by Niles, Abby
Apparently, she’d gotten through to him. Why, then, wasn’t she more relieved?
What was even scarier was she actually missed the ass.
Somewhat.
She didn’t miss having to continuously remind him they had no future, which in turn left her emotionally exhausted. Mostly because she needed to remind herself as much as him.
However, she did miss his smile, his voice…and that little flutter in her stomach every time he looked at her. Which meant Aidan O’Connell had gotten under her skin, and she didn’t like it.
She shouldn’t be wishing he’d call, or pop up unexpected, or wishing…
Yeah, she could admit it.
Wishing he was human.
The intercom buzzed, and Jaylin sighed. “Yes?”
“There’s a lady here wishing to speak with you,” Pam’s voice flowed through the speaker.
Jaylin frowned. She didn’t like surprise visits, but it wasn’t as if she was booked to the gills with appointments anymore. She lifted the receiver. “In regards to?”
“She won’t say. Just keeps repeating it’s an urgent matter.”
Maybe this would result in a new client. “Send her in.”
A few seconds later, an older woman walked in and closed the door behind her. A unique woodsy scent teased her nose and Jaylin tensed.
This was all she needed—another damn half shifter.
As the lady walked across the room, Jaylin studied her. She could’ve passed for a Shirley MacLaine lookalike. She wore designer cream slacks and an expensive blue silk shirt that set off the copper highlights in her blondish-red hair. Diamond earrings sparkled from her earlobes. And Jaylin couldn’t help but appreciate the matching diamond necklace and bracelet.
This woman had money. Lots of it.
Too bad she’d have to send her away.
“Dr. Avgar.” The woman settled her startling blue eyes on Jaylin. The friendly smile on her lips melted away the regal air she had about her, and made her suddenly seem like she was someone’s grandma. “Thank you for seeing me with no notice.”
“It was no problem at all.” Standing, Jaylin offered her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs….?”
“Biggerstaff.” After shaking her hand, the woman sat in the chair across from Jaylin’s desk.
“How can I help you, Mrs. Biggerstaff?” Jaylin asked, sitting as well.
“I need you to accompany me to Cancun to help my son.”
Jaylin blinked. There was no way she’d heard her correctly. “You want me to go where?”
“Cancun, Dr. Avgar.”
Yeah, that was exactly what she’d said the first time. It didn’t sound any more believable the second time around.
Leaning forward, Jaylin threaded her fingers together on top of her desk. “I’m sorry. I have a practice to run. I can’t leave my clients.” What clients? “Besides,” she continued. “I no longer work with shifters.”
“I know, but you came highly recommended. I flew all the way from Cancun just to speak with you.”
“I’m sorry about that, but you should’ve called and we would’ve saved you the trip.” Jaylin pushed back her chair and rose. “I do appreciate your time.”
The woman slammed a manila folder on the desk. “I will not be dismissed.”
Wow, the sweet smiling woman was gone. Mother bear was out in full force. Jaylin put on her practiced patient smile. “I understand your frustration, Mrs. Biggerstaff. But I stopped taking anyone from the shifter community as clients months ago.”
Her anger magically morphed into tears, which magnified the blue in the woman’s eyes. “P-please just look at h-his file.” She took a shaky breath. “If you can still say no, I’ll leave with no further argument.” Mrs. Biggerstaff dabbed her eyes with a silk handkerchief that probably cost more than Jaylin made in an entire month before the woman’s face crumpled even further and she cupped her head in her hands, sobbing.
Jaylin bit the inside of her lip as she slowly sat down and reached for the file. Gawd. She was such a sucker. But the woman was crying. She could at least look at the blasted file.
She opened it, and a picture of a young man with the same coppery-colored hair as the woman’s highlights was clipped to the inside of the folder. Jasper Biggerstaff. He looked to be in his late twenties. She ran her thumb over the picture. So young. He was smiling with blue eyes that held a charming twinkle. So innocent.
“Which one?” Jaylin asked.
