and
plan things.”
Ian growled softly then kissed his lover once, twice, before kissing the very sexy woman in his
arms. “You okay with this?” he asked both of them.
“I think saying our vows in clothes we want to wear in our home away from home is perfect,”
Sassy said softly. “We spend a lot of time in New York so this place is our home, as well. And I want
to be your wife. Tonight and forever. And I know the minister will be happy to have Rafe by our side.
We can say our vows, the three of us, without dealing with the bullshit we would have had to before.”
Ian let out a breath, relieved he hadn’t stepped over any bounds.
Rafe squeezed Ian’s hip, and Ian smiled. “Like I said, I like the bossy. At least when I’m not the
one telling you to bend over.” His lover, soon-to-be-husband, winked. “I know Sassy’s gonna change,
but I like you in a tux. You okay with that?”
Sassy laughed. “You both look sexy in tuxes, even if you both took off your ties. Now, I need to
go put on a dress I love and wipe off this makeup on my back so I can say my vows to the two men I
love more than anything.”
She kissed them both quickly then ran back to their room, leaving a pile of tulle and lace on the
floor.
“How the fuck did we get so lucky?” Ian murmured.
“I have no clue,” Rafe said. “But I’m never going to forget this moment, forget any moments. This
is it for me. You’re both it for me.”
The doorbell rang, and Ian rolled his shoulders. “That will be our guests. Hopefully.” He placed
a soft kiss to Rafe’s lips. “Go help our bride while I set up.”
Rafe squeezed Ian’s ass then loped off toward their bedroom, a definite spring in his step. He
couldn’t blame the man; this was what they needed. Their future in their own hands; not in the
clutches of those with expectations that didn’t mesh with theirs.
By the time everyone had made it to their secret wedding, the sun had just begun to set over the
city. With the pink and purple rays covering the sky and shining on the triad, Rafe, Ian, and Sassy said
their vows. They promised to love one another, hold one another, and cherish one another in this life
and into the next.
They promised a future they would make for themselves.
They’d made their vows in ink and in words and with each breath of their souls.
Rafe, Ian, and Sassy were a unit, a triad, and a part of eternity that had started with a promise and
would end with a new hope.
Not a bad way to start their journey.
Not a bad way at all.
Delicate Arrival
A Montgomery Ink Novella
Author Note: Delicate Arrival is set in between Tempting Boundaries (Montgomery Ink Book
2) and Harder than Words (Montgomery Ink Book 3). It’s a very short story that goes back and
looks in on Austin and Sierra. If you haven’t read the series, you should be fine jumping in, but
beware, there might be a couple of spoilers. This is not meant to be a full novel or even a full
novella. It’s just a day in the life—a very important day in the life of Austin and Sierra.
I hope you enjoy it!
~Carrie Ann
ONE
In and out. Just in and out.
Breathe in and out. In and out.
Austin kept chanting that to himself as he tried to calm the racing of his heart. Only he couldn’t
quite do that. Not when the nightmare he’d awakened from wouldn’t leave his brain.
He ran a hand over his face and over his beard. He probably should shave in the next few weeks.
He didn’t want to scare his new kid with the mountain man look.
He sucked in another breath, his legs hanging off the side of the bed. His new kid. Hell. He
couldn’t believe he was going to be a father.
Again.
He might have an eleven-year-old son, but he hadn’t thought of himself as a father for over ten of
those years. That’s what happened when secrets were kept and he’d been denied the chance to raise
his son—not knowing he even existed for the start of his child’s life.
The nightmare, though, it wasn’t about missing out on this new baby’s life, nor was it about
keeping secrets and not finding out about a new life until it was almost too late. No, this was about a
life never coming to be.
His hands shook and he tried to catch his breath once again.
He’d dreamt that Sierra had lost the baby. Just as she’d lost her first child a decade ago in a
motorcycle crash. Jesus Christ. Why the hell was he thinking of that? His wife and love of his life
was so freaking close to her due date, and yet his brain kept going to worst-case scenarios.
Of course, it didn’t help that she’d had a tough pregnancy so far, and had been on bed rest for the
past month. Real-life circumstances had only piled on top of his fears. He couldn’t lose her and the
baby. He wasn’t sure what he’d do if he did.
Sierra touched his back and he relaxed. “Tell me what’s wrong,” she said softly, her voice a little
hoarse.
He stood up quickly and pulled on some sweats. They both slept naked, even though they hadn’t
been intimate in over two months. The doctors had advised against it, and Austin had made sure he
kept his wife pampered and safe.
“Let me get you some water.”
Sierra let out a sigh. “Thank you, but you still need to tell me what’s wrong.”
He ran a hand through his hair. “I know. And I will.” He quickly tiptoed to the kitchen and got her
a glass of water. He didn’t want to wake Leif since the sun was just now rising. By the time he got
back into the bedroom, Sierra had propped herself up as much as she was allowed to and had her
nightgown over her stomach.
“Can you help me put this on? I need to go to the bathroom.”
He handed her the glass of water and raised a brow. “Drink this first.”
She rolled her eyes, a smile on her lips. “I already have to go, Austin.”
“You’ll have to go more, then. Drink up.”
She sipped at the water, draining it slowly, her eyes on his. The pregnancy had caused her to gain
forty pounds and she’d, in her words, puffed up like a damned blowfish. But he still thought she was
the sexiest thing ever. The scars from the accident had stretched, as well as the ink he’d lain on her
skin, but he didn’t care. He’d fix any ink he had to if she wanted. As long as she and the baby were
healthy, he was fine. Plus, they’d been using coconut oil on her skin nightly to help with stretch marks.
He’d sworn once to take care of her skin, and now he’d never stop doing so.
He got her dressed and then walked her to the bathroom so she could go about her business.
“Need to shower?” he asked. She was allowed to stand for as long as it took to shower—as long
as he stood with her. Bed rest wasn’t the same for every person. She finished up and he helped her
stand next to him.
She shook her head. “We took one last night.” She smiled up at him. “I can’t wait until a shower
with the two of us is an actual shower with the two of us.”
He smiled and leaned forward to brush his lips over hers. He rubbed her belly, happily surprised
when their little kicker nudged a foot at him. They didn’t know the sex of the baby yet, but he had a
feeling it would be a girl. He didn’t know why, but maybe it was just that he wanted to see a little
Sierra walking around his home.
Sierra grinned up at him and raised her face. “Kiss me again.”
He let out a groan and kissed her again, this time a little bit harder. Their baby kicked at him
again, and he smiled. He could hear Leif moving around the kitchen and had his wife and baby in his
arms.
Things were good.
He didn’t need to think of nightmares and scenarios that would only lead to stress and lack of
sleep. He’d spent far too long alone and without the people in his life that brought him true happiness.
As long as he had his family, he didn’t need much else.
Sierra gripped his arms. Hard. “Austin.” There was something in her voice that sent a shock of
alarm through his system. Her eyes had gone wide and her skin pale.
He froze for only a moment then had her lifted in his arms, afraid her knees would go out. “What?
Have you been standing too long? What’s wrong?”
She shook her head, leaning hard into his shoulder. “I think I’m having a contraction. Damn it.
We’re still a couple weeks early.”
“We’ll get through this.”
With a quickness he didn’t know he possessed, he set her down on the bed, dressed her, and
wrapped her in a blanket. He threw on clothes and tried not to shake.
“We’re too early,” she whispered.
He let out a shaky breath and started to walk toward the front door, even as she spoke. “We’ll
handle this, Sierra. You’re not too early. We’re going to have a baby.”
He stopped where he was as Leif came up to them, eyes wide.
“We’re going to have a baby,” Austin repeated.
He kissed Sierra’s forehead then started moving again, giving out orders to Leif. The two of them
had planned for this and knew what to do. Leif would grab the bag and start calling family from the
back seat of the car as Austin made their way to the hospital. In reality, Leif would call his Aunt Maya
and everything else would roll from there.
They were Montgomerys. They could handle anything.
Even gaining one more Montgomery a little early.
TWO
In and out. Just in and out.
Breathe in and out. In and out.
Sierra kept chanting that to herself even as Austin said it with her. Freaking contractions hurt like
hell. With the way her blood pressure and other things had gone during the pregnancy, she could have
all the pain meds she wanted. Instead, she got to go through this with all the senses she could handle
—and some she wasn’t sure she could handle at all.
Austin’s large hand covering her own, though, that gave her the strength she needed. And when
she told him that, he narrowed his eyes at her.
“You’re plenty strong on your own, Sierra. You don’t need my strength because you have the
strength of thousands. Fuck, Legs, you can do this. I know you can.”
Sierra warmed at the nickname, remembering the first time he’d called her that. He might have
been an ass about it, but it had grown on her. Come to think of it, so had he.
She loved her broody, bearded, tattooed man. Of course, at the moment, all she wanted to do was
yell at him for putting her in this situation. After all, it was his fault that she was in pain and trying to
give birth. She wasn’t going to think of biology and how it takes two…or the fact that she was pretty
sure she had been the one to jump him the day they’d decided to not use birth control.
Details, people. Details.
Austin kissed her forehead, his beard tickling. Damn she loved that beard of his. He’d mentioned
possibly shaving it before the baby came, but she was so happy they hadn’t had time for that. Their
child should see Austin in his element the first time. Beard, ink, and all.
Another contraction hit and she gripped Austin’s hand again, trying to remember her breathing
exercises. I can do this, she chanted to herself. If she just kept breathing, she could do this.
Once the contraction passed, she leaned against her husband, her body already exhausted. It had
only been a few hours, and she wasn’t even fully dilated. She had a lot of time to go, but the end result
would be worth it. Leif would have a little brother or sister, and she’d have a new life to hold and
care for.
Scary, yet so freaking amazing.
“Knock knock.” Meghan, Austin’s sister smiled as she walked into Sierra’s room. “I thought I’d
come in and see how you’re feeling. The rest of the family is in the waiting room, placing bets and
doing their normal Montgomery Baby Day thing.”
Austin snorted and squeezed Sierra’s hand. “We did that for your two, Meghan. I guess we’re
continuing the tradition.”
Meghan nodded and came to Sierra’s side. “Placing bets on times, gender, and weight is a time-
honored Montgomery tradition. All of the Montgomery cousins were born under bets like that. And
believe me, Sierra, we have a lot of them.”
“I know. I’ve met most of them.”
“Mom and Dad would be in here, but we’re giving you guys space. Maya and Jake have Leif, and
Luc is watching my kids with the rest of the siblings. We’re all just hunkered down, waiting. We’re
here for you if you need us.”
Sierra winced as another contraction hit. “Darn it. These are coming closer and closer together.”
“That’s good, right? It means the baby is coming.” Austin looked like he was ready to start
pacing, but refused to leave her side or let go of her hand. Thank God, because it was getting a little
hard to hold her hand up at the moment.
Giving birth was taking all her energy. She blinked a couple of times, her vision graying.
