The Wolf's Man Friday Read online

  Table of Contents

  Blurb

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  More from Julia Talbot

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  Copyright

  The Wolf’s Man Friday

  By Julia Talbot

  A Nose to Tail Novel

  The last thing Sebastian Zeller wants is to be pack Alpha. But when the pack leader, his uncle Ron, is attacked, he has no choice but to leave his beloved Colorado mountains and fulfill his duty as Ron’s heir—at least until his uncle recovers. In the meantime, he intends to lure the attacker out… and make them pay.

  When Ron gets wind of Sebastian’s plan to catch the attacker, he doesn’t like the idea of risking his heir. That’s where Jaxon Reedis comes in—he’ll balance protecting the dark and sexy werewolf with pretending to be his personal assistant. He’s walking a fine line that requires all his foxy wit and craftiness… and that’s on top of the inescapable feeling that he and Sebastian are meant for each other. When the attacker returns, will they be able to maintain their deepening bond when danger threatens to tear down everything they’re building?

  To wolf and fox conservation and, as always, to my wife, BA.

  Chapter One

  SEBASTIAN GLANCED behind him, the prickle on the back of his neck never something he ignored. Screw the spider sense; he had wolf senses. Someone was following him, and it was a predator. Going to Denver for meetings always left him a little vulnerable.

  Now if he could just get the bastards to attack him.

  He let his steps slow, faking an expression of cluelessness, of innocence.

  The footsteps finally became audible behind him. Yeah, come on. Come get the puppy.

  He began to whistle, joyous as a lark. Silly pup, la la la.

  The footsteps rushed, the attacker running now. Sebastian turned a corner, then whirled about, waiting. Ready.

  A knife flew out of nowhere, and he slapped it out of the air with a growl. “Try harder.”

  The acrid scent of fear filled the air, and the guy backed off. “They didn’t say you could fight.”

  “No?” He stepped forward. “What did they say?”

  The guy held his hands up, his big, beaky nose telling him bird shifter. “Nothin’. I don’t know nothin’.”

  “Seriously? A flutterby-baby to get an apex predator?” He growled deep in his chest and let himself bare his teeth.

  The guy turned tail and ran, flat out, in the other direction. Well, shit, how was he supposed to get any information now?

  No fair.

  No fun.

  “Look what I caught!” His packmate and oldest friend popped into the alley, Mr. Birdbrain in hand. “A bird in the hand, and all that.”

  “Oh, Alan. You do know how to make a man happy.”

  “I do. Too bad you were never willing to take my more pervy offerings. This one might sing for us, though.”

  “Mmm. Promise?” He growled again, letting his teeth show.

  “Totally.” Alan shook the guy. Hard. “Who sent you?”

  “Fuck you,” the guy squawked. “This is a job.”

  “Who hired you?”

  “I got the job off a message board.”

  Alan squeezed the bird-guy’s throat a little, making him screech.

  “I swear! Payment through one of those anonymous services.”

  “Anonymity is boring,” Alan snarled. “I wonder if you will be so anonymous once I tear your face off.”

  “Oh, honey. Too much too soon. You have to start slower.” He was going to kick Alan’s butt.

  “What?” Alan gave him wide eyes. “I was doing De Niro.”

  “No, you were doing De Nutso. Let him go, man.”

  “Listen to the psycho-puppy. Let me go.”

  Alan bared his teeth. “You ever come around again, I’ll bite.”

  The bird squalled, beginning to shake, like an emu losing his feathers.

  When Alan let go, he ran, leaving behind the distinct odor of pee.

  Sebastian chuckled. “Never send a bird to take down a wolf. You hungry?”

  “Starving. Steak?”

  “Hell, yes.” With a baked potato. He loved the skins.

  “Come on.” Alan hooked their arms together. “That was fun. We can do it again tomorrow, right?”

  “We totally can. Until I find out who tried to kill Uncle Ron? We’re hunting and being hunted.”

  “This is the most fun ever.”

