“Why, thank you, kind sir.”
I wrap my hand around his frail arm as we slowly make our way down the street. It takes us at least ten minutes to make it past three doors before he stops in front of a cute boutique called Amóre. According to Mack, Asher has a little shop that sells all things romance - candles, flowers, chocolates, massage oils, and all sorts of...well...uh...toys.
For fuck’s sake. Why the hell am I blushing?
Looking for a distraction from the myriad of ideas currently assaulting my brain, I glance toward the front window. There’s a giant red heart with a display of boxed gift sets. Eek. How damn cute! I adore her already. We’re going to be besties! I can already tell.
Tilting my head, I make a mental note to guilt my guys into adding some romance into our relationship. Once all the save their souls stuff is over, of course.
“What are your intentions toward our girl?” comes a deep voice from behind me, and I smile. Turning, my gaze lands on a grinning Knox. The food is out of his hair, but his shirt has a couple of barely noticeable stains.
Gus’s head falls back as he takes in Knox. His eyes narrow, and he stands just a hint straighter, or as straight as his hunched back will allow. “And just who are you, young man?”
“My name is Knox, sir.” He holds out his hand, and after a brief examination, Gus shakes it. “I’m with Fate.”
“Mmmm. You get that car fixed?”
Knox turns to me, his eyebrow raised in question, and I motion with my head, clearly telling him to play along. Or maybe not so clearly as he looks at me dubiously.
“Uh...our other friends are still working on it.”
“There are more of you? Are you all giants?”
I laugh. First elves. Now giants. Just what happens in this sleepy little town? Those things aren’t real. Right?
“Cole, Thad, Levi, and Macklin should be joining us momentarily,” Knox says, and Gus’s bushy eyebrows almost hit his hairline. “They sent me ahead to check on this one. She has a penchant for getting herself in trouble.”
“Fate? No, she’s a good girl. I have a sense about these things.” He turns toward the door then, pushing it open as a little bell above it chimes. “Asher, you here?”
“Hey, Gus! I’m in the back. I’ll be right out.”
The inside of the shop is just as cute as the front. Everything is in shades of pink or red, against a sparkly light gray background. Shelves are stocked with bath bombs, books, and other little things that would be perfect for date night. I remove my hand from Gus’s arm as I begin to wander around the shop.
“Oh, hey there. I see Gus brought some new friends.”
Her voice is soft and sweet, and I turn toward our unsuspecting savior. She’s as tall as I am, maybe a little taller considering she’s sporting some killer four-inch pale pink heels. Her blonde hair is up in a high ponytail, and her bright blue eyes project an image of total innocence. But there’s something in her gaze as she studies me then does a quick assessment of Knox, that tells me it’s all an act. I feel her panic increase along with her fear. She knows exactly who she is, and now she’s terrified she’s been discovered.
“Hi, I’m Fate,” I say, watching as her entire demeanor changes. Her shoulders relax, and she releases a deep breath. Okay, that’s...not what I was expecting. “This is my friend Knox.”
“Nice to meet you guys. I’m Asher. Welcome to my store.”
“Well, looks like you kids have some things to talk about. I’ll just mosey on back to my bench. Holler if you need me.”
“Bye, Gus, and thank you for helping me today.”
“Anything for you, my dear.” He shoots a look at Knox. “You take care of this girl, or you’ll be dealing with me, ya hear?”
“Yes, sir. I will,” Knox replies with a grin.
“I’ll send the others this way as soon as I see ‘em.”
“Thanks again, Gus.”
He acknowledges me with a tip of his hat as he makes his way out the door, and it shuts behind him with a quiet click.
“Who sent you?” Asher asks the second I turn back around. “How did you find me?”
My head tilts as I study her. There’s a spark in her eyes that wasn’t there before, and I’m starting to think she knows more than Nate expected.
“We’re friends of your father. He gave us the general location, and we used all of our resources to locate you. It was not an easy task.”
“My father?” she whispers, the shock in her voice easily recognizable. “My mother was always tight lipped about him whenever I asked. She’d always break down and be sad for days. I guess I always assumed something terrible had happened to him, so I stopped asking.”
I shake my head. “He’s very much alive and would love to meet you.” Knox snorts as the word alive leaves my lips, and I cut a glare in his direction before continuing. “He’s willing to let you take this at your pace though. He’s...an important man and doesn’t want to push a relationship until you’re ready for one.”
“Then why are you here?”
“We’re here because we need your help. You have a specific set of skills that will ensure the survival of my guys.”
Her head tilts and she studies me, her brow furrowed as she wrings her hands in front of her.
“They don’t know who I am here. They don’t know what I can do. It’s a...quirky little town with its own secrets, but I’ve worked hard to maintain mine, and I won’t do anything that jeopardizes that.”
The door chimes, and in walk the remaining four members of the Fearsome Five.
Asher’s eyes go wide, and I expect to be hit with a blast of desire, or at least some attraction, because, let’s face it, my guys are pretty damn hot, but there’s nothing except a little worry, still a hint of fear, and a whole lot of surprise.
“You really weren’t kidding with the whole ‘guys’ thing.”
“Ha! No. Definitely not. I’m surrounded by dicks. Literally...and sometimes figuratively.”
Grumbles follow my little dig, but they deserve it after that food fight fiasco.
A cautious grin replaces the frown as she takes us all in.
I point to them one at a time, noting they’ve each cleaned up but still sport stains of dubious varieties. “This is Cole, Macklin, Thad, and Levi. Boys, this is Asher.”
A chorus of varying greetings sounds out from all of them.
“How did you know who we are?” Knox asks, his arms crossed over his chest.
“My mom told me that I would only ever be safe if the Guardian returned. She said if anyone with your names ever showed up, that I could trust you because it meant you might be able to right the wrongs. She also said, and I quote, ‘There isn’t a snowball's chance in hell that would ever happen.’ Whatever that means.”
The doorbell chimes again, and we all turn to look at the man who just entered. He quickly assesses each of the guys then looks me over, causing the five to all growl. I just roll my eyes, which Asher catches. She giggles.
“Down, boys. He’s not interested.”
New guy’s gaze locks onto Asher. He’s concerned and more than a little interested. He’s as tall as Cole, his black hair speckled with bits of gray, and he’s got possibly the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen, aside from Ass-Cole’s of course. He’s seriously attractive, but he’s only got eyes for one girl, and as I take her in, I note she’s just as attracted to him if the blush on her cheeks is any indication.