Page 22 of Cowboy Devil's Embrace

“I am?”

“You are. I don’t know shit about this life.”

“YOU can say that again,” Emmet said, his smile easier now.

“Yeah, well. Priorities, right? Look, I am giving you the foreman position or general manager, or whatever you want to call it. But I have to do sixty percent of the work here,” I told him, recalling the terms and conditions I had to meet to keep my trust fund.

“Why?”

“Because my Grandmother is a hardass. Now. will you stay on and help?”

“I can do that. But, uh, I need something from you, too. See, I’m a broken Wolf, Boss. No Pack wants me around. I need someone who can help me rein him in,” Emmet replied, voice low and gritty with his beast.

“And you think I can do that?” I said, stunned.

“I think so. The other fellas said the same. We don’t know what kind of supe you are. Most are guessing Vampire?—”

“I’m not a fucking Vampire,” I replied quickly, and was mildly insulted.

“Okay, well, whatever you are, we think you can help. But you gotta hire us,” Emmet said, but he seemed to be asking.

I thought about it for a moment. Then I nodded.

“Okay. You’re hired,” I said, and was greeted by the sound of whooping and cheering outdoors.

Fuckers were listening. Standing downwind, too.

Smart. Very smart.

“Great! So, now that I’m the foreman, I can teach you what you need to know to keep this place in the black,” Emmet said.

“I am all ears. But first, I need some help in the house.”

“Like what?”

“Maybe you can help me make a list? First things first, I’m running out of bologna and clean jeans,” I muttered.

Emmet laughed, but I was serious. I mean, I didn’t even know how to use a washer machine.

“Alright, let’s shake on it. Motley Crewd Ranch is a go, boys,” Emmet said and offered his hand to the sound of the three monsters outside coming inside to witness our deal.

I looked around at the group of big, sweaty bastards, and I grinned. My Devil rose inside me, a wave of magic and power flowing through me as I shook each one of their hands one at a time.

Motley Crewdmight be a fucked up name, but it was apt.

The Shifters who remained here were different from the others. I was different, too. And my different just took theirs on.

Whatever we just did, it tied us together. Our one commonality being the fact we belonged nowhere else but here.

We were all on our last chance. Jersey Devils didn’t have Packs or Clans. But maybe the fact that I was different meant I could?

“Okay, boys, I might not know much about running a place like this, but I swear to do my best,” I swore.

“That’s all we can ask, Boss,” Kian replied, and I nodded at the powerfully built male.

“By the way, your horse bit you for tossing straw into his stall,” Zeke said.

“Isn’t that what they eat?” I asked, confused.

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