35. Zane
35
ZANE
I adjust the collar of my black shirt and lift my chin, for once not caring about the scar across my throat.
I’ve found a woman who loves me, and who doesn’t care about my lack of a voice. If anything, I’d say she loves me even more because of it.
The ink crawling up my neck looks good against the dark material, and my skin is tan. I’ll never be classically handsome like Saint and Lex, but I’ve scrubbed up well tonight, if I say so myself.
The party we’re throwing for Vani starts shortly. I can’t wait to see her. I love her normal style of jeans or casual dresses, but Saint gave her his card and told her to dress up for the occasion. The idea of her in a gorgeous dress makes me hurry. I’ll tell her she looks beautiful, and hope she remembers the sign from when I was with her at the MC.
I’ve been teaching her more sign language, and she’s adapting to it beautifully. My heart swells with pride every time we communicate using our hands, but the sign we use the most often is the one for love. I tell her often. I’ve never said it to a woman before, and it feels amazing that I can say it to this beautiful, sensual woman.
I splash on some aftershave, and with a last glance at myself, turn and head out of the door. We had thought about renting the college bar for the party, but there would have still been security on the door deciding who could and couldn’t enter, and who could drink, so we’re having it at the mansion. We spent all day decorating the place. Saint drove to town and bought balloons, ribbons, all sorts of fancy shit. Lex and I got the food and booze. There’s a deli in town, and they were able to provide us with some finger food. We’ve got boxes of wine, because we don’t want any bottles getting smashed or being used if a fight breaks out, which is always a risk in this place.
There are plastic cups, paper plates, and there’s even a cake. Lex sweet talked the woman who owns the bakery in town into making a cake for us that day. It says Will You Be Ours on it, and inside she’s placed the rings.
Nerves break out in my stomach. We’re going to be asking something huge of Vani tonight, and if she says no, I’m not sure how any of us will cope.
As I approach the mansion, through the gloom of the early evening, I pause and take a moment to admire the house. Saint has fairy lights strung up outside, and I must admit it looks great. I step over the threshold and grin. The inside is even better. Damn, Saint could be an interior designer if the mafia life doesn’t work out for him.
The room is transformed. Fairy lights are strung over the fireplace and in the empty hearth. Battery operated candles flicker all around the room, casting it in a golden glow. Streamers in gold and silver hang from the ceiling, and best of all, the far wall is a glowing pattern of stars and swirling galaxies. I glance behind me to see a projector on the dresser.
Fancy , I think. I head over to Saint and sign, You did good.
He grins at me. “Think she’ll like it?”
She will love it , I reply.
“Hey, one of you, can you help me with the beer kegs?” Lex shouts from outside. “They’re heavy.”
I go and help him carry them in, and then because I’m fucking nervous, I pour myself a glass of wine from one of the boxes. I take a swig and grimace. Ugh, box wine is not the best.
“The Devils are coming to the party,” Lex tells me as we do the second beer run. “Mackenzie is bringing Vani. She took her shopping today, so I guess if they’re friends…”
I sigh and shrug. I can’t imagine being besties with the Devils. Those guys are fucking dicks, but I can be civil, for Vani.
Slowly, the house starts to fill up. There are students we know, and a few faces that aren’t familiar. We kept the invites to those we wanted here, but there are always going to be people crashing the party. So long as they don’t cause any trouble, that’s fine. The worst that might happen is a fistfight or two. We’re still on college grounds, so anything worse will be met with harsh justice.
Although, that never happened to Angelica and Jarena, at least not until we got involved. Not for the first time, I wonder if they got away with it because they were female. None of us suspected them because girls in our world aren’t supposed to behave that way, plus the dean could have assumed it was an accident that needed to be covered up. It’s a pretty dangerous blind spot to have, and I resolve to tell Dom that he needs to make sure women aren’t allowed to get away with literal murder in this place.
Speak of the Devils, two of the men who make up the gang with that nickname enter the house. They pause at the threshold as if scared they’ll turn into a pillar of salt the minute they set foot inside.
Saint sees them and walks over with a wide, but fake as fuck smile on his face. “Gentlemen, welcome. I understand your lady friend is with our lady friend? And will be accompanying her here, non ?”
“Mack is with Ivani, yes,” Dom says. “Tino will walk them over and make sure they’re safe.”
Kirill walks in, pushing past Saint, and plucks an olive from a bowl, popping it in his mouth. “Nice,” he drawls. He looks around. “I like what you’ve done with the place, very … cozy.”
Saint’s jaw tenses, and I grab his arm, signing to leave it. The last thing we need is to start the evening off with a fight with the Devils. This is for Vani, and we need to remember that.