“Austin? I don’t feel so good.” Her words slurred and she tried to swallow. Only she couldn’t
remember how to do that.
“Sierra? Sierra! Get a nurse! Oh, God. Is that blood?”
Footsteps sounded, but Sierra couldn’t focus. She tried to squeeze Austin’s hand to let him know
that everything would be okay because there was no other option, but she couldn’t.
Other noises sounded, but she couldn’t tell what they were. People spoke around her, their voices
urgent, but all she could do was close her eyes. It hurt so much, but at the same time, she started to go
numb. She wasn’t giving up. There was no way she would ever do that, not with her baby relying on
her. But if she closed her eyes, then she could try to keep holding on.
Because there was no other way she would have this work.
She wasn’t scared. She couldn’t be. Not now.
They would save her.
They would save her baby.
There wasn’t another option.
THREE
As soon as he saw the blood, Austin knew this was one of those moments where he would
remember each second, each fragment until the day he died.
They wheeled Sierra out of the room and away from him faster than he could blink. He barely
had time to squeeze her hand and kiss her knuckles before she was gone, and the nurses were trying to
explain to him what was going on.
Thank God Meghan was there. She wrapped her arm around his waist and asked the right
questions while he tried to soak it all in. Yes, Sierra was going to get an emergency C-section. No, he
couldn’t be with her, not at this time. Things were moving too fast, and they needed to get in there
without having to worry about having a visitor in the room. Yes, he could see her as soon as possible.
No, he didn’t have to go back to the waiting room. Yes, he could stay in the other waiting room, and
Meghan or one of his other family members could be with him if needed.
No, Leif could not come and see him.
No, they couldn’t say Sierra would be okay.
Then they gave him forms that asked him if something were to happen to Sierra, if they were to
save the baby or his wife.
His hands shook as he signed where Sierra had told him to sign when they’d had that horrible
conversation of what-ifs. He didn’t know if he would have made another decision if he’d been able to
think. But with all the complications they’d had so far during the pregnancy, they had sat down and
had the tough talk about whom they would choose.
Bile rose in his throat and he had to pull away from Meghan and run to the nearest bathroom. He
threw up everything left in his stomach and sat on the cold tile, knowing he needed to get up before he
missed something important. He hadn’t thrown up in years. Not since he’d been on a bender with his
cousin Shep down in New Orleans.
“Here, take this.” His younger brother Griffin held out a stack of wet paper towels, and Austin
took it gladly.
“Thanks,” he said gruffly, then wiped his face. Griffin helped him up and Austin washed his
hands and splashed water on his face. “Meghan call you?”
Griffin nodded. “I was closest to the door so I ran back here. She didn’t know if you wanted her
in the bathroom with you. You want me to sit with you in the other waiting room? Or get someone
else.”
Austin closed his eyes and took a deep breath before squeezing Griffin’s shoulder. “Thanks for
being here. And yeah, I want you in with me.”
“Okay then. Let’s go see what the doctors say.”
Austin swallowed hard then made his way to the waiting room. They didn’t have to wait long
until a man in scrubs Austin hadn’t met before came out, his face not showing any emotion. Austin
wanted to throw up again but held himself back.
“Mr. Montgomery?” the doctor asked.
“Yes. How is Sierra? The baby?”
“Both are fine and came through the surgery well. The baby’s healthy and a ten on the Apgar
scale. We’re doing more tests to make sure he’s ready for you. Sierra is getting ready for her room
now. There were some complications that we will talk with the both of you about, but you can expect
a full recovery.”
Austin blinked. “He?”
The doctor smiled then, making him look ten years younger. “Yes, Mr. Montgomery. You have a
healthy baby boy. Want to go back and see him? Sierra is going to be a bit longer until you can go in
and see her.”
Austin looked at his brother who nodded. “Will you?”
Griffin smiled and hugged him hard. “You got it, Dad. I’ll tell the family the good news. Go see
your son and wife. We’ll be here when you’re ready to show them off.”
Austin let out a shaky breath and followed a nurse to the nursery where his son lay in a bassinet,
his little legs kicking up a storm.
Damn.
His son.
Leif was going to freak out about being a big brother.
Austin was already doing a little bit of a freak out himself.
“Mr. Montgomery? You want to hold him?”
He looked down at a tiny nurse and nodded. “I’ll wash up, right?”
The nurse smiled. “Yes. I’ll help you.”
He washed up and put on the gown they gave him. Soon, he found himself standing, his knees
weak, holding his seemingly too small son in his arms.
It felt as if the breath had been knocked out of him.
He had a son.
Another son.
Another Montgomery.
He couldn’t wait for Sierra to wake up.
FOUR
Sierra looked down at her tiny son in her arms and couldn’t help smiling. Her body ached and
her soul did a little, as well; but the new life in her arms made those bad things go away—if only for
a little while.
“Colin Montgomery,” Austin said from her side. He ran his large finger along their small son’s
cheek. “I like it.”
Sierra rolled her eyes. “You’re the one who came up with it. Of course you like it.”
Leif stood on the other side of her bed and bounced on his feet. “He’s small.”
Sierra grinned at her other son. “Yes, yes he is. But they grow up fast.” She winked at him, and he
blushed. The two of them were still learning how to be a family with one another, but she loved him
as if she’d been the one to give birth to him.
“Not too fast, buddy,” Austin mumbled, his gaze on their sons.
She looked down at her sons and then up at her husband. The birth hadn’t been the easiest, and
she’d be sore for a long while, but in the end, she had her family.
The door opened and the rest of the Montgomerys scattered it, the entire mass of them it seemed.
Yes. All her family.
It may have been a delicate arrival, but in the end, they’d added another to the Montgomery
lineup.
Not a bad day at all.
Edward and Pat’s Day Off
A Redwood Pack Short Story
Author’s Note: This is a special story about Edward and Pat from The Redwood Pack series.
It’s set after Trinity Bound (Redwood Pack Book 3) and might have spoilers but not many for you!
Edward Jamenson sank into the rocking chair on his porch and sighed. Damn, he was getting old.
He’d raised seven children, led a Pack of the most fierce and loyal werewolves in the world…and
was getting tired.
He knew his sons were doing much of the work for the Pack. After all, they were the Pack’s
future, rightly so. They needed the responsibility, the experience.
And it was a testament to their characters that he trusted them to do so. Because even though he
loved his pups more than he could breathe, he needed to believe that they could live without him.
He let out a laugh. God, he sounded like one of those emo boys that didn’t hold their pants above
their asses—or, maybe, just like an old man.
Well … he was. At least the old man part. He wouldn’t be caught dead in that eyeliner crap.
He closed his eyes and tried to make his headache go away. Werewolves really didn’t get sick,
their bodies too strong for that, but he’d been the backbone for his Pack for so long … sometimes, he
just needed a breather. Not that he’d let anyone but his mate know that. He couldn’t afford to.
“Edward, hon, what are you doing out here?”
Speak of the devil, or in this case, Momma Wolf. “Just thinking, baby.”
Patricia, the love of his life and the second half of the Alpha pair, sat down on his lap and
cuddled close. Even after over almost two centuries together, he loved to nip and nibble his tasty
morsel of a wife. She didn’t look a day over twenty-five … but neither did he. Werewolf genetics had
their upsides.
Pat kissed him softly and sighed, the weight of the Pack heavy on her shoulders, just like his.
“What are you thinking about, my Alpha?”
Edward chuckled. She knew just as well as he did that she ran this Pack side-by-side with him.
Just because the moon goddess had decided to give the males of their species the leadership abilities,
didn’t mean that the women weren’t just as special. Oh, he knew they were strong and in charge. It
didn’t take almost two centuries of being Alpha to learn that.
“I’m thinking that I’m tired.” He traced her jaw, and she smiled.
“I know, baby. Me, too.”
He kissed her softly. “I’m also worried.”
Pat rested her head on his forehead, a frown on her face. “Me, too,” she whispered.
They were the Alpha pair. They weren’t allowed to be worried. They had to be strong. But they
were on the brink of an all-out war. Only half of their children were mated. The ones that weren’t,
seemed to be falling faster than he could reach them.
Kade was stepping up. His eldest and Heir was mated to Melanie, and Edward and Pat had their
first grandson, Finn. Kade would be okay. Jasper would as well, with his mate, Willow, and their
baby, Brie. Edward didn’t worry about Reed and his two mates, Josh and Hannah. Though there was
something going on between the three of them that made his Alpha bond want to go over and soothe.
But the human part of him knew his wolf needed to step away and let them grow together. Whatever it
was … they’d be okay.
Maddox and North. His twins. Edward sighed. Again, there was something going on there but he
couldn’t think of how to help them. At some point, the father and Alpha needed to step away and let
his children make their own mistakes. Edward just didn’t know if they could survive the outcome.
Adam was the one who’d destroyed him. He felt like a failure as an Alpha and a father.
“Edward, stop thinking that.”
He smiled and brushed a lock of hair behind his mate’s ear. He didn’t bother to ask her how she
knew. His mate always seemed to know. “I can’t help it.”
Pat’s smile wobbled and she let a single tear fall. Strong was his mate. “He’s so lost.”
Edward squeezed her tightly, her soft body molding to his. “I know.”
“We can’t do anything for him but be by him if he needs us.”
“I know.”
Edward rocked his mate and looked out across his land, trying to heal wounds that weren’t his
but could still burn.
He had seven children, and yet the baby of the family was always closest to his heart. His baby
girl, Cailin. So fierce, temperamental, and Alpha in her own way. Yet as she got older, he had no idea
how the hell to read her. She was an enigma. Independent, yet ingrained in the Pack. His only daughter
would always be his baby. He didn’t envy her future mate.
Especially considering the fact that he planned to interrogate the man until he was found perfect.
Which would never happen. But it was okay; he’d protect his little girl from anything.
“I don’t like that look on your face, Edward.”
He smiled, aware of the gleam in his eyes. “Just thinking of my baby girl.”
Pat threw back her head and laughed. “That girl has you wrapped around her finger.”
He shrugged. “So? It’s a daughter prerogative.”
“You are such a dad.”
“You know it.” He shifted and settled his mate more securely on his lap. “Speaking of, I know
Father’s Day is tomorrow, but I don’t want to do anything for it.”
Pat straightened and blinked up at him. “Why not? It’s your favorite holiday.”
“I know, and I’ve loved our family dinners to celebrate it. But this time, I’m not the only father in
the group. I want it to be about the boys and their babies, too. Not just me.”
“But we could do that at dinner,” Pat pleaded.
He shook his head. “I want Kade and Jasper to enjoy themselves and make their own traditions.
Plus, I’ve seen the way Adam watches those babies, and I know he’s thinking about that baby he lost.
I don’t want to cause him any more pain than he’s already dealing with.”
Pat’s eyes filled and she buried her face in his neck, the collar of his shirt damp with her tears.
