Unexpected Sting by Viola Grace (good romance books to read TXT) 📗

a compromise and worked from there toget her what she needed while not creating a link between us.”

His frown was dark. “I don’tunderstand.”

She grinned. “I don’t doubtthat, but there is a niche porn market for what we did, and I will leave it at that.”

His eyes flared silver. “I wouldlike to hear details.”

“I am sure you would, but thatwasn’t the agreement. Put me back where you found me. Now.” She put steel intoher voice, and it snapped him out ofwhatever was going through his mind.

He sighed and ran a hand overher bare back. “Well, it was nice while it lasted.”

A portal moved them back to theguesthouse, and he set her down and bowedlow. “It was an honour to meet you, Stinger.”

“Good night, Arthur.”

She nodded and headed for thehouse. She had to get some movies lined up for when Kallie gotNessa away from the guys. It was time for the sleepover to getunderway.

She stalked into the mainentryway and nodded to Yusen. “Evening. Is this the glamourremover?”

She prodded the barrier with herfingers.

“It is, but it primarilyattaches to faerie magic.”

“Okay. Thanks.” She steppedthrough, and she felt her eyes go black,her hair wind into a tail with a spike on the end, and her body formed a harder shell.Normally, she kept those changessub-dermal. “Huh, so he was faerie. Interesting.”

“Miss?”

“Oh, my father. My mom alwayssaid she wasn’t quite sure what he was. If the barrier works on faeglamours, then that must be what my father was. I will add it tothe search criteria.”

She smiled and was taken to theroom set aside and joined Orvis while they waited for Kallie. Itwas always fun seeing Orvis in her natural form. They hadintersected several times for work over the last five years. Thatwoman really needed to let all the curves out more.

* * * *

Arthur dug through his emails and RSVP’das attending and then waited for a reply. When an acknowledgementcame through, he sighed in relief and went to get his formalwearready. If he had a chance at seeing Stinger again, it would be atthe wedding.

He closed his eyes and thoughtabout the taste and feel of her. She was tall for a woman; therewas a lot of strength in those soft limbs and tight torso. Since hewasn’t going to sleep anytime soon, he set about using theinformation she had parted with to find out more about her.

His fingers moved over thekeys, and he checked the accessible courtrecords to locate the woman in question. Stiila ‘Stinger’ Rosos wasthirty-two and co-owned eight businesses in the surrounding threestates. The businesses were under the control of Leetha Rosos,fifty-two.

The image of Leetha thatexpanded on his screen was rather familiar. He cross-referenced his acquisitions, and that is where hername popped up.

She had refused to sell an emptyproperty at slightly below market value,and Stiila had gone back and forth, whichresulted in him paying twenty percent more for an empty field. Thepart that stunned him was that she hadretained mineral rights, and it turnedout that there were gems in the soil. They weren’texpensive, but they were pretty and indemand, so it had the effect of triplingthe sale price. Stiila Rosos was his arch-nemesis; she had already beaten him once without being faceto face. He grinned. This made her far more intriguing. She wasn’tjust gorgeous and fit; she was a keen businesswoman. He was goingto have to raise his game.

He chuckled. The hunt wason.

Chapter Two

After a fun girls’ night, Stinger wokeup and helped to prep the most important person in the room. WhenNessa was radiant in all of her silks, satins, and lacings, Stingergot ready to watch the ceremony.

She had done her hair when thestylist had been in, her makeup was normal but notextravagant, and her dress was indicativeof her nature, which was usually a bit embarrassing, but Cale haddone an excellent herringbone pattern of black folded leather forthe midriff, and the rest was in a darkrose chiffon with a silk liner.

The skirt was slit on eitherside to expose her soft leather boots that had hematite patternsrunning down the front. She wrapped her bands around her wrists,kissed Nessa’s cheek, and headed up to the tent for the ceremony.The wedding was small by faerie and mage standards, with twohundred faeries, mages, and a fewmythicals seated under the tent and waiting for the bride toarrive.

Leetha took her hand, and Stinger smiled at her mother. “You looklovely, baby.”

“Thanks, Mom. You look amazing.More like a younger sister than a mom.” She chuckled and leaned herhead toward her mother’s.

“You say the sweetestthings.”

“Only to you, Mom. To the restof the world, I am a cast-iron bitch.” She winked. “You taught me well.”

Leetha chuckled and squeezed herhand. “That’s my girl.”

They sat together and watchedHector forge his way through the layers of resistance that theshadow faerie arranged, and he wassweating slightly when he and Tynan reached the floral archwaywhile the officiant bound them as a triad.

When that happened, Stingerrealized that there were no humans at the party. She grinned. Oh,this was going to be a lot of fun.

The dinner went well. Stinger chatted with Orvis and asked if she neededhelp.

“The party is amazing, but it feels weird not to be doing something.”

“Just have fun, Stinger. Havingyou here was special for Nessa.”

“Well, you called mehome, so it was an honour to be here forit.”

Orvis chuckled. “When I talkedto Kallie, you were high on her wish list for attendees. Anythingto make this accelerated day better for Nessa.”

“Thanks anyway. Well, thedancing is starting, and I have to upholdfamily honour. We will see you on the floor?”

Orvis had her clipboard near herchest. “Nope. I save my dancing for after events are done.”

“Well, I am off for thenight, so I can enjoy myself.” Shesqueezed Orvis’s hand and nodded to the shadow with glowing redeyes behind her friend.

The triad was having their firstdance, and the female mages were waitingtheir turn. A woman that was vaguely familiar stepped up next toStinger. “What are we waiting for, aside from the first dance?”

“Oh, as witches, the dance floorat a wedding belongs to us. We can invite the men