  He shot Alan a glare, and he got a blush, the bright blue eyes glowing.

  “Well, not Uncle Ron, buddy. That sucks.”

  “Yeah.” Uncle Ron was still recovering from an attack that had left him teetering, one foot in the grave, the other on a banana peel. Sebastian wanted none of that shit. Uncle Ron was… mentor, Alpha, family, boss. Everything.

  Sebastian owed it to him to ferret out who had attacked him.

  Ferret. He knew a few guys who would crack up at that.

  Maybe more than a few.

  Alan winked at him, sharing the joke. Why the hell couldn’t they have hooked up?

  He shook it off. They would always be buds. That was worth far more than any booty call.

  Time for steak.

  “JAXON. GOOD to see you.” The big boss, Richard, stood, then reached out to shake his hand.

  Jax shook, wondering what he’d done wrong. He’d just finished up a job bodyguarding a really rich werebuffalo investment banker’s kid while he was on a vacation in Cancun.

  He was rocking the best tan.

  Still, he’d met Richard, CEO of Nose to Tail Inc. exactly once. At last year’s Christmas party in Steamboat. So why was he here?

  Richard gestured to the chair across from his desk. “I imagine you wonder why I called you in personally.”

  “I am. Makes me nervous, boss.”

  “Well, don’t be. An old friend of mine has sent out feelers about retaining some protection for his nephew. He wants someone discreet. Someone who doesn’t look like a bodyguard. I want you to sit in on my call with him.”

  “I can do that.” Oh man. How discreet was discreet, exactly? Did Richard want the guy to know he was here?

  “I’ve told him via email that you’ll be joining us. Ron says the situation is rather delicate.”

  “Yeah? Cool.” That was right up his alley. Delicate, that was him. Del. I. Cate. Sensitive too.

  He grinned. Foxes were all about that stealthy shit.

  Richard touched a button on his phone. “Can I get Ron Zeller on the line, please?”

  “Ron Zeller, like the textile magnate Ron Zeller?”

  “That’s the one.” Richard gave him a severe look. “Behave.”

  “Yes, boss.” Like that was even remotely possible.

  “Patching you through, boss,” said the disembodied voice of… oh, what was his name? Richard’s assistants changed often enough it was hard to remember.

  Richard was a little growly. A touch.

  “Thanks. Hello, Ron? This is Richard, and I have Jaxon here.”

  “Thanks for returning my call, buddy. I need a babysitter for my asshole nephew with a death wish.”

  Richard
grinned, looking as if he was biting back a laugh. “This would be Sebastian?”

  “It would. He’s trolling for my would-be assassins, Rich. Seriously. Like he’s ten feet tall and bulletproof.”

  Rich. Who called the boss Rich? That was a brave man.

  “Oh, dear. Well, I have all faith in Jaxon here. Say hello, Jaxon.”

  “Hello, Mr. Zeller. Pleased to meet you.”

  “You have a nice voice. You are a predator, yes? Seb won’t respond well to prey.”

  “Well, I’m a fox. I know wolves can think of us as prey, but I hold my own.”

  “I know a lot of foxes in the security biz. They’re well suited.”

  “We are. Tell me about your nephew,” he demanded.

  “Seb might as well be my son. I took him in when he was twelve years old and just wet behind the ears. He’s a brilliant guy—one hell of a designer, believe it or not. He gets that from his mother—but it scared him when I got attacked, and he’s lost his fucking mind. He’s out there with his packmate baiting assassins and showing his ass.”

  “His packmate? Who is that?” Jaxon needed to know all the variables.

  “Alan White. He’s a baby wolf and he thinks Seb hung the moon, and together they’re adrenaline junkies. I’m about to call Alan home on some project, but that won’t stop Seb.”

  “Are they a couple?” That would make things more difficult.

  “No. Not for lack of trying on Alan’s part, but no. They’re just best buddies, and they egg each other on.”