Saint sighs as I stare at him, and then he nods. He understands what I’m trying to get across.
People drift in and out, and I glance at my watch. She’s officially late now. I’m getting so fucking nervous.
Soon, the party is in full swing. Music is playing, and people are drinking, though most are standing around chatting, as no one is remotely drunk yet. Kirill isn’t, though. He’s in the middle of the room, dancing, by himself. At six-four, he’s as tall as Zane, but not quite as broad. He’s from some scary Russian family, but everyone knows he had some seriously fucked up Daddy issues. Not that anyone would dare mention it, at least not to his face. The guy’s a crazy fucker, but he is a good dancer.
“If you ever need to earn some extra money, you’d make a great male stripper,” Saint calls.
Kirill just winks at him and grinds his hips. Saint growls under his breath but says nothing else because I squeeze his arm. Not tonight. Tomorrow night he can go hunt down Kirill and fight him if he really wants to. Tonight, we’ll be perfect gents, for Vani. If she arrives to blood flying, she’ll be so fucking disappointed in us.
The track changes again, and Kirill finally stops his one man show and goes to get a cup of beer. There’s a murmur, and eyes turn to the door. My neck prickles with awareness, and I turn around.
My breath catches in my throat.
“ Sacre enfer ,” Lex whispers.
Holy hell, indeed. Standing in the doorway is Mackenzie, and next to her, looking like a fucking goddess, is Vani.
She’s wearing an emerald dress, and it hugs her curves in the best way. Her heels are high, and when she steps forward, the dress splits to reveal a criminal amount of leg.
My mouth runs dry, and I realize I’m fucking hard. Just from watching her walk into the room. Her hips sway with each step, and her cleavage bounces just a little in the dress.
She’s regal, but also insanely sexy. Like a real-life Jessica Rabbit. The necklace around her throat shines in the light, the end of the pendant dipping into the valley between her magnificent breasts.
My heart stutters as I watch her walk through the crowd. It parts for her as if she’s a fucking queen, and right now, in this moment, she is.
“So beautiful,” Dom says from beside me.
My hands bunch into fists, but when I look at him, all my vows to be good floating away, I see he’s staring at Mackenzie.
She’s wearing a long, dark red dress, and she does look beautiful, I suppose, but she can’t hold a candle to Vani. Not so far as I’m concerned.
I realize Vani has something over her wrist and frown to myself. Has she hurt herself?
She walks right up to us and turns to Saint, her soft smile heartbreakingly pretty. “I bet you’re the one who made this place look so magical.”
He grins and dips his head. Is he … blushing? I’ve never seen Saint like this. What the fuck kind of magic did she weave around him when they made up?
“It’s so pretty. Like a magical castle for a fairytale princess.” Her face is alive with happiness, and I love to see it.
“We all did it,” Saint says. “Lex and Zane, too, and they got the food.” He sweeps his arm out to indicate the table.
She turns to me and then Lex. “You’re all amazing. This is so cool. I haven’t been to many parties.”
“Then we’ll have one for you every month,” Lex says seriously.
She giggles. “Maybe once a quarter? I think I’d get partied out if we were doing it monthly.”
I’m itching to touch her, so I slide my hand around her waist and pull her in to kiss her cheek.
A murmur runs through the room, and I know there will be people assuming now that we’re an item. They wouldn’t be wrong, but we’re not the only part of the puzzle.
“Dance with me, cherie ?” Saint asks as a slow number comes on.
She nods, and he takes her hand, leading her to the makeshift dance space in the middle of the room.
He’s wearing a silk shirt, a dark jacket, and pants, and the pair of them together look like they should be on the red carpet at the movies.
They move around the dance floor, and I can see people talking, watching, some puzzled. Should we make the announcement? I sign to ask Lex.
He grins. “Let’s fuck with their heads a bit first.”
He joins his twin and Vani on the dance floor, and stands behind her, his hands on her hips, and they move together with her between them. The chatter increases, a low hum underneath the music.
“They like causing a stir almost as much as I do.”
I glance to my side to see Tino grinning at the display.
I shrug because I don’t want to try to converse with the guy. It’s hard for me to communicate with people, so I save it for those I really want to talk to.
My dick is pulsing in my pants as I watch Lex’s hands slide over Vani’s ass, brushing over his twins as they both hold her. Later, we’re going to end up ripping that pretty dress off her, I’m sure.
The song ends, and she slips out from between the twins and turns to me. Her cheeks are flushed, and she glances at the people in the room. Most have stopped watching the show now, though. Some are dancing; others are flirting. A group are in the kitchen, doing shots, and I glance at Saint and Lex.
They both nod.
It’s time.
Time to make this gorgeous creature ours.