Title: Bait ‘N Witch
Series: Brimstone INC 3
Author: Abigail Owen
Release Date: June 15,
2020
Published By: Entangled
Amara
Category: Paranormal –
Romance – Witches – Wizards – Fantasy
Type: Digital
Rating:
Heat:
Blurb:
Rowan
McAuliffe has been hiding most of her life. Secretly trained in her powers by
an unusual source, she'd been taught not to trust anyone. Especially other
witches. However, after she was forced to perform a hateful act against her
will, she now hides from the Covens Syndicate and their judgement.
Greyson Masters is the Syndicate's best hunter. On top of the danger of his job, Greyson is trying to raise his triplet daughters alone, budding new witches who display an alarming combined power no one understands. Too bad he doesn’t have a clue how to deal with them.
Until Rowan walks in and the chaos settles for the first time in...well, ever.
Little does Greyson realize that his new nanny is the very witch he is hunting, and she’s been hiding right under his nose this whole time.
This book was previously self published but has undergone a complete re-edit. Scenes were added, things were changed, but the kissing still remains!
Each book in the Brimstone, Inc. series is STANDALONE
Greyson Masters is the Syndicate's best hunter. On top of the danger of his job, Greyson is trying to raise his triplet daughters alone, budding new witches who display an alarming combined power no one understands. Too bad he doesn’t have a clue how to deal with them.
Until Rowan walks in and the chaos settles for the first time in...well, ever.
Little does Greyson realize that his new nanny is the very witch he is hunting, and she’s been hiding right under his nose this whole time.
This book was previously self published but has undergone a complete re-edit. Scenes were added, things were changed, but the kissing still remains!
Each book in the Brimstone, Inc. series is STANDALONE
By reading any further, you are
stating that you are at least 18 years of age.
If you are under the age of 18,
please exit this site.
Favorite Lines:
Shock stirred along with
a rush of…need. She hadn’t felt need for a man in she couldn’t remember how
long. What the hell and fairy bells?
~ Rowan
Unbidden, his body
hardened. Because of freckles. ~ Greyson
“Any other woman of my
acquaintance would be begging me to kiss her right now…And not one of those
women makes me want to pull her up against her body every time she speaks.” ~
Greyson
“I guess you kind of like
me.” ~
Rowan
Vocabulary Word:
Syndicate
(Entry 1
of 2)
b: the office or jurisdiction of a syndic
2: an association of persons officially authorized to undertake a
duty or negotiate business
3a: a group of persons or concerns who combine to carry out a
particular transaction or project
c: a loose association of racketeers in control of organized crime
4: a business concern that sells materials for publication in a
number of newspapers or periodicals simultaneously
5: a group of newspapers under one management
(Entry 2 of 2)
1: to subject to or manage as a syndicate
2a: to sell (something, such as a cartoon) to a syndicate or for
publication in many newspapers or periodicals at once also: to sell the work of (someone, such as a
writer) in this way a syndicated columnist
b: to sell (something, such as a series of television programs)
directly to local stations
: to unite to form a syndicate
Excerpt:
Almost thirty minutes later, the girls finally put in an appearance. “We’re hungry.”
Rowan greeted them with a welcoming smile. “Have a seat. There’s not much left, and it’s probably cold, but you’re welcome to eat.”
Not much left? They’d had only one helping each. Greyson glanced at the serving dishes. Sure enough, only about a quarter of the food remained.
Had Rowan just spelled the food to reduce the amount remaining and teach the girls a lesson? If she had, she’d done so in front of him without his seeing or hearing. Not even a fizzle of energy in the room or a flicker of a lightbulb. Apparently, his nanny had untapped depths.
He eyed her speculatively. Tricky.
The girls exchanged a glance, then looked toward him. While he’d allowed their hiding act in the past, he’d never actively condoned it. He gave them no help, keeping his expression neutral.
“This smells good,” Atleigh, the peacemaker, tried.
Before Rowan could respond, Lachlyn spoke up. “Didn’t you notice we were gone?”
No change in Rowan’s pleasant expression. “Yes, I did.”
“And you didn’t look for us? Aren’t you supposed to be all caring and stuff?” Lachlyn scowled, but her bluster didn’t hide how truly upset she was.
