Chapter 14
Chapter fourteen
Bianca
“Surely it’s not sustainable for the three of you to be with me constantly,” Bianca said incredulously.
She wasn’t sure why she’d never thought about it before, but since they’d become her bodyguards, at least one member of Pack King was with her at all times.
“You clearly don’t have lives outside of work, and you’re certainly never home.
How can you grow your business if you’re all tied up with this job? ”
Dante looked up from his computer and smirked at her. Bianca’s toes curled inside her slippers. Now that she knew how well he could back up those scorching looks, she was even more helpless to control her body’s reactions to him.
The suave bastard knew it, too. He sat back in his chair and gave her a slow once over that made her stomach flutter. Bianca tried to look annoyed.
“Why do we need lives outside of work when you’ve made work so much more fun?” he asked, dark eyes lingering on her lips. “If you’re tired of us, just say so, snake lady.”
Bianca’s core clenched. Dante Walker knew damn well that she couldn’t seem to get enough of them.
In the three weeks since their arrangement had begun, Pack King had been true to their word, taking her whenever and however they wanted, and making her come until she saw stars.
It was convenient Pack Willoughby had left when they did, since Bianca couldn’t imagine feigning interest in them while dripping with Pack King’s cum, as she always seemed to be doing lately.
Luckily, she had a few more months to get this out of her system.
The thought made her even less willing to waste the time she had left.
“This is stupid,” Bianca replied, rolling her eyes.
“I can do nothing all day at your place just as well as mine. You’re taking today off, and I’ll spend it at yours since I know you won’t agree to this otherwise.
I’ll entertain myself and invade your privacy for a change.
It’ll amuse me to see what you call home.
And when I get too bored with your probably disgusting bachelor pad, I’ll invite Callum over to entertain me and join me in judging you. ”
“Our business is doing just fine, and your spider isn’t working today. You want him to have to come to the office on a weekend just so I can have some work-life balance? That doesn’t seem fair,” Dante teased, but he was already shutting down his laptop. “You better text King first.”
Bianca smiled triumphantly, pulling out her phone. “Callum won’t mind, and neither will King. I’ll be ready in fifteen minutes.”
The industrial office building Pack King called home was a perfectly serviceable modern structure in an up-and-coming area, far enough from downtown to boast greener views, while still being an easy distance to all the action.
Bianca listened attentively while Dante laid out their plans for additional renovations to the basement and first floor, countering his ideas with her own, surprised when he nodded thoughtfully and agreed with several of her suggestions.
Aside from the bottom floors, he gave her a brief look at a floor of nondescript offices, then took her upstairs.
Bianca liked that the pack had claimed the top story for their packhouse.
It felt familiar, like her penthouse, even if it was only the sixth floor.
She doubted they could’ve afforded such a spacious home in the city if they hadn’t decided to live in the same location as their business.
The packhouse was full of natural light, thanks to the walls of windows and high ceilings, and had plenty of room for the pack to grow.
(Bianca didn’t know why she’d thought about that.) The whole place was surprisingly neat and orderly, with some beautiful handmade pieces of furniture that must’ve cost a fortune.
It could use more art and some soft touches, but overall, Bianca was impressed.
The pack bedroom was another surprise. The entire back end of the floor had been converted into a primary suite, complete with huge walk-in closets and an expansive bathroom.
The bedroom itself was big and bright, and Bianca’s omega instincts might’ve thought it was too open, until Dante showed her how the massive bed converted into a cozy nest. Hidden wooden panels slid from the bedframe and snapped into place, forming a low wall with attachments for pillow cushions.
The bed’s huge posts concealed rigs for curtains that could completely enclose it.
“Van built it,” Dante told her proudly. “When he was rehabbing from his neck injury, he really got into woodworking. He learned a bunch from his dad growing up but found his true talent for it when he suddenly had all that time on his hands. He made most of our furniture. I gave him shit for making the bed omega-friendly, but I guess he was right for once.”
Bianca’s heart stuttered in her chest, but she kept her voice dry.
