Still, Kiera left him feeling lost. Even now, he could picture what she might look like with his child inside of her; the smile on her face when he came home after a long day and they lounged together, making plans for the future…he’d never let himself feel so happy.
It had always been a secret dream of Dean’s to be a father. To have a child and pass on his legacy. He thought that he’d have his litter of pups with Kiera and raise them into amazing beings. He was wealthy enough to give them everything he’d never had as a young boy. But it was a future that he and Kiera weren’t meant to share. That was the harsh reality.
“I know you’re not going to want to compromise,” Kiera said, slicing into Dean’s thoughts with a cruel little smile. “But you should really consider it. You have a lot more to lose than you might think.”
Dean’s face contorted in confusion and anger, and he opened his mouth to reply. Fortunately, Jake was on the ball and put his hand on Dean’s shoulder just in time to cut his words off. They weren’t out on the field, brawling to the death. This wasn’t the kind of fight that the wolf was good at. This was bureaucracy. Kiera was using the rules of the human world to get under his skin, and if he played into it and let the wolf have its way, he might as well be letting her win.
“You can think what you want, Kiera, but there’s one thing I know for sure,” Dean said. He felt everybody’s eyes turn back to him, and he smiled brightly. “You can blow me.”
Kiera’s face distorted in disgust and irritation and she huffed, turning her back on Dean and stalking out the door.
Her lawyer followed with a slight nod to Jake, and Dean leaned back in his chair.
“I think that went well,” Dean said cheerfully once they’d disappeared down the hallway. “How did you read it?”
Jake sighed.
“Same as always,” Jake said. “They’re aiming to kill.”
“No shit.”
“Don’t worry though, it’s just material. There’s nothing she can take that we can’t replace.”
Jake slapped Dean on the back and left the meeting room.
Nothing they couldn’t replace?
Dean frowned and stood, walking to the long, narrow window and looking out. He spotted Kiera outside beneath him, walking briskly to her little red car and turning the engine. He had actually opened himself up to this woman. She was everything he had ever hoped for; the only woman he had ever wanted to settle down with.
Kiera was gorgeous, smart, and wild in bed. She was high-maintenance as shit, which was nice for the alpha in him, who always wanted to be working hard for others. Kiera’s hot and cold ways always left him guessing, constantly on the hook and eager for just one more smile. He had been more excited to promise the rest of his life to her than he had been to drink his first beer. That wasn’t the kind of thing you could just replace.
Dean sighed and turned away as Kiera’s car peeled out of the parking lot. He could live without her. He had no other choice.
His cell phone rang suddenly and he answered without thinking.
“Yeah?”
“Mr. Resner, Dr. Grahame is here to see you now.”
“Shit, I’ll be right there.”
“Of course.”
Dean put his phone away and sighed. He’d completely forgotten about the meeting; nobody had updated his schedule. He missed having a real intern. It was getting tiresome being understaffed. Lately, since the divorce scandal had hit the tabloids, he’d been having issues with interns that were simply around to get the gossip up close and personal. He’d fired three interns in a matter of weeks. It was getting old.
His business was slowly unravelling, and it was time to start getting serious. There were more important things in this world than Kiera Michaels-Resner. He would just have to be more careful next time, both with his interns and with his heart.
2.
“Today’s the day!” Janie Alexander said optimistically to herself in the mirror.
She smoothed her blouse and practiced a smile that quickly turned to a frown. The suit she was wearing accentuated her curves (she had her fair share of them) and she’d put her light blonde hair into a neat bun, but she still felt self-conscious. Janie knew she wasn’t knock-it-out-of-the-park beautiful. But, hopefully, Howler Inc. was looking for professionals, not models.
Working for Howler would be a dream come true. She’d just finished her bachelor’s degree in business and wanted to go where she saw a need for the work she was passionate about. Tensions between shifters and humans had been high, and integrating their suffocating society was a must.
Stonybrooke was a strange little town, but Janie had managed to settle in pretty easily. It was surprisingly easy to find a small house to rent, but she hadn’t made an offer yet. Currently, she was using her savings to stay at a motel until she was sure she could enter into a lease. Without a job, that would be impossible.
That’s where Howler Inc. came in. Janie had been studying business, but her true passion was the relationship between shifters and humans. She felt there was untapped potential in the market, and the one man who seemed to understand it was Dean Resner.
Her heart fluttered at the thought of meeting him; he was one of the most handsome men in the world, and she knew, from television interviews, that he looked good in a suit. At least, that’s what the magazines would have her believe. The idea of actually meeting him in person was thrilling and intimidating.
But she knew that were they to meet, the illusion would fade. Despite her shallow little crush, they said not to meet your idols for a reason. She probably wouldn’t even be taken seriously.
The sad truth was, he wouldn’t be interested in Janie in the least, professionally or otherwise. She was a curvy girl, not rail thin like that model of a wife he’d had. And besides, she wasn’t there because she wanted to date him. She was there because she shared his vision and hoped to help Howler Inc. remain one of the leading forces of change in the world.
