Fighting Fate (30 page)

Much.

Wow, she needed to stop this. Before she knew it, she’d be following him home, climbing

through his bedroom window, and watching him sleep.

Stalker much?

She looked up at the man she’d been trying to forget and gave him a small smile. Damn her, she

just couldn’t stop doing that. His eyes brightened—or maybe that’s just what she hoped had happened

—and he smiled back.

“Okay then. Well, ladies, you all are closing down the house tonight as the rest of my customers

have decided to call it in early. And since I’m closing at ten anyway. Do you want another round, or

are you done for the evening?”

The others talked, mumbling their words to each other, but Nadie couldn’t keep her eyes from

Dante. Something was up with him, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. The strain in the corner of his

eyes and the firm set of his mouth that he thought he hid so well didn’t escape her notice. Before the

lightning strike, she might have gotten the courage to ask him as he’d always been a friend and had

never made her feel insignificant. Now though? Now she was afraid, too afraid to do anything about

it.

And
that
made her feel insignificant.

Something she’d have to change by leaving and never coming back.

She was better than this, better than the empty shell she was becoming.

However, right then, with the slight tension she saw creeping over Dante’s shoulders, it wasn’t

about her but about the dragon who seemed to literally be carrying the weight of the world on his

shoulders. She didn’t know how to help, or even if she could.

Another flash of weakness—the one that came with meeting her true half but not completing the

bond—wrenched at her, and she gasped. Her friends turned toward her, but before she could lie and

say she was okay, something odd happened.

It was as if someone siphoned the pain from her, inch by inch, and suddenly, she was fine. Well,

not fine, but at least better than she’d been. It made no sense. It shouldn’t have been happening like

that. Oh, she’d thought it had happened once or twice before, but never to this degree. The pain slid

away, and Nadie swallowed hard, able to breathe again.

Dante let out a grunt beside her, and she blinked up at him through clear eyes.

“Dante? You’re pale. What’s wrong?” she asked as she stood up, worried. She put her hand on

his upper arm then froze at her action.

He looked down at her hand then wiped the sweat that hadn’t been there before from his brow.

“Just a little dizzy, my sprite. I’ll be fine.” He placed his hand over hers, squeezing, and gave a

strained smile. “Thank you.”

She swallowed hard at his touch and smiled back.

He slowly slid his hand away and she moved back as well.

He’d called her
my sprite
. Well, that was different. Darn it, she had no idea what was going on

with this man, but it was something. Something he was hiding. She needed to gain the courage to ask

him. It didn’t matter that she was leaving for good. He was her friend, and it looked as though he

needed one right then.

But if past experiences were anything, she knew
she
couldn’t be the friend he needed.

Not anymore, not with the fact he’d ignored what she was to him for so long.

“If everyone is fine then, I’m off to go to Shade and Kelly,” Lily said, and then she said her

goodbyes. Faith got up and walked to Dante, whispering something in his ear, but Nadie wasn’t sure

what it was. Soon the rest of the women left, either not noticing the tension or ignoring it altogether.

That was exactly what she needed right then, and she was grateful that her friends seemed to know it.

She followed her friends out the door, letting herself take one last look over her shoulder at the

man she wanted but could never have and then went to her car. The others left the parking lot as she

got in and tried to start her car.

Try being the operative word.

The car made this annoying chugging sound then ticked before refusing to turn over. She

slammed her hand on the steering wheel then cursed when she hurt herself.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Everyone had left her probably thinking she’d be right behind

them, and honestly, she didn’t want to call them back just to leave her car there. She searched for her

cell phone and cursed. Damn it. Where had it gone? Nothing was working right. She fought back tears

of frustration, annoyed with herself more than anything. They’d all gotten in their cars together, not

knowing hers wouldn’t start. It wasn’t her friends’ fault she was stranded, but she still felt alone.

She’d have to go back into the bar and call a tow truck or something. Maybe she’d left her phone

at the table. This was not the night of eating chocolate while having a good cry she’d had in mind.

The knock on her half-open window startled her, and the scream that ripped from her throat at

seeing the man outside would have made any horror movie heroine proud.

The blond man, his hair falling to his shoulders, held up his hands, his green eyes wide. “I’m

sorry, honey. Didn’t mean to scare the crap out of you. I was just going to see if you needed help with

your car.”

The man had to be taller and wider than even Dante, and that didn’t make her feel any less

freaked out. The barrier of the car door would be nothing to a man like that, and all she could think

about, despite his soft words, was an image of him ripping the door off, throwing her over his

shoulder, and taking her away.

Damn it. Why didn’t she have a weapon of some kind in her car?

And why didn’t she know how to use said weapon?

“I’m a friend of Dante’s. I won’t hurt you. I promise.” Hands held out in a surrender position, he

slowly backed up. “Why don’t I get Dante and get you some help? Okay? I’m Jace by the way.”

She blinked up at the man named Jace, unsure of what to do. He might have said he was a friend

of Dante, but considering the bar’s name was in his line of sight, that could have been a wild guess

and a pretty damn good lie.

Nope, she wasn’t getting out. She’d just call the bar from her car and have Dante—or the cops—

come to her. She reached in her purse and cursed because she’d forgotten she didn’t have her phone

to begin with. As she had just started to really panic, she let out a breath when she saw Dante himself

walking toward them.

“Nadie? Jace? What’s going on?” He didn’t sound alarmed, more like curious.

“Nadie?” Jace rasped. This time there was something like awe in his tone, and she had no idea

what he meant.

