My sister had married her childhood crush, Ledger Dane, not too long ago. They were building a big home in Honey Mountain. I was the last Thomas girl to remain single, and I did not see that changing anytime soon.
I’d never been that girl. You know, the one caught up in the fairy tale.
The one waiting for a man to show up on a white horse and rescue me. I’d never needed rescuing. Never, ever longed for that.
I could charge the tundra on my own white horse.
That wasn’t to say that I wasn’t a big fan of the male species.
I was.
I loved men. I just grew bored of them quickly, which was fine by me. The thought of the white picket fence and raising a houseful of rug rats had never appealed to me. I loved my nieces and my nephew fiercely, and that was enough for me. And at the rate my sisters were getting married and knocked up, I’d have plenty of little humans to spoil.
I wanted to practice law. Challenge myself. Travel the world. Experience… life.
“That’s so exciting. I can’t wait to see this masterpiece all done.”
“Me either. So, let’s talk about this final interview. How do you feel?”
“I feel like I’m going to own it. I know they have a backup candidate, so apparently, if Wolfgang doesn’t jibe with me, they may have him meet the other guy. But Duke and Roger have already told me that I’m their first choice and that I should prepare to hit the ground running tomorrow, as they have an entire itinerary lined up with agents to meet with over the next two weeks. So, I just need to woo the man’s offspring. How hard can that be?”
“For Dylan Thomas? It’s a piece of cake.” She chuckled. “Go in there and kill it. I can’t believe you’re going to be jet setting all over the place. At least you brought enough clothes with you to last much longer than that.”
“I plan on it. And, I have my lucky earrings.” My fingers moved to my earlobe, and I twisted the gorgeous pearl stud. Charlotte knew I’d wanted pearl earrings just like our mom wore every day when we were growing up. She’d saved up and bought them for me before my first interview. I’d worn them every day since.
“Ahhh… so you’ve got Mama with you, too.”
“Always,” I said. It was true. I’d felt my mother’s presence with me more than a decade after she’d passed away.
“I love you. Go kill it the way you always do.”
“Love you, Charlie. I’ll call you after.”
I pulled into the parking garage and found the Rocky theme song on my playlist. It was my go-to pump-me-up music. I turned up the volume and closed my eyes as I listened. My dad and I had bonded over these movies when I was young, and this song made me feel like I could do anything I set my mind to.
Once I’d completely channeled my inner badass, I made my way inside. The security guard, whom I’d met the last few times I’d been here, smiled when he saw me.
“Well, looky here. Miss Thomas is back for more. You aren’t letting those powerful men push you around, huh?” he teased and held up his hand, and I gave him a high-five.
“Good morning, Deacon,” I purred. “Do I strike you as a woman who gets pushed around? Never going to happen. Today is the big day, so I’ll let you know how it goes. Hopefully, you’ll be seeing lots more of me.”
“Only if I’m lucky,” he said with a wink.
I loved a guy who had a strong flirt game but didn’t come on too strong. Deacon was in his mid-thirties, friendly, and just a good guy.
I held my hand over my head and waved while making my way to the elevator.
I took a moment to gather my thoughts as I rode to the top floor. I was going to go in there and own that room. Prove to those men that I was the right person for the job.
I stepped off the elevator, and Jocelyn greeted me. She was Duke Wayburn’s assistant, and she was around my age. We’d hit it off the few times I’d been here.
“Hey, you look gorgeous. Loving this look on you.” She winked.
I’d worn my favorite black pencil skirt, a white silk blouse, and red heels. My hair was tied back in an elegant chignon, and I was wearing black glasses, even though they didn’t have a prescription. It was all about the look.
And this look shouted: Badass bitch, ready to conquer the world.
“Thank you. Is everyone here?”
“Yes. Are you ready to meet Wolfgang?” she whispered and then mouthed the words, he’s so hot.
I chuckled. Good-looking men didn’t affect me all that much. Sure, I enjoyed some good eye candy, but I wasn’t the girl who fell at anyone’s feet.
Not now.
Not ever.
“I was born ready.”
She walked me down the hallway and wished me luck as we rounded the corner to the conference room, where the door was open. I nodded my goodbye to Jocelyn and stepped inside as the men rose to their feet to greet me.
My head nearly snapped to the right when a familiar face filled my peripheral vision.
Piss on a cracker.
“Dylan, I’d like to introduce you to my son, Wolf,” Duke said, as he extended his hand to me.
Wolfgang Wayburn was the douchedick from the back of the car at the gas station.
I guess I’d have to rework my plan to dazzle the man.
Either way, I wasn’t leaving here without this job.
two
Wolf
What are the fucking chances that the lunatic from the gas station was the same woman my father had been gushing about for the last two weeks over the phone? This had to be some kind of joke.
She came storming over to Gallan, my driver, shouting and outraged with her hands flailing in the air. I mean, what woman charges up to two men who happen to be more than twice her size, and throws down like that? She didn’t know if we were fucking crazy or not.
I mean, I was a trained killer for God’s sake.
I’d been on a call with Bullet, my SEAL brother, when she’d stormed the castle. Leaving the SEALs was not an easy choice for me, but I wasn’t a man who wavered in my decisions. This had always been the plan, and I was ready to step in and take over the responsibilities for the Lions. My father gave me ten years to figure out my shit and do what I wanted to do.
And truth be told—I was ready to be done.
I’d seen things I couldn’t unsee.
I’d experienced things that I’d never forget.
Good and bad.
I loved every minute of it.
But it was time for a change.
Bullet was considering leaving, as well, and he wanted to talk it through.
I cleared my throat and offered her my hand as she stood there waiting for me to say something. “My father didn’t tell me that you were slightly unstable.”
She made a little noise that I was fairly certain was a growl. She was trying to contain her anger, but it was impossible to miss.
The fire in her brown eyes was there earlier, and it was there now. Pops of gold and amber made them appear almost caramel colored at times.
And the way her goddamn skirt hugged her curves in all the right places made it difficult not to stare.
Luckily for Miss Thomas, I was trained to control my emotions.
“I think someone has a flair for the dramatic.” She winked and chuckled before batting her lashes at my father and Roger, who were putty in her hands.