The wordsLucky Bitchwere scrawled across the side of the flimsy container. I scowled at the translation.
“Probably,” I said. “I had him acquire some things.”
“You talked to Andy?” she asked, tearing at the tape. “What is th—oh my god. Yiri.” She pulled out a small vial of… honestly, I had no idea what. “This is my favorite shade of polish! I tried to order some before I left, but it was out of stock. How did youknow?” Continuing to dig around inside the box, she gasped. “Organic catnip?! That’s so sweet! I almost bought this, too.”
“I know,” I said, “It was in your search history.”
She laughed. “I guess I should have expected that.”
“You don’t mind,” I said, relieved.
She sent me a funny look. “I’d be a hypocrite if I were. I went snooping in your nexus frame, too.”
“Yes, you did.”
“You liked the surprises that came from that little invasion of privacy.”
“Very much”
She smirked. “Call us even.”
A few minutes later, however, she changed her mind. “We are so not even. You haveno ideahow much I wanted this.” She hugged a book to her chest and looked up at me with the happiest smile I’d yet seen on her face. “An Ache of Flame and Longing? How did you even get this? It released two weeks ago.Andit’s the special edition? Look at the sprayed edges!” She showed me the intricate artwork on the page edges, displaying what appeared to be archaic weaponry, some kind of flowers, and flames. “And it has art inserts. I’m going to die. Seriously.”
I kissed the top of her head as she lovingly stroked the volume’s pages. “Andrew said it was impossible to get. But in my experience, impossible just means expensive.”
“Was it?” Her face fell.
“Not by Bion standards,” I said, frowning. “Not that it matters. I do what I do so my family wants for nothing. You more than anyone else. You’ll have anything and everything you want, Cora.”
“I don’t needeverythingI want,” she said. “That’s ridiculous.”
“Ridiculous is thinking I’d allow anything less.” I took her chin, turning her face up to mine. “You’remine, and I will give you everything. Understand?”
Her zibe nectar scent rose, and her irises bloomed. “Yes, sir.”
Stifling a groan, I kissed her quickly and stepped away to see to the rest of the goods. Not everything was coming aboard, and I wanted the rest of it sorted quickly. I was ready to get back to my time off with my wife.
“I need to handle a few things inside the warehouse,” I said. “Stay here, and I’ll be back soon.”
She waved me off, picking up one of the boxes she had packed.
“And don’t lift anything heavy. I’ll move whatever you want when I get back.”
She rolled her eyes. “Okay.”
Brat.
“And… you think we’re going to turn a profit on this?” Nerus toed a crate full of Cora’s favorite chocolate.
“She wanted it,” I said. “Other human females will too.”
He stuck his hand in a metallic packet labeledDill Pickle Potato Chips, withdrawing a handful of the snacks and eating several. He made a face and ate another.
“How are they?”
He offered me the packet, but I shook my head. The smell was…intense. These were some of the contraband, and from the incredibly long list of ingredients, I could guess why.
“They’re terrible,” he said, and ate another.