The woman lifted her head. “W-what?”
“Dsershon or Wydowed?
“Neither.”
Jaylin blinked. “Then what’s the problem?”
“The Drall was awakened.”
Ah. Okay. “Did she reject him before he could Fewse to her?”
“Yes.”
Jaylin closed the file, her mind immediately going to Aidan. “Listen, Mrs. Biggerstaff, I understand he’s upset, but he doesn’t realize the bullet he dodged. Had he mated to her and then she rejected him, he’d be going through something a hundred times worse.”
Like Aidan would. Her heart twisted.
“You tell his Drall that, why don’t you? He’s miserable right now and won’t talk to us because ‘we don’t get it.’ He needs someone who does.”
She opened her mouth to politely refuse again, but the woman held up her hand. “A few days tops. Just go. Let him talk to you, open up, see his life isn’t over.”
Inwardly, Jaylin snorted. How was she to do that when life as he knew it was over? All he could do was make a new life.
Like. Aidan.
Damn it. She couldn’t think of him.
“…we’ll pay all your expenses and make sure you have some time to enjoy the beach.” She inhaled, dug in her purse and withdrew a bulky envelope and placed it on the desk. “If nothing else, maybe this will change your mind.”
Jaylin eyed the package, having an idea of exactly what was inside, and her heart jumped at the thickness. She swallowed. “And what’s that?”
“Seven thousand dollars.”
“H-h—” she cleared her throat. “How much?”
“Seven. Grand. Paid up front. You can’t tell me you’d make that in the few days you’ll be gone.”
No. She couldn’t. Heck, she barely made that in a month. Especially after she’d paid Pam a portion that in no way covered what she should be making, paid the office bills and some of her own debts. A bonus like this would really help out right now.
Lord, when had she become such a money slut?
When she suddenly didn’t have it anymore, that was when.
“That’s a little too generous, don’t you think?”
The woman squared her shoulders and sat straight. “He’s my son.”
It was all she said, but it said everything.
She stared at the envelope, chewing her lip. Seven grand would keep the practice open for a couple more months, buy her some time to drag herself out of the mess she’d made of her career. It would help Pam, too. So much. All Jaylin had to do was go to Cancun and help another shifter. The pros far outweighed the cons.
“When do you want me to go?”
The woman’s pinched expression relaxed and a relieved smile tilted up her lips. “Thank you.” She gathered up her purse and files. “I’m flying back as soon as I leave here. I can’t stay away from Jasper for too long. He’s just so…depressed. I’ll send my jet back to get you tomorrow morning. Plan for a ten o’clock departure. That should give you enough time to sort your schedule out.”
“Your jet?”
“Oh, honey. I don’t do commercial. Private is the only way to go.”
Jaylin had no idea how to even respond to that, so she went with, “Yes, that should give me enough time to get everything together.”
If she went into Tasmanian Devil mode.
“Good.” The woman stood. “I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon then.”
Jaylin also stood. “Have a safe flight.”
After she left, Jaylin s
agged in her chair. Maybe this case was a blessing in disguise. It’d put thousands of miles between her and Aidan. She wouldn’t be all jumpy and worried that he’d just pop up…not that he had. Instead it was as though he’d completely forgotten her, and surprisingly, she didn’t like that.
She didn’t like that she didn’t like that. God, she was a mess.
Wanting to get away from her thoughts, she grabbed the envelope and hurried from her office. “I have a present for you.”
Pam spun around in her chair. “Oh! I love surprises.”
Jaylin lifted the wad of cash from the packet and fanned herself with the money.
Her friend’s mouth dropped open. “Girl, what were you doing back there?”
“Good Lord, Pam, does your mind always go to the gutter?”
“Of course. Seriously though, where did that come from?”
“Mrs. Biggerstaff. I’ll need for you to cancel my appointments for the rest of the week.”
“You mean all four of them?”
Jaylin grimaced. “I thought I had seven.”
