“Baby, you’d be a shoo-in, but if you don’t want to go, I’ll find a reason for us to be away that weekend. And any other weekend you need me to,” I promise.
“They’re just a lot of work,” she whispers. “I’m already exhausted thinking about it.”
“That’s the beauty of having us as your assistants, though.” Junelle throws her arm over Cheyenne’s shoulder. “You know we could make it work for you.”
Cheyenne looks at Junelle, then back at me. I’m not going to tell her no or yes here. This is her choice, her career. Whatever she decides, I’ll support her.
“Send me the link, and I’ll think about it,” she says.
“That’s what I’m talking about.” Andrea smiles. “You know if you do, we’ll all be there as the Remi Roman cheer squad.”
“Oh, we could get shirts,” Junelle exclaims.
“And I will be here to fight off these yahoos if you don’t want to,” I assure her.
Cheyenne nods before she yawns. “I’m going to head to bed, I think. What are the plans for tomorrow again?”
“We’ve rented out the pier for the day for some private swimming, then family dinner in the evening. Nice and easy before the big day,” Junellesays.
“Sounds good.” She yawns again. “See you in the morning.”
I stand quickly and offer Cheyenne my hand. Her soft fingers slide over my palm, shooting warmth through my chest.My mate.We walk back to her room, and just as I’m about to open the door, my phone vibrates in my pocket. She raises her eyebrows at me when I don’t immediately answer.
“Go ahead, but don’t lock the door.”
“And if I do?” she teases, a little sparkle in her eyes.
“Then I’ll break in, and you’ll have to see how I punish dirty girls who don’t listen.” A growl rises in my throat, the predator in me hungry for a chase.
“Don’t threaten me with a good time, Valentino.”
Cheyenne opens her door and disappears, leaving the door unlocked. I like this side of her, all playful and relaxed. I want to do everything I can to keep her this way. A smile still plays on my lips as I answer my phone.
“Talk to me.”
“Mr Benetti, how are you?” Rick Mooney, the city mayor, greets me.
“I’d be better if you weren’t falsely imprisoning my friends, Mooney.” I keep the smile on my face even as he sputters down the line.
“The DA has a very solid case against di Carlo. They found everything the tip said they would. His computer has everything they need to put him away.”
Shit.
I pinch my brow trying to think who in our fucking family would plant evidence against Ezio. He’s an old-school guy, even if he is younger than me. He’s too damn smart for his own good and knows that he can’t leave a digital trail. He still does all ourotheraccounts on physical books because he doesn’t trust the government not to be watching him.
On top of everything else, for us, not being able to shift fucks with our mental state. It makes us volatile, weakens our mind until we break. A werewolf can only remain sane in captivity for so long before they snap and tear apart whoever comes near them.
So who the fuck has that sort of information and hatred for us, while also having Ezio’s trust? Every person I can think of, I immediately dismiss because they wouldn’t double-cross us like that. If we were simply human, I could let the paranoia take hold of me.
We are wolves, though. We are a family and a pack. A secret beyond the laws of man binds us together. It’s something that shouldn’t ever be corruptible.
“You should be grateful it doesn’t implicate the rest of the Benettis.”
“Are you trying to say something?” I growl.
“No,” he nearly shouts. “No, no, of course not, Mr Benetti. I’m simply saying that it’s interesting the laptop only threw one of your men under the bus.”
Yeah, the one man who makes sure our money is safe and accounted for. No money means no business, which means our clientele start looking elsewhere for secure shipping. This fucking rat is trying to cut us out completely. Systematically taking us apart and using any associate who is weak enough to fall for his alpha bullshit.
