Chapter 10 Johan #2
“That would be nice, yes.”
I nod, deciding to give her honesty. “I’m not an alpha at heart. Physically, yes. But I always thought I would present as a beta.” I lift one shoulder in a partial shrug. “As for who I am, I’m also loyal. However, I’m less strategic than Laz. I love puzzles, though. Especially technical ones.”
Lark’s expression is masked by the shadows, but I think I see her lips curling a little. “I like puzzles, too.”
“That doesn’t surprise me at all. You’re quite talented with a computer, Ms. Bianchi.”
“Likewise, Mr. Greco,” she returns. “But I’m going to clean up this phone.” She holds up the one I gifted her. “And then I’m keeping it for good.”
I smile. “You won’t have much to clean up. I already told you—all I did was make it untraceable, primarily so your brother can’t find you. Though, your location isn’t much of a secret. If he decides to visit, Laz will let him enter.”
“He will?” She sounds surprised.
“Of course he will.” I frown at her. “Laz isn’t the monster you believe him to be.” Well, actually, that’s not entirely true. So I amend with, “He’ll never be that way with you, I mean. For you, maybe. To you, never.”
That’s a very distinctive difference, one I hope she understands.
“He said he’s going to destroy me,” she mutters. “That’s pretty straightforward.”
I lean over to press my lips to her ear. “He meant that sexually, Lark.”
She freezes.
“He wants to destroy you in the best way, sweetheart,” I add, then brush my lips against her temple. “We all do.”
Maybe it was bold of me to say.
But the fresh wave of brown sugar and honey filling the car tells me it was also the right thing to say.
I reach for her hand and give it a little squeeze, wanting to offer her some comfort. Tonight has been… a lot. So the action just feels needed. Though, I fully expect her to pull away.
Except she doesn’t.
Instead, she threads her fingers through mine and simply holds my hand.
A purr ignites in my chest, eliciting a sigh from my omega. Pretty sure I hear one from the front seat as well, but I ignore that.
I’m purring for Lark and only Lark.
She leans her head back against the seat, then slowly drifts toward me until she’s snuggled into my shoulder. I don’t say anything, not wanting to spoil the moment.
Rather, I just exist with her. Purring. Offering support. Soothing her nerves.
It’s nice.
It’s peaceful.
And it’s how we spend the rest of our drive to the estate.
Lark seems to doze off, not reacting at all to the guards greeting us at the gate. Though, she does stir when we pull up in front of the main doors to the mansion.
I help her out of the car, then keep her hand in mine as I lead her inside. She smiles as I introduce her to staff members along the way but remains mostly quiet as we eat. She doesn’t ask where Noah or Laz is, which I’m thankful for, as I don’t want to elaborate on what took them away.
Business is business. And while we fully intend to share all aspects of our organization with Lark, she’s not on the inside yet.
It’s going to take time… for all of us.
“Thank you for the pizza,” Lark says to Chef Harmony. “It was lovely.”
Harmony beams, then asks Lark about her favorite foods and meals.
I watch their conversation unfold, amused by Lark’s minimalistic approach. She clearly doesn’t want Harmony to fret over her and is trying to be as easy as possible.
So different from the other mafia princesses I’ve met over the years. There have been several sent Laz’s way, as well as a few daughters from cartel and bratva families.
This whole world is about making business arrangements.
But that’s never what Laz wanted for the pack. It’s not what Noah and I wanted either.
We’ve desired a partner, not a trophy.
That’s why Lark piqued our interest after we discovered she was the one who stole all that money. And when we realized why she did it, she stole our hearts, too.
The fact that she’s our scent match is an exquisite bonus.
After Harmony finishes asking her questions, I politely thank her for the meal and then escort Lark through the mansion to her new accommodations. It’s nestled in the middle of the residential wing, with Laz’s room across from hers, mine to the left, and Noah’s to the right.
I don’t tell her that part, but I’m pretty sure she knows from the scents lingering in the air.
Instead, I just show her around her bedroom and en-suite bathroom.
“My bag has already been unpacked,” she says, frowning at the dresser’s contents.
“Yeah, that would be Noah’s doing.” I palm the back of my neck and stretch my shoulders a bit, exhausted from traveling all day.
