Chapter 25 #2
“Oh, her husband is cheating on her with his secretary, and her dress is two sizes too small tonight. She’s also stealing from his company to be able to afford all the clothes she buys,” Silas says snidely.
“I can also work into conversation how her husband looks as if he’s already three sheets to the wind tonight because he can’t stand her.
She’ll be a laughingstock that can be easily removed from her little pedestal.
The only reason it hasn’t happened yet is because people enjoy her snide comments. ”
“Once people know she’s not innocent, no one will feel bad about her husband’s behavior,” I add. “It’s genius. Thank you.”
Pack Mayor leaves us to complete their underhanded task, and I feel a little better knowing that Winter will be able to work at the boutique without people touching her.
I’ll kill her as soon as her fall from grace happens and she won’t be missed. Her husband will be free to marry or fuck his newest side piece if his wife’s actions don’t land him in prison, and everyone wins.
I love our friends.
Cassidy’s parents accost us before we can move, and I have to force myself not to call them by their first names. When am I old enough to call my elders the names their parents gave them?
In the South, the answer to this is never.
“I see you brought your ragtag pack, Cassidy,” Marlene says with a smile that doesn’t show her teeth. “I don’t understand why you insist on never going anywhere alone.”
Because the last time she did, she got raped!
Taking a deep breath, I decide to choose violence because she did first. Fuck polite society.
“Mrs. Ainsworth, we all know that my ancestors would be rolling in their graves at being called ‘ragtag’,” I say. “I should tell my grandmother about this so she can tell my grandfather when she goes to visit his grave. You know she sees him every week without fail.”
“The woman is in her nineties, and certainly shouldn’t be prowling through the graveyard,” Marlene hisses at me.
“What my dear wife means,” her husband says, “is that we send your family our regards. Cassidy, it’s been much too long since we’ve seen each other. How are you?”
“I’m fine,” she says with a shrug. “Our omegas are here with the rest of our pack. It’s been a busy few weeks, but I can’t complain.”
“Omegas?” Marlene asks.
Barrett Ainsworth ignores his wife, and continues the conversation without her, making my lips twitch in amusement. I think he gives Marlene too much leeway when he needs to remind her that Cassidy is their daughter and perfect. If we ever have children, they’ll be spoiled with love and affection.
Oh wait, you can’t spoil children by loving them, and Marlene took the ability to have children away from her daughter with her selfishness.
Cassidy squeezes my arm hard to bring me back from daydreaming about killing them both. She deserved better from her parents. Hell, she deserves the world.
“Why won’t anyone talk to me,” Marlene complains.
“Congratulations on finding your scent matches,” Mr. Ainsworth says, never missing a beat. “Let’s find you champagne, dear. You look parched.”
Cassidy waits until they’re out of ear shot before she sighs.
“My mother is going to make a big deal about how old Bellamy and Winter are. I just know it,” she mutters.
“Can I zap her?” I ask, showing her the taser in my pocket. Bellamy has one as well, and Winter has a knife in her handbag. I refuse to play it safe.
“Only if she’s a really big dick,” Cassidy says. “We can blame it on a stress induced seizure.”
“Bet,” I reply, looking for our pack as we walk. “There’s Bellamy with Abbott… Where are Ansel and Winter?”
“Restroom maybe?” she asks. “Let’s go ask.”
We rejoin our pack, and Abbott notices our unasked question.
“Winter went to the restroom. Ansel is waiting outside of the door for her,” he explains. “We only have to be here for a little longer before we can go home.”
“Can we come back when it’s less crowded?” Bellamy asks, his eyes taking in all the beautiful art.
“I’ll rent out the place for your birthday,” Abbott says immediately. “Does that work?”
Bellamy stares at him without blinking for a long moment before shaking his head. “You can’t say things like that so nonchalantly. You almost fucking broke me.”
“Abbott enjoys his low key grand gestures,” I say with a grin. “Maximum impact while appearing to be no big deal.”
“It’s a huge deal,” Bellamy growls, his hand grabbing Abbott behind his head before pulling him closer to kiss him.
“You’re welcome,” Abbott murmurs, drawing the kiss into something filthier with lots of tongue.
“I’m going to check on Winter,” Cassidy chuckles. “Try not to scandalize anyone.”
Bellamy pouts in her direction. “They’re very straightlaced here.”
“Trust me, I know,” she sighs. “I just saw my mother. Please avoid her at all costs.”
“Sounds like I should hide him so I can keep kissing him,” Abbott says.
“Ya know, I’ll greenlight this because it’s tradition to get into trouble at these things,” Cassidy says with a grin.
