Repossessed (27 page)

With no working wizard wands among the junk along the ground, Rob had no choice but to use a binding spell, which barely did enough to keep the pain at bay when his ribs were jacked up, and hope the bindings held while he searched for a way home.

Nothing stirred as he walked east. He’d keep going until a portal opened. If he got out once before, he could do it again.

By noon that same day, Tessa worked with Ursula and the event planner to make sure everything was in place for the evening festivities. She never expected the party to be so beautiful. Lionel and Amelia had converted their grand cathedral-like dining room into a party space. The twenty-seater dining room table was removed to offer space for dancing, the quartet, and tables for the guests to enjoy the appetizers. Quincy had made arrangements with the event planner to have the food delivered by three this afternoon.

Even with the positive outlook, she couldn’t help but feel disappointed. She had her wish, the party would proceed and Cramer would be present. But the most important person she wanted there was likely far out to sea, heading to horizons unknown.

The man who’d come through as her hero.

Tessa smiled. Of course, it would be Rob to bail her out of a mess again. Even if he couldn’t be there, she wouldn’t let him down after his efforts. This party would succeed and her business would rise from the fire unscathed—well, maybe a bit charred on the edges.

Everything was in place. Danielle had contacted Cramer and he said he’d show up promptly at 7 p.m.

Her client arrived as expected, appearing before her in a dazzle of white and gold.

“Miss Dandridge.” He assessed the dining room and nodded. “This is unexpected, yet pleasing. When I learned from an associate of mine that you lost your scroll, I was quite surprised.” He accepted a drink from a waiter. “That didn’t sound like the woman I signed a contract with all those months ago.”

“I’ve had some problems, but as you can see from today, I know how to bounce back and succeed.”

He nodded. “Before I meet the women, did you have any problems finding anyone?”

She leaned forward to offer a sly smile. “You’ll be more than pleased with them. One or two may catch you off-guard. Now all you have to do is act like the gentleman I know you can be. You might be rough around the edges, but I’ve learned that shouldn’t hold you back from finding the right woman.”

A few minutes later, Tessa and Cramer arrived to a party in full swing. The quartet played a lively tune and waiters served appetizers of calamari, roasted clams, and quiche squares. The culinary students had done a fantastic job. Twelve ladies waited anxiously as Cramer entered.

Tessa addressed them. “Ladies, thank you for coming this evening, even under such last-minute circumstances. I appreciate the efforts made for you to come out across the river and spend time with a valued client. For those of you who haven’t met him…” She pointed to Cramer. “This is Archibald Cramer, distinguished member of the Supernatural Council and elder warlock. I hope you all have a delightful time.”

Tessa stepped back from the deluge of bodies. The magic-magnets came at him first, asking questions and throwing out their hands for introductions. Cramer took everything in with a smug calm. He offered smiles all around. A welcome change. She left the group to check on the party.

Danielle tried to shoo her away. “Everything’s fine. Stop worrying.”

“I know, but I want everything to be perfect.”

Danielle smiled. “It will be and Cramer’s having a great time.”

Tessa glanced at the entrance again. She wished everyone, including herself, could enjoy the festivities. Last night she’d had a foolish fantasy. A quick daydream where a man showed up in jeans and a black T-shirt. Even though he was underdressed in the dream, the grin he wore was all she needed. She tried to smile but failed.

Rob wasn’t coming.

She had to face these kinds of situations and move on. Wasn’t that a part of life?

The party continued with Cramer offering the ladies dances while the music played. She clapped her hands with everyone else as he swung his partners around the room.

Her eyes darted to the doorway as someone in a uniform appeared at the door. She glanced away, hoping the illusion would disappear. Her gut clenched.
Don’t look, it won’t be Rob—he’s somewhere else.

Slowly, she checked again and there was Rob, tall and dashing in his white uniform. She took one step and then another. Heels and all, she ran to the door where he lifted her and planted a long kiss on her lips. The music in the room faded away as she hung in the air supported by his strong arms. There were only his intoxicating lips and the feeling they evoked in her heart.

They separated, and she turned her head, embarrassed to have her guests see her swept up in the arms of a man only a few of them knew. But they didn’t seem to mind and the moment was met with three or four whistles from the crowd, and a wink from Cramer. An older witch sat next to him grinning from ear-to-ear. Cramer leaned closer his date for a private conversation.

“What are you doing here?” Tessa asked as he put her down. “You should be out to sea at Bora Bora or something.”

He chuckled, pulling her close. “I had an important mission to handle first.” He sighed. “I had to move heaven and earth to get to you though. Somehow I made it thanks to Harry and a few of his wizard friends who patched me up. I’ve never been so glad to see biker wizards before.”

“Are you all right?” She touched his face. The warm skin along his rough cheek felt so good.

“I will be. I got a new job. You’re looking at the newest hire for a
special
branch of United States Armed Forces.”

“Special, huh? Sounds interesting. You’ll have to tell me more later.”