  “Ah.” That was easier. Cull the one out of the picture, and he would just focus on the nephew. “So, what’s my way in?”

  “He needs a personal assistant. He needs to do his job. Stop worrying about me. You can help him stay alive and get organized.”

  “I can actually do that.” Whew. He’d trained at butler school. He could be a butler, a valet, a personal assistant, a personal trainer, and a ninja-fox bodyguard.

  “I’m going to survive, and I’ll be damned if he has to spend his prime years defending me. He’s a good man, but he has to stop being foolish.”

  “Indeed,” Richard said. “Youth can make a man feel invincible.”

  “So can stupidity,” Ron muttered.

  “Yeah, and it can make him extinct.” Jaxon nodded. “Where and when do I need to be?”

  “He’s based in Estes and he’ll winter there, but he’s in Dallas right now, aggravating people.”

  “Dallas.” Jaxon sighed. Hot and humid.

  “For another three weeks. Then he has to go home.”

  “Got it. I’ll get packed.” Jaxon glanced at Richard. “Is there a file?”

  “There will be by the time you fly.”

  “You’ll keep him safe?” Zeller asked.

  “I will, sir. I have a very good success rate.”

  “Good. He’s my heartson, and he’ll take everything one day. I need him to thrive.”

  “Jaxon is the best I have, Ron.” From Richard that was high praise.

  Jaxon rose, intent on getting his shit together and heading to Dallas.

  “I’ll have the ticket sent to your phone,” Richard murmured.

  “Thanks.”

  Richard waved him off with a half smile, then went back to his phone call.

  Jaxon started a mental list for packing. Khakis and button-downs… Was a bow tie too much?

  He needed to seem innocuous, nerdy, harmless enough to ignore. A personal assistant extraordinaire. Glasses. Nondescript.

  He chuckled softly. Okay, this could be fun. Seriously.

  Jaxon figured he could use a dose of fun.

  Chapter Two

  SEBASTIAN WAS going to bite someone.

  Possibly Uncle Ron. Calling Alan home on some fool’s errand, like Ron needed help in Boulder. Bah.

  He knew better. The old man was separating them so they wouldn’t get into trouble. Or as much trouble.

  God, he hated going to the office. Dallas was so much more fun if you didn’t spend all day in a high-rise. He stared at the office door. Maybe he could just run.

  “Mr. Zeller?”

  “Yeah?” He turned to see who had made it through the security downstairs.

  “Hello.” A dapper little man stepped up to him, holding out a hand.

  He tilted his head, his nostrils flaring, scenting for danger. All he got was a very pleasant cologne and a patient smile.

  “I’m Jaxon Reedis. Your new personal assistant.”

  “Pardon me? I’m not sure you have the right person. I haven’t hired anyone.”

  “No, your uncle did.” That last was said with a tiny, sympathetic grimace.

  “Huh.” Interfering old man. He didn’t need someone to check his emails. “Well, I’m sorry, man. I’m not interested. I’ll make sure Uncle Ron pays you a decent severance. You said Reedis? I’ll make the call. Have a good one.”

  “Oh, now. I think you could use some help.” The little guy pulled out a sleek phone. “You’ve missed two meetings today.”

  “Nonsense.” He hadn’t missed them; he’d skipped them to try and get a bead on the assholes who had hurt Ron.

  “Your fabric distributor here is, um, a bit peeved.”

  “Yeah.” He didn’t know what to say, so he went with not saying anything.

  “Look, I know you don’t want me around, but I promise, I can be helpful and unobtrusive.”

  “Let me call my uncle. I think there’s been a mistake.” Like a vast, weird, grumpy-making mistake.

  “Sure.” Reedis stepped back, giving him the illusion of privacy.

  He grabbed his phone and perched on his desk, slamming one finger on his uncle’s name.

  “Hey, kiddo. How’s design?” Ron sounded better than he had the last time they’d talked.

  “Uncle. There’s a young man here… uh, Reedis? You know anything about this?”

