Knowing the drill, Devin sent a text. The rhythmic thumping announcing its arrival traveled up his arm. He glanced at the screen and breathed a sigh of relief.
Devin had found Megan at the first address: Josh’s parents. Devin was laying low and watching the house. Everyone inside was asleep. At least one thing had gone right tonight. The most important thing—Megan was safe.
Rafe sent a reply saying he’d meet him after talking with Josh. He slid the phone into his pocket and made his way to the bar.
Josh ambled over to the counter. “What can I get you?”
“Actually, the question you should be asking me is, can you help me?” Rafe grinned at the bemused expression on the male’s face. “You see, your brother’s desperation has dropped you in a world I can guarantee you don’t want to be in.”
Chapter 2
Jazz hurried across the Black Widow’s parking lot. She returned waves to those who called her name, but she didn’t stop to chat. She had to run damage control before it was too late. The call she’d gotten an hour ago was one she’d never expected. Tony, her confidant, had died in a fire.
She didn’t know the details. The fire chief hadn’t finished his investigation. She wanted to know how the blaze started, exactly as the rest of the town did. What concerned her most, though, was Tony’s brother, Josh. He was now part of a world he never knew existed and one that would change his life. It had certainly redirected hers.
At the front door, she paused to mentally prep herself to break the news to Josh that the child he’d become responsible for wasn’t really a child…at least not by human standards. Jazz didn’t look forward to the conversation, but it was necessary. Luckily, he didn’t have to face it alone. He had her.
She opened the door and slipped inside. On her tiptoes, she scanned the crowd for Josh. He wasn’t at his normal spot behind the counter. Maybe she’d missed him. Shit. She really didn’t want to have this conversation around Megan. That was why she’d come out tonight. Josh needed to know about Megan’s shifter status—the sooner, the better—but he’d ignored every one of her calls. Not surprising, really. His life had been turned upside down, and here she was about to give it another spin.
Too short to see over the people milling around, Jazz climbed on a nearby chair and scanned the room. Josh stood in the far corner talking to another man. She couldn’t see the new guy’s face—his back was facing her—but the details she could pick out were enough to form an initial impression—tall, blond, and built like a body-builder. A little shiver ran down her spine. Jazz shook off the weird reaction and waved her arms to get Josh’s attention.
Josh looked in her direction. Anger tightened his features. After a moment, his scowl and narrowed eyes lessened. She pointed to him then herself. He nodded, and the man with him glanced her way. Her breath caught.
Gorgeous.
His face was all hard angles, and his skin appeared golden in the wash of light from a nearby beer sign. Shoulder length blond hair went with his sun-kissed skin. A surfer. That was what he reminded her of. She could easily picture him on the beach with a following of bikini-clad women.
Jazz skimmed her gaze over the length of a body she wouldn’t mind seeing in a pair of swim trunks…or less. His chest rose and fell with quicker breaths as if he’d just run a mile. Maybe barefoot and naked across the sand? Oh yeah, she liked that image.
Was he a friend of Josh’s? Maybe he could introduce her and…
And what? It didn’t matter who he was. Hot guys had no place in her life.
“Hey, Jazz, what are you doing here?”
She broke the stranger’s stare and faced the person who’d spoken. Cindy, a childhood friend and Tony’s next-door neighbor, stood a couple of feet away with a bottle of beer in her hand.
Jazz hopped off the chair. “I came to see Josh.”
Cindy cringed. “You might want to wait to offer your condolences. I offered mine and got a grunt in response. Actually, I’m surprised he’s even here.”
“He didn’t want to close the bar. His staff needs the work.” That was the explanation Jazz had gotten from Josh’s mom. “But as soon as his head waitress gets here, he’s leaving.”
“It’s a shame what happened to Tony, isn’t it?” Cindy shook her head. “And poor Megan. She’s lost both her adoptive parents in less than two months.”
“I know. That’s why I’m here.”
“You must’ve rushed right over.” Cindy motioned to her feet. “You’re not even wearing matching sandals.”
No, but they were both black. At least she’d tossed on a semi-decent skirt. She could’ve come in her ripped jean shorts. Besides, it wasn’t as if she had anyone to impress. Except maybe that guy with Josh.
“I did rush over. I need to talk to Josh about Megan.”
“What about her?”
Cindy was nosy. She always had been. That was one of the things Jazz had warned Tony about. Secrecy was a must for those living in the shifter world. Close neighbors, especially overly attentive ones like Cindy, were a threat to Megan. Tony had blown off her worries, saying nobody in town would dare hurt his daughter, especially not Cindy. Jazz wasn’t so sure. Fear of the unknown made people do crazy shit. Hopefully, Josh would heed her advice.
“Nothing in particular.” Jazz shrugged. “Just stuff.”
“Stuff, huh?”
Jazz nodded.
Cindy pointed toward the door. Jazz followed her outside. Better she face Cindy’s questions than allow her to think Jazz was hiding something. Of course, she was. Cindy didn’t need to know it, though.
The familiar sounds of the bar spilled out from the open door behind them. It was 80s night, a