Had Dante told him about her? No, that would be stupid. There was no reason for Dante to do

so. She was nothing to the dragon.

Dante walked up to Jace, cupped his cheek, and then gave a nod. Nadie felt as if she’d been

slapped—she hadn’t known Dante had someone…let alone a man. No wonder Dante didn’t want her.

He already had his mate. Oh Jesus. Fate really was that cruel to her.

Yet something important clicked inside her at the same time at the intimate sight.

“What’s going on?” she asked, her throat dry.

Dante moved, pushing Jace a step back then stood by her car door. “Come on into the bar,

Nadie. We have a lot to talk about.”

She shook her head. “Tell me here. What’s going on?” There was something off about this,

something she didn’t understand. It wasn’t fear running through her right then—no, it was something

much warmer, something filled with undeniable promise. She needed to put a stop to it before it went

anywhere…especially since it seemed Dante and Jace were an item—or something much more.

And once again, Nadie had been left on the outside looking in.

“Nadie, please,” Dante begged. “Come inside. For me?”

At that last word, she nodded. She’d never seen her dragon beg, and she didn’t want to see it

again. He wasn’t the type to do so, and that meant something far greater than she could imagine was

going on here.

“Fine, but you need to tell me what’s going on when we get in there.”

Dante nodded. “Yes, I’ll tell you everything. Finally.”

She got out of the car and swallowed hard. She looked at Jace and blinked. The feeling of being

by his side was strangely just as intimate and heated as being by Dante’s. That didn’t make any sense,

and yet she wasn’t sure she wanted it to. For some reason she wanted to move closer to them both,

hold them and never let them go. The warmth in her belly wasn’t a mere attraction, no, it was

something far greater.

Something tugged at her heart, her breath, her…everything.

She had a feeling she’d just taken a step toward a future she hadn’t thought possible, but this

time, she wasn’t turning back.

Find out more in
Tangled Innocence.
Out Now.

To make sure you’re up to date on all of Carrie Ann’s releases, sign up for her mailing list

HERE
.

Did you enjoy this selection? Why not try another romance from

Fated Desires?

From USA Today Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan’s Holiday Montana Series

Jordan Cross has returned to Holiday, Montana after eleven long years to clear out her late

aunt’s house, put it on the market, and figure out what she wants to do with the rest of her life. Soon,

she finds herself facing the town that turned its back on her because she was different. Because being

labeled a witch in a small town didn’t earn her many friends...especially when it wasn't a lie.

Matt Cooper has lived in Holiday his whole life. He's perfectly content being a bachelor

alongside his four single brothers in a very small town. After all, the only woman he'd ever loved ran

out on him without a goodbye. But now Jordan’s back and just as bewitching as ever. Can they

rekindle their romance with a town set against them?

Warning: Contains an intelligent, sexy witch with an attitude and drop-dead gorgeous man who

likes to work with his hands, holds a secret that might scare someone, and really,
really
, likes table

tops for certain activities. Enough said.

Find out more in
Charmed Spirits.
Out Now.

To make sure you’re up to date on all of Carrie Ann’s releases, sign up for her mailing list

HERE
.

Did you enjoy this selection? Why not try another romance from

Fated Desires?

From USA Today Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan’s Montgomery Ink Series

Shepard Montgomery loves the feel of a needle in his hands, the ink that he lays on another, and

the thrill he gets when his art is finished, appreciated, and loved. At least that's the way it used to be.

Now he's struggling to figure out why he's a tattoo artist at all as he wades through the college frat

boys and tourists who just want a thrill, not a permanent reminder of their trip. Once he sees the Ice

Princess walk through Midnight Ink’s doors though, he knows he might just have found the inspiration

he needs.

Shea Little has spent her life listening to her family’s desires. She went to the best schools,

participated in the most proper of social events, and almost married the man her family wanted for

her. When she ran from that and found a job she actually likes, she thought she’d rebelled enough.

Now though, she wants one more thing—only Shepard stands in the way. She’ll not only have to let

him learn more about her in order to get inked, but find out what it means to be truly free.

Find out more in
Ink Inspired.
Out Now.

To make sure you’re up to date on all of Carrie Ann’s releases, sign up for her mailing list

HERE
.

Need another dose of paranormal? Try
NYTimes & USA TODAY

bestselling author
VIVIAN AREND
’s
Wolf Signs
. Book 1 in the

Granite Lake Wolves.

Robyn might be deaf, but she's more than capable of heading alone

into the great outdoors. The big, hunky Keil announcing she's his mate,

and
a wolf-shifter? That's a little more unexpected!

WOLF SIGNS

Robyn came back into his line of vision and his brother stopped her.

“Good morning, Robyn. How do you say that in sign?”

Robyn paused. She flipped him a thumbs up, and placing her left hand by her right elbow, she

lifted her right hand in an arc.

TJ copied her. “Oh, cool, like the sun rising. Hey, Keil, look,” and TJ signed good morning to

him.

A chuckle from Robyn made them both turn and regard her with amazement.

“You can laugh?” TJ asked.

Her smile fell away and Keil swore inside. She wrote a fast note and disappeared out the door.

He checked to make sure she was just headed for the outhouse before reading the message.

I’m deaf, not mute. Lost hearing as a child. Virus. I have an ugly voice. Two sugars, please.

TJ gave a soft whistle. “Man, oh man, is she going to be a handful. I’m glad she’s your mate and

not mine. Did you two fuck—?”