I reach for her hand and give it a little squeeze, wanting to offer her some comfort. Tonight has been… a lot. So the action just feels needed. Though, I fully expect her to pull away.
Except she doesn’t.
Instead, she threads her fingers through mine and simply holds my hand.
A purr ignites in my chest, eliciting a sigh from my omega. Pretty sure I hear one from the front seat as well, but I ignore that.
I’m purring for Lark and only Lark.
She leans her head back against the seat, then slowly drifts toward me until she’s snuggled into my shoulder. I don’t say anything, not wanting to spoil the moment.
Rather, I just exist with her. Purring. Offering support. Soothing her nerves.
It’s nice.
It’s peaceful.
And it’s how we spend the rest of our drive to the estate.
Lark seems to doze off, not reacting at all to the guards greeting us at the gate. Though, she does stir when we pull up in front of the main doors to the mansion.
I help her out of the car, then keep her hand in mine as I lead her inside. She smiles as I introduce her to staff members along the way but remains mostly quiet as we eat. She doesn’t ask where Noah or Laz is, which I’m thankful for, as I don’t want to elaborate on what took them away.
Business is business. And while we fully intend to share all aspects of our organization with Lark, she’s not on the inside yet.
It’s going to take time… for all of us.
“Thank you for the pizza,” Lark says to Chef Harmony. “It was lovely.”
Harmony beams, then asks Lark about her favorite foods and meals.
I watch their conversation unfold, amused by Lark’s minimalistic approach. She clearly doesn’t want Harmony to fret over her and is trying to be as easy as possible.
So different from the other mafia princesses I’ve met over the years. There have been several sent Laz’s way, as well as a few daughters from cartel and bratva families.
This whole world is about making business arrangements.
But that’s never what Laz wanted for the pack. It’s not what Noah and I wanted either.
We’ve desired a partner, not a trophy.
That’s why Lark piqued our interest after we discovered she was the one who stole all that money. And when we realized why she did it, she stole our hearts, too.
The fact that she’s our scent match is an exquisite bonus.
After Harmony finishes asking her questions, I politely thank her for the meal and then escort Lark through the mansionto her new accommodations. It’s nestled in the middle of the residential wing, with Laz’s room across from hers, mine to the left, and Noah’s to the right.
I don’t tell her that part, but I’m pretty sure she knows from the scents lingering in the air.
Instead, I just show her around her bedroom and en-suite bathroom.
“My bag has already been unpacked,” she says, frowning at the dresser’s contents.
“Yeah, that would be Noah’s doing.” I palm the back of my neck and stretch my shoulders a bit, exhausted from traveling all day. “He and Laz stopped by to drop some shit off and change before heading out again. I’m assuming Noah decided to unpack for you first. Probably irritated the crap out of Laz, too.”
My lips turn up, amused. I can practically hear Laz growling at Noah in my head.
“Anyway, do you need anything else?” I ask as she sets both of her phones on a nightstand. “Charge cables are in the desk over there, by the way.” I gesture with my chin toward the study nook that’s attached to her bedroom. “Or you can use the clock charger out in the living area.”
