Chapter 13 #2
“I want a picture of that coffee,” she tells me. “In fact, I’d like to see you right now. I’m hanging up and video-chatting you.”
“Luna—”
The call ends, making me grumble.
When it starts to ring again, I answer it because I don’t really have a choice. I know Luna. If she’s threatening to hop on a plane, she means it.
“Happy?” I deadpan, staring at my best friend on the screen.
Her brow furrows, her eyes narrowing. “I don’t recall an ocean in New York City, Aurora Bianchi.”
“What?” Oh, fuck. I quickly spin around so the mansion is behind me, not the beach.
But it’s too late.
Far too late.
And Luna just full-named me, too.
Damn it.
“Okay, I’m still on the East Coast,” I tell her. “Just… outside of New York City.”
The door opens behind me, something I only see because of the tiny screen in the corner displaying what Luna can see on her end.
I wince, aware that I’m probably about to get chewed out by Lazarus.
Only to sigh with relief when it’s Noah.
“Who ya talkin’ to, little bee?” he asks, peering over my shoulder. “She’s pretty.”
My brow furrows, and I shift my focus to him. “Excuse me?”
“What?” He blinks his hazel eyes innocently. “It’s a compliment. That’s a good thing.”
“To hit on my friend?” I demand.
“You think I’m…?” His eyes widen a little, and he releases a low chuckle. “Oh, little bee, no. That’s not me hitting on someone.”
I scowl at him, ready to correct him, but he grabs my hip and pulls me closer, nearly forcing me to lose the phone.
“If I’m going to hit on a woman—which would only be you, by the way—I would say…” He leans in, his lips at my ear. “You’re so fucking beautiful that it makes my heart ache, Aurora.”
I roll my eyes, not at all impressed.
But he’s not done.
“All I want is to strip you naked right here so I can watch the sun paint colors across your flawless skin. See the glow reflect in your golden hair. Watch the colors come alive in your brown irises. And memorize the scene so I can commission artwork later to memorialize the moment.”
I swallow. Okay, that’s… that’s a little better.
“God, little bee, all I want is to kiss a path down your exquisite body to that space between your thighs, taste your honeyed slick, and make you scream my name so loud that everyone on this side of the United States hears you claiming me as yours.”
My cheeks flame. Umm, well, this is…
“I want them to hear you beg for my knot,” he continues.
“Make it clear that I’m yours in every way.
So that no one dares to even look at you.
Because I’m a possessive man. And I will kill anyone and everyone for you.
Even myself.” He presses a kiss to my raging pulse, then takes a step back. “That’s how I talk to my omega, pet.”
I… I think I forget how to breathe.
“Nice to meet you, friend of Lark’s,” he adds, winking at something.
I frown.
Then shake my head to clear it. Because I’m still on the phone. Luna… Luna just saw all of that. Or part of it. I… I don’t know. I dropped my hand at some point, and the phone was angled…
Oh, it doesn’t fucking matter!
I lift it and find Luna gaping at me. “Who is that?” she demands.
“Noah Dragon,” he replies, suddenly over my shoulder again. “Lark’s future husband.”
I close my eyes. I don’t even know how to begin responding to that.
“What?”
“Well, she hasn’t said yes yet,” he goes on, apparently talking to my friend now. When my hand begins to shake, he reaches around to help me hold up the phone. “But I think my chances are pretty good that she’s going to agree soon.”
Luna gapes at him.
Meanwhile, I just twist my lips to the side. Because what the hell am I supposed to say? I can’t break rule one. And I… I really don’t want to involve Luna in any of this.
“Any suggestions?” he asks, making me blink. “On how to win her over, I mean. Like favorite flowers. Or does she prefer chocolate? Oh! Does she have any enemies I can take out for her? I’m pretty skilled with a kni—”
“I think that’s enough,” I interject, my voice a little hoarse. “I promise I’m fine. But I… I need to go now.”
“You’re getting married?” She sounds a bit shrill. Which, yeah, it’s… it’s a lot.
And also really not true.
Yet Noah says, “Yep.”
Which has me quickly clarifying, “No.” I finally spin away from him. But of course he follows with a big, goofy grin on his face. “Noah’s kidding. He didn’t really propose.”
“You wound me, pet,” he murmurs. “But if you want a proper proposal, I’ll handle it.” He tries to get in the line of sight of the phone again as he adds, “Any pointers, pretty friend of Lark’s?”
I scowl at him. “Stop saying that.”
“You want me to clarify how I hit on a woman again, little bee?” he asks, moving into my personal space. “Because I’m happy to do that all day.”
I’m suddenly up against the window, his palm resting on the glass beside my head, the opposite on my hip. The intensity in his eyes nearly causes me to drop the phone.
“Luna, I’m going to have to call you back.”
“Luna,” Noah repeats. “That’s a pretty name for a pretty friend.”
I glare at him. “Use pretty to describe my friend one more time.”
He smiles. “I like that it makes you jealous.”
“I am not jealous,” I snap at him. “I’m overwhelmed. And… and… all I can smell is cinnamon and hot honey.”
“Mmm,” he hums. “Well, all I smell is brown sugar and honey, and it’s making me wonder if your slick is just as sweet, little bee.”
I growl at him.
He rumbles back.
And Luna clears her throat. “I’m still here, Lark.”
I close my eyes, then lift the phone to look at her. “Sorry. I’m… I’m in the middle of something.”
“Yeah, something hectic,” she echoes, using my word from when we first started talking. “Fiancé of my best friend—Mr. Dragon, was it?—tell me where you’re keeping my friend, and I’ll give you some advice.”