“I just want to spend the day with my mate, cuddle, and make love.”
She sighed and kissed his jaw. “That sounds perfect.”
“You think the kids will mind?”
“Oh, I think they’ll like some time to themselves. We can always do a family dinner another
night.”
“Really?”
“Uh huh … though, I think I could use some planning and practice for our day.”
His wolf growled and his eyes grew gold. She shifted on his lap, and he moved so she could
wrap her legs around his waist.
“Bedroom?”
She nipped at his lip. “I’m thinking the patio. The den can’t see us from here. We’re completely
alone.”
He growled and crushed his mouth to hers.
She pulled back and laughed. “Careful, big boy, we need to make sure we get some protection or
we’ll make another baby.”
“It would be a nice father’s day gift ….” He smiled, knowing she’d know he was only kidding.
“Oh really? Baby number eight? Maybe she’ll be just like our Cailin?”
He groaned. “I don’t think I can take another Cailin.”
She giggled and kissed his ear. “I love you, my Alpha.”
“Not as much as I love you.”
He picked her up and pulled her down to the porch so he could show her just how much he loved
his mate. He’d raised seven children with this woman and loved every inch of her. Now he got to
show her just how grateful he was for his children … and the other half of his heart.
Babysitting Finn and Brie
A Redwood Pack Short Story
Author Note: This is a special Edward and Pat short story from The Redwood Pack. This
takes place sometime after Enforcer’s Redemption (Redwood Pack Book 4). You technically
don’t have to read the other books before you read this, but it might help.
Edward Jamenson braced himself as the small creature wiggled in his arms. He looked down
at his six-month-old granddaughter, Brie, and smiled. She stopped her wiggling, looked up at him,
and grinned.
Well, maybe it was just gas. Either way, he’d take it.
Then she moved again, twisting and moving her body so he had to move fast not to drop her.
“Edward! Hold her correctly!” his wife of over a century, Pat, admonished. She sat on the
floor and played with blocks with their grandson, Finn, and shook her head. “You raised seven
children with me, what is wrong with you?”
“Were they ever this small?” he asked as Brie scrunched up her nose and looked about ready
to cry.
“Of course, they were. Cailin was only a baby a couple decades ago. How could you have
forgotten so quickly?”
Brie wailed, and he held her to his chest, rubbing small circles on her back. He didn’t think
she liked being called little, though he could sense the submissive wolf within her. It was obvious
because he was Alpha. It would be evident to others eventually. For now, this was his baby
granddaughter and she needed pampering.
“I’m sorry, darling. You’re big and bad. A fearsome wolf. I promise.”
Brie settled down with a whimper, and he knew he’d been played.
Oh, yes, Jasper’s daughter would be a heartbreaker, all right.
He lowered her to his lap and looked down at her bright little face.
“You just wanted to prove you’re tough, didn’t you?”
She smiled and blinked up at him.
Yep, not gas this time.
Finn toddled up to him and grinned. “Play?”
His grandson and future Alpha could only speak a few words at a time, but would be a
damned heartbreaker, as well. Edward smiled at the thought of his dominant sons trying to tone
these two down. He couldn’t quite picture it happening easily.
Thankfully, they had their wives to corral the kids. The women were much better at it.
Edward scrunched his nose as a putrid smell assaulted his senses. He looked down at his
granddaughter and groaned.
“Don’t even think about it, Edward,” Pat said as she picked up Finn to play airplane.
“What?”
“You were going to ask me to change Brie. Not going to happen.”
“But I hadn’t even thought it.” Yet.
“I know you well enough that it would have been your next thought. Now go clean her up.
Don’t worry, you won’t die.”
“But Pat … “
“Don’t whine. You’re an Alpha. Act like it.”
“But she’s not an enemy. It’s a dirty diaper.”
“Far more treacherous. Now show me how big and bad you can be and change a diaper.”
He growled, held Brie away from his chest, and carried her to the changing table Pat had put
in the spare room as soon as their children started having kids of their own.
He laid Brie on the table, and she looked up at him expectantly.
“Fine, I’ll do it. But really? You couldn’t have waited twenty minutes for your mom to come
pick you up?” Brie let out a giggle and picked up her legs for him.
Damn. There was no getting out of this.
He unsnapped her onesie and undid the strips on her diaper. He gagged at the smell but put the
offensive diaper in the genie.
Brie giggled again, and his shirt started to feel wet. He looked down and groaned. His little
granddaughter had decided to pee on him. Damn, her aim was good. People thought boys were the
only ones to do that, but little did they know.
“I should have waited to put the new diaper under you and ready to go, then take off the old
one. It’s been too long since I’ve done this.”
“I’d say,” Pat said from the doorway, Finn in her hands.
“Help me, woman.”
“Oh, no, you’re the big bad Alpha, you can manage.”
He growled and picked up Brie’s bottom, holding her ankles in one hand. He quickly wiped
her until she was clean, powered her little butt, then put on the diaper. His granddaughter gave him
an indulgent smile and lowered her legs so he could fix her onesie.
“There. Now you’re clean.”
“And you’re not, Grandpa.” Pat laughed. “Hand me Brie and go change. I can handle it.”
He growled again and kissed his wife softly on the lips. “They’re lucky they’re so cute.”
“You love them.”
“Yes, and I love you.”
“Ah, there’s my big bad Alpha.”
He walked away with a laugh and shook his head. Yeah, he was the big bad Alpha, all right.
But his grandkids could take him every time.
And there was nothing wrong with that.
On the Other Side
A Redwood Pack Short Story
Author Note: This is a special Edward and Pat short story from the Redwood Pack, set
after Shattered Emotions (Redwood Pack Book 5). There are a few spoilers throughout, but for
those who have read the Redwood Pack, this is perfect for you.
Edward Jamenson was getting old. The creaks in his bones and the heaviness on his heart
didn’t stop with each new breath. No, as the years progressed, his age showed in everything he
did.
At least to him.
He was way too goddamn old, and yet only looked twenty-five. Sometimes he cursed the way
his werewolf nature took root and made him appear younger than he was. He wanted the world to
know how much he’d been through; as much as he’d like for it all to be hidden away as it needed
to be.
His family, his Pack, were dying all around him, and there was nothing he could do about it.
The war with the Centrals wasn’t going away with a prayer to the goddess and the strength of his
back.
No, he’d used his strength and it had proved lacking.
Not that he’d tell the other members of his Pack that.
He was the Alpha for the goddess’s sake. He had to be strong and never have a moment’s
doubt. That was his role. To show the others that he could take care of them, to show them and
teach them how to take care of themselves.
Too bad he was just about out of ideas.
Thank the goddess for his sons and daughter. His six sons and baby girl were his future. His
Pack’s future.
Edward laughed, thinking of his baby girl, Cailin. She was in her mid-twenties, that wasn’t
quite a baby anymore. No, she was a full-grown woman and would soon find her own mate.
Of that, he was sure.
Just as he felt it in his bones, he felt the goddess in his children’s futures. Each of them was
falling fast for their mates, and Cailin, Maddox, and North would be soon. He couldn’t know for
sure when, or with whom, but it would be before the war was over.
He’d always had the ability to sense when things like that were coming. The ability to just
know his family would continue on.
What that meant, he didn’t know. But at least his children and his children’s children would
live.
That was if the Redwoods could defeat the Centrals … and the demon Caym. That fucking
demon. Because of Caym, the Redwoods were on the defense, not the offense where they should
be.
Edward’s youngest, Cailin, had once asked why they didn’t use dark magic. Well, that was
easy. Because they couldn’t fight in the black. Only the grey. Otherwise, the white would fade
away into nothingness.
“Edward?” his wife, Alpha-female and the love of his life, Pat, asked as she wrapped her
arms around his middle.
He ran his hands up and down her arms then twisted in her hold so he faced her. Her head
was at chest level, her wise eyes filled with worry.
“I’m fine,” he said, even as his voice roughened. He could be himself with her. He could
break apart and know the world wouldn’t know that he’d fallen. She’d piece him together the same
way he’d piece her if she needed it.
Mates were special like that.
“You’re lying,” she said as she rose on her tiptoes and kissed under his chin. He could still
remember the first time his wolf had sensed her across the Pack, the way she’d smiled at him and
laughed. Even though they’d grown up together, their wolves hadn’t known they were mates until
they’d reached adulthood. Fate knew what it had been doing in their case.
He let out a sigh then brushed his lips across hers. Even after over a hundred years with his
mate and fathering seven children with her, he loved the way she tasted.
When he pulled back, he led her to the front porch so they could snuggle on the porch swing.
They’d made love countless times out there, the perk of living with no neighbors.
“I’m worried.”
“You always worry, Edward. That’s what makes you a good Alpha.”
Pride slid through him, but he knew he had to say more. He didn’t like words of no
consequence, not when the power of them could be used for a greater good.
“We need to do more. The blood bond and the trinity bond are good. I know that. Our sons
were blessed with mates that could help us. I know that’s the goddess’s doing. But we’re not done.
We need to find a way to break The Centrals at the core.”
Pat curled her legs under her and leaned into him. “Yes, I know. We can’t use magic the way
they do or we’d be no better than them. We’ve defended ourselves to the best of our abilities,
Edward. Caym can’t even come to the Redwoods anymore. That’s huge.”
He kissed the top of her head, even as the worry didn’t go away. “Physically, we’re stronger
than the wolves, even with the demon taint running in their blood. But we’re not stronger than
Caym. Not yet.”
“We will be. We have to be.”
“Thank you for the confidence, my mate.”
“I know you, baby, you can do it all.”
“Dad?” Jasper asked as he walked up to the house. “What’s wrong?”
Edward didn’t move but made sure he only showed his normal emotion—confidence. His son
couldn’t see every point, even though Jasper was the Beta of the Pack and knew more than most.
“Jasper, son, we’re just talking. What can I do for you?”
Jasper gave him a hard look. No, he couldn’t lie to his son anymore, but thankfully, Jasper left
it be. “I was out for a run and stopped by to ask you over for dinner.”
Edward’s mouth watered at the thought of his daughter-in-law, Willow’s food. His Pat could
cook like a goddess, but Willow was even better.
Pat gave a playful growl. Damn, his sexy wolf. “You’re lucky I love you,” she whispered.
Never could hide anything from her. “Yes, Jasper, we’ll walk with you.”
Jasper nodded but stood below the porch, knowing his parents would need a moment alone.
His children knew their parents well.
As Pat and he walked back into the house to get their shoes, Pat grabbed his butt.
Edward barked out a laugh and spun his bride around the house. “You’re asking for it,
woman.”
“Oh, really? I guess we’ll just have to see when we get home.” She raised a brow then
sauntered back to put on her sweater.
Edward growled. “You’re really asking for it.”
“I love you, my Alpha.” His mate kissed him softly and he sank into her.
“I love you, my mate, my life.”