“He and Laz stopped by to drop some shit off and change before heading out again. I’m assuming Noah decided to unpack for you first. Probably irritated the crap out of Laz, too. ”
My lips turn up, amused. I can practically hear Laz growling at Noah in my head.
“Anyway, do you need anything else?” I ask as she sets both of her phones on a nightstand. “Charge cables are in the desk over there, by the way.” I gesture with my chin toward the study nook that’s attached to her bedroom. “Or you can use the clock charger out in the living area.”
She nods, her lip catching between her teeth as she chews nervously. “Thanks.” She doesn’t look at me when she says it, her shoulders caving a little.
Frowning, I move into Lark’s space and use my thumb beneath her chin to tilt her head back. “You good?” I ask her softly, my gaze searching hers.
She swallows. “I…” Her brow furrows. “I want to be alone.”
“Oh.” I drop my hand. “Right. Of course. I’ll check on you in the morning?” It comes out as a question because I’m not sure if she wants me to check in on her at all or just… leave her alone indefinitely.
She doesn’t reply, just frowns.
So I turn to leave, not wanting to upset her any more than I already have. “Good night, Lark.”
I only make it a step before she grabs my hand.
Electricity shoots up my arm at the contact, my heart skipping a beat in the process.
“No, I mean, I want to be alone. Or I should want that. But I… I don’t. I…”
She’s frowning when I glance back at her.
“You want me to leave?” I ask, somewhat confused by her grip on my hand.
“Yes,” she says. “But no.”
One of my eyebrows lifts. “Kind of sending me mixed messages right now, sweetheart.”
Her brow pinches even more. “I know. I just…” She releases me and growls at herself. “I’m not scared. I’m… I don’t know how to describe what I’m feeling. I’m not weak. I’m not this girl. I’m not… I’m just not. Okay?”
None of that makes any sense to me. But I reply, “Okay.” I just want her to feel comforted.
Which is when I realize what she may need.
My purr.
It ignites in my chest before I even finish the thought, and her shoulders instantly relax. Her eyes fall closed. And the next thing I know, she has her nose pressed against my pec and her arms are winding around my waist.
I hug her back, my purr deepening, and she sighs.
She’s been through some trauma today. Or a lot of trauma, I guess.
Because of us.
And also because of her brother. Her family. Her birthright.
But mostly because of us tricking her and more or less kidnapping her.
The least I can do is offer my purr.
So I do.
I pick her up and sit with her on the bed.
She curls into me, her cheek rubbing against me like a cat marking her territory.
I love it. Pretty sure I love her, too.
That thought becomes confirmed when she falls asleep on me, her soft little snores making my purr intensify as I shift her onto the mattress.
Her golden hair splays across the pillows, but her lips pout as she reaches for me in her sleep.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I promise her. “Just making us both more comfortable.”
I reach down to remove her boots and find her gun tucked inside. I frown, not at the weapon but at the imprint it left against her skin.
Hmm. I make a mental note to suggest that Noah buy her a proper holster for the firearm. Maybe even a better make and model, too. Because this one was clearly purchased from a secondhand shop.
Our girl deserves the best money can buy. And that applies to everything in her life.
I set her toy on the nightstand, then massage her foot a little. I want to make sure she’s not too sore tomorrow. Once I finish, I tuck her in beneath the blankets, all while purring.
Yet she still tries to grab me, clearly not wanting to be left alone.
Maybe it’s just our scent match messing with her instincts, but I can’t deny her. So I slip out of my own shoes and slide into the bed with her.
She instantly rolls into me, burying her face in my chest like she’s trying to get as close to my purr as physically possible.
I chuckle, then hold her while she sleeps.
I only realize I’ve dozed off as well when a vibration on the nightstand stirs me awake. It’s her phones—both of them—lighting up with an incoming message.
I glance at it and see it’s a text from her friend Luna.
Followed by one from Silva.
And another pops up with Luna’s name attached to it.
Not wanting the sound to disturb my resting omega, I turn off the vibration effect on both phones.
Lark can catch up with her fellow “Widows”—a term I learned while researching her—after she’s slept. I’m sure they’ll have a lot to discuss.