  “I do. You keep missing appointments and failing to turn in designs. You’re not on vacation. So I sent a babysitter.”

  “Pardon me?” He saw red for a moment, crimson coloring his gaze.

  “You and Alan were jerking around when you’re supposed to be filling in for me and doing your job. I need you on the ball.”

  His growl was deep and immediate, and if he’d been in Ron’s presence, there’d be a new Alpha, then and there. “I don’t need you to tell me how to do my fucking job.”

  “No? Then do the actual job. Stop hanging your ass out there as bait. Don’t be stupid, boy.” That voice brooked no argument.

  “Last time I checked, what I do on my own time is mine. Don’t push me.” He wasn’t in the mood.

  “Seb, please.” Ron sighed. “Please, just do this for me, okay?”

  “Whatever. Take care of yourself.” He hung up and looked at Reedis. “You work this right, it’ll be the best job you ever had. You don’t even have to show up.”

  “I like to keep busy.” Reedis gave him a gentle smile. “I rescheduled those two meetings.”

  “Good deal.” Fuck a doodle goddamn do. “I suppose you want a desk, hmm? Let me call and get someone to set you up.” There had to be somewhere to stick this guy for a couple of days until he got bored and went home. He called his liaison to facilities management. “Hey, Lindsay? This is Sebastian Zeller. I have a guy that needs a place to light for a couple of weeks until I head home. You have a place downstairs somewhere that’s decent?”

  “Oh, hey. Sure. If it’s your new personal assistant, though, he already said he would set up in your outer office.”

  He let himself growl. “Did he?”

  “Yessir! I had a whole desk setup delivered ten minutes ago!”

  “How enterprising.” He glared at his new employee, who was proving to be a challenge already.

  At least there was a door.

  “He said that he had permission….”

  “You did good, honey. No worries.”

  “Okay. Anything else, boss?” she asked.

  “No. No, I’ll have yo
u close the active part of the offices down in a few weeks, but we’re good now.”

  “You got it.” She hung up.

  He turned to look at Reedis. Reedis looked back, head tilted slightly.

  “They set you up out there, apparently. I tried to get you something downstairs, but….”

  “I’d like to be close by.” Reedis beamed. “I’ll be quiet as a church mouse, I swear. As long as you meet with me once a day to talk schedules.”

  “Right. Schedules.” He just wanted to get the fuckers who had hurt Uncle Ron. Then he could relax. Get back to designing, which he loved.

  “Yes. Now, I also have a few things for you to sign. Your uncle’s assistant begged me to get you to look at them.”

  “Oh? All they have to do is email.”

  “Mmm.” Those bright green eyes sparkled. “About your company email account.” He let one eyebrow rise. “I haven’t been in it, but the webmaster tells me you maxed out your storage space.”

  “Oh, for fuck’s sake.”

  “I can help with that, if you want. Sort things, make sure the important stuff is all that’s on the front page. However, if you do personal stuff in there, I can just give you some ideas about setting up folders.”

  “I don’t.” He didn’t trust his personal stuff to email. He called.

  “Then if you can set me up with the password, I can dig in and fix it for you.”

  This guy was too good to be true. Which always made Sebastian suspicious.

  “I’ll get you a list of passwords, sure.” He opened the office door and smiled, trying for nice and not feral.

  “Thanks.” Reedis gave him a little submissive head duck. “I really need this job, Mr. Zeller. I appreciate it.”

  Oh, something was off there, something was… weird. He wasn’t buying it. Maybe this guy was here to poison him or something. Sebastian would have to keep an eye on him.

  Neat. It was something else to worry about. “I’ll bring you the passwords. Later.”

  “Sure. I’ll just get set up out here.”

  “Cool.”

  “You want coffee?”

  “No.”

  “Okay.” Reedis smiled again, and it was cute. Like, really.

  “See ya.” No poisoning. Yay! He needed to research this Reedis guy, find out where he came from and shit. This was way more fun than stupid meetings.