Novak Raven (Harper's Mountains #4)(7)

A whimper wrenched up her throat. This was it. She couldn’t lie with him so tuned to her. He would hear it. But her name was unique, and he would definitely recognize her as his pen pal. They’d written back and forth for years. She was so busted.

“Avery,” she admitted in a murmur.

Something flashed through his eyes so quickly she couldn’t decipher his reaction. It was there and gone in an instant, and his following words were so cool, so steady, her heart sank even further.

“Are you scared of me, Avery?”

He didn’t recognize her. Not at all. Not her face, not her name. Perhaps she hadn’t really been pen pals with him. Perhaps it had been some sick joke, and she’d written to someone pretending to be him. That would explain why he’d been so cold the one time they had met in Saratoga.

Her eyes prickled with tears, which was stupid. Weston didn’t know it, but he’d ruined her life. He’d made her want too much, made her reach too far for things she could never have. He’d made her feel too much. She was a female raven who had grown a bond with a man who didn’t exist. A one-sided bond that had made her avoid boyfriends and courtships until Benjamin and the council had drawn up a marriage contract. Until Benjamin got tired of her brushing him off.

With every childhood letter from the Novak Raven, she’d grown further away from her own people and what was expected of her.

His fault, and now he didn’t even recognize her.

“Are you crying?” he asked through a deep and disapproving frown.

Avery dashed her knuckles under her eyes and gave her gaze to the wall. Her stomach growled loudly. She would’ve been embarrassed, but she felt too numb to be. It was her body reminding her why she was here and why she was desperate for this job, no matter who owned the company. There was little risk in taking a position here because it was clear as day there would never be anything between her and this man. No spark of familiarity, no reminiscing on letters from their youth. She had needs—food and shelter—and a job here could give her those. And she was so damn tired of living in complete uncertainty. She needed stability so her animal would feel more settled. So she could stop wondering if she was really strong enough to leave Raven’s Hollow. Maybe the Novak Raven didn’t need her for this job…but she was at the end of her resources, the end of her savings. Avery really needed this to work. “How much is the hourly pay?”

“Ten an hour to start out, and paychecks come out every two weeks. Why do you want to work a job like this?”

Defeated, she inhaled deeply and explained in a soft murmur, “My whole life I was supposed to stand still, be quiet, and look pretty. Only I was born plain, and I got tired of standing still and being quiet. I have nothing, Mr. Novak. I will put everything I am into getting your business off the ground. Give me a chance, and I’ll be here early every day and leave late if you need me to. I want independence, and I can’t have that without a steady job. I’ll be a good employee because I’m ready. Ready for this, ready for the responsibility, ready to be a part of something bigger than myself, ready to see Big Flight ATV Tours thrive.” She’d meant every word, but she felt nauseous when she’d said them. Admitting she had nothing to a man who had shunned her friendship all those years ago was hard.

But what did she have to lose now? She was sleeping in her car, and soon she wouldn’t have money for food or gas, and her only option then would be to go back to Raven’s Hollow and marry Benjamin. She would be a broodmare for a man with cold eyes and no affectionate feelings for her. She would be broken slowly there if she couldn’t build a life here. Because ravens—female ravens—didn’t just escape Raven’s Hollow or the reach of the council. The last time that had happened was over twenty-five years ago when Aviana King had chased down Beaston Novak, claimed him as her mate, and cut ties with her people.

This was Avery’s stand—however pathetic it might be.

“Honestly, Avery, I don’t think you’re right for this job—”

“Wes! I need you, man,” Ryder called from outside.

Weston’s nostrils flared in irritation before he yelled, “What do you need?”

“You! I already said that!”

“Mother f*cker,” Weston murmured as he stood. “Look, I need a strong back who will be able to juggle and manage a lot here—”

“Wes!” Ryder yelled again.

Weston growled a terrifying sound and strode toward the door. “I’ll be right back,” he muttered over his shoulder.

But what difference did it make if he came back or not? Weston was denying her the job. She’d laid it all out there for him, and now her ticket to freedom was fading to nothing.





Chapter Four


When Weston strode out onto the porch and into the sunlight, the tension in his chest finally eased.

Avery. Goddammit, he knew he’d recognized her! She had the same shade of deep brunette hair with sun-washed highlights that said she liked to be outside. She’d piled it on top of her head in a tight, painful looking bun. She wasn’t much taller than he remembered and still frail looking with hunched shoulders, as if she was trying to make herself even smaller. She’d grown curves in the years since he’d seen her, but did a damn fine job of hiding them under that baggy sweater she was wearing. A sweater! It was eighty-five degrees outside, and she was covered up completely. Her dull clothes couldn’t hide that striking face of hers, though. Plain? Ha. She was clearly fishing for compliments he wouldn’t give. Her eyes were a vibrant aquamarine blue, made even brighter by her thick, dark lashes, and she’d obviously forsaken the make-up today because her stark freckles stood out on her cheeks and nose. Her nose was just as tiny and pert as he remembered from the pictures she’d sent. She’d slathered her lips in some cherry-scented gloss that made him even angrier. Tempting little temptress, but he saw right through that shit.