Suzie was Angie’s cupcake baking mate, the one who’d brought the bears into our lives when they opened up a diner a few doors down from her bakery.
“Fair point. But please, sit the fuck down for a few minutes.”
I settled on a chair, crossing my arms and staring at the blank screens as if they would add more context to what we were hearing over the comms. Being here was killing me. I trustedmy team with my life. On some level I also trusted them with Hazel’s. My teammates were among the best in the business. But to them, Hazel was a client. I was her mate.
I wasn’t sure why she’d insisted on leaving me behind. I was hurt, and angry and confused. When this was all over, we’d need to talk about it because if she didn’t trust me to be at her side and keep her safe, we had work to do.
“What can I do to show you how sorry I am?” The flirty tone in Hazel’s voice grated on my nerves.
“Let’s start with this.”
I heard movement, then the unmistakable sounds of kissing. I felt my claws lengthening as my wolf tried to break out. Then Hazel giggled.
Giggled.
“Oh Donny, you always were such a good kisser,” she simpered. “But I want us to get to know each other again before we do anything physical. Can we do that? Can we wait just a little longer?”
“You always were a prude,” he mumbled, clearly put out. “I should put you on your knees and make you show me with that pouty mouth exactly how sorry you are.”
Hazel gasped, and a growl ripped from my throat in response.
“She’s acting,” Angie reminded me.
“But I know you’ve always been a good girl, so we’ll save that particular activity for later. After you’ve earned it.”
Damn, this guy was delusional.
“Can I tell you a secret Donny?” Hazel said coyly.
I hated the way she was acting all meek and subservient with this asshole.
“Of course.”
She lowered her voice. “I saved myself. For you.”
“You’re still a virgin?” he asked in surprise.
Technically she wasn’t lying. Hazel had told me she’d never been with a man, so she met the hetero definition of a virgin.
“You know I was saving myself for marriage. Well, I’ve never married. I never met another man who made me feel the way you do.”
I could practically feel the giddiness emanating off this asshole over the airwaves.
“That’s the best news I could have hoped for. Let’s have lunch, sweetheart, and talk about our future.”
“I’d like that.”
We continued to listen as the two moved to the dining room for lunch. As they ate, Hazel drew information out of him with an impressive skill. She had the perfect combination of meekness and curiosity to make the guy pontificate about how important he was. He went on at length about all of his criminal enterprises, and how he concealed them behind legitimate businesses while she periodically expressed her admiration for his business acumen.
“I can’t believe those Rossis turned our families against each other,” she said as their lunch dragged on. “We were always such good friends.”
“That friendship has been strained since you ran off,” Donny said, clearly talking with food in his mouth. This guy had no manners. “But now that you’re back and we know what happened with the Rossis, perhaps we can have a fresh start.”
“I’d like that Donny, I really would. It’s more than I could have hoped for when my parents said you wanted to see me again.”
They ate for a few more minutes before Hazel spoke again. “Can you tell me about her? Your wife?”
“Stella was like you in many ways. Headstrong. Thought she could do better than the life she was born into. After seeing whatmy being too lenient with you led to, I tried to take her in hand right away,” Donny said with what I was sure was meant to be sadness. “But she remained willful. She went out of her way to make me angry. I hated having to punish her, but it was my job as the husband to correct her behavior.”
