Knotting the Christmas Angel

Chapter 1- Rey

*THIS IS AN EXTENDED SAMPLE*

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Knotty reading!

The chili pepper lights jangle against the roofline as a large man wearing a Stetson steps out onto the porch and lets the bar door slam behind him. I freeze. Maybe he hasn't seen me.

"You lookin' for trouble, boy?" His deep rumble sweeps through me, hitting places I never want to acknowledge.

I don't blame him for mistaking me for a boy. With my loose clothing and my hair stuffed into my worn hat, I look more like a youngling than a fully grown woman.

"No, sir."

There's no hiding the trepidation, nor the feminine timbre, in my voice. I tremble in place, half hidden behind the porch beam and ready to dart away at the first sign of attack.

The wide brim of his hat hides his eyes, but his square jaw hardens. He tilts his head and studies me before speaking again.

"Then why're you skulkin' around in the dark?"

Why does his gravelly voice make heat pool in my belly?

"Abuelita Ritz is waiting for me."

It's a cheap card to play, but I throw it out as fast as I can. No one messes with the local matriarch's kids, and even though I'm full grown, she took me under her wing the moment I stepped foot into this little podunk town. The male doesn't move. My skin tingles as I imagine his attention sweeping up and down my body.

Why isn't he moving? Usually, people scramble to get out of the way when I mention her name, wanting nothing to do with Abuelita Ritz's husband. The big, burly Hispanic man has proved time and time again he's dangerous. He enjoys the violence.

Last time I came to town, he tossed two rancheros out on their asses and beat them to a bloody pulp when they kept making threats.

No one would be surprised if several bodies were found in the nearby desert. The man would do anything for Abuelita Ritz.

I want that kind of devotion.

My gut tightens.

No. No, I don't. I want to be forgotten.

I'll never go back. No matter how my body hurts—no matter how thin my soul feels—I'll never return to the other realm. My parents barely escaped. They gave up everything to make sure I can live free.

They saved me from Saint Nick's harem. Because of them, I'll never have to suffer under an alpha. I'll never have to spread my legs for whoever Saint Nick feels like sharing me with. I'll never experience the soul breaking agony of having my powers stolen by heavy-handed males.

"Guess we'd better get you inside, then."

My heart pounds as he takes a small step away from the door and gestures for me to walk by him. There isn't nearly enough space. I won't willingly put myself that close to him, especially not with the heat spearing through me from his confident drawl.

His hand slips away from the gun holstered on his hip. My chest tightens and I inch backward, wanting to run into the darkness but knowing there's nowhere for me to hide.