Chapter 14 #2
My cock throbs, and I shift in my seat. Hell, not now.
But my brain is already painting pictures: Cindy spread out on this fancy table, dress pushed up, me between her thighs making her forget every single person here exists.
Making her scream my name loud enough that her mother would have an actual heart attack.
“Luke?” Cindy’s voice breaks through my fantasy.
“Hmm?”
“Mother asked you a question.”
Shit. “Sorry, I was distracted by how beautiful you look tonight.”
Smooth save, if I do say so myself.
Arrow returns to check on everyone, moving around the table with the kind of grace that comes from years of dealing with difficult customers. When he reaches Victoria, she practically lights up.
“The food is absolutely divine,” she gushes, and it’s the first genuine thing I’ve heard from her all night. “Actually, I wanted to ask. Do you ever host weddings?”
Arrow pauses, scratching his chin.
She gestures to the far end of the table where a nervous-looking couple sits. The guy, Trevor, I think, next to a tiny blonde Omega who has barely said a word all night, appears to be trying to become invisible.
“Trevor and Monica are getting married,” Victoria continues. “They wanted a Halloween wedding, very last minute, I’m afraid.”
“We don’t usually—” Arrow starts.
“But surely for family?” Victoria’s voice has that edge that means she’s not really asking. “It would be small, intimate. Nothing you couldn’t handle.”
Arrow looks at me, and I can read the “What the fuck?” in his eyes perfectly.
“As long as it’s small,” he says finally, probably because he knows Cindy needs this to go well. “I don’t see why not.”
Victoria claps her hands. Actually fucking claps like she’s five years old.
“Wonderful!” Then she turns to me, and every instinct I have starts screaming Danger! “Luke, dear.”
Nothing good ever starts with that.
“You wouldn’t mind hosting a small wedding at your huge mansion, would you? Arrow can serve the food at your place too.”
I blink. “What?”
“Well, it’s such short notice with Halloween about two weeks away, and you just finished telling us how spacious your home is.”
The table is watching us again. This is a test. A trap. She wants me to admit I don’t have a mansion, or refuse and look like an asshole.
“That’s really short notice, Mother,” Cindy says quickly. “I don’t think?—”
“Oh, sweetheart, anything’s possible if you put your mind to it.” Victoria’s smile is as sharp as glass. “Right, Luke? Such a good way to be welcomed into the family, by helping us.”
She’s got me boxed in neat as you please. Say no, and I’m the asshole who won’t help family. Say yes, and I’ve got two weeks to open the home I live in with Arrow and Holt to them.
“But you don’t have time to arrange a wedding,” I say, buying time. “Living so far away?—”
“Well, then it just means I’ll have to stay in town until the wedding.” Her smile widens. “Get everything arranged with a few of our family members. It’s the least I can do.”
Cindy goes rigid beside me. Her mother, staying in town until Halloween. Planning a wedding. Being around constantly.
I glance at Arrow, who shrugs and gives me a tiny nod.
For Cindy, I think, and squeeze her hand.
“I don’t think it’ll be a big ask,” I say finally. “We can help them out.”
Cindy’s head whips toward me, eyes wide.
“Didn’t we have something that weekend?” she asks, jaw clenched so tight I’m worried she’ll crack a tooth.
“Oh, sweetheart,” Victoria coos. “Surely nothing’s more important than family.”
Cindy stares at me, and there’s something desperate in her eyes. But also… trust? Maybe? She gives the tiniest nod.
“Yes,” I say, sealing our fate. “We’re happy to host a small wedding.”
Cindy’s eyes widen even more, and she exhales so loudly that everyone hears it. Her whole body is tense against mine, vibrating with the need to run or fight, or both.
“How wonderful!” Victoria claps again. “Trevor, Monica, isn’t that generous?”
Trevor looks like he wants to die. Monica hasn’t moved. Might actually be frozen in place.
“Super generous,” Trevor manages.
“We’ll start planning tomorrow,” Victoria announces. “I’ll need to see the house soon, of course.”
“Of course,” I echo, already mentally exhausted from these games.
“And, Cynthia, you’ll help. It’ll be such good practice for your own wedding.”
“My own—” Cindy starts.
“When the time comes, naturally.” Victoria’s smile could cut diamond. “Though, at your age, one shouldn’t wait too long. You need to act while your heat is active. And eggs don’t last forever.”
“Mother!”
“What? It’s biology, sweetheart.”
Cindy is shifting in her seat, looking ready to explode. Her hand in mine is shaking, and there’s a flush creeping up her neck that means she’s about to say something that’ll make this worse.
“More wine?” I ask the table at large. “I think we need more wine.”
“Excellent idea,” Arrow adds after standing there in silence. “I’ll have someone bring more bottles.”
Holt appears with wine, because of course he does. As he pours, he manages to spill just a tiny bit on my shoulder.