Rowan paused in spooning a miniscule amount of casserole onto a plate for Atleigh. “If you mean fluttering around like a panicked bird caught in a windstorm searching for you, you’ll find that’s not my style.”
“But you knew where they were?”Greyson asked. He needed to be sure he left his daughters with someone capable. Even if her eyes were an extraordinary shade of gray, like moonlight in a forest, and her berry-ripe lips tempted a taste.
Get your mind off her lips, you ass.
She directed a polite gaze his way, but he caught the anger snapping in their depths all the same. “I assured myself they were safe and in the house. They are old enough to arrive at dinner on time, without prompting.”
She sent the girls a sweet smile. “After all…you don’t need a nanny. Right?”
Lachlyn, whom he’d mentally dubbed the ringleader almost since birth, tipped up her chin. “Exactly.”
“Excellent.” Rowan divvied out the remaining food.
“Is this all?” Chloe asked, a mournful droop to her mouth.
“I’m afraid so.”Rowan showed zero remorse. In fact…was that a twitch to her mouth?
“Can you at least heat it up?” Lachlyn demanded.
Greyson opened his mouth to rebuke her rude tone, but Rowan beat him to it.
“Arrive to dinner late, eat cold food. You chose to be late. Next time, maybe you’ll arrive on time.” Rowan nodded as though that closed the discussion, and all three girls, in various stages of anger and shock, shut their mouths and accepted their plates without further debate. Greyson had never seen them so subdued. Then, again, no other nanny had handled today quite as Rowan had, either.
After a quiet, and rather strained, rest of dinner, Rowan wiped her mouth with her napkin and stood. “Girls, you may clear the table and clean up the kitchen before you go to bed.”
“What? —” Chloe screeched. She turned to him. “Dad, we never clean the kitchen.”
“Then it’s about time you start.”Rowan’s quiet words held steel, and he found himself hoping he never landed on her bad side. Of course, if she used that husky voice in that bossy way with him, he might have to do something about it. Something that involved—
What in the seven hells is wrong with me?
Greyson gave himself a mental shake. Instead, he tried to focus on the scene before him and had to hold in a laugh at the three identical expressions of disgruntled acceptance. He should’ve called Delilah sooner, because Rowan McAuliffe was exactly the person his family needed.
“I’ll check on you in about an hour.” Rowan turned to leave but paused in the doorway. “I wanted to thank all of you.”
Greyson sat back and waited.
Rowan smiled warmly. “Each household takes time to settle into and become part of the routine. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your efforts to make my day so warm and welcoming and…special.”
Did she just Sound of Music his family? It worked. Guilt settled like a granite boulder in his gut. Based on their wide-eyed exchange of glances, the girls were dealing with a similar reaction.
Rowan’s smile didn’t alter exactly, but suddenly a mischievous glint sparkled from those amazing eyes. “I look forward to repaying your kindness.”
He didn’t remember Julie Andrews saying anything like that in the movie. With a cheerful nod, Rowan turned and quietly left the room. A whisper would’ve sounded like a shout in the silence she left in her wake.
“Do you think she meant she’d get even?” Lachlyn asked, breaking the hush that had fallen over them.
He dropped his napkin onto his plate. “I suspect so.”
“Is she mad?” Atleigh asked.
“Hard to tell. I’ll go talk to her.”
He left the girls clearing up and made his way to the basement. He fully expected to find Rowan packing her things. Instead, he discovered her on the couch, feet propped on the coffee table, watching a rerun of an old sitcom.
He paused at the sight of cute, bare toes, tension crawling across his shoulders and up his neck. He rolled his head, trying to ease the muscles. It didn’t help. Because of toes.
Freckles and now toes.
“I don’t appreciate you threatening my children.” Not what he’d planned to say, but he didn’t take it back.
She jerked a little at the sound of his voice only to ease back against the couch, a small smile tipping her lips up on one side. “That wasn’t a threat,” she said. “Did I pass your little test?”
She’d definitely figured it out. “Yes.”
“I don’t appreciate being tested that way.”
He wouldn’t, either, but his children and their needs meant he’d do what he had to. “When did you know?”
“When you didn’t comment on the burned smell or the fact that I’d left the girls in the attic. Do you do this to all your nannies?”