“Let’s go eat. When we get back, you can prove how Alpha you are.” She giggled like a much
younger wolf, and Edward laughed as he chased her out the door to their waiting son.
No matter what happened within the Redwood Pack, he’d have his mate and his family. The
Alpha in him needed to remember that.
They would persevere. They were Redwoods.
Bewitching
A Holiday, Montana Short Story
Author Note: This is a Holiday, Montana story about Matt and Jordan from Charmed
Spirits (Holiday, Montana Book 1). This takes place after Her Lucky Love (Holiday,
Montana Book 3)
“I’m a witch. I’m a lover...”
Matt Cooper lowered his head as he tried not to laugh as his wife, Jordan, danced around her
office, singing off key while dusting.
“…I do not feel ashamed!”
She turned on her last word and screamed.
“Holy shit, Matt! How long have you been standing there?” Her green eyes were wide, her
long brown hair in a ponytail.
“Since you started with hating the world today.”
She blushed that pretty blush he knew went all over her body. The blush he loved to follow
with his tongue.
“Oh no, you don’t, Matt Cooper. Don’t look at me with those bedroom eyes and get all broody
and sexy when you’re in trouble.”
He strolled toward her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “I’m in trouble, am I?”
“You just stood there while I made an ass out of myself.”
He leaned down and kissed her softly, loving her taste. “It’s such a cute ass,” he said as he
pulled back.
“You’re not getting any right now. Cameron is coming over to hang out.”
Cameron was Brayden and Allison’s middle son. Well, technically he was Allison’s son.
Brayden was his new stepdad, but that distinction didn’t really matter with the Coopers.
“Why aren’t Aiden and Lacy coming too?”
“Aiden is with Tyler and Abby; since Aiden is in love with Tyler being a Sheriff. And Lacy is
with Jackson.”
Matt snorted. “Jackson?”
Jordan grinned and kissed his chin. “Oh, yes, that little girl has all you Cooper men wrapped
around your finger and you know it. He’s taking her out for tea.”
“Tea?”
“Yes, tea. He’s at the Inn with Connie, having a tea party. She promised to take pictures.”
Matt threw his head back and laughed. “Oh my God. Please, can we take Cameron and go see
this?”
Jordan shook her head and led him downstairs. “Nope. This is all for Lacy, to show her that
the Coopers are her family. If you go in and mess with Jackson, it might make her feel bad about it.
You know Jackson is a softie under all that gruff and brood.”
“I just really want to see him in a feather boa and tiara.” The image would make anything
better for years.
“I never said he’d dress up. Well, he might if Lacy asked, but I think she knows she’s pushing
her luck. Now, Cameron is coming over because he wants to play catch with you, and he’s going to
watch me make some soap with a recipe I found in my spellbook.”
“That boy really does like to try everything, doesn’t he?”
“Yep. I really, really hope our kids are as good as Brayden and Allison’s.”
Matt swallowed hard and thought about Jordan swollen with his child. “Knowing us, they’ll
be hellions, but we’d manage.”
Jordan smiled. “I think we’d manage quite well.”
He looked at the woman he’d loved for so long and thought he’d lost. “You know, if we hurry,
we can practice making one right now.”
Jordan rolled her eyes. “Really? That’s like the worst line ever.” The doorbell rang, and she
raised a brow. “That would have been a record even for you.”
She flounced away, and he pulled his gaze from her ass as her words caught up to him.
“Even? Really? Well, just wait for tonight. I’ll show you ‘even.’”
“Aunt Jordan!”
Matt followed Jordan and smiled as his wife hugged Cameron close. Allison and Brayden
stood in the doorway, leaning on one another as they smiled at their son. Hell, his brother looked
damned happy. It was about time. He’d pined for Allison for years, and now the two of them were
finally together.
“Thank you so much for watching him,” Allison said as she ran a hand through Cameron’s
hair. Cameron immediately fixed it back the way he wanted. “We should be back after dinner.”
“You guys need time to go on dates,” Jordan said as Cameron made gagging sounds.
Matt laughed and picked the boy up over his head and held him upside down. “What’s with
the gagging, dude?”
Cameron laughed and tried to wiggle free. Of course, Brayden had to come over and tickle
him, just to make sure the kid knew who was boss. As Matt moved so he wouldn’t take a foot to
the chin, he was afraid Cameron might end up being boss, after all.
“I give! I give!” Cameron giggled. “I don’t want to hear about Mom and Dad kissing and
stuff.”
Matt’s gaze met Brayden’s at the word Dad.
Yeah, that was awesome to hear.
“Have fun tonight, you two,” Matt said as his brother and his new wife left the house.
He held Cameron over his shoulder and Jordan rolled her eyes.
“Hey,” Matt said. “I’m teaching the kid manners.”
“Sure, hon, whatever you say.”
He took Cameron out to the back to play catch, and Jordan followed. As the sun shone and the
sound of a child’s laughter filled the air, Matt had to stand back and take a deep breath. This was
it.
This was what he wanted.
He looked into Jordan’s eyes, and she smiled back.
“Soon, Matt. Soon.”
He froze. “How soon, Jordan?”
She just winked and shook her head.
Was she? Could she be?
At Home with Cupid
A Holiday, Montana Short Story
Author Note: This is a Holiday Montana short story set after the events of Dream of Ivory
(Holiday, Montana Book 5). It’s based on Abigail and Tyler from Finding Abigail (Holiday,
Montana Book 3). You don’t have to read the books before you read this one, as it really only
spoils the fact that Abby and Tyler are married and since it’s a romance, that’s not too much of
a spoiler!
“I’m not doing it, Abigail. I won’t.” Tyler Cooper raised his chin, showing he meant what he
said. “I don’t care what you say. You’re not taking me there. No matter what reasoning you have,
no matter what incentives you give me, I’m not going.”
Eric, his two-year-old, took that moment to vomit on Tyler’s shoes.
“Oh, he—ck.” He risked a glance at his wife—at his almost-curse—then picked up his pale
son gently. “What’s wrong, buddy?”
“It was probably the candy you gave him when your brothers were over to watch the game,”
Abigail said lightly, worry on her face as she powdered their daughter’s tiny butt. “Eric, honey, let
Daddy take care of you for a bit. Mommy will be right back to hold you if you want.”
Tears streamed down Eric’s face, and Tyler brought his son to his chest, the surprisingly
heavy weight familiar.
“I’m sorry, buddy. Come on. Let’s get you all cleaned up.”
After bath time with a two-year-old, Tyler was soaked, sore, and empty-handed, as Eric had
gone directly into Abigail’s arms as soon as he could. Couldn’t blame the kid, really. He cleaned
up the mess, ran a hand through his hair, and then changed into dry clothes.
Thus ended a usual day in the Cooper household.
It never failed to surprise him how much his life had changed in less than three years. Before,
he’d been the bachelor and had never wanted to settle down. Now he was a father of two kids and
married to his best friend—who also happened to be sexy as hell.
He looked into the nursery where Abigail was rocking Beth in her arms and smiled. Yes, still
sexy, even with shadows under her eyes from lack of sleep. He knew he wore the same shadows,
as he never let her get up without him. He also worked odd hours as sheriff of Holiday, Montana,
so the aches and pains of getting older seemed to get worse as the months passed.
When Abigail gave him a small smile, he walked into the room, picked up a sleeping Beth,
and put her in her crib. He tucked the blanket around her and ran his large hand over her little
head.
Yeah, he was a sucker for his little girl, but that shouldn’t have been surprising.
He took Abigail’s hand and led her to the living room without speaking. When he forced her
to sit on the couch and then knelt between her legs, she frowned up at him.
“What is it?” she asked then ran a hand over his face. He could feel her fingers through his
beard and he inwardly cursed.
“I should shave,” he said, mostly to himself.
She cupped his face and forced him to move closer to her. “What’s wrong, Tyler?”
“I’m sorry I acted like a child earlier. I mean, I acted younger than Eric.” He let his hands run
up her legs to land on her hips, just needing to touch her.
“I wanted to take you shopping, Tyler. I know you hate it, but we really need to get Christmas
presents for all the Coopers and mini-Coopers.”
He cracked a grin at the nickname for the next generation of Coopers. “Can’t we do it
online?” he pleaded.
“I did some online, but come on, Tyler. I don’t want to lose some of that feeling we get when
we find something for the kids. I want to smile and remember where I bought it, and then
remember how Eric and Beth looked when they opened their gifts. I know they’re young now and
won’t remember, but I want to remember.”
He closed his eyes and leaned forward. She caught him and ran a hand down his back. He
itched where he knew his wings were hidden, and she scratched both areas without even asking.
Yes, this was his wife, love, and best friend. She knew everything about him and loved it all.
He couldn’t imagine his life without her.
“Fine, I’ll go shopping,” he grumbled.
Abigail laughed and forced his gaze to hers. “Jackson and Honor are going to watch the kids
overnight after we shop,” she said, her eyes darkening. “We’ll have to do the same for them the
next week, but we’ll have a whole night to ourselves.”
Tyler grinned. “Oh, yeah? Want to practice to make sure we aren’t rusty when the time
comes?”
Abigail opened her mouth to speak but closed it when a yell rang out.
“Mommy!”
Eric ran into the room, naked, and way too full of energy since they’d put him to bed less than
an hour ago.
“Where did you put your clothes, buddy?” Tyler sighed as he stood, bringing Abigail up with
him.
“No jammies! I’m nakey!” Eric ran around the house screaming, and Tyler winced again as
Beth started crying from her nursery.
“I’ll take a raincheck on that practice, my Cupid,” Abigail whispered, and Tyler groaned. “I’ll
take the streaker, you take Beth.”
Tyler pulled his wife into his arms and crushed his mouth to hers. “Deal, my Abigail.”
She blinked up at him and grinned. “I like the way you think, Tyler Cooper.”
It was just another night at home with his family, but honestly, he wouldn’t have it any other
way.
A Wedding with Wings
A Dante’s Circle Short Story
Author Note: This is a bonus scene about Lily and Shade’s wedding. It didn’t fit into any of
the following Dante’s Circle novels, but I really enjoyed going back to visit Lily and Shade. The
book takes place shortly after the end of Dust of My Wings (Dante’s Circle Book 1) and before
the events of Her Warriors’ Three Wishes (Dante’s Circle Book 2)
Why couldn’t things just happen right the first time? Oh, yeah, because she was Lily, and
things were never perfect until she checked them over like twenty times. It’s what made her…her.
Well, at least part of her. The other traits that made her who she was were a little less OCD
and a whole lot more…magical.
Those parts of her had to do with the whole brownie thing. Who knew she’d actually enjoy
being a paranormal creature of the night?
Were brownies really creatures of the night? It wasn’t as if there were movies about them
stalking their prey. And if they were in the movies, they were more like Dobby from Harry Potter,
or some random sprite-looking thing without a nose. She was one of the more obscure species.
