Page 6 of Into the Lion's Den (Secrets of the Northland Shifters)

He frowned. “What I mean is, we host outdoor enthusiasts.”

“Brides can be outdoor enthusiasts.”

Reese let out a sigh. “All I’m saying is, I’m not giving you this job so you can change us into some formal occasion destination.”

“You do recall I didn’taskfor this job.” My response might have been a little snarky for an employee-employer conversation, particularly given we’d just met, but seriously… What was with his objection to weddings?

“Are youtakingthe job?” he asked.

My stomach clenched. I didn’t have much choice, and he didn’t look like someone who enjoyed being tested.

There was something distinctly feral in his eyes, and it occurred to me that even someone from Carmine DaBruzzi’s criminal organization might think twice before crossing this man.

For the first time in a long time, I had the tiniest inkling of safety.

“We hike,” Reese said. “We canoe. We camp. We ride horses. We don’t do dances. Except for the staff-appreciation banquet, but that’s different. Now...would you like to get settled in your room?”

I let out a breath. “That would be nice. I could stand a shower, then maybe a catnap before dinner.”

Reese’s lips quirked at something I said. I wasn’t sure what, but it was a nice break from the stern expression he’d graced me with thus far.

He picked up my bags again and walked out. I walked beside him down the hall.

As we passed a closed doorway he said, “My father’s—” then began again. “My office is here, next to yours.”

My heart jumped. I hadn’t realized we’d be working so close together.

He paused for a second, then drew in a long breath and glanced down at me.

A crease formed between his brows, then he continued. “Your sleeping quarters are over there.” He indicated the opposite side of the lobby and led me behind the check-in desk and across the wide space to a door in the back corner near the rear exit.

Reese set down one of my bags and pulled a keyring out of his pocket. He removed one of the keys and unlocked the door, pushing it open.

I walked in and exhaled in a rush. The room was as beautifully decorated as my office, with a king-size bed, a thick, cream-colored comforter, and several fluffy pillows. There was a television, a comfortable reading chair, and a coffee table. My own private bathroom lay beyond an open doorway.

“Housekeepers live in the bunkhouse,” he said. “But since you’re office staff now, you can have this room. My siblings and I all live in the lodge as well.”

I’d never had such a beautiful room—not when I was growing up, and certainly not at my efficiency apartment back in Chicago. I really didn’t understand Reese’s objection to hosting fancy events. This place was lush.

“I’ll have to have someone bring you towels,” he said. “Obviously, I didn’t know to have this room prepared for you in advance.”

“It’s perfect.” I shucked off my jacket as I crossed the room to check out the large picture window that faced the woods.

Behind me, a low rumbling vibration filled the air, almost like a purr. But when I turned toward the sound, it cut off like a switch.

Reese didn’t seem to have heard it; his expression was still strictly business. He set my bags on the floor, then removed the key from the lock and handed it to me.

My fingers brushed his for only the briefest of seconds, but the physical contact made my heart stutter. This was going to be a real problem if I didn’t get my shit together. Falling for the boss’s son might jeopardize everything.

“Am I going to meet your father soon?” I asked.

“My father?” His eyebrows drew together.

“Yes,” I said. “Shouldn’t I meet the boss?”

“I’m the boss.”

“You?” Dread slid through my chest. Did John Riordan know about this? Certainly he would have told me about any changes in the plans to keep me hidden and alive.

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