Noah steals the phone from my hand before I can comment and skips off onto the balcony. “Ferraro estate, new bestie of mine. The Hamptons.” He tilts the phone toward the coastline. “See how pretty it is?”
He starts showing her the balcony, then goes into the bedroom, causing me to chase after him as he begins to show her around my guest quarters.
I scowl at him when he homes in on the gun on the nightstand. “She pulled that on Laz last night. Funniest shit I’ve seen in a while.” Then he skips off to the bathroom and growls in delight. “God, Aurora’s aroma is like heaven. We’re scent matches, by the way. Not sure if she told you that.”
“She didn’t,” Luna grumbles.
“Probably because of rule number one.”
“Rule number one?” she echoes.
Noah grunts. “Yeah, Laz has a thing for rules. Mafia shit and all that.” He finally looks at me. “She knows about your past, I assume?”
“Well, if she didn’t, she does now,” I deadpan.
“You said she’s your best friend, little bee. Best friends know everything.”
“That they do,” Luna interjects. “So tell me what your intentions are with my best friend.”
I feel like burying myself beneath a mound of pillows and never resurfacing again.
“You want all the details of how I plan to knot her?” he asks.
“No!” I shout at the same time Luna does. “Oh my God, give me my phone.” I march toward him with my hand held out, but Luna is already talking.
“I want to know if you’re going to hurt my friend.”
“Only if she asks me to,” he replies.
“What does that even mean?” Luna demands.
“Well, we’ll discuss limits, like knot warm—”
I yank my phone out of his hand, cutting him off. “Stop.”
He frowns at me. “I’m trying to impress your friend.”
“You’re doing a horrible job of it,” I inform him.
“Well, actually, I’m not sure…” Luna says slowly, causing me to gape down at the screen. “He seems… interesting.”
Sure. That’s one adjective for Noah Dragon.
“I’m protective, possessive, madly in love, and will literally die for Aurora, dear bestie,” he sing-songs. “She’s safe here. Scout’s honor.”
“Were you even a Scout?” I ask him.
He snorts. “Fuck no. But I didn’t think you would like me saying assassin’s honor, since, you know…” He shrugs. “A lot of people assume assassins don’t have honor at all. However, we do. A lot of it. And I will absolutely honor you.” His gaze dances over me. “In every way you allow.”
My eyes widen, the innuendo not lost on me.
“Yeah, I like him,” Luna murmurs, causing Noah to beam and fist-pump in the air.
“His ego didn’t need that stroke,” I mutter back at her.
“I can tell you what does need to be stroked, though,” he says without missing a beat, his auburn-colored eyebrows waggling at me.
“Ugh. I really need to get off the phone.” The words are for Luna.
Not that Noah seems to care.
“Off the phone or get off?” he asks, following me as I spring back out onto the balcony.
“I’ll talk to you later, Luna,” I tell my best friend. “Please let the others know I’m fine. Silva’s worried. Pretty sure Aries might be, too. I saw a bunch of texts from her.”
Aries owns a self-defense studio in Widows Peak. I don’t know everything about her past, but I know there’s a reason for that vocational choice.
And I would bet good money that Silva mentioned my abrupt departure to Aries, which probably inspired her to worry.
“Everyone is worried, Lark,” Luna informs me softly. “But wait, did you say Ferraro estate?”
“Yeah, Laz and Johan are her scent matches, too,” Noah says, popping up behind me again. I don’t know how he keeps doing that.
“Isn’t that like the Bianchi family rival?”
“Ally,” he corrects her. “Sort of. But we’re all about to be family soon, if you feel me.”
I close my eyes for the millionth time and pinch the bridge of my nose. “It’s complicated, Luna.”
“Complicated chaos, yeah. Yeah, I got that.”
I wince. “I really need to go.”
“Call me later.” It’s not a request but a demand.
“I will,” I promise her.
Then hit End and turn to glare at Noah. “You’re a menace.”
He grins. “Why, thank you, beautiful bee.”
“That wasn’t a compliment.”
“I’m going to take it as one anyway.” He steps into my space, walking me back into the glass window again. I’m not even sure how he keeps moving this way and that. It’s like he’s a natural shepherd, corralling me with his body or shifting around me to corner me.
And now I’m staring straight up at him, into those alluring multicolored eyes.
He’s no longer smiling.
No hint of teasing.
Not even a glimmer of humor.
“We broke rule number one by telling an outsider where we are, little bee,” he murmurs. “Laz isn’t going to be happy.”
My nostrils flare. “We didn’t break that rule. You did.”
He nods solemnly. “True. But I don’t like rules, Aurora. Especially ones I didn’t agree to.”
I swallow, my pulse skipping a beat, as I’m not sure I like where this is heading.
“Rule two is solid. I’ll never touch you without permission. But I’ll never make you beg, pet. And if you ever want to use me? Even if it’s for revenge against Laz for being an ass? I’m game.” He pulls back. “I’m yours to command, Aurora Bianchi. Always and forever. That’s my wedding vow.”
With that insane line of commentary, he turns to leave.
Only then he pauses with a snap of his fingers and looks back at me.
“Right. I was supposed to tell you that we’re all going out tonight, so you’ll have the house to yourself. We just have some business to deal with. But Harmony says she’ll make you whatever you want to eat. Your wish is her literal command.”
He winks and disappears, leaving me feeling oddly alone.
What business? I wonder. And why do I suddenly feel like a damsel-like princess being left behind in a tower?