He sat on the coffee table in front of her, mostly to get her to put those toes away. On the floor where they belonged. Only, instead, she shifted on the couch to bend her knees to the side, tucked up like a fastidious kitten, toes still perfectly visible. What would she do if he flipped a pillow over them? Probably question his sanity and quit.
What was her question again? Right, the girls and nannies. “Testing nannies is important. Atleigh, Lachlyn, and Chloe are quite…unusual.”
He caught the way her eyes lit with curiosity. “I’m not permitted to share more than that. But even if they weren’t special, they’re still three girls on the cusp of teenage-hood and coming into their magic, and they need the right person minding them.”
“Delilah sent you duds before?” Her doubt about that came through loud and clear.
“No. I didn’t use Brimstone until now. I thought we could handle this through the witching community. I was wrong.”
Surprise-widened eyes told him he’d caught her off guard with the admission.
Greyson grinned. “Yes, I can be wrong.”
Her gaze dropped to his mouth, and tension filled the spaces inside him like a curtain of electricity. Awareness, impossible to not call it what it was. Rowan snatched her gaze away, and his head cleared enough for the realization to seep in that he hadn’t smiled, truly smiled, since his wife’s death. The thought struck hard, and he rubbed at a spot on his chest as his mind transitioned from turned on, to shock, to aggravated at himself in the space of seconds, left buzzing with emotion either way.
Pulling his own gaze away, he cleared his throat. He shouldn’t be letting his nanny affect him this way. “I should’ve guessed Delilah would send me someone more than capable.”
“I don’t know about that,” she muttered under her breath. “So all of it was a test. The burned dinner?”
Greyson grimaced. “Yes."
“The girls running away?”
He nodded.
“What about their fight this morning?”
Another grimace. “That was real.”
“And your attitude?”
He frowned. “What attitude?”
She peered at him for a long moment, and Greyson got the uneasy impression she found him wanting somehow.
“Never mind,” she murmured. Was she placating him?
“Are the schedule and the expectations for me the same?” she asked.
“Yes.” What was wrong with his schedule?
Her mouth pursed, but she nodded. “Fine.”
“So you’ll stay?” Oddly, Greyson found himself holding his breath for her response. An hour in her company, surrounded by her wildflower and honey scent, and part of him wanted her to stay. So unlike him, he brushed that wayward feeling aside with irritation and waited for her response.
She sighed. “I don’t have a choice.”
The words, or maybe the way she said them, triggered instinct honed over years of being a hunter. “What does that mean?”
A strong emotion flashed in her eyes. If he had to guess, he would’ve said panic, but the expression was gone so quickly he couldn’t be sure.
Then she offered a sweet smile. “It means you clearly need help. So, yes, I’ll stay.”
Greyson levered to his feet. He needed help, did he? “I’ll be in my room if you need me. Good night, Rowan.”Her name felt strange on his lips. Right and wrong at the same time.
“Mr. Masters—”She stopped him at the door, and he swung to face her, eyebrows raised in question.
She didn’t bother to get up. “Don’t test me like that again.”
Or what?
“Remember…observations can go two ways.”
Did she just imply she was observing him? Before he could snap out a question, she stood and turned off the TV. “Good night.”
Greyson headed back upstairs, coming to terms with a rare experience. He’d been effectively dismissed by a woman who happened to be his girls’nanny. Most women rushed to please him. Rowan practically sprinted in the opposite direction.
Bigger question…why did her contrary reaction turn him on?
Highlight:
Damn Rowan and damn his instinct to come in here in the first place. He’d leave, only he still had to drink his tea.
Meanwhile, the witch who was his children’s nanny, seemed hell-bent on never reacting the way he would expect.
He’d been drawn out here by a small sound to find her talking to the teapot as though it had been in a race with the clock. With anyone else, he’d be on the phone voicing his concerns to Delilah. But he hadn’t because something about Rowan—something that had been bugging him all week—hinted at an emptiness. As if she had this void of need that went so deep, she couldn’t see the bottom.
He knew that kind of ache. Alone in a crowd.
So he’d tried to offer a bit of compassion. He definitely wasn’t expecting her to turn it back on him and see beneath his own words of comfort to the guilt that ate away at him for being almost relieved when he got to go out into the world. Not that he ever wanted to leave his children. But being able to focus on problems outside their home, and have adult conversations, and not be tied to that schedule, was a break he needed.
