Page 53 of As The Shifter World Turns

My heart jolted. Had he sent me a present? Or hired a sign writer to spell out, “I miss you” in the sky. Nah, too dark for that. “Why?”

“Please, Archer. Do it for me.”

Do it, my wolf insisted. He was becoming agitated and later I’d give him his fur. It was going to be a late night.

“What am I looking for?” I asked as I peered toward the sidewalk.

“Recognize anyone?”

“Huh? Am I looking for a delivery guy? Did you send me something from my favorite vegetarian restaurant?” The sidewalk was busy with people hurrying home or heading to dinner.

“Look for the guy with a bunch of red roses.”

Awww. “Oh yeah I see…” My voice trailed away. There were red roses. Check. And there was a man holding them. Check again. But that person was Micah. “What are you doing here?” My heart was thrumming so hard in my chest, I expected him to hear it. My wolf was complaining about the noise giving him a headache but he also wanted to see Micah.

“I’m here for you. Isn’t it obvious?”

“You can’t come up,” I told him. “I’m working.”

“I’ll sing,” he threatened.

“Go ahead. I’m waiting.”

“You’ve never heard me sing.”

“Still waiting.” I tapped my fingers on the phone.

He opened his mouth and words poured out. Even through the thick glass I could hear him. There was no rhythm or melody, just a high-pitched screeching.Yikes. People near Micah put their hands on their ears, someone shouted at him and one tall guy got in his face. If I didn’t let him in, he might get beaten up.

“Fine. I’ll buzz you in.”

Waiting for Micah near the elevator, I wiped my damp palms on my pants. I’d assumed the moment we met after almost two months would be at Sunshine Manor. Not like this. The doors opened and I was hit by his aroma, taking me back to the day I met him. And I propelled myself straight into his arms.

‘Whoa,” he stumbled backward as I flung myself at him and he dropped the roses.

“I missed you so much.”

His hands were in my hair and then on my ass. His mouth on mine, his cool unicorn breath billowing over me, tongue probing at my lips, while we ground against one another. When we finally came up for breath, I knew with utmost certainty that this man, this alpha, this unicorn, was mine.

I bit his ear and whispered, “Fuck me.”

“In your office?” He glanced around. “Or out here in the elevator lobby? Might be uncomfortable on this marble floor.”

“There’s a couch in the break room.”

Daire

That’s weird.I was studying my banking app but instead of having less money than I liked, there were just zeros staring back at me. It had to be a mistake. But this was my account. It was my name in black and white. And yet the account itself was in the red.

“I’m sorry, sir, but a withdrawal was made earlier today by you.” The banking officer’s sneer carried through the phone as though he was bored dealing with stupid customers who forgot they’d taken money out.

Some hours later and after much time spent filling out forms at the local police station, it was confirmed. My identity had been stolen. It would take weeks, months or maybe years to sort out but I had Sunshine Manor to run and I couldn’t ask Micah for more money. I thanked the universe Micah’s name was on the deed as well as mine, so Sunshine Manor was safe.

I didn’t have a choice. Crawling to my parents and begging them to give me funds was my only option.

“Daire,” Father greeted me and put down the tablet he’d been studying when Dad brought me into the living room. “To what do we owe the pleasure?”

He was expecting me to say I’d failed but I’d done everything possible to keep Sunshine Manor running. I couldn’t hide what had happened so I told them everything.

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