But his exasperated words don’t seem to reach anyone, everyone is too excited now.
Poor guy...
7
Vera
“I still thinkit’s unfair to split us up so late in the planning.”I lean against Luca’s shoulder as Miles drives us to a meeting.
Luca chuckles and pets my head.“Derrick’s reasoning makes sense.He could have also put you with someone from his teams.You’re with Riley.Why’s that bad?”
“It’s not.I just wish that if he’d swapped us, he’d team me up with Mathew instead.I’d love to see him in action.”I turn to Luca, trying my best pout, but he simply shakes his head, his eyes sparkling.
“I’m pretty sure that’s the exact reason Derrick didn’t want to do it.You two would have been way too busy with each other instead of work.”
“We wouldn’t get distracted with sex or anything like that...”I’m not that desperate and I know when and where stuff like that is appropriate.
Luca laughs, such a sweet sound, as his pheromones fill with amusement.“I don’t think that was what he was worried about.”Then he glances at me, his fingers playing over my arm, his amusement turning seductive.“But now I am.”
I lean up, almost kissing him, but with his mask in the way, it’s a no-go.I pull back and kiss his fingers instead while keeping his gaze.He swallows hard as his pheromones flare.
“We’re almost there.Only a few minutes left.”Miles sounds like he’s about to laugh and I shoot him a glare.He grins back at me in the rear-view mirror.
“I wasn’t going to do anything.”Not with an audience, anyway.
“I know.But having him walk around with a hard-on would be uncomfortable for him and probably not a good idea for a serious talk.”Miles focuses back on the road, looking way too smug.
Ugh, that guy!
Luca simply scoots me closer, his arm around my shoulders, his caramel pheromones flowing around us.“We’ve also got to focus.It’s not long until the raid, and we can’t have a lot of in-person meetings right now.”
“I know.”I didn’t want to have this meeting over a video call.Partially because of what we’ll be talking about, but also partially because I’ve not been out of the house for days and I hate being stuck inside.
Miles stops in front of the pretty unassuming restaurant.
We chose this one specifically because Mathew and Jorge hadn’t been here before and neither have we, so hopefully we won’t be recognised here too easily.With our pictures all over the place, it seemed better to meet up in places where people don’t think to look for us.
Miles waits until the car with the rest of the security team has parked behind us and the team has taken up their places around the car.Then he gets out and lets us out on the curb side.This is way more security than we would normally travel with, but right now, we don’t want to take any risks.
I take a few steps away from Luca as he swaps to a clean mask.I really wish that it was no longer needed, but that’s not something we’ve got control over.
One of Erika’s Alphas, Sam, said that we shouldn’t try to push it, but that things should get easier for Luca over time.It’s simply a case of waiting for his symptoms to get better, no matter how long it takes.
Well, I’m already glad that he can be near me and touch and hug me, without his mind all freezing up.That’s a massive improvement from the first days.So, I might be impatient, but I’m also happy with how far he’s come already.
“Vera!”Someone greets me from the door and when I turn around, I see it’s Xavier, the Omega whose pack we’re here to meet up with.He’s got white-blond shoulder length hair, pulled back in a loose ponytail, light blue eyes and always a quick smile.He’s just a little shorter than Luca, and seems to like to wear jeans and a t-shirt, as that all I’ve ever seen him in.Today, he’s wearing faded blue jeans and a t-shirt with a robot that looks like it’s from an anime.No idea which anime, as I don’t keep up with them.
“Hey.”I take a couple of steps to him, but he quickly comes over, shaking his head.
“I’m sorry.I’ve got to go.Got called into work, emergency.”His face is flushed.“The rest are inside.I’m sorry I can’t be here.”
“It’s okay.”
Xavier is a veterinarian, so if he’s got to go in on his day off, it must be urgent.
“Will you be okay?”
“Yeah, I’ll be fine.”He gives a quick wave to Luca, before looking back at me.“A pregnant dog just came into the clinic.She’s in labour right now and things are looking complicated.I’m going in case they need my help.”
