Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
B illy
The next morning, Sully gives us the all-clear, security wise. The bridal party heads into the city center because the females–mostly Brick’s sisters, Ruby and Scarlett–want to do some luxury shopping. I would opt out to preserve my manhood, but my wolf doesn’t want Aubrey to go unescorted.
My assistant, Annabeth, did a great job with the logistics, and she somehow arranged a bullet-proof limo driven by one of Sully’s top security wolves, and we pile in. Scarlett pours champagne for everyone.
On the way, Aubrey’s phone rings. She glances at the screen and frowns. “I’m sorry, I have to take this.”
Through the phone, I hear the tinny voice of a panicked female. “Aubrey! Yesterday I got home, and my computer was gone. My apartment had been broken into, and they ransacked the place.”
I frown as Aubrey goes rigid.
“Did you call the cops?” she asks.
“No! Are you kidding? This isn’t a normal break-in. It’s Sentience! I told you someone was watching me! I’m in hiding. I don’t know if you’re in danger, but I wanted to give you a heads-up. Tell Jan, too.”
The scent of fear that comes from Aubrey turns my wolf ferocious. Everyone in the limo notes the change and focuses on Aubrey.
“I’m so sorry I got you involved in this–” the person on the other line is babbling.
“Hey, it’s okay,” Aubrey soothes. “I’ll be careful and will make sure Jan is too. We’ll be okay. Let me know when you’re somewhere safe.”
“What is it?” Madi asks.
Aubrey hesitates then shakes her head and forces a smile, clearly not wanting to ruin the festive atmosphere. “It’s nothing–just, um, someone I know had their house broken into.”
It’s clearly not nothing, but I let it go until I help her out of the limo, and we can talk in private. She doesn’t want to disturb Madi’s weekend, and I respect that. We’re at a group of luxury shops located in an outdoor courtyard with fountains and gardens.
The group scatters, agreeing to meet back up in a couple of hours.
“What happened?” I escort Aubrey away from the others. “That had to do with the Sentience espionage, right?”
She swallows. I hate the edge of fear I see behind her normally confident expression. “The Sentience whistle-blower had her place tossed. She told me before she thought someone was following her. That’s why I freaked out that night you were trailing me in your car.”
“Fuck. I’m sorry I scared you.”
She gives her head a quick shake. “No, don’t be. I just…”
“I’ll have someone check on your place and keep an eye on it while we’re gone. Who’s Jan?”
She gives me a surprised look, and I realize I revealed too much. I shouldn’t have heard her conversation over the music playing in the limo.
I play it off with a shrug. “I overheard. You were right next to me.”
“Jan is my lawyer friend. She and her partner own La Résistance, where I work. She might take the case if we get enough evidence.”
“Do you want me to put security on her as well?”
Aubrey’s eyes go round, but her body relaxes. I’ve given her relief. “You would do that?”
“Absolutely.” I dial Grayson, our front door guy. He’s one of Sully’s security team members, but he’ll answer to me as pack beta. “Call Jan and let her know,” I say to Aubrey.
We both have brief conversations, and I text Aubrey and Jan’s addresses to Grayson.
“Thank you.” She looks up at me with her warm brown eyes. “You really are a fixer, aren’t you?”
Something shifts in my chest. I refuse to work to earn anyone but my alpha’s approval.
But hearing the admiration and appreciation in Aubrey’s voice affects me.
I want to earn her gratitude again. Want her to look up at me this way, like I’m strong and powerful.
Like I’m the male who will hold her steady when things get rough.
“Who said that, Madi?”
She nods.
I lean over and kiss her forehead. It’s a decidedly affectionate gesture–completely unlike me–but I like the way it makes me feel.
Like for a moment, I’m not an island in the middle of the fucking ocean. It’s not me against the world.
I could choose between keeping the world under meticulous control to ensure survival, or I could become this guy. Someone who has a lovely female to care for and protect.
It’s a role I never thought I wanted. It involves vulnerability. Not just between me and the female but because there’s a female in my life. She becomes a vulnerability. A liability. Another place danger could strike.
Brick chose this life. Allowing someone in to weaken everything he built. He’s not the razor-sharp shark I met in college. The one looking to take back everything the Adalwulfs took from him anymore.
But Madi has strengthened him, too. As a couple–as alpha and luna–they are more than the sum of two parts. Their strength is exponential. And he smiles now. He’s found a satisfaction that seemed out of reach to me.
But maybe it’s not.
“Feel better?” I ask.
“Yes.”
“Good. Come on, let’s shop.” I take her elbow and steer her toward a jewelry store.