His hand stroked her back as he snuck in a quick peck. “To be honest, I wondered if you’d be happy to see me.”

She shrugged. “Oh, stop it. After everything that’s happened, I thought I’d never see you again.” She kissed his lips again, lingering long enough to run her hands down his waist. “No, you’re not a ghost. A flesh and blood man.”

His eyes smoldered. “I’m not going anywhere, Tee. I plan to be around for a long time—right where you need me to be. Especially since we have some catching up to do.”

“I agree.” She suddenly felt shy. Even a few days had been far too long without him.

“I missed you, Tee.”

She sucked in a breath. No man had ever said that to her before. Not a single boyfriend.

“Do you want a drink?” she managed. “Maybe sit down and have something to eat?”

He shook his head, his eyes still stormy. He had other ideas.

“I’ve been thinking about you, too. About us.” She sighed softly. “But I do have a party to finish.”

“Do you think a party is gonna stop me from what I want do to you?”

“No, probably not.” Her breath hitched as the words she wanted to say burst forth. She had to let it out. “I was so hurt the last time we were together—I didn’t get a chance to tell you how I really feel about you.” She swallowed. “How I love you, Minho.”

“You should never need to say it. We both already know how we feel.” Rob smiled, the look on his face filling her with endless joy.

He leaned into her ear, whispering something dirty about a large linen closet he passed on the way into the dining room.
Another closet.
Her breath caught in anticipation.

She searched for Danielle in the crowd. The blonde had witnessed the whole encounter with the biggest grin.

Tessa mouthed the words, “You’re on point now.”

Danielle squealed and jumped. It was about time Tessa let her close out an event. Why not start with a client as important as Archibald Cramer?

She turned to Rob and fingered his uniform. Damn, he looked good. “Danielle and Ursula can handle the party. But there’s one small thing I want.”

“And that would be?”

A Cheshire cat grin spread across her face. “I wouldn’t mind a reenactment of the end of that movie—
An Officer and a Gentlemen
.”

Rob grinned and slowly picked her up. “You’re worth the trouble this time.”

THE END

PRAISE FOR THE COVETED SERIES

COVETED

“Characters of all shapes, sizes and species abound in this new series from debut author Madison…How can you go wrong when your heroine is a werewolf with OCD? Madison tells her story with a lot of humor, and readers will be waiting with bated breath for her next story.”

Romantic Times Book Reviews
, 4.5

“A regular person in a magical body, Natalya’s struggles with her job (irritable Harpies trying to return vases!) and love life are both hilarious and heartwarming.”

NYT Bestselling
Author Eloisa James – Reading Romance Column –
B&N Review

“This is the start of a funny and touching new paranormal series, which may be dealing with supernatural creatures, but gives them all very human problems that make them very relatable. I loved this book and can’t wait to see what’s in store for Natalya next!”

Parkersburg News and Sentinel

“I really enjoyed Coveted. It’s got pack dynamics, action and there is one hell of a weird therapy group…”

Night Owl Reviews

“Over the course of the novel, Nat makes strides in conquering her demons, and while she ends up far from perfect, the growth is definitely there. I was rooting for her and can’t wait to continue her journey in the next book, Kept.”

The Romance Reader

KEPT

“This welcome return of the South Toms River pack proves to be another rollicking adventure for Nat, with all manner of creatures following her. The dialogue between Nat and her partner on the journey is so delicious, the fact that it takes a while to accomplish the mission behind their road trip doesn’t matter. With Madison at the wheel, it’s a fun drive.”

Romantic Times Book Reviews, 4.5

“KEPT is the second book in a series but stands on its own with only a minimum of back story needed. It also blurs the line between Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance by having non-romantic and romantic story arcs. This is a solid RECOMMEND.”

Fangs, Wands, & Fairy Dust

“Natalya is an appealing narrator. She doesn’t feel sorry for herself and she is actively trying to overcome her weaknesses...”

Dear Author

“I promise you, Kept is definitely worth the wait.”

Cocktails and Books

OTHER TITLES BY SHAWNTELLE MADISON

COVETED SERIES

Natalya Stravinsky:

Collected (Prequel Novella)

Coveted

Kept

Compelled (Coming in 2014)

Aggie McClure:

Bitter Disenchantment

Best Served Bitter (Coming in 2014)

Tessa Dandridge:

Repossessed: The Warlock Repo Man Chronicles

HADLEY WEREWOLVES

Bitten by Deceit

Bitten by Treachery

Bitten by Vengeance (Coming in 2014)

ABOUT SHAWNTELLE MADISON

Shawntelle Madison is a Web developer who loves to weave words as well as code. She’d be reluctant to admit it, but if pressed, she’d say that she covets and collects source code. After losing her first summer job detasseling corn, Madison performed various jobs, from fast-food clerk to grunt programmer to university webmaster. Writing eccentric characters is her favorite job of all. On any given day when she’s not surgically attached to her computer, she can be found watching cheesy horror movies or the latest action-packed anime. Shawntelle Madison lives in Missouri with her husband and children.

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