And his nanny was the only one to see that about him. Not even his own mother knew. Maybe because Rowan recognized her own loneliness in him?
But then, just as he was warming up to her, Rowan was calling him a drill sergeant when it came to his children and they were back to square one, with him gritting his teeth.
“I find a schedule and consistency helps,” he said.
And held in a mental grimace. Now he sounded defensive and like a studious professor all at the same time.
“You’re right, of course.” She ducked her head, but he still caught the smile she tried to hide.
Irritation bubbled up like that teakettle over the fire. “Now you’re placating me.”
“Not at all.” She shook her head, her red curls spilling over her shoulders. “This is a sensitive subject. We can talk about something else.”
“I’m not sensitive—”
“It’s okay. Every parent has a different way. It’s whatever works for you. Right?” She hopped off the counter and fiddled with their cups, removing the silver balls full of the leaves and cleaning them out. “I mean, it’s what gets you from one day to the next that counts.”
Greyson struggled to find a reasonable response to that. Somehow, she’d managed to make his being both a drill sergeant and sensitive okay. For a woman with minimal magical abilities, Rowan was a witch in every other sense of the word.
But out of all that, what caught him on the raw was the last bit. “Is that how you feel? Just getting from one day to the next?”
Her hands stilled and then moved slightly faster as if she’d paused and then jumped ahead a beat. “Not when I’m with the girls. But…yeah.”
“Why?”
What on earth could be that hard in a nanny’s life?
She shrugged. “I imagine having a set place in this life is something you’ve always known. Taken for granted even.”
A set place?
As though she’d heard the question, she nodded. “You come from a long magical line that guarantees your position in society. Your abilities grant you automatic respect. People listen to you, don’t they? You have family to love and care for you. Not just the girls but others, even if they’re not immediately here.”
She turned and handed him his teacup, but she refused to look at him. And she was careful not to touch him, offering the cup with the handle facing him.
“I don’t see—”
“You have this house—” She waved around with her free hand. “Roots. Family. Love. A set place in life.”
“And you don’t?”
The smile that came and went was more resigned than amused. “I definitely do not.”
Greyson opened his mouth. He wanted to argue with her. To tell her she was wrong. But not because of the need to be right, more out of a need to make her not right. To take that kind of pain away somehow. Fix it for her.
Only he couldn’t.
Even if she stayed until the girls were old enough not to need a nanny, she’d only be here a few years at most, and then off to her next posting.
“Even a set place in life doesn’t mean you have no problems.” Now where had that come from?
Rowan tipped her head, something in her gaze turning compassionate. “That was insensitive of me. Your wife?”
For once, the pain surrounding Maddie’s death didn’t jump at him, more like a dull throb. “That. And other things.” Like the girls and the questions surrounding their powers. “Being a hunter isn’t exactly safe.”
He wasn’t sure what he expected her reaction to be, but a scowl swiftly smoothed over wasn’t it. “I don’t suppose it would be,” she said slowly. “Why keep doing it then?”
A question he’d asked himself more and more lately.
“Family expectations, at least that’s how it started. My family line has been hunters going back generations. I was proud to carry on the tradition of upholding the laws, keeping our people safe from illegal use of magic and the impacts that can have. I’m good at it.” Usually. Not lately.
“Sounds like there’s more to it.”
He blinked. How did she do that? See through him and beyond his words. “Until recently, I’ve been hunting down a…witch killer.”I shouldn’t be telling her this. She’ll hate me if she finds out I executed the bastard in cold blood. “I can’t say more than that.”
“Of course.” She held up both hands then smiled, but not a real one. More like she’d had to pin this one back in place. As though she’d chased away her own demons.
Now I’m seeing things. Greyson shook off the odd thoughts. He didn’t need her understanding, and she didn’t need his help.
Or maybe that was what she wanted him to think. It seemed to him that Rowan MacAuliffe was the last woman to appreciate pity or charity.
Just for something to do, he lifted his cup and took a sip. Immediately a lovely warmth spread through his muscles, relaxing the bunching muscles along his shoulders.
He stared at the pale liquid in one of the dainty cups his wife had insisted they have in the house. “You said this was chamomile and lavender?”
“Mm-hmm.” She said around her own sip. Then sent him a smile.