And Hollywood didn’t make any relevant movies about being a brownie. Too bad, since she
thought it was pretty cool—if she did say so herself. Oh, and the part that wasn’t about who she
had become had everything to do with her other half, rather than who she had been. The whole
marrying the love of her life who happened to be a centuries old angel?
Totally amazing and unexpected.
Her body warmed at the thought of Shade.
Her true half.
The groom of the wedding she wasn’t sure was going to happen.
Darn it.
Why had she even thought she could do all of this? Her head hurt, and she wanted to take a
step back and run away from it all. Only she couldn’t. Not really. Damn it.
Strong arms wrapped around her, and she sank into Shade’s hold. He smelled of chocolate
and sin and all kinds of goodness.
And he was hers.
At least in every sense of the word except legally.
Why was that piece of paper so important to her? She already had everything she wanted with
this man, yet she needed to be called his wife … what was wrong with her?
Shade kissed her brow and rocked into her. She loved when he was hard for her…which
seemed to be often. Yay, paranormal stamina.
“What’s making you think so much, my Lily?” he asked as he kissed up her neck and nibbled
on her ear.
She shivered and sank into him. “I’m not thinking about anything but you at the moment.”
He growled and spun her around so he faced her. He looked down at her, and she gazed up at
his fractured ice-blue eyes under the slash of black brows, falling into their intensity. God, he was
beautiful.
Those strong cheekbones, that light brown skin. He’d left his hair down so it brushed his
shoulders and framed his face. He looked like a dangerous angel that could lead her into the most
delicious of sin. Good thing he happened to be one.
“You’re lying, my Lily. Is it the wedding? I know you wanted everything to be perfect, but I
just want you by my side. That’s all I need.”
Lily closed her eyes, unable to show him the shame that probably hid within them. “I know
that. We’re just having a small wedding. I don’t want any more than that. But I had thought my
father…” Her voice broke off and she leaned into Shade’s hold, her ear against his chest, his
heartbeat calming her.
Shade’s hold tightened and he cursed. “I hate the way he’s hurting you. I would take care of
him for you, but I don’t think that’s what you want.”
She gave a dry laugh, though she knew he wasn’t joking. He was a warrior through and
through. The wings didn’t make him any less fierce, no less a battle captain. “No, I don’t want you
to take care of him, whatever that means.” Oh, she knew what he meant. “I just thought he’d be
here for the wedding. I wanted him to give me away.”
“He’s a fool for ignoring you.”
“He told me he had a new family and he didn’t have time to go back to the past. What kind of
man says that, Shade?”
Even saying the words hurt her. Why did she give a man she hardly knew so much power to
cause pain?
Shade cupped her face and kissed her gently, his lips soft. She wanted to pull him down and
let him love her, let him take away the memories, but that wasn’t what she needed.
No, she needed to move on.
“I’m your family now, my Lily. Your friends are your family. They’ll take care of you.”
“The wedding is tomorrow, and I’m freaking out like a beastly bride. I don’t like it, Shade.”
Shade kissed her again, smiling this time. “If you weren’t freaking out about something, I’d be
worried. I love my OCD bride-to-be.”
Her heart warmed and she hugged him again. “I love you, too, my angel.”
****
Shade ran a hand through his hair, wishing he’d had a drink or something before this. Why
was he so nervous? He was a warrior angel; he should be fine with anything that came his way.
Of course, he hadn’t been expecting the bundle of nervous energy that was his Lily. He’d
fallen for those big green eyes the moment he’d met her.
Damn, he loved her.
This was their wedding day. At any moment, his Lily would walk to him, and he’d hold his
true half in his arms.
Though he wished Ambrose was there. But alas, the council hadn’t let his best friend come,
stating that Ambrose was needed up in the angel realm to deal with the aftermath of the betrayal.
Ambrose had tried to come anyway and had been punished for it.
Shade had wanted to retaliate, but Ambrose had sent a gift and his good wishes, knowing
there wasn’t anything else that could be done. Shade hadn’t thought Ambrose would want to be
near Jamie anyway. The two of them held a volatile connection that Shade didn’t quite understand.
But that was neither here nor there.
No, this was his wedding—their wedding. The only people in attendance were Lily’s six
girlfriends, each a family member in their own right, holding a key to their future.
And, of course, Dante, the dragon shifter who owned the bar where everything her world had
changed. Where the lightning had struck and she’d found her fate.
The damn dragon was even going to give Lily away because her bastard of a father hadn’t
wanted to come.
But in reality, the fact that Dante was going to do it made perfect sense. He was the first
paranormal she’d ever met. He’d been the one to hold the seven women together when their
worlds had fallen apart. He was the one who had been struck as well that night but had only
thought of Lily and her friends, not his own secrets. Their new family was made up of hope and a
future, not blood.
What more could they need?
The women gasped, and Shade looked up.
His heart stopped beating.
Then his heart beat only for her.
His Lily.
She wore a strapless dress that flowed to the floor, tightening in at the waist and framing her
ample breasts. Breasts he’d be able to taste later.
But that wasn’t what made her glow.
No, she’d come in her brownie form—no human glamour. Her skin gold, covered with
translucent dust, and perfect.
She smiled, her eyes bright.
He let out a breath then pushed at his wings, letting them unfold through the two slits in the
back of his jacket. He spread them, the black-and-blue-tipped feathers dark against the sunlight.
Lily threw her head back and laughed, the happiness within showing him the path he would
soon take.
This was his Lily. His future.
He couldn’t wait to make her round with his child.
Dante approached and removed Lily's hand from his arm, presenting her to Shade. Shade gave
a nod to the dragon with the pierced brow and blue-streaked black hair long enough to brush the
floor. Dante smiled and went to sit with the women, careful not to sit next to Nadie.
Lily reached for Shade, and his hands shook.
This was his Lily. His future.
“We come together today to join two souls in a state of reality where the strength comes from
the person within, not the strength of their sword,” the minister—a tiger shifter—began.
“I love you,” Shade mouthed.
“I love you, too,” she mouthed back.
This was his future, their future. Though the lightning had changed everything when it struck,
he’d take it again to have her.
There was nothing better in the world than this.
Nothing.
The Meeting
A Dante’s Circle Short Story
Author Note: This is a Dante’s Circle short story about Bailin, Jamie, and Ambrose from
Her Warriors’ Three Wishes (Dante’s Circle Book 2). This takes place sometime after that book.
There are a lot of spoilers in here for the book since a major part of the series is figuring out
what the women turn into.
“I’m not ready,” Jamie said with a sigh.
Balin, her demon mate and lover, wrapped his arms around her, and she leaned back into his
hold.
“Jamie, darling. You’re never going to feel ready. That’s what we’re here for.”
She turned so she faced him, looking into his black eyes bright with red flecks. He didn’t have
his glamour on, so she could see the horns that curled over the crown of his head, making him look
dangerous…hers.
“They’re my parents, Balin,” she said simply.
That was the crux of it. She was about to introduce her parents to Balin and Ambrose.
Yes. She had two men. Two mates. Balin and Ambrose not only loved her with every breath
they had in their bodies, but they also loved each other, with just as much intensity. As her friend
Faith would say, she was one lucky bitch.
Her parents, though, weren’t in the know.
Oh, yes, she’d talked to them on the phone, explaining to her mother that she had met someone
—or two. Both her mother and father had thought it was a joke. Who in their right mind in this day
and age would sleep with and keep two men?
It was taboo.
And she loved it.
Her mother had thought it was a crazy story from one of the romance novels Jamie loved to
read.
Not so much.
It was Jamie’s life.
Jamie had spilled everything she could…just not the whole paranormal thing. She hadn’t
mentioned that Balin was a centuries-old demon, and that Ambrose was a five-thousand-year-old
warrior angel.
Oh, and she didn’t mention that she, herself, had turned into a paranormal creature, as well; or
that she would live well beyond her parents and everything she’d once known.
No. That hadn’t come up.
She needed to get through the whole triad thing first.
Something that she had a feeling would break her once she met with her parents.
Her parents had said that they’d meet Ambrose and Balin because they loved Jamie. Jamie
knew it was because they were ready to tear her away from them and keep her away from the
dangerous cult they thought she’d joined or something.
That’s how her parents thought.
Darn it.
Ambrose walked in the room, his pale white wings following him. “Come on, love, it will be
okay. They didn’t hang up on you or yell. They’re just curious, and you can’t blame them.”
Jamie nodded then raised her chin, needing both Balin and Ambrose more now than ever.
Balin grinned and kissed her softly.
He pulled back, leaving her wanting. “More for when this is over, darling. I’m not going to
leave you flushed for your parents.”
Ambrose chuckled, and Jamie warmed. Her angel needed to laugh more. He leaned down and
kissed her as well, just as softly.
With their strength beside her, they left the house and got into her car. She sat in the back
while her men sat up front. They took turns with driving and where they sat, and they knew she
needed some space to steel herself on the drive over.
Soon they were at her childhood home, not far from where she lived now. But far enough
away that she hadn’t crossed paths with her parents since she’d found the loves of her life.
She got out of the car, and her men came to either side of her, each taking a hand and tangling
their fingers with hers.
Balin turned toward her. “No matter what happens, I’m here.”
“As am I,” Ambrose said.
She smiled at both of her men. Yes. No matter what, she was lucky. She had her men, her life,
and a long future.
She could do this.
“Well, honey, that answers that,” her mother said from the doorway.
Jamie blinked at her mother. “What?”
“Those two men love you so much I can feel it from here. I’m so happy for you.” Her mother
opened her arms, and Jamie ran into them, still floored.
“You’re serious?” she asked as she pulled back.
“I love you, and I can see they do, too. And from the looks of them, you’ve got a nice angel
and demon to hold you through.”
Jamie froze. “You…you know?”
Her mother grinned. “Oh, honey, I know more than you think.”
Her mother pulled away and opened her arms to Jamie’s men. Balin threw his head back and
laughed at something her mother said in his ear, and Ambrose just shook his head.
Soon, Jamie found herself in her parents’ living room, her father telling tales of him and her
mother going from realm to realm for his job, and how he had always hoped Jamie would find her
way into that world.
Jamie leaned into Ambrose’s side and pulled Balin with her.
“This was not what I was expecting,” she whispered.
“The best things surprise you, baby,” Balin said.
“You are loved, Jamie,” Ambrose added in and hugged them close.
Yes. She totally was.
A Note from Carrie Ann
Thank you so much for reading FLAME AND INK. I love writing little scenes where I can go
back and visit characters. Many of these stories were first featured in my newsletter so if you want to
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About Carrie Ann and her Books
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan never thought she’d be a
writer. Not really. No, she loved math and science and even went on to graduate school in chemistry.
Yes, she read as a kid and devoured teen fiction and Harry Potter, but it wasn’t until someone handed
her a romance book in her late teens that she realized that there was something out there just for her.
