Page 1 of Business or Pleasure

Prologue

Baylen

The University of Glasgow

Fifteen years ago…

The sun was shining, and with the temperature being higher than average, it was a perfect omen for my first day of university. If only I’d believed. The McFanns, however, had not come from superstitious folk. We believed in facts and science. But on days like today, I understood why some people had faith in a being who could create such beauty.

First day. Sitting in my car, I was still the same person as yesterday. Newly eighteen-year-old Baylen McFann. Middle child with good grades, but nothing uniquely remarkable about him. I had yet to make a mark on the world, for good or for evil.

But my time was just ahead of me.

Steeling myself for whatever might come, I exited the car and retrieved two suitcases from the boot, preparing for my new adventure.

By the time I’d unpacked and settled in my new apartment, the sun was low in the sky. A glance at the kitchen clock told me it was half five, and my stomach growled, reminding me I’d hardly eaten today. Although I grew up at my family’s estate well outside the city limits, I’d spent much time in Glasgow and knew several establishments nearby that served quality food.

Twenty minutes later, I walked into The Smokin’ Fox. I’d been there before, and the food was better than anything I could cook up at the flat. A Saturday evening meant it was busy, and I lingered near the door looking for a place to sit.

“Yer bum’s oot the window!”

A shout from my right drew my attention to a trio of men standing near the bar. All three were red-faced and sweaty, their shirts proclaiming their loyalty to the Aberdeen football club. I dimly recalled that Aberdeen had played against Glasgow Rangers today, and judging by how the men kept throwing their hands in the air, I assumed they’d won. They were obnoxiously exuberant.

One shoved another, earning a shout of, “Get tae fuck, arsepiece,” from the one who’d been on the receiving end.

The Aberdeen football fans were notorious. The trio was attracting more attention now, their curses louder and more inventive as they moved from shoving each other to bumping into other patrons. The bartender glared at them. But even from where I stood, the cast on his arm was clearly visible. He wouldn’t be able to do anything.

I’d pulled the door open to head somewhere quieter when all hell broke loose.

A pretty, dark-haired waitress, hardly a day over eighteen, navigated her way around the men when one of them grabbed her butt. She spun, her hand slapping against the man’s cheek with a loud crack that silenced the room.

His meaty hand closed around her wrist. “Bitch!”

His two buddies stepped closer, and I moved forward without thinking. There was more fury on her face than fear. But if things kept going in the same direction, that’d change soon.

The guy yanked her toward him as she tried to pull away, his insults and curses drowning out whatever she was saying. His other hand went up, and I wasn’t close enough to stop what I knew was coming.

Before his blow could land, a tall blond man grabbed the bald man's wrist and pulled him back. When the other two guys stepped forward, I moved between them, catching one of them with a hand on his chest.

“Leave the lass alone,” I said.

“Or?” The redhead grinned wide, showing gaps where several teeth were missing.

The tension in the air was thick enough to choke on, and the stand-off seemed to stretch out forever. Then the redhead’s control snapped, and he took a swing at me.

The next few minutes were a blur of fists and feet as the blond man, and I took on the three hooligans. A blow to the ribs had me gasping, but I dodged a punch to the face. Pain radiated up my arm when my knuckles met the redhead’s jaw. He staggered back, giving me the chance to hook my foot behind him and send him tumbling to the floor.

As I turned to take on another of the assholes, other hands were there, pulling the men back, shoving them toward the door. As quickly as it’d started, it was over.

“Are you all right?”

I found the blond man talking to the waitress.

“Aye, I am.” She smiled at him and then turned to me. “Thank you.”

I nodded, still not having my breath back. My body was buzzing from all the adrenaline, my hands shaking, but I caught the waitress when she threw her arms around me.

The other man’s blue eyes danced with amusement. He looked familiar, though I couldn’t place where from.

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