Sassy Ever After: Sassy and a little Bad-Assy (Kindle Worlds Novella) by Jessie Lane

rolled through her as strong as a thunderstorm.
    “I promise you, sir, I didn’t take your ale or your woman. You know what did happen, though?”
    Nikki glanced up to see Papa lean toward the other man in fascination. “What happened? A raid? A battle? Some sort of glory that will lead us to Valhalla?” With each word, her grandfather got more and more excited until he was shouting in their visitor’s face.
    The bouncer smiled but shook his head. “Your granddaughter stole something from me.”
    With that accusation, Nikki’s head snapped up, and she shouted, “What?”
    Papa was looking at the bouncer warily now. “That’s a grave accusation, boy. What exactly are you claiming my girl stole?”
    Dark chocolate eyes looked straight into her own, making her burn with want as much as she burned with anger. Then the jerk said the one thing she never expected to hear.
    “My heart.”
    For the love of all the corny pickup lines in the entire universe! Really? Was he serious right now? Lord knew her grandfather found the answer amusing, because he was laughing his head off.
    Annoyed beyond belief, Nikki growled at him, “Go away.”
    Papa was now laughing so hard he was doubled over, clutching his sides as he tried to breathe through his guffawing. The scene seemed to amuse the bouncer whose smile was huge as he looked from Papa to Nikki.
    “Not until you agree to come out here and talk to me, pretty girl.”
    “Are you kidding me right now?” Nikki seethed.
    Her grandfather was still laughing like a loon, and she couldn’t get this annoying jackass to go away. Could her day possibly get any worse?
    Frankly, she should have known better than to even think those words. The minute she did, little Ivar piped up from behind her, “I’ve got it, Nikki! We’ll just get Harald to use Thor’s hammer again to break your hands and other foot. Hey, who’s that at the door?”
    Unable to accept her life as it was at the moment, Nikki maneuvered her way past her still cackling grandfather, motioned for the bouncer to step back so she could come out on the porch, and then slammed the front door shut behind her.
    Trying to regain some of her composure, Nikki took a deep breath then blew it out before she finally looked at her guest. Starting at his overly large feet, she scanned upward, taking in his thick thighs, trim waist, up to his barrel chest with two rather bulging arms crossed over it. By the time she made it to his sinfully good-looking face, she really wished she hadn’t taken the time to check him out. The bastard was wearing a smug grin.
    “So, swords and hammers, huh? Any other weapons I should know about?”
    Not taking the time to think, Nikki did what she usually did. She spoke with no filter.
    “Yeah, my mouth. As in, if you don’t get the hell off my porch in the next minute, I’m going to start screaming for the cops and tell everyone you are harassing me.”
    The infuriating man didn’t skip a beat. “Baby, any time you want to use that mouth on me, feel free to do so. But I’d rather you scream my name instead of screaming for the cops.”
    Shocked by his response, Nikki’s jaw dropped open. It wasn’t often she talked with someone who could take what she gave them and give her shit right back.
    “I can’t believe you just said that to me!” she finally sputtered.
    Running a hand through his hair, suddenly seeming more nervous than cocky, he said, “You’re right. I shouldn’t have said that to you yet. Look, I came here to apologize to you and your grandfather for yesterday, not to cause problems. Think we can let bygones be bygones here?”
    Slightly amused by the bouncer who had quick wit, Nikki pretended to sniff in disdain just to give him a hard time. “I suppose. Now, on you go. Scurry back to your bar or wherever it is you shifter types like to get furry. As you can see, I’ve got my hands full here.”
    He crossed his arms back over his chest and rumbled, “What if I don’t