When another author suggested she use the voices in her head for good and not evil, The Redwood
Pack and all her other stories were born.
Carrie Ann is a bestselling author of over twenty novels and novellas and has so much more on
her mind (and on her spreadsheets grins) that she isn’t planning on giving up her dream anytime soon.
Redwood Pack Series:
Book 1:
Book 2:
Book 3:
Book 3.5:
Book 4:
Book 4.5:
Book 4.7:
Book 5:
Book 6:
Book 6.5:
Book 7:
Book 7.7:
Book 8:
The Talon Pack (Following the Redwood Pack Series): Book 1:
Book 2:
Book 3:
Mated in Mist (Coming in 2016)
The Redwood Pack Volumes:
Redwood Pack Vol 1
Redwood Pack Vol 2
Redwood Pack Vol 3
Redwood Pack Vol 4
Redwood Pack Vol 5
Redwood Pack Vol 6
Montgomery Ink:
Book 0.5:
Book 0.6:
Book 1:
The Montgomery Ink Box Set (Contains Books 0.5, 0.6, 1)
Book 1.5
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Hidden Ink (Coming Jan 2016)
Ink Enduring (Coming Jun 2016)
Dante’s Circle Series:
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The Dante’s Circle Box Set (Contains Books 1-3)
Book 4:
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Book 6:
An Immortal’s Song (Coming April 2016)
Prowled Darkness (Coming May 2016)
The Branded Pack Series:
(Written with Alexandra Ivy)
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Buried and Shadowed (Coming July 2016)
Holiday, Montana Series:
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The Holiday Montana Box Set (Contains Books 1-3)
Book 5:
Excerpt: Tempting Boundaries
Next From New York Times Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan’s Montgomery Ink Series
There was just something about the scent of a grill, the feel of a cold beer in his hand, and the
company of a family that truly loved him that made Decker Kendrick want to relax after a long day’s
work. If he added in the fact that he could go home and have the woman at his side under him, over
him, and all around him, it would be a pretty fantastic way to end the day.
Colleen, his date to the Montgomery family barbeque and engagement party, leaned into him and
batted her false eyelashes. He had no idea why she wore them. He thought she looked decent without
them. But whatever—it was her body to fake up any way she wanted to. He’d been seeing Colleen off
and on for a few months, more often in the past month since he’d called her up, hoping to get his mind
off a certain long-legged brunette he shouldn’t be thinking about in the first place.
The woman in question hadn’t shown up to the party yet, and Decker was grateful. Hard to ignore
her and keep her off his mind if she kept popping up everywhere he went. Though that wasn’t really
fair considering she was part of his family.
More like he was part of hers.
He was an honorary Montgomery, and she was the little sister.
Totally not for him.
“Decker? Baby?”
He blinked and looked down at Colleen. Not the woman who haunted his dreams and kept him up
late at night. Jesus, he was a bad man. A very, very bad man. Sure, he was keeping it casual with
Colleen—something she’d put on the table to begin with—but he shouldn’t be thinking about a woman
with long legs he couldn’t have when he was here with someone else.
That wasn’t the kind of guy he wanted to be.
“Colleen?” he answered back, keeping his voice low. He didn’t normally bring dates to the
Montgomery family gatherings, and as such, he didn’t want everyone to hear everything he said. They
were all nosy in the we-are-family-and-we-can-be-nosy-if-want-to sort of way, and he’d learned to
deal with it. He hadn’t planned on bringing her at all, but when she’d called to ask him to dinner, he’d
mentioned he had plans, and she’d sort of invited herself along. It hadn’t bothered him too much then,
but now he felt kind of like an awkward ass about it. Since this was the first time he’d brought
Colleen to any type of function with the Montgomerys, he’d been prepared to have the family question
the two of them until they pecked them to death.
So far, that hadn’t happened, and frankly, that was more telling about what the others in his life
thought of the relationship. Their politeness and lack of prodding meant they didn’t see a future.
Considering Colleen hadn’t wanted a future to begin with when it came to her and Decker, that was
just fine with him. He didn’t see himself marrying the woman anyway. They were friends. Sort of.
“You’re thinking too hard.” She rubbed the little spot between his eyebrows, and he frowned.
She wasn’t usually so touchy-feely or attentive. Weird.
He pulled back, uncomfortable with the display of affection—or whatever it was—in front of the
family that had taken him in so long ago.
“Just tired. Hauling a total of a half-ton of porcelain up and down stairs all day makes for a long
workday. We also punched out our other project the day before. So I’m ready for a nap. Or another
beer.”
She wrinkled her nose, probably at the mention of his work. Another reason he’d never get too
serious with her. She hated the fact he was a blue-collar worker and not some suit-wearing
businessman who could keep her in diamonds and silks. She worked her butt off at her job and wore
the expensive clothes that came with her world. That wasn’t something he wanted in the long run. He
worked for Montgomery Inc., the construction arm of the family businesses. He was the project
manager right under Wes and Storm, the Montgomery twins who had taken over the family business
when their parents, Harry and Marie, retired.
Wes was the OCD planner of the company and got his hands dirty daily with the bump and grind
that came with being one of the top privately owned construction companies in Denver. Storm was the
lead architect and a genius when it came to finding the right flow for a refurbished building or how to
start from scratch with a piece of land that could be used carefully.
Decker had started out as a teenager working under Harry doing every kind of grunt work he
could get his hands on. He’d gone to college only because the Montgomery twins had, as had his best
friend, Griffin—another Montgomery—and because the state had helped him out. He wouldn’t have
been able to afford it otherwise. He’d gone to the local university, busted his ass for his degree, then
went right back to working for the family that had raised him when his own blood family had failed.
He ground his teeth.
Best not think about the others right then. Not if he wanted to stay civil—he looked down at the
beer in his hand—and sober.
“Must you talk about those matters with me?” Colleen asked, breaking through his thoughts.
He shrugged. He honestly didn’t know why he’d brought her that evening other than because he
was in a rut, and he hadn’t thought to say no. They liked each other well enough, but they weren’t in
love. He hadn’t slept with her in months either. Despite the fact that his balls were so blue from lack
of sex—his right hand could only do so much—he hadn’t wanted to sleep with one woman when his
mind was on the other. Sure, he’d been trying to date to get those thoughts out of his head, but he
wasn’t about to use another woman fully like that.
“I work with everything that goes in a house or building,” Decker said, his voice low. He had a
deep, growly voice according to the-woman-who-shall-not-be-named, and when he got annoyed or
emotional, his voice just got deeper.
Colleen didn’t care for it.
“Yes, dear, but you don’t have to talk about it.” She raised her chin and looked out at the yard.
He’d helped with the initial landscaping years ago when he was trying to find his place within the
business. He’d been better at digging the holes and lifting bags of mulch, rather than doing the actual
planning. Marie was the brains behind that. She’d told them what to do, and he and her boys had
hopped to it.
In the end, the place looked great with tons of vegetation that looked as though it was natural,
rather than lines and perfectly square things that made no sense.
“Did you hear me, Decker? What is going on with you? I said don’t talk about things like that, not
to stop talking at all.”
He barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “Sorry to bother you,” he mumbled, not sorry in the
least. “Why don’t you go talk to, uh, the girls over there while I get another drink?” He couldn’t
remember the two girls who worked with Sierra, the newly engaged woman and star of the party, but
they seemed to get along with anyone. Hopefully, they’d make friends with Coleen so this evening
wouldn’t be a total waste.
She raised a brow and looked pointedly at his hand. Seriously? Jesus Christ. He shouldn’t have
brought her here. Or rather, he shouldn’t have let her invite herself in the first place. She didn’t
belong, and he didn’t know why he was kidding himself by trying to make it work when neither of
them truly wanted it.
“I’ve had one beer, and I’ll have one more since we have a couple hours left. I won’t drink more
than that.” He wouldn’t have had to explain himself to the Montgomerys. They knew enough about
where he’d come from that him getting behind the wheel, even slightly buzzed, wasn’t an option.
“If you say so,” she clipped then strutted off to the girls on the other side of the backyard.
His shoulders relaxed marginally, and he cursed himself for it. He liked Colleen. He really did.
She wasn’t a bad person. She just didn’t understand him.
Whose fault is that?
It wasn’t like he’d told her all that much about himself, and he’d never once mentioned his past.
“Shit, bro, you look like you ate something rotten,” Wes said as he walked toward him. He had
the Montgomery blue eyes and chestnut hair, only his was neatly clipped and worked with his OCD
persona.
Storm, Wes’s twin, walked beside him. While Wes was a bit lanky, Storm had more of a build on
him. He was also a bit more rugged with his shaggy hair, light beard, and flannel shirt over another
light shirt, while Wes had his button-up shirt over nice jeans. It never made any sense to Decker that
the twin who worked with his hands more often than not as the other general contractor preferred
dressier clothes on his day off while the twin who sat behind his desk drawing when he wasn’t in the
field wore more rugged clothes. Well, considering each of them worked side by side with Decker and
sweated their asses off regularly, it didn’t matter what they wore now, as long as they worked hard
during the day.
Which they did.
“Bro?” Decker asked, a smile on his face. “You working with the kids at Austin’s shop now?”
Austin was the oldest Montgomery and owned half of Montgomery Ink, the tattoo shop side of the
family business, with their sister, Maya. It was also Austin and Sierra’s engagement party and the
reason they were all at the barbecue that evening.
Storm snorted. “We say bro sometimes. Doesn’t make us some college kids who want bad ink.”
“I don’t do bad ink, asshole,” Maya snapped as she came up to them. She wrapped her arm
around Decker’s middle, and he hugged her back. Why couldn’t he be this comfortable around all the
Montgomery women?
She pulled back before he could squeeze her tighter. Maya liked her space, and Decker liked her
all the more for it. Her dark brown bangs were severe across her forehead, and she’d done a weird
eyeliner thing that made her look like some fifties rocker pin-up. The red lipstick just made her look
like she’d smile at you—then kick you in the ass.
“I meant that he wants bad ink because he doesn’t know what good ink is,” Storm said,
backtracking. Wes and Storm might be the second oldest in the family, but no one messed with Maya
and walked away without a limp. “Not that you give bad ink.”
Wes laughed then shut up as Maya glared.
Decker, being the smart one of the group, kept his face neutral.
Maya narrowed her eyes at the three of them then nodded. “Okay, so tell me what’s going on.
Jake couldn’t make it today, and I’m bored.”
“When are you just going to admit that Jake is your boyfriend?” Wes asked.
Decker closed his eyes. It was like the twins wanted to die by her hand tonight.
“He’s not my fucking boyfriend,” Maya growled then lifted her chin, speaking softer this time.
“He’s my friend. I don’t know why a guy and a girl can’t just be friends without the rest of the world
wondering if they’re fucking.”
Decker raised a brow then looked at the space between them.