“No magic?”
“No.” She pulled a face that he would have described as disgusted. Except that made no sense.
“Well it works, whatever it is. I feel more relaxed already.”
That drew a chuckle from her. “My mother used to make this for me.”
“Have you always had trouble sleeping? Usually that’s a mark of a powerful mage, but—” He cut himself off as his own perceptions and prejudices became more real than he liked to admit.
“But someone like me?”
Damn. He’d offended her anyway.
“I didn’t mean—”
Rowan shook her head. “It’s okay. I get that…a lot.” She tossed him a wave and a casual smile that didn’t get anywhere near those silvery eyes. “I’d better say goodnight.”
“Night—” He called after her departing form.
He should probably go to bed himself. Maybe the tea would actually bring sleep. The dark certainly didn’t. It only brought thoughts and doubts and more worries.
“Smooth move,” he muttered at his teacup. Then downed the rest and went to check on the girls before returning to his bed.
Only, when his head hit the pillow, he felt a tiny bit less alone than he had before he’d joined Rowan in the kitchen, and sleep came quickly.
Review:
Rowan is in a heap of trouble with her
life on the line. Her only option to escape the hunter who is determined to
bring her in is to hide in plain sight as a nanny to his triplet girls.
Immediately, Rowan is drawn to the family and the more time she spends with
them, the deeper she falls. But she has to remain on guard and thwart Greyson’s
efforts whenever possible because if he discovers who she really is, her death
warrant will have been signed. Except instead of keeping her distance from the
powerful warlock, she continues to interact and before long she is wondering if
he could be trusted. Just when she is on the verge of confessing all, another
looming threat makes an appearance and endangers them all. Rowan has no choice
but to protect the family she has come to love, even at the cost of exposing
herself. If she loses her life and Greyson in the process, at least they will
be safe from harm. But in the end, the decision is neither hers nor Grey’s to
make. Not knowing where Greyson stands following their harrowing battle, she
isn’t sure if she has an ally or an enemy in the eyes of the Syndicate’s lead hunter.
Eyes that make her long for so much more than she has or has ever dreamed of. And
Rowan has one more secret to show Grey – one that could make all the difference
– if she ever gets the chance to speak to him. But she must know his true
feelings before her final confession now that she understands the meaning
behind the mysterious mark.
Greyson Masters is alone in this world.
He’s a widowed father, struggling with his three magical teenage triplet
daughters. Not to mention he holds a very high position within the Syndicate as
the lead hunter. To make matters worse, his latest case has hit a dead end. He
has little to go on but a vague description that could describe thousands of
possible witches. An then his ridiculously gorgeous nanny shows up and all of a
sudden begins to lift some of his burdens; making his house feel more like
home. But the jaded warlock doesn’t easily trust and suddenly he even suspects
Rowan of being the target he has been charged with acquiring. But that would be
crazy. As his feelings toward Rowan grows, he also maintains some small amount
of uncertainty as he witnesses small occurrences that don’t quite add up.
Chastising himself for not being more trusting, he shrugs some of it off. But
suddenly a dangerous battle reveals what his investigation could not – and the mystery surrounding Rowan becomes much less hazy. But there is still
a lot to ferret out. While his foremost responsibility to the Syndicate is to
get to the bottom of Rowan’s actions that led her here, his heart demands to
know what was real between them and what was an act of survival. Because only
the truth can provide them any chance for a future at this point. And Greyson
is holding out hope that Rowan’s feelings are just as deep as his own.
I’d like to open this review by stating
that I have not read the other books in this series. As the 3rd
book, I did not have overmuch issue in feeling like I knew what was going on
and what the roles of each character were. So reading this book as a stand-alone
is a definite possibility, That said, there was very clearly a ton of shit that
went down in the previous books as well as a nice set up for any further books in
the series. I’m relatively certain that Ms. Owen left the door wide open for both
Grey and Rowan to return for appropriate scenes as the series progresses. Maybe
more so for Rowan, but with Grey’s position within the Syndicate, he also has
the potential to show up in several circumstances. Given how much must have
occurred with the pages of the first and second book, I do wish I had gone into
this book with that knowledge. While the author writes in a way that fills the
reader in on previous events, it was also what I feel was a footnote version. I
would have like to know the several returning characters and their roles before meeting them for the first time in this book. I mean witches, warlocks, demigods, shifters, wraiths,
demons, and whatever the heck Delilah actually is … it’s a bit overwhelming
but simultaneously intriguing. So yes, if you end up reading this book without
realizing it is 3rd in series, then you will be just fine. However,
if you have the opportunity and prefer the full effect – or even just allowing
events to unfold in order – then I highly recommend reading this series in
order.
