Prickly Business

Read Prickly Business for Free Online

Book: Read Prickly Business for Free Online
Authors: Piper Vaughn & Kenzie Cade
loft for another week made his skin crawl.
    Finally his sanity was saved by a text from Sven, his yoga instructor and sometimes dinner companion, saying he had an emergency situation he needed to discuss with Avery in person. Desperate for fresh air and sunlight, Avery agreed to meet Sven at a nearby pub instead of inviting Sven to his loft. Surely Josiah and the others wouldn’t do anything in broad daylight. He’d be in public the whole time, and the Pearl District was always bustling. There’d be too many witnesses.
    Avery walked to the brewery from which he often ordered takeout and settled at a table on the back patio to wait for Sven. A couple of hours , he thought. Then I’ll go home.
    When an hour had passed and Sven failed to show, Avery shrugged and ordered a black bean burger with sweet potato fries and a second Irish lager. He enjoyed his meal, checking his phone periodically for an update from Sven and basking in the last vestiges of sunshine.
    By the time he’d finished his food, there was still no word. Maybe the emergency had prevented Sven from coming. Avery shot off one last text: Going home. Everything ok? Call me when you can.
    The sun was setting when he stepped outside and started home. He felt better for having escaped his loft for a while, no matter how briefly, and the sidewalks were still crowded enough he felt secure.
    He’d almost made it back to his building when a car screeched up to the curb where he stood waiting to cross the street. One of the rear doors flew open, and before Avery could react, two meaty fists had locked onto his arms and forced him into the backseat.
    His shout for help was cut off by a blow to the face that left him stunned. Avery cringed from the pain that exploded in his cheekbone. Then the world went black, and he felt nothing at all.
     
     
    W HEN A VERY woke, he was in the woods and the moon shone brightly through the branches of the trees overhead. He sat up groggily. Nausea churned in his belly, and his entire body ached. What had happened? He couldn’t remember much beyond leaving the brewery and the loud squeal of tires. But what had come after?
    “Welcome back,” said a familiar voice. “Nice of you to join us.”
    Avery jerked his head around to find the source, wincing at the pierce of agony in his skull. It felt like someone had driven a red-hot spike into his temple and scrambled up his brains.
    Josiah sneered down at him. “What’s the matter, hoggie? Headache?”
    Fear lanced through Avery. For a second the nausea was so intense he thought he might vomit all over his lap. He swallowed hard, trying to fight the sensation back. “I-I have some of the money. I have seven grand. I can get it for you right now.”
    “Seven grand?” Josiah repeated. “I seem to recall you owing Victor fifteen.” He glanced sideways. “Don’t you remember that, Ror?”
    Rory grunted an affirmative. His head was cocked to the side as he stared at Avery. He was even bigger than Josiah and maybe twice as muscular. Rory wouldn’t be breaking Avery’s wrist—he’d be breaking Avery’s neck. And another wolf stood behind him.
    Avery swallowed again, battling against the convulsive fluttering in the back of his throat. Oh God, he was going to puke all over himself. Puke and then probably get his arms and legs ripped off. Fuck fuck fuck.
    “Please. I can get you more,” he persisted, not too proud to beg now he was out here alone with three burly werewolves. He didn’t stand a chance against any one of them. Three of them together? There’d be nothing left of him. “Next Friday I’ll have the rest of it.”
    “Victor doesn’t give extensions, hoggie. He expects payments when they’re due. And your time has run out.”
    Avery shook his head and shot Josiah a beseeching look. “It’s not even another week. Five more days, and—”
    “I’ll tell you what we’ll do,” Josiah went on as if Avery hadn’t spoken. “We’ll play a little game.”
    Avery

Similar Books

Fight

London Casey, Ana W. Fawkes

The Ghosts of Mississippi

Maryanne Vollers

Why Now?

Carey Heywood

Strangers When We Meet

Marisa Carroll

Silent Echo

Elisa Freilich

Lone Star 02

Wesley Ellis