The phone rang suddenly and Janie rushed to answer it. There wasn’t much time left before she had to leave. “Hello?”
“Janie! Today is your interview! How are you feeling?”
Janie relaxed. It was her best friend from college, and her leading source of moral support.
“Leah, hi! I’m really nervous, actually. What if he takes one look at me and laughs me out of the office? Ugh, why did we make so many brownies in college?”
“Because those brownies just happen to be the most amazing thing to happen to North American cuisine since apple pie.”
“You let me eat too much of that too,” Janie replied.
Leah laughed. “Seriously, you’re gorgeous. Don’t worry about your weight so much. If they’re only hiring people who are stick thin, they can go to someone else. If they want sexy and competent, then it’s Janie Alexander all the way!”
“You’re too kind,” Janie said with a dismissive laugh. Still, it was always nice to hear from her best friend. She was a great source of support, and Janie missed her every day. “So how did the date go?”
“Oh, you know Tom. He took me to these super boring museums and disgustingly healthy restaurants…I loved it, even though he was miserable.”
Janie grinned. “I think you two are made for each other.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Leah said. “But we’ll see. Are you excited about the interview? This is what you’ve been working your whole college career for!”
“I’m actually terrified,” Janie said with a soft laugh. “But it’s a hell of an opportunity.”
“Well, whether you get it or not, you’re a young woman with her entire life ahead of her. And you’re cute. That counts for something in this world.”
“Does it really count for more than drop-dead gorgeous does?” Janie asked skeptically.
“You have the skills they need. They’d be crazy not to hire you. Just go in there and show them how it’s done!”
Janie smiled, feeling heartened for the first tim
e since she’d woken up. It was hard to stay optimistic. The world ran on certain principles, and favored women who looked a certain way. She wasn’t used to being in the favored group, and it was probably going to stay that way. Still, Leah was right. She was more than qualified. And it was a job, after all, not a popularity contest.
“Thanks, Leah. I’ll let you know how it goes.”
“You better. Break a leg!”
“Thanks!”
Janie hung up the phone feeling significantly better than she had before Leah called. Whether the world saw her as a conventionally attractive woman or not, she had skills and she wasn’t afraid to use them.
3.
Dean looked up from the paperwork on his desk as a soft knock sounded on his door. He glanced at his watch and cursed under his breath. It was time for another meeting with a potential intern. This time, he was going to be harsh. He couldn’t afford losing any more time.
“Come in,” Dean said, sighing and looking back at his paperwork. He heard the shuffling of footsteps and soon, someone, a woman (young, he could tell by her smell), was sitting across from his desk.
He made no move to speed up his work. It was going to be a powerplay today. The wolf would lead the interaction, discerning whether or not the person across from him was a waste of time or had the potential of a keeper.
She didn’t make a sound, and simply waited patiently for him to finish. She had passed the first test.
“Nice to meet you,” Dean finally said, setting his pen down and reaching his hand out to shake hers. He made eye contact pointedly, nearly forgetting the purpose of his game as she held his gaze for a few moments before dropping her eyes back to her hands. She knew he was dominant here, and wouldn’t make any plays to prove otherwise. That, or she was familiar with how to treat an alpha, which was surprising for a human. Either way, she’d passed the second test.
What was most surprising, however, was the way the wolf was reacting. It had found something it liked. It wanted to claim her.
“Thank you,” she said. “My name is Janie Alexander. I’m here because I heard about the opportunity to pursue an internship with Howlers Incorporated.”
Dean grinned. She wasn’t one to mince words. He sat back in his seat and took a moment to study Janie, the wolf driving him to take the time to let everything about her sink in right away. She had a sweet face, with kind eyes and supple, plump lips. Her body wasn’t exactly supermodel ready, but she wore her business suit with poise and confidence, but her curves left the wolf in him panting. Everything about her, except her age maybe (she was quite young), screamed “professional”.
“It’s nice to meet you, Janie. In case you’re unaware, I’m Dean Resner, owner and CEO of Howler’s Inc. We create sports equipment and safety gear based on my experience with the Wyoming Riders.”
“I’m very familiar with your work, Mr. Resner,” Janie said, looking him in the eye. He realized with a start just how dazzling her eyes were. It was an odd shade for a human; a mixture of green, grey, blue, maybe even brown. He couldn’t tell. It was quite beautiful. He forced himself to tune back in as Janie continued speaking.
“I think it is very impressive that you were able to bridge the gap between human and shifter athletes. I feel that your work has been fundamental in helping to bring shifter issues to light in human communities and open an important dialogue.”
“A dialogue?” Dean asked, raising an eyebrow. It was rare that an intern showed any concern for the bigger picture that Howlers Inc. represented. They were mostly hoping to impress Dean with their business savvy.
“Yes…relationships between shifters and humans have been deplorable. I feel that by appealing to one area where both shifters and humans show unparalleled interest–sports–you are providing an important opportunity to bring the disparities shifters suffer at the hands of their human counterparts to light.”