“Really?” She peers up at me through thick lashes, a sensual curve to her lips. “You don’t strike me as the shopping type.”
“I’m not.”
“I’m more of a thrifter. I love to haunt the sales racks or flea markets. I can’t afford anything here.”
“You have the hundred grand you charged me.”
She throws me an impish smile. “True. But that money doesn’t even feel real. I was just pushing you to see where you’d push back. I never expected you to actually pay me that much.”
“You negotiated what it was worth to you. I paid what it was worth to me. Come here, let’s check this place out.” I lead her into a jewelry shop that I noted when I researched where we were going on the way over. “This place has lab-grown diamonds. No children dying in mines for their jewelry.”
Aubrey peers at me. “I can’t decide if you’re making fun of me.”
“Not at all. I know what’s important to you.” I look at the woman behind the desk, who greets us in French.
“Good afternoon. I would like to buy my girlfriend a diamond nose and navel ring. Do you have any?” I ask in French.
She beams at me. “We do. I have a wide selection. Look at these.” She pulls a tray of diamond studs out from a locked cabinet behind her.
Aubrey flicks a glance around with disinterest. I get it. She’s not impressed by money or expensive gifts.
“This is a pink diamond. It would look stunning on her.” The saleswoman still speaks in French.
“And there is a matching set with two diamonds for her belly. I will get them now.” She bends down to open another cabinet and produces another tray, this time with pairs of diamonds–one large, one small–set on curved studs.
I pick up the pink diamond nose stud and hand it to Aubrey.
She peers at it. “Oh!” She lifts her gaze to my face in surprise. “It’s a nose ring.”
“What, did you think I’d buy you a cheesy pendant or something, Silver? I pay attention. I know what you like.” I slide a mirror over to her. “Is this the one?”
“You’re buying me a gift.” She sounds stunned.
“Wow.” She holds the pink diamond up to her nostril.
“You do pay attention. It’s lovely. I…I love it.
” I can almost see the inner wrestling, and I celebrate the small victory of picking the right gift.
One she won’t reject out of her disdain for money.
One that reflects my respect for who she is, as she is.
“There’s a matching one for your navel.”
“Really? Thank you.” Her lips turn up at the corners as she gazes at me in surprise. “This is…unexpected. Very sweet–and generous.” She lifts her lips to kiss mine.
It takes all my control not to grab her and tongue-fuck that sassy mouth until she’s breathless. But I don’t do PDA.
“I didn’t think you were capable of sweet.”
“I’m not.” I make my voice extra dry. “But I’m allergic to silver.”
Understanding dawns on Aubrey’s face. “That’s why you always get red after we kiss!” She claps a hand over her mouth. “Oh my God, why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t want you to stop. I’ve accepted that you, Aubrey Cook, are my own personal kryptonite.”
Aubrey’s expression is warm as her lips turn up into a smug smile. “Love that.”
“Of course you do.”
“We’ll take these,” I tell the saleswoman, indicating the pink diamond nose ring and matching belly button ring. The larger stud on the navel ring is at least two carats, and it’s surrounded by a ring of tiny white diamonds.
“Excellent choice.” The saleswoman seamlessly changes to English. “Would you like to wear this out?”
Aubrey nods and slides her silver nose and belly button rings out as I pay the five thousand dollar bill as Aubrey puts the new jewelry on. “I love them, thank you.” She reaches for my face and pulls me down for a kiss.
I experience a moment of alarm. What am I doing? I’m acting like a boyfriend to Aubrey, which I’m not.
I can’t be. Things are spiraling out of my control. A sense of danger crawls up my spine. Life or death danger, but that doesn’t make sense.
My phone rings, and I whip it out.
“Billy, it’s Grayson. I stopped by Ms. Cook’s apartment, and it’s been trashed.
The lock was busted. Her neighbor says it must have happened yesterday.
She saw a guy coming out of her apartment, and she asked him if he was watching her place while she was in Monaco.
So he’s got a heads’ up on her location now. ”
Fuck.
That was the warning I had from my wolf. It wasn’t that giving Aubrey gifts was unsafe. It was about her safety.
Which I suddenly realize means everything to me.
I step outside, and she follows. “Okay, file a police report. See if you can catch a–” I stop myself before I say scent. “Any trace of who was there. And check the surrounding area. The place may be watched. If so, take them down and bring them in for me to deal with when I get back.”
“On it, boss.”
The warning prickle at the back of my neck doesn’t ease. I scan our surroundings, even though we’re 4000 miles away from Manhattan. My body’s in motion before I even register what I’ve seen.