Maya waved him off. “You’re a brother, not a friend. So the world wouldn’t ever think you’d be
fucking a Montgomery girl. That’d be all kinds of wrong.”
He swallowed hard and tried to keep the frown off his face. Shit. She was right. No one would
think he’d ever be with a Montgomery girl. Maya was like his sister, as was Meghan, the eldest girl.
Meghan was even married to an asshole, but married just the same.
Miranda though…Miranda was his best friend’s little sister and had welcomed him into her
family to boot.
There was no way he could ever think of her as more.
Or rather, he should stop thinking about her as possibly more.
“Anyway,” Wes continued, “we came over here to ask what’s up with Decker. He looked like he
stepped in shit or something.”
Decker rolled his eyes. Wes really liked making things sound worse than they were. “I’m fine.
Just a long day.” He rolled his shoulders, and the twins did the same. They’d hauled right by his side,
and he knew they ached just as much.
“Tell me about it,” Storm grumbled. “I never want to look at another toilet again.”
“Charming,” Maya said dryly.
“So, have you found a new receptionist yet?” Decker asked Maya, changing the subject from
toilets to the running joke of the family. The shop had been through four or five receptionists this year
alone. They had fantastic artists and had even just promoted their apprentice, Callie, to full time.
However, they couldn’t keep a receptionist to save their lives. The college kids always left for
greener pastures, and the other ones thought it was fun to come in high around pointy needles. It might
be legal to smoke, but that didn’t mean they wanted their staff lit up while working.
“You can’t have Tabby,” Wes put it. “She’s ours.” Tabby was the Montgomery Inc. receptionist
and a goddess with organization. She and Wes were a team in OCD heaven.
Maya cursed under her breath. “I don’t want Tabby. She’d color code my ink in a weird way, and
then I wouldn’t want to move anything around. And no, we haven’t found a receptionist. I don’t know
what it is. This latest guy just wanted free ink. Free. I pay for my own tattoos, you know. I won’t let
Austin do it for free because his work is worth my money. Wanting it free in our place just shows
disrespect.”
Decker snorted. “At least you get the family discount.” Maya looked over her shoulder and
discreetly flipped him off.
Decker frowned since she tried to hide it then smiled as Meghan’s kids, Cliff and Sasha, ran into
the backyard, barreling toward their uncles on the other side of the yard. They’d be over here soon for
sure to see the rest of them. He loved those damn kids.
“You get the discount too, brother mine,” Maya said. “But the discount isn’t all that much in the
scheme of things. This idiot wanted it all for free. So he huffed away and found another shop most
likely.” She shrugged. “Not as good a shop as ours, but whatever.”
“There’s no shop as good as yours.” He rubbed between his shoulder blades. “Speaking of, I
need to make an appointment for the ink on my back.” Maya’s eyes brightened, and he cursed. “With
Austin, hon. It’s his turn.” All of the Montgomerys took turns with the other siblings when it came to
their ink. Both of them were talented, and picking one over the other was nearly impossible.
Besides, they both had nasty tempers if they didn’t get to be part of the siblings’ and parents’ art.
“Fine. I see how it is. You like him better.” She sniffed and wiped a non-existent tear at the edge
of her eye. Not that she actually touched her makeup in the process, but the move worked for her.
Decker rolled his eyes then punched her softly in the shoulder. “Shut up. You just did work on my
arm, and you get my leg next. It’s Austin’s turn now.”
She smiled, and he wasn’t sure if it was a good one or a you’ll be sorry one, but he rolled with
it.
He looked over his shoulder to see Colleen in a conversation with one of Sierra’s girls so he let
her be then looked at the empty beer bottle in his hand. “I’m going to get a refill. Any of you want
something?”
They shook their heads, and he said his goodbyes before walking over to the cooler. Alex,
another Montgomery—seriously, there were eight siblings and countless cousins so he was always
walking over a Montgomery or two—stood by the cooler, a tumbler of amber liquid in his hand.
Decker looked over his shoulder at the crowd and frowned. “Where’s Jessica?” Jessica was
Alex’s high school sweetheart and wife. When they’d first gotten married a few years ago, she’d
always come to the family events, though she never exactly fit in. It wasn’t like she tried, either. The
Montgomerys had tried on their part to welcome her into their midst, but for some reason, it never
really took. Now, come to think of it, Decker hadn’t seen her at one of these events in awhile.
Alex snorted then took another drink. From the glassy look in his eyes, this wasn’t his first drink.
Well fuck. This wasn’t good.
“Like she’d come to one of these,” Alex drawled. He didn’t sound drunk, but Decker could never
tell with Alex. The fact that he knew something was off at all was because of experience. He’d dealt
with enough drunks and near-drunks to last a lifetime. “She’s off with her girls at the spa or
something. She didn’t feel like celebrating Sierra and Austin’s engagement since she’s never actually
met Sierra.”
Decker’s eyebrows lifted toward his hairline. “She hasn’t met Sierra yet? How is that possible?”
Jessica was already a Montgomery, and it wasn’t like Sierra was new to the family. She already lived
with Austin and was helping raise his son.
“It’s possible when you’re Jessica.” Alex took another drink and looked the other way.
Okay then. Conversation over.
Decker shifted from foot to foot. Alex had always been the one to joke and make people laugh.
That wasn’t what Decker saw now, and it scared him a bit. The man in front of him looked angry…
and drunk. Decker knew drunks. He’d lived with one off and on until he’d finally been able to break
free.
He didn’t want to see it again.
“You want a water, Alex?” he asked calmly. Tiptoeing around it wouldn’t help, but coming right
out and asking if the man he called his brother was an alcoholic wouldn’t either.
Alex gave him a small smile instead of getting angry, which surprised Decker. “I’m good.” The
man didn’t leave to refill his drink, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t do it once Decker was out of
sight. He didn’t know what to do, but as long as Alex knew he was there, maybe that could help.
“Okay. Just…you know I’m here, right?” he asked softly.
Alex’s face closed up, and he lifted his chin. Damn. “I’m good,” he repeated.
Decker searched his face and couldn’t find a way past the barriers. He’d keep an eye on him
though. This man was his brother, blood or no.
He got a soda instead of a beer, his stomach not quite ready for booze after that, and walked over
to his best friend, Griffin. The man held the same look as the rest of the Montgomerys, dark hair and
blue eyes, but with the same slender build as Wes, rather than the brick-house look of Austin or even
Storm. Griffin was the easiest going of the family, the writer who spent most of his time in his own
head, rather than in the real world. His mess of a house reflected that, but Decker loved him anyway.
They were the same age, so they’d grown up like twins after a while. Decker might have more in
common with Austin on some levels and work closely with Wes and Storm, but Griffin was the one he
knew best.
“Glad to see you finally found your way over to me,” Griffin joked. He sat in one of the outdoor
chairs and waved at the empty one. “Take a seat. I’m people watching.”
Decker laughed then did as he was told. “First, you could have come over to me. It wasn’t like I
was blocking you. Second, this is your family. Why are you watching them?”
Griffin took a sip of his beer then shook his head. “You were with Colleen, and as I can’t stand
that giggle of hers, I didn’t want to join in.”
“Giggle?” Decker asked, a little annoyed that Grif would judge his date. It wasn’t like he and
Colleen were married, but still. Pointing out something like that didn’t seem right.
“Giggle,” Griffin repeated. “You know it. Whenever she giggles, your shoulders tense, and you
get that little twitch at the corner of your mouth.”
Huh, now that he mentioned it… Nope, not going to think about it. He still had the rest of the night
and probably more nights with the woman. It wouldn’t do to nitpick and then zoom in on those quirks
for too long. He wouldn’t be able to get over it.
“You noticed all that?” he asked, draining some of his soda.
“Yep. I told you. I people watch. In fact, I’m watching that asshole and my sister right now. I
really want to beat the shit out of him, but I’m not sure she’d appreciate that. She doesn’t like when
the rest of us threaten to maim or murder her husband.”
Decker frowned then looked over at Meghan and her husband, Richard. Meghan was three years
older than him and had always struck him as warm, friendly, and not to be messed with. She was like
the mother hen of the clan and stood up for herself.
But not now.
Now she had her shoulders slouched and her head down. Richard was snapping about something,
and each time he spoke, Meghan turned in on herself just that much more. Nope. This wasn’t going to
do.
Decker stood up, set his soda down, and then rolled his shoulders. “You ready?” he growled at
Griffin, who had stood with him. Like there was any other way to react when he saw someone he
cared about being beaten down emotionally.
“Yep. Let’s not beat the shit out of him since their kids are here, and it’s Austin and Sierra’s time,
but yeah, I’m ready.”
They stalked toward the couple, and Richard puffed out his chest as he noticed them. The man
had once had a decent build and hair on his head. Now it looked like he was balding a bit, but he
brushed it in just the right way that you couldn’t tell unless you’d seen him before. He also had a little
bit of a gut that came with lack of activity. Though he wore suits that shouted their worth, the effect
was lost at the straining button on his stomach.
“What?” the bastard snapped.
Decker smiled, but it wasn’t a nice one. He put his arm around Meghan, who stiffened. He let that
pass and kept his arm on her. The more people who cared about her, the better.
“Just wanted to say hi to my sister, that’s all,” he said smoothly.
Richard scoffed. “She’s not your sister. You’re just the trash. Get your hands off my wife.”
He didn’t even wince at the word trash. He’d heard worse and usually from people who should
have meant more to him than this sack of shit.
“Richard,” Meghan admonished, her voice gaining strength. Atta girl. “Decker is family.”
Decker squeezed her shoulders, but she didn’t relax. Damn.
“She’s right about that,” Griffin said easily.
“Well then, wife, you’re not a Montgomery anymore,” Richard said, baring his teeth. “You’d do
best to remember that. Go get the brats. We’re leaving. We said our hellos to the happy couple—they
won’t be happy for long knowing the way that brute is—so it’s time to go.”
Why the fuck was Meghan still with this man? He treated her like shit and beat down on her
emotionally. Decker didn’t think Richard touched her with his fists, but one could never tell. Decker
should know.
Flashes of meaty fists and breath tainted with cheap booze filled his mind, and he shook it off.
“Once a Montgomery, always a Montgomery,” Griffin said from his side.
“Pretty much,” Decker said smoothly. “If you’re in a hurry, you can head out and we’ll get
Meghan and the kids home when they’re ready to leave.”
“She’s my wife. Not yours.”
“Decker. Griffin. Let it go,” she whispered.
Decker shook his head. “Sorry, hon, Austin and Sierra’s party just started, and we haven’t done
the toasts yet. You should stay. If Richard needs to go, he can go.” He looked into her eyes and prayed
she understood he meant more than for that one night.
“Fine. Keep the brats here.”
“I need the boosters,” Meghan whispered.
“Then you should come with me,” Richard snapped.
Meghan glared. Good. There was still some fire in her. “I’m not risking my children’s lives
because you want to leave early.”
