Chapter 15
Braxton
I was ready to end our work day after the fiasco with Fonda and her cousin, but Nyah insisted on keeping her appointment with the contractor. My mate had gone back to work mode and no matter how much I pleaded for us to take the remainder of the day off, she didn’t change her mind. She leaned over and whispered in my ear, “ Work hard now, play harder later .” My dick instantly went hard as she pressed her soft lips below my ear.
Nyah slowly moved back. Her eyes briefly fell on the bulge in my pants. She grinned, looking at me.
“I’ll see you in an hour or two,” she said.
“It better be an hour,” I growled, garnering laughter from her and Levi. Levi clammed up when I cut my eyes at him. Nyah, however, continued.
“I’ll see what I can do, but I can’t make any promises. If I’m not back in an hour, just know, I’m doing things that are necessary for the hotel. What I can guarantee is that I will end my day by three,” she returned before exiting the office.
When she was out of earshot, Levi turned to me and said, “Nyah is exactly who you want as an Alpha female mate. She is territorial about her mate. If she broke that girl’s leg for not only coming onto you, but disrespecting the both of you, imagine what she would do if another female touched you inappropriately?”
A part of me was proud Nyah showed her dominance, but at the same time, I didn’t want her to do anything that could be seen by humans as unlawful. Although I have a slew of lawyers on retainer that could make any case disappear, I needed my mate to know I would always reject advances from others.
Levi and I went on about our day, going over figures for the hotel. With the renovations and updates, we were on the path to clearing the financial projections first estimate.
During that time, father called. He made reservations for all of us at six o’clock at Flanke, a popular steakhouse located downtown. He then informed me he had a surprise for me. Before I could question what the surprise was, he ended the call. What was the old man up to now?
By two-thirty, I called it quits. I was ready to spend some time with Nyah before we had to leave for dinner.
Levi and I went back to the suite where he had the guards gather his belongings to take to the bachelor suite below.
As a guard carried out the last of his luggage, Levi said, “Call me if you need me.”
“I will,” I responded as we stood in the hallway to the door as another guard held it open with another posted on the left side.
“I’m going to unwind for a bit, but I will be back here by five-thirty,” he states. “Also, I know you don’t want any of the guards in the suite with you and Nyah, so I’ve ordered two to stand guard outside of the door. Anyone needing clearance will have to go through me first.”
I grasp his shoulder. “Thank you, Levi.”
“What are Beta’s for?” He chuckled. “I’ll be back soon.”
“Alright,” I responded as he left, and the guard closed the door. Clapping my hands together, it was time for me to set the mood for my mate. Nyah and I could continue our tryst after dinner. I guess you could call what I had planned as an appetizer to the main course I had in mind to follow later.
I called down to room service to send up a bottle of our best champagne, a charcuterie board with an array of meats, cheeses, olives, different spreads, and crackers. I figured the assortment could tide us over until dinner.
While waiting on Nyah, I sat on the sofa and looked over the figures for acquiring the hotel in Turks and Caicos. With the location being one of the hottest tourist destinations for vacations, it was a no-brainer for me to set up another Hillard Hotel there. I electronically signed the formal documents to establish the hotel as the newest branch of Hillard Hotels.
Almost an hour later, I heard the door open then close. As I looked up, Nyah entered the room.
“Hello, beautiful,” I greet, standing.
“Hello back to you handsome,” she returns, laying her purse and briefcase on the table against the wall. She notices the champagne bottle, chilling in the ice bucket and the tray. “What’s all of this?” She asks as I approach her.
Lowering my head, I inhale the sweet smell of her perfume, then kiss her neck. Nyah hums when I raise my head and kiss her supple lips.
“Father has invited us out to dinner later, so I thought we could have something light to eat before then,” I inform.
Nyah smiles. “Where are we going and at what time?”
“Six o’clock at Flanke. Have you been there before?” I ask.
She nods. “I have, but it’s been a while. The food there is amazing.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes, really,” she responds, “It’s like the number one steakhouse in the city.”
Caressing her back, I tell Nyah, “If that’s the case, maybe I should try and recruit their chefs.”
Nyah giggles, “You can try but I’ve heard he’s turned down hefty offers and incentives.”
Grinning, I wink at her. “He just hasn’t had the right offer from me. If the food is as amazing as you say, I will get him here.”
Nyah smirks. “I wish you luck then. Also, if Bryant got reservations for tonight, then he must know somebody who knows somebody because their wait list is usually a month or two out.”
“It wouldn’t surprise me. Father has connections everywhere he goes. Plus, he said he has a surprise for me. What it is, I have no idea.”
“I hope it’s something you will like,” Nyah says.
I look at the ceiling before returning, “I hope so too.” The purchase of the new hotel jumps in my head. “Guess what?”
“What?” Nyah throws back.
My body fills with excitement as I tell her, “Hillard Hotels has acquired property in Turks and Caicos.”
“Congratulations,” Nyah beamed. “I’ve never been to Turks and Caicos, but I heard it’s beautiful.”
“Thank you, and I’m glad you think that because I want to take you there after we are officially mated.”
Nyah goes silent, peering at me. She then whispers, “Seriously?”
