Low Sided by A.J. Downey (best detective novels of all time txt) 📕

be different. This is no exception,” I mused. She nodded and her smile said that she was relieved that maybe I did understand. I think it had maybe taken some serious getting used to for Aspen at first.

I understood that. She was a nice woman, but she was also very… what had Mace called us? Citizen. She was normal, not that it was a bad thing. I could appreciate her deep connection to and general earthiness. She was kind, and sweet and while I couldn’t fathom what she was doing with a big Pagan like Fenris, who was admittedly pretty damn scary – I couldn’t deny what I’d seen between them as the real deal.

He loved her every bit as fiercely as she claimed and she, I think, sort of balanced him in some hidden way. Her earthiness brought him back to Earth, grounded him. It was absolutely undeniable looking at them that they were each other’s missing pieces.

I couldn’t tell you how I’d longed for the same thing in my own life. How I had pined for it to the point I’d been blind to my vulnerability. I had no desire to ever be prey ever again. Not like that. But my heart was a soft thing, and I also had no desire to let what happened to me make me hard. I didn’t want to be ensconced in a bitterness as to be blind to possibility and goddess, I couldn’t tell you how hard and fine the line was to walk, but when the door to Aspen’s shop opened behind me and I turned to meet Mace’s solemn gaze?

It suddenly felt effortless. It suddenly didn’t feel like a tightrope act at all. All my anxiety and misgivings melted away when his expression softened as he looked me over and found me well. I could suddenly breathe again.

“Hey, you!” Aspen called as Fenris edged in behind and around Mace. I heard the man grunt and the sound of a kiss being exchanged behind me, but I couldn’t look. My attention was firmly captured by Mace.

“Doing okay in here?” he asked mildly, and I smiled.

“Am now,” I declared, getting up from my seat. Without even thinking about it, he reached for me and tugged me into the circle of his arms. I hugged him and a fine tremor went through him as he held me tight.

“You alright?” I asked carefully, whispering in his ear.

“I will be,” he said. “You ready to go? Or you want to hang with Aspen a little more?” I appreciated that he asked. I turned to look and giggled. Fenris had captured her mouth with his and slid his hand into the neckline of her blouse. He was massaging one of her breasts while the mug she’d been shaping between her hands had turned to a mass of ruin. She certainly didn’t seem to care and to be honest, were I her and Fen, Mace? I don’t think I would care either.

“I don’t think we’ll be missed,” I murmured. Mace huffed a slight laugh and walked me outside, closing the door behind us.

“You sure you’re alright?” I asked him carefully.

He nodded and murmured, “Just tired and missed you.”

“Mm, I wished you hadn’t had to go,” I whispered, cuddling closer to him in the damp chill of your typical Pacific Northwest winter.

“Club business,” he said softly, letting his gaze roam my face, the slight smile on his lips fracturing my heart with want.

God and Goddess, he looks at me the way I’ve always wished for, I thought to myself and on the heels of that thought, I darted my head forward and kissed him.

He hummed in pleasure and captured my face between his hands, putting his arms around me and pulling me in closer still.

“I’m sorry it went so late,” he murmured against my lips, pecking the tip of my nose as the clouds rolled overhead in the stiff breeze.

“I’m a night owl,” I whispered. “All is not lost.”

“Did you have a good dinner with Aspen and Vyking?” he asked, and I smiled and nodded.

“I did, I’m sorry you had to miss it.”

“Me too.” He turned and arm over my shoulders and hugging me into his side, we made for the stairs on the back side of the barn to the loft.

“Did you at least get something to eat?” I asked.

He nodded. “We did. Had a couple of drinks.”

“I’m glad you’re here,” I confessed. “I was a little nervous about staying here without you.”

“I’m really sorry, babe. It happens sometimes. I hope it wasn’t too bad?”

“No.” I shook my head. “Aspen is great, I’m just a big ol’ scaredy cat.”

He stopped on the landing, hand on the door to the loft and faced me. “You have every reason to be. You feel whatever you need to feel. I get it if it’s going to take some serious heavy lifting on my part. You don’t have to trust me but thank you for doing it anyway today.” He pressed his lips against my forehead, and I leaned into him.

“Don’t suppose you’re up for giving out a free cock ride right now,” I said, biting my bottom lip to keep from grinning too stupidly.

He grinned and laughed. Nodding, he said, “I think that can be arranged,” as he opened the door for me. I slipped inside, trailing my hand down his chest, skipping it over air to land it in his palm to draw him in after me.

I wanted him, wanted this, so much…

17

Mace…

Laying eyes on Raven made the horror of the last few hours, and the long stint of boredom before it completely worth it. The light in her face, and the way she bit her lip, I felt a thrill run through me when she asked me to give her a cock ride.

This woman was magical.

I would kill a dozen more men for this woman. I smiled to myself.

Maybe then Fen wouldn’t give me shit about being amateur hour.

The loft above the barn wasn’t the