“Our children, Meghan. You best remember that.” He smiled coolly, and Decker froze.
So that’s why she stayed. For the kids. That motherfucker.
“We got boosters in the house,” Griffin said. “Mom and Dad keep them in case they have the
kids.” He didn’t mention that Decker had bought them when Richard had left Meghan alone with the
kids and taken her car one time.
She didn’t need to remember that. On second thought, maybe she did.
“Fine.” Richard didn’t even say goodbye to Cliff and Sasha before stomping away. Meghan
visibly relaxed when the man left.
“Meghan…” Decker started, but she held up a hand.
“No. Not here. I need to take care of my children.”
He nodded, knowing she was stronger than his own mother. At least he hoped. “I’m here if you
need me.”
“Me too,” Griffin added. “We all are.”
She cupped both their cheeks and smiled sadly. “I know. I love you both. Now go and talk to
Austin or Sierra or something. I need a moment.”
Decker nodded before leaving her alone with Griffin. His friend would take care of her until she
pushed him away because she thought she was too strong to lean on someone. He wouldn’t let her
situation grow to be what his past had been, but he also knew there was only so much a person could
do without physically pulling them away.
That wouldn’t help anyone.
“That prick gone?” Austin growled when Decker reached him. Sierra punched her fiancé in the
stomach, and he winced before wrapping his arm around her.
“Watch your mouth,” she whispered and looked over his shoulder.
Austin and Decker looked as well. Austin’s son, Leif, stood near, his attention on whatever Storm
was saying and not on Austin’s words thankfully. Leif had come to the family after his mother had
passed and Austin had found out he was a daddy. Strange as hell to think of it all, but Decker loved
the boy like he’d been raised with them from birth. He fit right in.
“Yep. That prick is gone. I’m worried about her. Alex too.” He might as well let it all out. Austin
was his big brother, and Sierra was going to be a new sister. They were family.
Sierra shook her head. “We all are. They know we’re here, and if there’s anything we can do,
we’ll figure it out.”
Decker pulled her from Austin’s arms and gave her a tight hug before pressing his lips to hers in
a hard kiss.
“Hey, get your mouth off my woman.”
Decker pulled back and smiled at a flushed Sierra. “But she’s such a pretty woman.” He tucked
her into his side. “See? She fits just right.”
Austin growled then pulled a laughing Sierra to him. “No, she fits against my side. You’re an
ass.”
Decker grinned. “A hot ass. And you know it.”
“You two are idiots, but I love you.” Sierra laughed at her words, but Austin growled. “I mean I
love Decker in a brotherly sort of way. I love you in a sexy, sweaty way. Okay?”
Decker raised his hands in mock surrender. “I so do not need to think about that. I’m going to go
see how Harry’s doing. Let me know when you want help with your toast or something.”
Austin nodded, but his eyes were all for Sierra.
Fuck, what would it be like to have a love like that? A person who was by your side no matter
what.
Decker didn’t think he’d ever have that. Not with the way his mind and body wanted the one
person he couldn’t have. In his experience, love didn’t last, and marriages were only shackles he
knew some people could never be rid of.
Of course, that wasn’t quite true since the couple he’d just left seemed to be on the right path, but
he wasn’t sure yet. Then of course, the couple he was in front of had been together for over four
decades and still looked like they were more in love every day.
But love hurt when one person was sick.
Harry Montgomery had always been larger than life. He was a big man with an even bigger heart.
Yet the man in the chair in front of him didn’t look like that now. The extracorporeal radiation therapy
—Decker had been reading up—that targeted Harry’s prostate cancer had taken a toll. The man
looked so much smaller, weaker, and paler than Decker had ever seen.
The doctors told him they’d caught the cancer early and things were looking good, but the
treatment looked like it hurt worse than the cancer. And now, in Decker’s eyes, Marie was forced by
love, duty and circumstance to stand by her husband’s side as he grew weaker and weaker. How was
that reward for love? How could that be worth it? The pain and loss that could come with growing
close to someone didn’t make sense to him, and he wasn’t sure he deserved it in the first place.
“Come here, boy,” Harry growled out, a sparkle in his eye.
Thank God.
Decker crouched near him, his hands shaking. He didn’t know what to do. Did he hug him? It
looked like, with just one hug, Decker would break the man he thought of as his father.
“How you feeling?” he asked. And damn if his voice hadn’t choked up.
Harry patted his arm as Marie came to Decker’s side, kneeling so she could hug him. He put his
arm around her, inhaling that sweet Mom scent that had worked so well to calm him as a kid.
“I’m doing better,” Harry said softly. “It doesn’t look like it, but I’m not dying. Not yet.”
Decker felt like he’d been stabbed in the heart with those words. Jesus. He couldn’t lose Harry.
He couldn’t.
“Hey, don’t look at me like that,” Harry said. “I told you all I’d be honest with you about my
recovery. We caught it early. The radiation hurts like a bitch, but we’re pushing through. Now I
wanted you to come over here because, one, you’re my son and I wanted to see you, and two, because
you helped with that prick of a husband my daughter chose. I couldn’t get up to fix it, so thank you.”
The slight helplessness in Harry’s eyes was too much.
Decker swallowed hard and willed his eyes not to fill with tears. Fuck.
“I’d have kicked his ass…” He shot a look at Marie. “I mean his butt, but the kids were there.”
“You can say ass when it comes to Richard,” Marie put in. “He is an ass.”
Decker threw his head back and laughed. “I love you both. I just wanted to make sure you knew
that.”
Marie’s eyes filled with tears. “Oh, that’s the sweetest thing. The sweetest thing. We love you
too, baby.”
Harry nodded, and Decker leaned into the strong woman’s arms.
The hairs on the back of his neck rose, and he stood up slowly. He turned to see Miranda walking
into the backyard, her long legs bare under her sundress.
Holy fuck, she looked amazing.
He willed his cock not to fill, considering he was standing between her parents. Griffin came up
to his side, and Decker knew there was a special place in hell for a man who lusted after his best
friend’s little sister.
Harry and Marie gave him a knowing look, and he held back a groan. Yep. He was going to hell.
He was going to burn, and he’d deserve every moment of it.
Miranda turned to them and smiled brightly, her eyes twinkling.
He fought to keep his gaze on her face and not on her breasts or her legs that never quit.
He could do this.
This was Miranda Montgomery. The woman who was a girl no longer, and she was not for him.
He wouldn’t drool over her. He wouldn’t make an ass out of himself.
Griffin gave him a weird look, and Decker groaned inwardly.
Yep.
Going to hell.
. Out Now.
Tattered Loyalties
From New York Times Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan’s Redwood Pack Series
When the great war between the Redwoods and the Centrals occurred three decades ago, the
Talon Pack risked their lives for the side of good. After tragedy struck, Gideon Brentwood became
the Alpha of the Talons. But the Pack’s stability is threatened, and he’s forced to take mate—only the
one fate puts in his path is the woman he shouldn’t want.
Though the daughter of the Redwood Pack’s Beta, Brie Jamenson has known peace for most of
her life. When she finds the man who could be her mate, she’s shocked to discover Gideon is the
Alpha wolf of the Talon Pack. As a submissive, her strength lies in her heart, not her claws. But if her
new Pack disagrees or disapproves of fate’s choice, the consequences could be fatal.
As the worlds Brie and Gideon have always known begin to shift, they must face their challenges
together in order to help their Pack and seal their bond. But when the Pack is threatened from the
inside, Gideon doesn’t know who he can trust and Brie’s life could be forfeit in the crossfire. It will
take the strength of an Alpha and the courage of his mate to realize where true loyalties lie.
Find out more in
. Out Now.
To make sure you’re up to date on all of Carrie Ann’s releases, sign up for her mailing list
.
Dust of My Wings
From New York Times Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan’s Dante’s Circle Series
Humans aren’t as alone as they choose to believe. Every human possesses a trait of
supernatural that lays dormant within their genetic make-up. Centuries of diluting and breeding
have allowed humans to think they are alone and untouched by magic. But what happens when
something changes?
Neat freak lab tech, Lily Banner lives her life as any ordinary human. She’s dedicated to her
work and loves to hang out with her friends at Dante’s Circle, their local bar. When she discovers a
strange blue dust at work she meets a handsome stranger holding secrets – and maybe her heart. But
after a close call with a thunderstorm, she may not be as ordinary as she thinks.
Shade Griffin is a warrior angel sent to Earth to protect the supernaturals’ secrets. One problem,
he can’t stop leaving dust in odd places around town. Now he has to find every ounce of his dust and
keep the presence of the supernatural a secret. But after a close encounter with a sexy lab tech and a
lightning quick connection, his millennia old loyalties may shift and he could lose more than just his
wings in the chaos.
Warning: Contains a sexy angel with a choice to make and a green-eyed lab tech who dreams of a
dark-winged stranger. Oh yeah, and a shocking spark that's sure to leave them begging for more.
Find out more in
. Out Now.
To make sure you’re up to date on all of Carrie Ann’s releases, sign up for her mailing list
.
Charmed Spirits
From New York Times Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan’s Holiday Montana Series
Jordan Cross has returned to Holiday, Montana after eleven long years to clear out her late aunt’s
house, put it on the market, and figure out what she wants to do with the rest of her life. Soon, she
finds herself facing the town that turned its back on her because she was different. Because being
labeled a witch in a small town didn’t earn her many friends...especially when it wasn't a lie.
Matt Cooper has lived in Holiday his whole life. He's perfectly content being a bachelor
alongside his four single brothers in a very small town. After all, the only woman he'd ever loved ran
out on him without a goodbye. But now Jordan’s back and just as bewitching as ever. Can they
rekindle their romance with a town set against them?
Warning: Contains an intelligent, sexy witch with an attitude and drop-dead gorgeous man who
likes to work with his hands, holds a secret that might scare someone, and really, really, likes table
tops for certain activities. Enough said.
. Out Now.
To make sure you’re up to date on all of Carrie Ann’s releases, sign up for her mailing list
.
Table of Contents
Author Highlights
Dedication
Vowed in Ink
ONE
TWO
THREE
Delicate Arrival
ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
Edward and Pat’s Day Off
Babysiting Finn and Brie
On the Other Side
Bewitching
At Home with Cupid
A Wedding with Wings
The Meeting
A Note from Carrie Ann
About Carrie Ann and her Books
Excerpt: Tempting Boundaries
Tattered Loyalties
Dust of My Wings
Charmed Spirits
Document Outline
- Author Highlights
- Dedication
- Vowed in Ink
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- Delicate Arrival
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- Edward and Pat’s Day Off
- Babysitting Finn and Brie
- On the Other Side
- Bewitching
- At Home with Cupid
- A Wedding with Wings
- The Meeting
- A Note from Carrie Ann
- About Carrie Ann and her Books
- Excerpt: Tempting Boundaries
- Tattered Loyalties
- Dust of My Wings
- Charmed Spirits
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