“You did. Miss Pratt got a new boyfriend, so her depression vanished. Mr. Potter finally called his son and they had a long heart-to-heart, and Mr. Jones just canceled, stating a conflict with his tee time.”
“I guess this came at a great time then.” She split the money. “Here’s your half.”
“No way.” Pam held up her hands. “You were paid that to do a job, not me.”
“We’re a team, Pam. Take it.” When she still refused, Jaylin added, “I’ll be in Cancun.”
Pam gasped then snatched the money. “Well in that case.”
Jaylin laughed, then started back to her office.
“Hey, Jay?”
She looked over her shoulder. “Yeah?”
“Do you ever worry you made a mistake by cutting the shifter community from your client list? They were a majority of your patients and the human list isn’t really growing.”
That was the question of the day.
“Yeah, I do,” she admitted.
“Do you think you’ll add them back in?”
“I don’t think I have it in me to, Pam.”
“Why not? You were a superb therapist, and everyone knew it.”
“I probably would’ve agreed with you not even a week ago. But what kind of therapist am I really? Yeah, I talk a great game, but who am I to counsel others on what they should do when I failed to do the same?”
“What in the world are you talking about? Failed what?”
“Not what, Pam. Who. I failed Aidan. I, Dr. Jaylin Avgar, esteemed therapist, ruined a shifter’s life. I knew what was happening, and I didn’t stop it. I’ll never be able to forget or forgive myself for that. How am I supposed to ask someone else to put their faith in me after that?”
…
Jaylin checked the ticket once more as she hurried through the airport, dragging her one piece of luggage behind her.
The itinerary Mrs. Biggerstaff had given her for the next four days actually left quite a bit of time for Jaylin to enjoy herself, but she’d packed light anyway. A few business outfits for when she was in session with Jasper, including the gray skirt suit she wore now, a couple of pairs of shorts and shirts, and a few sundresses. She’d been indecisive on the bathing suit, feeling very unprofessional in packing it for a business trip, but in the end she’d tossed it in, reminding herself that she wouldn’t be with Jasper 24-7.
As she reached the desk, she handed her ticket to the flight attendant, who looked it over, then allowed her to enter the terminal. When she stepped inside the jet, she froze.
Holy. Shit.
How much money did this woman actually have? The walls were made of black reflective paneling that made the oversize silver leather seats and sofa stand out. Everything was sleek, stylish, and expensive, including the top-of-the-line entertainment system mounted on one wall. What a way to start off the trip.
She shoved her suitcase in one of the overhead compartments, then slumped into a seat. Tension seeped from her body and she closed her eyes, sinking deeper into the luxurious cushions.
Even though she knew this was a working trip, she felt as if she was going on vacation. In a way, she guessed she was. The change in scenery and a few days of tropical air should help her come back ready and focused. At least she hoped it did.
The sealing of the door announced they were about to depart. Paradise, here I come.
She smiled.
“One day you’ll smile at me that way.”
Her eyes snapped opened and she shot a glance to her side.
Un. Be. Lievable.
Aidan had traded his jeans and T-shirt for an expensive bespoke suit. His hair was immaculate, groomed in a way that was so unlike him that it was almost laughable, if he hadn’t appeared as comfortable in those duds as he did in casual clothes. She sat up straight. “What the hell are you doing here?”
He held out his hand. She eyed it but didn’t take it.
“I’d like to introduce myself. I’m Jasper Biggerstaff.”
Air gushed out of her mouth. “You set me up!”
Aidan sat down in the seat across the aisle from hers. “Now, Jaylin, to set you up would entail having you take the fall for something. This was merely using the power of surprise to my advantage to get you to myself.”
“I—I can’t believe you did this!”
“I don’t take no for an answer, Jaylin. By now, you should know that.”
Who was this man?
Gone was the laid-back, infuriatingly smiley Aidan. A new determined glint shone in his green eyes, and his jaw was set with a harsh, no-argument-would-be-tolerated stiffness. Right now, he looked the epitome of a man who didn’t take no for an answer. He also looked rich. Very rich.