“Yes, seriously.” I reply, hugging her tighter. “We can spend the first half of our trip as newlyweds and the remainder going over any improvements or renovations for the hotel. Now, of course, if we could spend the entire time doing our own thing and return at a later date to assess the hotel.”
“No, no,” Nyah starts. “We can do both while we’re there.”
“Good. I’ll have Levi make all the arrangements,” I tell her.
“Do you think we can invite Kenia? She has been working so hard and I know she would love to actually take a real vacation.”
“I don’t see a problem with that.”
“Great,” Nyah says, pecking my lips before leaving my grasp. “I’ll call and give her a heads up.” She dashes to the master bedroom.
I grabbed the champagne bottle from the ice chest and popped the cork. As I filled our flutes, I heard the shower in the bathroom come on because the door was open.
When Nyah finally returned, I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She’s dressed in a dark brown cocktail dress that compliments her satiny brown skin tone. If I didn’t think Father would send for us, we wouldn’t make it.
Picking up the flutes, I walk to Nyah. She takes the one I hold out for her.
“Thank you,” she says.
“You’re welcome,” I returned.
“Are we toasting to the new hotel?” Nyah asks.
“No, we’re toasting to us,” I reply. “We’ll toast to the new hotel later, but right now I want to toast to us. Despite the bullshit with Corey and Fonda, they couldn’t crack the foundation we are building. If we start off as a united front, that’s how our relationship will continue.”
“I totally agree,” Nyah concurs before we clink the flutes together, then take a sip.
That little wicked voice in my head tries again to convince me to keep Nyah here to myself, but I chose to honor my fathers’ request. Plus, I didn’t want Nyah to see that part of my father that those outside of the family have never seen before. Trust me, it’s a scary sight.
With only an hour and a half left before dinner, I kept the physical interaction between Nyah, and I limited.
We went over her day with the hotel but things kind of shifted when the topic turned to the ordeal with Fonda and Hanna.
Nyah takes a sip from her flute. “To me, and I’m sure you will agree; that little broken bone could have been worse.”
My wolf eyes flash as I say, “Oh, I know and I’m glad it didn’t go farther than that.”
Not wanting to dwell on that shit, I called Levi and told him to come to the suite. Less than twenty minutes later, he showed up. With time dwindling down, I suggested we get ready to leave. It’s a Friday and there was no telling how traffic would be.
With Levi and I fully armed, I didn’t feel the need to bring all the security details with us. I decided to have Tyson, the longest member of my team, accompany us along with another senior guard, Luther. The rest would stay behind and stand guard at our suites and father’s. Father had his men, but I felt much better if mine were there too.
Once outside, we got in the luxury car waiting for us. Tyson and Luther each got into the two dark SUVs I brought for the hotel for elite clients who didn’t want to be seen in public.
With one of the SUVs in front of our car and another in the back, our driver pulled away from the hotel. In motion, Levi turned to Nyah. “I hope you don’t mind, but I invited Kenia to meet us for dinner.”
Nyah asks, “Really?”
Clearing his throat, Levi replies, “I thought you would feel more comfortable if she were at dinner with you. You’re about to sit down with your future father-in-law without your father being there, so I presumed having Kenia there would give you the calm that you needed.”
I really didn’t care. My mind was on having a good meal, spending time with my mate, and ending the night with Nyah in my arms.
Levi doesn’t look my way as I study his demeanor. There was something going on that he hadn’t confessed to me. Whatever it is, I’ll give him time to bring it up. If he didn’t, then eventually by Pack Law, he would have to confess all his secrets to me. Levi and I have never kept secrets from one another but if there is something he is hiding, then I have to wonder if he’s holding something in that could be detrimental to both our personal and business relationship.
When the car stopped, the driver unlocked the doors, and the valet opened the doors for us to get out.
Levi got out on the passenger side, while I got out on the back driver’s passenger side, then assisted Nyah out. A black Jeep Cherokee pulled up behind us.
“Great, Kenia made it in time,” Nyah announces.
Maybe my hearing was playing games on me, but I could have sworn I heard a low growl come from Levi when the valet helped Kenia out of the SUV. Nyah and I frown at each other.
Nyah hugged her sister before we walked inside. The woman at the hostess station asks for my name, which I give. She looks over her list. “Hello, Mr. Hillard, I’m Melody and your father is already here. He and his party are seated in one of our banquet rooms,” she informs. She waves over a waitress.
“Camilla, will you please take Mr. Hillard and his company to banquet room one?”
“Absolutely,” Camilla replies with a warm smile. “This way please.”
With my hand on the small of Nyah’s, we followed Camilla through the upscale restaurant. It has an ambience that attracts the “who’s” “who” elite of the city.
When we reached the banquet room, Camilla stepped to the side for us to enter. I take two steps inside and stop in my tracks. Through our bond, Nyah reaches around her back and grips mine for support. I hold onto her hand to keep me from making a scene that will no doubt have the evening news showing up.
“Braxton,” Mother calls, getting up from her seat.
Feeling ambushed, I look at my father who mouths, “I did not know.”
Mother reaches me then embraces me. I would have returned the gesture, but I was still trying to figure out why she was here.
Leaning back, mother asks, “So, you’re not going to hug your mother back?”
I’ve never disrespected my mother, so I chose my words lightly.
“Not until you tell me why Megan is sitting at the table with my family.”