“Oops,” he says again.
“You’re having a rough night,” I observe. “Maybe you should take a break.”
“I’m fine,” he declares, staring at me with his one good eye. “Just getting warmed up.”
“Boys,” Cindy says, warning in her voice.
We both look at her and then at each other. There’s a moment where I genuinely consider punching him right here at this fancy table in front of her whole family. It would almost be worth it.
“Another excellent course,” Victoria announces, pulling attention back to herself. “Though I do wonder about the portion sizes. In my day, we didn’t need seven courses to feel satisfied.”
“Different times,” I say. “Now people want the experience, not just the food.”
“Hmm.” She makes it sound like I’ve said something stupid.
The next course arrives. It’s some kind of fish with a sauce that probably has a French name I can’t pronounce.
The rest of dinner is more of the same. Subtle insults disguised as questions. Judgments wrapped in concern. Holt bumping into me every time he passes. At one point, he actually drops a fork on my foot. The tines first, because of course.
But I handle it all with a smile. Because that’s what you do for the people you care about.
“Dessert!” Arrow announces, and I’ve never been happier to hear that word in my life. “Chocolate lava cake with vanilla bean ice cream and raspberry coulis.”
“How decadent,” Victoria observes.
“How delicious,” I counter, already digging in.
It is divine. Rich and warm and exactly what I need to get through the rest of this nightmare.
“So, about the wedding,” Victoria starts, because apparently we’re not done with that particular torture.
“What about it?” Cindy asks, voice flat.
“We’ll need to coordinate. Colors, flowers, food.”
“It’s Trevor and Monica’s wedding,” Cindy points out.
“Yes, but they’re young. They need guidance.”
Monica looks like she wants to say something but doesn’t. Trevor just stares at his dessert.
“I’m sure they have their own ideas, especially if they want it Halloween themed,” I say.
“Do you?” Victoria asks them directly.
“We… we thought black and orange,” Monica whispers. “Halloween decorations.”
“How… festive.” Victoria’s tone suggests she’d rather die. “We’ll work on that.”
“But—” Monica starts.
“Trust me, dear. You’ll thank me later.”
Monica shrinks back into her chair. Cindy’s hand tightens on mine.
“Let them have what they want,” Cindy says. “It’s their wedding.”
“And they want my help,” Victoria says smoothly. “Don’t you?”
Monica nods, but it looks forced. Trevor doesn’t even respond.
“See? Everyone’s happy.”
No one looks happy. Except maybe Sarah, who’s probably already planning how to gossip about tonight to everyone she knows.
“Well,” I say, standing and pulling Cindy up with me. “This has been lovely, but we should get going.”
“Already?” Victoria frowns. “But we’ve barely caught up.”
“Work tomorrow,” I lie. “Early morning.”
“On Sunday?”
“Security never sleeps.”
“How inconvenient.”
“How profitable.”
She stands too, and suddenly everyone’s getting up, that awkward dance of goodbye hugs nobody wants.
Victoria air-kisses Cindy again, then turns to me.
“It was… interesting meeting you, Luke.”
“Likewise.”
“Take care of my daughter.”
“Always.”
“We’ll see.”
The threat is subtle but clear. She’s not done with us. Not even close.
We make our rounds, saying goodbye, which takes forever because rich people apparently need to air-kiss and make false promises about getting together soon with every single person individually.
Aunt Beatrice actually pats my cheek like I’m five, telling me I’m rough around the edges but moldable. I resist the urge to bite her fingers.
Finally, fucking finally, we’re turning to leave. I can see the exit, freedom just twenty feet away. My hand finds Cindy’s lower back, guiding her toward salvation.
“Cynthia, sweetheart,” her mother calls.
We both freeze.
“Do you have a moment, please?” She’s already walking out of the marquee and into the restaurant toward a hallway that’s away from the main dining room.
Cindy turns to follow, and I move inside the restaurant with her, but Victoria stops at the hallway entrance, one perfectly manicured hand raised.
“Just my daughter and me, if you don’t mind.”
She says it like it’s a request, but her eyes make it clear that it’s not. This is a dismissal. A power play. A reminder that no matter what happened at dinner, Cindy is still her daughter first, my girlfriend second.
Cindy stares at me, and there’s something desperate in her eyes. But also resignation. She knows this dance.
“I’ll be right back,” she says quietly.
I want to say no. Want to tell Victoria to fuck off, that Cindy doesn’t have to go anywhere she doesn’t want to. But this isn’t my fight. Not yet.
“I’ll be right here,” I tell Cindy, making sure Victoria hears the promise in it.
Her smile is all ice. “This won’t take long.”
She turns and walks down the hallway, clearly expecting Cindy to follow. And after a moment, Cindy does, shooting me one last look over her shoulder before disappearing around the corner.
Sometimes the hardest thing to do is nothing at all.