She glanced around the plane, seeing it as Aidan’s instead of Mrs. Biggerstaff’s, who she’d known had money. The luxurious inside was even more shocking now, and it did scream male. A powerful, wealthy male.
“Who are you? Some freaking James Bond?”
A wicked twist she’d never seen before quirked the corners of his lips, making him appear all the more dangerous. “I’m not the good guy, Jaylin. I’m the villain.”
Aidan? Bad? Not the Aidan she knew.
The engine revved. She shot to her feet. “I’m getting off this plane.”
She moved no more than two steps before he grabbed her forearm and pulled her back against him. The back of her shoulders pressed against his chest, and immediately her body responded, nipples puckering, heartbeat racing, those reactions skyrocketing when his lips brushed her ear as he whispered, “You’re not going anywhere, Jaylin.” He released her. “Unless you plan on donning a parachute and leaping to freedom, I’d suggest you put on your seat belt and enjoy the ride.”
She jerked at the command in his voice. If he expected her to just do his bidding, he had another think coming. She crossed her arms and leveled him with a “get real” look. His easy amused smile didn’t spread to the rest of his face; if anything, his expression hardened even more before he shrugged and sat down, buckling his seat belt. “If you want to end up on the floor, fine by me, but you’re not getting off the plane. The pilot has already been compensated not to stop.”
The plane moved and she stumbled forward. She grabbed on to the nearest headrest to maintain her balance. Without looking at him, she plopped back on the seat and buckled. “Fine. I’ll just catch a flight back once we land.”
“Every out has been closed. You might as well accept that now. You’ll leave when I say you can.”
She gasped. “How dare you bully me like this!”
He made no apology for his behavior. He didn’t even seem remorseful, just exuded an arrogant determination that grated on her nerves. She didn’t like this Aidan. Not one bit.
Crossing her arms, she shifted on the seat so her back was toward him and stared at the passing runway. How hadn’t she seen this coming?
Pretty damn simple. Aidan h
aving an endless supply of money never even crossed her mind. The Aidan she knew drove a truck, owned a modest log cabin, and wore “Kiss Me I’m Irish” shirts. This Aidan?
She shot a glance at him over her shoulder. Everything about him was unapproachable. The unyielding way he sat in the chair, the precise way he pulled a phone from his pocket, even the stiff way he then sat back against the cushion and placed his ankle on his knee. It was as if he was on his way to an important business deal, instead of heading for a tropical beach resort.
Maybe that was how he was treating this.
“What do you possibly think to gain from taking me hostage?” she asked, unable to keep the question to herself.
“Think of it as you will, but you’re not a hostage, you’re a conquest.”
She twisted in her seat. “Are you kidding me? I’m not something you can acquire, Aidan.”
“People and business are all the same. Sometimes you have to force them to see what is best for them, even if they kick and scream the entire time. You, Dr. Avgar, will be my biggest acquisition to date.” He never glanced up from his phone. As though it was a done deal.
What the hell ever.
“Let me help deflate that big head of yours. You got lucky with getting me on this plane.”
“Luck had nothing to do with it. I observed your weaknesses and I used them against you.”
“I don’t have any weaknesses!”
“But you do.” He lowered his phone and looked at her. “Shifters in pain get to you even if you don’t want them to. Liam being a prime example. You didn’t have to help that first night, but you did. Besides, you’ve proven you’d go back on a vow if given the right amount of money.”
She recoiled from his words, hating the way it made her sound. “I-is that how you think of me? As someone who can be bought?”
His face softened for a fraction of a second before the hardness returned. “You weren’t bought. You needed the money. I knew this and I used your circumstances against you for my gain. I don’t apologize for that. I got what I wanted.”
“From this moment forward, getting me on this plane will be all you ever get,” she spat. “And don’t worry, you will get your bribe money back. I don’t want anything of yours and I don’t want anything to do with you.”