Dang! If ever I could see a book as a
movie … this would be one for sure! I easily played out each scene as I read
what was happening, the vivid accounts flashing before my eyes. It’s not that
the story was inundated with a shocking amount of detail, but the writing
itself allowed me to conjure every scene up as it occurred with very little effort on
my part. And that’s a gift all readers appreciate. The easier immersing myself
is, the deeper I get pulled into a book. True escape into a book as it were. I
found Greyson intriguing. A man who is lost, consumed by his work, and blind to
the joys in life since the passing of his wife. His days have become almost
militant in schedule with little to no time for anything pleasurable. Once
Rowan steps in, she knocks his axis off-kilter and opens his eyes to what he’s
been missing. The laughter of his daughters, for one. I was almost shocked that
he admitted he didn’t hold a deep, soul-shattering love for his deceased wife,
yet his love for his girls is apparent. Rowan is just about as opposite as one
could get from Greyson. She has an affection for life and while she is hiding
many aspects of herself and the power she holds, she finds happiness in making
this family smile. Part of that could come from the fact that she believes her
days are numbered. Not many would be able to escape with a target on their back
like the size of hers. And while she may be simply hiding in plain sight, she
also knows she has to appear like she knows what she’s doing. But the more time
she spends with the girls and Grey, the more comfortable she gets in her role.
What began as a secretive game designed to keep her safe and thwart Greyson,
quickly turns into much more than she could have ever anticipated. And with that
comes my curiosity about Delilah. It is eluded to that she may have placed
Rowan in that situation to reach the exact outcome that occurred. But
who or what she is never gets discussed. Her only name as far as we know is
Delilah. That’s literally it. So I feel that there is quite a lot more to her and
that eventually all will be revealed. No idea how many books it might take for
that to happen, but I believe it will eventually happen. And there is likely
some kind of history – or will be – between her and a member of the Syndicate.
As far as the other characters, I am intrigued – fae, demigod, and wolf shifters
alike. I would say that it is likely I will at some point find the time to read
this series from start to wherever the current finish is. I’d also like to see
the triplets attain their full potential. We may know a bit about their gift,
but no one truly understands what they are capable of at this point. Serious
untapped potential there – and a trilogy. *wink*
Let’s talk about passion. The attraction level
within this book was pretty high, but as far as the passion occurring and
description of said passion, it was quite tame. Definitely not anything to make one blush or
write home about. There is absolutely no doubt that Rowan and Grey desire one
another. But the passion, once it occurred, fell a bit flat. For the bit of a
slow-burn that it was and the desperation they supposedly felt, I expected a
bit more than what was provided. When it was over, my first thought was … what just happened?
It’s over? So, yeah. Bummer. And I almost would say that scene could have been
cut without them having done anything, making it a clean romance. However, I
also believe given a comment made by Delilah, that the act itself is what
changed a predicted outcome just before that happens. So not only was it
disappointing, but it was also the catalyst to their blossoming bond. Again, bummer. So my advice is not to read for
the passion element. Having never read Ms. Owen before, I cannot say as to whether
she tends to lean heavily toward the tame sexual content or not. But for this
book, in particular, you will not find fulfillment between the sheets within
these pages. So let’s leave this aspect at the door. As an entertaining paranormal
romance, it’s still a damn good read. As a series, based on this book alone, it’s
got a fantastic amount of potential. For this being my first experience with Ms. Owen, I
truly enjoyed my time spent. I will likely be returning to Ms. Owen for future
reads. I’ll just know to expect a tamer romantic element. And that isn’t
necessarily a bad thing at all. Fans of paranormal are sure to find an exciting
escape within these pages.
Kindle
version provided by NetGalley/Entangled in exchange for an honest review.
No comments:
Post a Comment
I lurve comments! Say whatever is on your mind; just keep it respectful. I am always game for a conversation. :)