Page 51 of Jace

Susannah moved for the door, but Jace cut her off before she’d taken two full steps.

She fell back, knowing it was his job to protect her, even if it seemed a little weird to treat a knock on the door on a sunny afternoon as a threat.

Jace peered through the window and frowned, then opened the door a crack.

“Howdy there,” a friendly male voice said. “Is the lady of the house at home?”

“Who’s asking?” Jace demanded.

“Bard Wynyx,” the voice replied pleasantly, in spite of Jace’s decidedly less than encouraging tone. “Local businessman.”

“Please, invite him in,” Susannah said, feeling exasperated at Jace’s tone.

“We’ll come out,” Jace said tightly.

It was a little humiliating for him to disregard her wishes in front of their guest, but she decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.

He opened the door further so that she could step outside, but he flanked her closely. She moved past him onto the porch. The storm was still holding its breath, only the occasional fat drop hitting the roof above them. But the sky had grown even darker.

Bard Wynyx stood just inside the shelter of the overhang. He was a tall, slim Vystian man with dove gray tentacles flowing from his head like hair. A black cowboy hat that matched his black leather boots and breeches completed the look of an attractive alien cowboy.

The confident angle of his hips as he stood waiting for them said he wasn’t afraid of Jace, or at least he didn’t want to appear to be afraid of Jace. Though surely by now he had recognized the colorful skin tone and leather armor of an Invicta warrior.

“Susannah Beck,” she said, nodding to the man since Zeke was sleeping on her chest and she couldn’t clasp his arm if she wanted to.

“Pleasure to meet you, madam,” Bard replied.

They both turned to Jace, but he merely stared at Bard with narrowed eyes.

“I hate to talk business right away,” Bard said smoothly, turning back to Susannah. “But I’m sure you’re wondering what brings me out all this way.”

He smiled, his dark eyes crinkling.

“Yes,” Jace said darkly before Susannah could reply. “We are.”

Bard’s brows lifted but he rallied and smiled again at Susannah.

“I’m a property developer,” he told her with a look on his face that suggested she should be impressed.

Susannah wasn’t a hundred percent sure what that job title meant, but she nodded respectfully and hoped he wasn’t selling something.

“I have an interest in your property, madam,” he continued. “I was actually in negotiations to purchase it when your adoption agency swooped in and paid the list price.”

He chuckled and shook his head, as if he was laughing at himself.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Susannah said noncommittally.

“Not your fault, darlin’,” Bard said warmly. “I’ve been kicking myself ever since for losing the land just to try and save a few credits. But I thought they said the new owner would be a single woman with a baby?”

His eyes moved to Jace.

“I’m an Invicta guard,” Jace said darkly.

“I see,” Bard said.

Susannah noticed that he stepped back slightly and wondered if he even realized he’d done it.

“At any rate,” Bard continued gamely, “I’ve done the topographical study, and it’s a great location for housing. Old growth hardwood for building, the stream for additional water supply, and the elevation is especially good for solar and wind power collection. It would be a shame to see it turned into one more farm.”

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