Bellamy grabs Abbott’s hand and pulls him further into the museum in search of a dark corner while I glance at Cass.
“I just want to make sure she’s okay, and then you can spend some time showing me how good you can be,” she says with a grin.
“Yes, please!”
Cassidy’s laughter makes people glance in our direction, but I couldn’t care less.
WINTER
I’m fiddling with a pin and annoyed that it won’t slide back into place. My hair is pulled back into a sleek chignon, and while I really don’t want to fuck it up, the damn pin is currently bothering my scalp.
“Having trouble?”
A woman with long dark hair beside me dries her hands as she glances at me. She’s left her hair to curl down her back, and she’s wearing a deep burgundy gown. Her shoulders are thin, but they’re pulled back and she seems confident as she gives me a polite smile.
We’re the only ones in the bathroom right now, so I sigh with a nod.
“I can’t fix this pin, and it’s currently stabbing me,” I confess. “Can you help me?”
This bathroom has a sitting area and she motions to it since she’s a lot shorter than I am. Our heels click on the tiles, and I sit down so she can fiddle with my hair.
“I can’t wear these cute styles,” she says under her breath as she repositions the pin. “My hair is just too thick.”
“You have all these pretty curls,” I retort. “I guess it's true that we can admire what we don’t have, right? We’re like night and day with differences in our features, but both are pretty.”
“And you’re so nice,” the girl adds. “I had a feeling all girls were catty.”
“Then you’re hanging out with the wrong girls,” I tease her. “I’m Winter.”
“Does this feel better?” she asks. “I’m Avery. I’m new to town. I’m visiting a business associate. My mother left me her company, and now I’m trying to figure it all out.”
“This is so much better,” I say happily. “You seem so young to run a company, Avery.”
“I’m twenty,” she says with a proud smile. “It’s a lot of work, but when she died, she also left me her contacts. You should be good to go now. I’ll see you around, Winter.”
She slips out the door as I stand. Well, she seemed nice. Turning my back to the mirror, I check my hair as Cassidy walks into the bathroom.
“Hey,” I say with a smile.
“Ansel was about to come in here himself,” she says with a grin.
“I’m sure people would love that,” I say, scrunching my nose. “One of my pins was stabbing me. It’s fixed now.”
“Good.”
Cassidy walks me back toward the chair I was just sitting in until we both tumble into it with a giggle.
“Already missing me?” I ask, hiking up my skirt until I’m straddling her lap.
“Always,” she says, smirking as she kisses me. “I saw my parents just now. My mother was unpleasant as usual.”
“Do I have to behave?” I ask her. “I’m sure there’s a lot I can do to make her vastly uncomfortable.”
“Devious. I kind of like it.”
“Cassidy, why do women take forever in here—”
Ansel’s outburst announces his entrance, and Shiloh hides his smile as he sees me.
I can feel myself beginning to get wet and I whimper before realizing it’s only partly my body.
“Where’s Bellamy?” I ask.
“You smell good,” Ansel groans, inhaling deeply.
“He’s making out with Abbott,” Cassidy says unapologetically.
“Good, but he’s making me turned on,” I say, shivering as I feel goosebumps rising on my skin.
“We can’t have that,” Shiloh teases, locking the door to keep people out.
“I was promised an orgasm,” Cassidy says primly. “I think these chairs are the perfect place for one. Want to join me, Winter?”
“I…ah, yes?”
“You’re so prim and proper sometimes, Precious,” Shiloh teases her. His cheek rubs against mine as he hugs me, and I moan as my nipples begin to pebble. “I bet sex is very interesting for you two, isn’t it, Winter?”
“Everything is heightened because of the soul bond,” I admit. “I dreamed about orgasms when Bellamy was with Ansel.”
“Did you?” Ansel asks, pushing his dark hair back with his fingers.
He leans against the wall to discuss this with me, his tattoos completely hidden by his tux. His tan skin looks good against the white of his starched shirt as he grins at me, completely unrepentant that I also came in my dreams.
“We know your heat will appear in its own sweet time. I don’t want either of you to be worried about it when it happens.
Consent is still required. That’s how things started when I found Bellamy in the middle of the night, and when he bit me, he worried he’d crossed a line.
We’re all going along with your flow, not ours. ”
“Accidental bite or not, we’re yours,” Cassidy adds sweetly. “Now, I think our alphas should help us work off some of this sexual tension since it’s all Abbott’s fault. You can join in on pack tradition.”
“Tradition?!” I squeal as Shiloh picks me up.
“Orgasms at the boring charity events,” Ansel smirks, straightening as he prowls in my direction.