Chapter 29 #2
“Aw, you like us,” Ciro crows.
“Don’t tell anyone,” I laugh, pushing open the gate. “How much I like you changes from hour to hour.”
“Nah, you definitely like us, Princess.”
“Ugh, why do you call me that?” I ask.
“Because even in jeans and a tank top, you look like royalty,” Dario mutters.
“They’re not wrong,” Rosa pipes up. “I’ve always thought that birds were going to fly over and sit beside you to sing for you.”
“You think I’m a Disney princess,” I giggle. “I have never thought of myself like that.”
“Where are you all headed?” Easton asks, his keys in his hand as he walks toward his car. We walk around it toward the sidewalk as we turn to speak to him.
“We’re going to walk to the street festival for dinner,” I explain. “I’m going stir crazy waiting for tomorrow to come. I need to move.”
“That’s fair,” Easton says, sighing. “I have to go into work. Have fun. Do you need anything?”
“No, but it looks like we’ll be moving into the new house soon,” Ciro explains.
“I think Pablo and I may be going into heat. It’s not an emergency, but we want to get things ready,” Rosa adds.
“Send me a list and we’ll get stuff ordered,” Easton suggests. “I’ll put it on your card. Nothing gives Silas more joy than to spend other people’s money. We’ll make sure it all gets into the house tomorrow.”
“You’re not coming tomorrow?” I ask. “Aren’t there still things to do?”
“Silas has an event coordinator keeping track of everything, and we will be there tomorrow. There’s a teenager who lives next door who needs extra money. He can handle deliveries,” Easton smirks. “He’ll mow your lawn too if you ask. Divide and conquer, Verona. It’s the best way to do things.”
“Okay then,” I say, relaxing slightly.
“I have a list started,” Dario admits. “I’ll send the finalized draft to him when we get back.”
“No rush. Have fun,” Easton says, getting into the car.
It’s not a long walk, but it helps to stretch my legs.
There’s music playing from a band set up on the street, and the police closed off the area so it’s safe to walk.
Slowly, the music helps me relax, and Rosa teases me into dancing with her.
The street is packed with people, and I notice Nico, Dario, and Ciro are careful to stay beside us.
“I am craving a Greek chicken gyro,” Rosa admits, seeing a food truck set up nearby.
“That sounds delicious,” I say, starting to feel loose and happy. Too much stress turns me into someone I dislike to be around. “I’ll walk with you, Rosa.”
“I’ll go with you,” Nico says easily. “Ciro wants tacos, and Pablo and Dario are going with him. Plus, I want to watch you two walk ahead of me.”
“To stare at our asses or for safety reasons?” I tease him as our pack splits up.
“Definitely to stare at your asses. I am really enjoying the jeans,” Nico rumbles. “Wear whatever the fuck your want, I’m realizing I love all of it. For a man who lived for dick, I’m realizing pretty curves full of sass aren’t too bad either.”
“Is that how you see us?” I laugh.
“What are the odds that Renzo is walking funny today after the way you ground your heel into his foot, Verona?”
“Very high,” I state. “He was so angry. We are definitely getting to him.”
When I got home from the luncheon, I told them what happened. It feels as if we’re on the edge of something big. However, Nico mentioned to me that the eve of the charity event is sure to be giving all of us jitters. It has to go through perfectly.
Rosa and I dance together while we’re in line, and Nico steals us one at a time to dance as we get closer to the front. The alpha has moves, I have to admit that. I feel flushed and happy as I order my food, and we chat as we wait for our number to be called.
The sun makes its descent known in a beautiful sunset, and I sigh as I watch it. There were times when I worried I wouldn’t see another sun rise or set while I lived on the streets. Now, I’m mostly safe, and definitely loved.
“There’s our number,” Nico murmurs, kissing Rosa and I on our foreheads. I blush, never thinking I’d be one who enjoyed a forehead kiss. “Don’t move, please.”
His long strides pull him into the crowd as we stand on the other side of the street near the sidewalk, and Rosa tugs me closer.
“He’s not so bad,” she teases.
“I don’t know if I should be falling for your alpha,” I mumble.
“Ha! There’s no ‘my’ here,” she giggles. “I watched porn yesterday…”
“When?” I ask, eyes wide. I don’t care if she watches it, I’m simply surprised.
“I thought I was tired yesterday, and was going to take a nap. Remember? Nico closed the door, and the second I closed my eyes, sleep escaped me. I have been worried about my heat, and I found a channel for a heat clinic. They live stream the person’s heat, and everything is consensual.
For every view, the group having sex gets paid,” she explains. “I was curious…”
“I don’t think there’s any issue with that. There’s power in having that knowledge, Rosa.”
“Okay good. I don’t know why I was worried you’d judge me for it. You’ve never judged me for anything,” she sighs. “It’s just…”
“Yes,” I drawl, my attention on her.
“There’s a lot of touching during a heat. Hands are going everywhere, and then there’s alpha ruts,” she says.
“And?” I ask. “I’m not going to go into a rut. I’ll make sure the knuckleheads don’t lose control.”
“Will you be alright with people other than Nico, Pablo, and I touching you?” she asks quickly. “I’m including Nico because you like his butt.”
“The man is hot and he knows it,” I admit. “I’m starting to soften with all of them, and I’m not as angry as I was before over how they treated you. They’re changing.”
“Nico is their North Star,” Rosa mutters. “They follow him, and they didn’t know anything about me before the wedding. I was a means to an end, Vero. I’m trying to see it from their end of things. They live to make sure we’re happy and safe now. I want to see where things go.”
“I do too. I think—”
A hand rests on the small of my back, and Rosa stiffens as someone touches her as well.
“Hey. Blink twice if you need to get out of here,” a woman with a throaty voice says. “You don’t have to see where anything goes if you don’t want to. I can make you disappear.”
What the fuck?
“Who the fuck are you?” I ask, twisting around to see the person speaking to us.
And why would I want to disappear on my pack? Oh…I guess I just answered Rosa’s concerns. I’ve been calling them mine in my head for longer than I care to admit.
I’ve made my choice.