Worth It - Lisa Oliver Page 0,7

his back pack to his chest. His animal side was eager to get out, to maul the attackers before he got hit or worse. That was something else that’d changed in the past nine months – his animal side had gotten a lot stronger. Paulie hadn’t sensed anything magical in the briefcase given to him by the demon Cass and his wolf mate Wesley, but it was as though something unfurled during the bus trip towards his new life, and his animal side benefitted from it.

“I don’t know what you want,” he said desperately as the men crowded closer. “I’m not after your girls, your booze or your spot on the football team. I just want to get through my classes and graduate. Why should that bother you?”

“You’ve been giving my Sue Ann the eye.” The tallest one pushed forward, grabbing Paulie’s back pack. “Slipping her notes in class, telling stories about me, begging her to go out with you.”

“Sue Ann?” Paulie had to think who that even was. “Oh, do you mean Suzanna? She was asking me for help with the English Lit class because she was off sick for two days. I just lent her my class notes, that’s all. Is she your girlfriend? Congratulations.”

“What’s ‘e on about, congratulating you?” One of the other men slapped his pushy friend on the chest. “You and Sue Ann getting hitched or something? Why didn’t you tell us, you moron?”

“We’re not getting hitched.” Now Pushy looked confused and with bullies that was never a good thing. The glare Paulie got would have stripped paint off the wall if he hadn’t been pushed up against brick. “What you doing congratulating me for? I ain’t done nothing. Are you suggesting she’s too good for me or something?”

“No, nothing like that at all.” Paulie shook his head violently, clutching his bag all the tighter to hide the claws that had extended from the end of his fingertips. Get back, he begged his snarling cat. “I think you make a lovely couple. I was congratulating you about the baby, that’s all. You must be really excited about becoming a father.”

“Baby?” Pushy’s friends all stepped back, looking at Pushy as though he’d suddenly grown a second head. “You got Sue Ann pregnant, bro?”

“I was going to tell you all.” Pushy let go of Paulie’s bag, turning to his shocked friends. “It’s new. She only found out last week. We don’t know what we’re doing about it yet. She wasn’t meant to say anything to anyone.” Another glare was sent in Paulie’s direction and now the other three men were looking at him with suspicion too.

“I just asked her if she was all right after being sick,” Paulie said desperately. “She started crying, saying she didn’t know what to do. You haven’t been talking to her. She’s scared and thinks you don’t want her anymore. Someone, Debbie I think, she told Suzanna that you were calling her all the time and were planning to break up with her.”

“You’re slinking around my girl, when you’ve got one preggers?” The one who’d slapped Pushy before was now looking to commit violence and Paulie wasn’t sure on who.

“I haven’t been near Debbie. It’s this one,” Pushy waved his arm in Paulie’s direction. “It’s you. You lying piece of shit!” Pushy’s fist shot out and Paulie scrunched up, waiting for the blow… A big hand shot out and encased Pushy’s fist.

“Having a spot of trouble Paul?” Paulie’s eyes almost fell out as he saw the demon Cass, in human form thank goodness, holding onto Pushy’s hand easily even though the man was struggling to get free. “We’ve been looking for you all over campus. I thought we were all having dinner together tonight? These new friends of yours?”

“Yeah, dinner. Sorry.” Paulie knew very well that he didn’t have dinner plans with the friendly pair – he hadn’t expected to see them again after they’d been his Christmas angels, and he hadn’t been disappointed when they didn’t stay in touch. “I er… got talking… time got away on me. Is Wesley here too?”

“He’s waiting by the car.” Cass’s grin was full of teeth. “What do you want me to do with these ingrates? Even I could see you weren’t having a friendly chat.”

“Let go of me.” Pushy lashed out, hitting Cass with his free fist straight into the demon’s stomach. Cass didn’t even flinch. Pushy’s friends, perhaps realizing they were outmuscled, took off running.

“Did you want my attention, ant?” Cass’s grin got