“Where areyougoing?” I ask before I can stop myself.
“I have a meeting at one of my clubs that I can’t get out of,” he says, cutting a bite of the pork chop on his plate.
If he were going back to Luminescence, wouldn’t he just refer to it astheclub?
“Which club?” I ask, not caring if I sound like a naggy wife.
He’s being weird.
I also think it’s good to set expectations from the beginning.
“Luxe,” he says simply.
Hawk snorts, reminding me that he’s here. That man is ninja-level quiet sometimes.
Ahh, so my husband has an after-dinner meeting at one of his strip clubs.
“Perfect,” I purr, setting down my cutlery and pushing back my chair. “I’ve been trapped inside all day, and I’m dying for some fresh air.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Moretti
Vanessa once again looks like a wet dream. She’s in a black dress with a silver belt or sash that ties into a bow in the back. The dress is tight up top, flaring below the waist. It perfectly accentuates her curves while seeming low effort and playful.
She doesn’t seem to understand that we’re in the middle of winter, but she brings a knee-length peacoat at my prodding. Silver strappy heels weave up her ankles, and they’ll help make it possible if I decide to bend her over my desk following my meeting.
I’d really like to slide inside her again before handing her off to Magnum for the night, but I also don’t want her to overdo it. She’s having waves of heat regularly every night, and that’s a solid indication that her heat will hit sooner rather than later. Hopefully her system will give her at least a few days to recuperate before throwing her into the deep end with knotting, rut, and alpha cum.
I’m not great at sharing, but I will make an effort for Vanessa. It’s nearly impossible for one alpha to meet the needs of an omega in heat, and I’ll gain no joy from watching her suffer. At the same time, I have no idea how I’ll cope once the heat is over.
I suppose I’ll just have to figure it out.
I don’t think my wife would stand for anything less.
Hawk sits in the middle row, facing us, as Vanessa and I ride in the back of the SUV. He spent all day with her, but I don’t have cameras in the nest or pack bedroom, so the majority of what they did today is a mystery.
Seeing him give her gifts left me unsure how I was feeling. He selected items specifically for her comfort, while I’ve focused on items to wow her, and now I’m wondering if I’ve taken the wrong approach. There is a certain level of upkeep required to maintain the status quo, but I don’t pay much attention to that.
My gifts are to show her that she deserves nice things and proof to everyone that I’m proud to have her at my side. She has a few pieces that were passed down to her from her mother, but it doesn’t appear that her father felt the need to keep up appearances.
Reaching into the pocket on my coat, I pull out the jewelry box and offer it to Vanessa.
“What’s this?” she asks, taking it.
“You’ll know once you open it,” I say, chuckling. “If you haven’t noticed by now, I’m quietly courting you, darling.”
Hawk scoffs, shaking his head, but he’s smart enough not to say a word.
My wife, on the other hand, snorts as she pops the hinge on the box. “You totally watched us today and had to one-up Hawk. That’s sad.” She gets a look at the tennis bracelet inside and gasps. “Holy shit, Moretti. Is this thing real?”
“As if I would drape you in anything less than real diamonds.” It’s my turn to scoff. “It’s white gold with over eight carats in a trillion cut,” I say, as if she can’t see that for herself. It’s a versatile piece that will fit with nearly any outfit and assemble well with whatever other pieces of jewelry she selects to wear on a given night. “The jeweler told me it symbolizesthe interconnectedness of life, body, and mind, as well as past, present, and future.”
Jesus.
I sound like I’m reading directly from the brochure.
She hands me the box back, holding out her wrist. I get her hooked into the bracelet, and she leans over, kissing my cheek.