“Even a broken clock is right twice a day. It is beautiful craftsmanship, though. He could sell his work. You said the entire fifth floor is reserved for your business, so surely there’s space for a showroom.
With proper soundproofing, he could have a workshop right there as well. ”
Bianca’s mind was already spinning with the possibilities.
Private sales, by appointment, of course.
With her connections, he’d never keep up with the demand, and the exclusivity of the work would drive up the price.
Hadn’t she just been talking to Dawn and Alicia about bespoke nests?
The bed design alone would be enough to launch his shop.
“I can see your wheels turning. You’ve already drafted an entire business plan, haven’t you?” Dante smiled at her, and it didn’t contain any of his usual teasing. He seemed genuinely awed. “You could take over the damn world if you put your mind to it.”
Bianca blushed and turned away. “It’s just common sense. You’re up and coming businessmen, so having multiple revenue streams is smart. And if he enjoys doing it, why not get paid for it? With the right clientele, he’d be able to make what he wants, when he wants, and charge what he pleases.”
Dante was still smiling at her. “We’ve got to get you on the payroll. Come on, let’s go see King.”
Bianca tried to tamp down the pride she felt at his praise.
This was how her brain had always worked but she’d never had many opportunities to share her thoughts with others.
Neither her acquaintances nor her family cared about her ideas and opinions.
She was expected to look pretty and say charming things, to be able to converse about the arts and to validate the authenticity of a diamond from across a room.
She was supposed to leave the rest to the alphas.
It had been so long since someone had listened to her that she’d forgotten her own voice.
The thought pissed her off. She’d spent so much time repenting for her past mistakes by silencing herself, doubting her judgement, being extra careful.
Would she be able to go back to that version of herself when this little romp was over?
Would she to be able to keep up the facade for however many years it took Pack Willoughby to make her a widow?
What was more important to her? Her comfort or her identity?
Bianca worried silently while Dante showed her the fifth floor.
There was, indeed, plenty of room for Daniel to have a workshop and showroom at one end.
She could tell Dante was excited about the idea, if only to do something kind for his packmate.
Bianca enjoyed analyzing their dynamic, seeing how the three alphas of Pack King fit together.
She wasn’t sure she’d ever seen such a pleasant example of a committed relationship.
They genuinely seemed to enjoy each other’s company and were obviously quite physically compatible.
They could probably be happy forever without an omega.
“That’s Teresa’s office over there, and you can probably guess whose office this is,” Dante said, flipping on a light to reveal a room with a blue-green accent wall, most of it taken up by a ladder bookshelf and a large painting of vibrant butterflies and delicate plum blossoms.
Bianca couldn’t help but laugh. “Hasn’t he been working here for two weeks, and only part-time? When did he have time to paint?”
Dante shook his head ruefully. “He refused to start until we let him decorate. Said he couldn’t possibly work in a ‘taupe dungeon’.”
Bianca snorted. “That entire back wall is a window. This is far from a dungeon.”
“I didn’t argue with him, since he didn’t rope me into helping.” Dante shrugged, placing a hand on the small of her back and guiding her farther down the hall. “I think Van ended up doing most of the painting.”
Bianca shivered at the casual touch. She hadn’t gotten used to being touched so often, and she loved and hated the feeling. It turned her on and soothed her in turns but also made something ache in her chest. She tried not to think about it.
“And here with the corner office, is our fearless pack leader,” Dante said, leading her into a cloud of sweet tobacco, whiskey, and caramel. “I do all the work, and he gets the best digs.”
King sat behind a beautiful black desk that was every bit as neat as everything else Bianca had seen so far.
Firelight danced on the wall of windows behind him and flickered over the well-organized bookshelf on the opposite wall.
The furniture was classic but modern and obviously made by the same hands that had done the pieces in their apartment.
(Bianca still couldn’t believe goofy Daniel had such a remarkable talent.) The entire office smelled like it looked, which was exactly like King—all danger and dark decadence.
It was baffling that a man who’d come from nothing could exude such effortless luxury.