Dean pursed his lips and looked down at the papers on his desk. Janie might not be the next centerfold wearing his jersey, but she was smart. The wolf, who had been pacing in boredom at the prospect of yet another stupid interview, had stopped just long enough to listen. And apparently, it liked what it heard.
“Can you start today?” Dean finally asked, turning his gaze back onto Janie. She looked startled for a moment, and Dean couldn’t help but smile. She just looked so cute.
“Of course,” Janie said.
“Great, I’ll have someone come in and show you around the office. You can wait in the lobby while I arrange it.”
“Thank you,” Janie said, standing up and reaching her hand out excitedly. “I’m so honored to-”
Dean stood, and strode to the door, opening it. He wouldn’t be able to focus for the rest of the day if she stayed much longer. Hopefully, she would get the hint and leave.
She did, and walked briskly to the doorway.
“Just don’t let me down,” Dean said, and closed the door behind her. When she was safely down the hall, Dean sighed heavily and sat back down at his desk. “What the hell are you thinking, you old rascal?”
He scolded himself quietly, trying to empty his mind of all thoughts of Janie. What good would there be in claiming a girl half his age? She was an intern for crying out loud. Besides, he had his plate full with the divorce.
Still, as he got back to work, his thoughts lingered heavily on Janie. Sure, the wolf was happy with her, but would she make it as his intern? They would just have to wait and see.
4.
Janie was shocked by just how fast paced her new work environment was. She was even more surprised at the amount of pay she was set to receive. She’d heard many horror stories from friends who had interned for companies that had promised great benefits, once all their ducks were in a row, of course, and never saw a penny for their efforts. Even getting a letter of recommendation was like pulling teeth.
But Dean’s company didn’t work like that. Janie’s starting salary was impressive, and if she understood correctly, she would soon be eligible for health insurance through Howlers. It wasn’t that good-for-nothing coverage either. It was actually really incredible.
“To get you started, we’re going to get you to work on a PR campaign,” Mary, the woman giving the tour, said. Janie could tell that Mary was a shifter too, but she didn’t seem very friendly. Despite the company’s dedication to bringing human and shifter relationships to a more humane level, there was still animosity between the races. Shifters had good reason to distrust humans. Janie would be the first to admit it. Although it was a little bit upsetting, she couldn’t blame Mary much for her attitude.
“What kind of PR campaign?” Janie asked.
Mary led her through the doorway of a big, open office where a group of people were sitting at a large, oval-shaped desk. In the back of the room was a big bulletin board with pictures of Dean Resner from his days playing receiver for the Wyoming Riders, the first team ever composed of shifters and humans alike. A team organized by Dean, who, despite his dark and troubled past, had a dream of seeing shifters and humans working together against all odds.
“Mr. Resner wants the world to understand the goals of Howler’s Inc., and we feel one way is through a successful ad campaign. Your job will be to help come up with a powerful message that will communicate the company’s mission statement without compromising Dean as the focal point of the message.”
“He’s been getting some bad press lately,” a thin man in glasses said from the opposite end of the table. “We want him to look good.”
“The divorce is really stiffing him!” another man, a gruff-looking shifter with shaggy black hair and deep black stubble said. “People are spreading all kinds of rumors about him. Lying through their teeth, really. We’ve gotta look out for Dean. Get the people back to singing his praises. If they don’t, the company could go under.”
Janie nodded. “I hadn’t heard about how difficult the divorce has been on him…”
“You been living under a rock?!” a woman asked, s
etting down a box of colored pencils to give Janie a dramatic, shocked expression.
“Actually, I’ve been very busy. I just graduated from university and moved from California to Stonybrooke without any help. So, needless to say, that doesn’t leave me much time for the tabloids.”
Janie raised an eyebrow at the woman who shrugged and sat back down at the table.
“Clearly, there is plenty for you all to talk about,” Mary said, backing out of the room. She smiled falsely at Janie as she gripped the doorknob to shut it behind herself as she left. “Welcome to Howlers.”
5.
Dean awoke with a start and squinted at his watch. It was half past nine. Most people left the office around 5:00pm, the rest no later than six. He peered out to the hallway and sighed. The lights were dim, and he was hungry.
Dean stretched heartily, wondering if he would be able to make it to the diner in time to beg Maurice to keep it open just half an hour later so he could pick up something to eat. It was worth a shot, and on days like this, sometimes Maurice made an exception.
Dean strolled through the building, stopping suddenly when he caught a whiff of something familiar. Something comforting.
He furrowed his brow as he attempted to recollect what it might be, and followed his nose down the winding hallways of the office building. Finally, he found that he had stopped in front of a half-open door, with a dim light shining inside.
“Ms. Alexander?” he asked, surprised as he pushed the door open and walked inside. The wolf was instantly alert, and he had to try to push it down to keep it from acting inappropriately. Nobody else was there. Who would know? But he couldn’t let himself give in.
“Mr. Resner!”
Janie jumped up from the table and put her hand over her heart. “You startled me.”
HAMMER (Forsaken Riders MC Romance Book 16) Page 101