The lucky bastard.
I should have offered to help.
I reach an entirely different level of rabid as I watch the dead-men-walking playing with Lukas on the floor in the living room. My instincts don’t think they should be anywhere close to my boy.
Charlotte is mine.
That makes Lukas mine.
He doesn’t even remember them.
When Charlotte spots me glaring, she pushes herself out of the chair, swaying her way over to where I stand in the doorway. She plants her hands on my chest, pushing me out into the hallway.
I wouldn’t let Lukas out of my sight, but Miriam is on the couch, watching her afternoon shows. She’ll keep an eye on those guys and our boy.
“You are jealous on a whole different level than Cormac and Patrick,” she whispers, stretching up on her tiptoes. Her cold hands dig into the back of my neck, and I dip my head. “Do you know what I realized?”
“What’s that?” I grunt.
“I love seeing you all possessive and protective growly alpha.” She smiles and kisses me.
I growl and dig my hand into her ass, lifting her.
“You should be prepared because you’re going to get a lot of that in the future,” I tell her between deep sensual kisses. My cock throbs, and I can’t fuck her in the hallway, but a quickie does sound nice. It would be a great way to return her to the living roomthoroughlysmelling like me.
I stomp us down the hallway and take the corner to head to Patrick’s office. I suck on Charlotte’s lower lip, teasing over Cormac’s claiming bite. It sends a nice little thrill through the bond to tease any of our bites, but it’s more intense when it’s our own. Tossing open the door, I stop in my tracks.
Wilder also freezes. “Ahh, Charlotte, good to see you. Lacey will be happy to know I saw you with my own two eyes and that you’re in one piece.”
Charlotte squeaks.
I chuckle.
Patrick spots my hand on her ass and quirks an eyebrow, sending his interest through the bond.
“How is Lacey?” Charlotte asks.
Wilder smiles. “She’s doing well. We’ll be at the New Year’s Eve party, but don’t worry, we’ll be leaving before the claiming.”
Aww, shit.
I forgot all about that bullshit custom, and I’m sure Charlotte doesn’t know the first thing about how mafia families do a public claiming ceremony.
Wilder exits quickly upon realizing he royally stepped in it. I’m even more annoyed when Charlotte stretches her legs, asking to be put down. This is not what I had planned for what we would do in Patrick’s office, and I’m about three seconds away from pouting.
“So, there’s a party on New Year’s Eve that was supposed to be your engagement announcement with Vanessa,” Charlotte says, planting her hands on her hips.
“Technically speaking, it’s just a party,” Patrick hedges. “But everyone has likely made the assumption it was for our engagement announcement to Vanessa.”
I wrap an arm around Charlotte’s middle, pulling her back to my chest. “According to what Moretti said, it’s made the rounds that we won’t be fulfilling the contract.”
“You most certainly willnot.” Charlotte spins in my hold, jabbing a finger at my chest. “Now someone tell me what the claiming thing Wilder mentioned is. Is that what I think it is?”
“It’s old-school,” I tell her, shrugging. “We don’t even have to do it if you don’t want to.”
Patrick cuts in, saying, “We don’t strictly have to, but it is customary.”
Charlotte’s brow wrinkles. “And what is it?”
