Chapter Seventeen
Carlos
Saoirse and Fiona went to get ready. Hale put clothes back on the naked dolls. I continued making the soup.
Yeah, I needed to get ready as well, but it wouldn’t take me long.
I peeled the garlic and then started carefully mincing it. Hopefully Saoirse and Fiona liked it.
“How did you chop it so finely?” Fiona came down wearing a hot pink sparkly outfit and big fluffy pink boots, with puff balls on them. Her hair was down and she wore no makeup.
Either she was really fast at getting ready or I’d spent way too long mincing garlic.
“It’s not that hard. Let me show you.” Putting her in front of me, I handed her the knife.
My hand over hers, I showed her the technique that my tia taught me to finely mince garlic quickly without chopping your fingers off.
“There you go. That’s it. I like chopping garlic pressed up against you,” I whispered in her ear as I continued to help her mince.
“What are you making? Some kind of soup?” She glanced over at the slow cooker, which had nearly everything in it now. “Is that corn?”
“Hominy. I’m making pozole. If you don’t like it, it’s fine.
It’s part of the Christmas dinner Dusty and I are making for everyone.
Though it’ll probably end up more like Christmas breakfast. If we don’t eat it when we come back in the morning we can have it after we sleep, but before we go back out to the slopes.
Even though you’ve got that nice dinner planned for us at the lodge, we wanted to make a special meal for everyone,” I explained.
“I love it. What are we having?” she asked.
“We’re making beans, rice, and chicken pozole. There are also tamales and enchiladas in the freezer. We brought them from home. I don’t know what we’re having for dessert or if Dusty even planned for one.” It still would be delicious.
“Sounds good. I’ve never had a tamale, but I do like enchiladas,” she told me.
“One of Dusty’s moms made them.” My mom also made delicious enchiladas, but he couldn’t get tamales and I could, so we divided and conquered.
I put the minced garlic in the slow cooker and continued to hold her.
“You smell like garlic and spices. I like my partners in the kitchen,” she teased.
“Cooking is love in both my and Dusty’s families,” I explained.
“I’m all for that. I’m happy to take a turn cooking while we’re here.”
Letting go of her, I put on the top of the slow cooker, mentally checking to make sure I had everything in the soup. I’d chop up the radishes and the rest of the toppings tomorrow before we ate.
“I’m going to finish getting ready. I just wanted to make sure of my outfit.” Fiona spun around.
“You look perfect,” I replied.
“You should get ready,” she added.
“I will. Hey, is Saoirse okay? Dusty’s really sorry.” I wanted to check one more time. I felt a little bad, given I’d invited Saoirse not knowing she and Dusty had a history.
“She’s really sorry, too. She didn’t mean to yell at him. It’s just that she has a complicated past, especially dealing with alphas.”
“I figure growing up as an assassin probably isn’t easy,” I replied.
“For her. It was different for me. It was always more of a hobby. Something to learn and to please my mom. Also, these people were my friends, and it was fun to meet up for all our activities. I never actually planned on fully joining the Order. I knew my mom wouldn’t be disappointed in me if I didn’t, and well you don’t have to be part of the Order to do what I do,” Fiona told me.
“But then she passed, and I felt like I should carry on the tradition. Especially since I’m the only omega. It wouldn’t interfere with my plans to go to the academy, have a family, or anything else, so here I am,” she continued.
“Here you are.” I held her tight. “You know I don’t have any problem with your job right?”
“I know. I sometimes do, but that’s okay.”
That’s why she took on the jobs they did.
“Your mom would be proud,” I added.
“I hope so. I also really hope she’d be proud of my other accomplishments."
“I think this app you’re making is going to be really good. A lot of people are going to find it helpful,” I gave her another squeeze.
“I’m excited. I have some upcoming benchmarks to meet for my investors, then we can move to the next testing round,” she replied.
“It’ll be great,” I assured.
She went upstairs. I cleaned up and loaded the little dishwasher, then went to get ready.
It would be cold tonight, but we would also be dancing, so I just put on some thermals, jeans, and the black silk shirt that my sister said was a little slutty.
I wanted to be slutty for my omega tonight.
Ugh, my hair was a mess. Really, I should get it cut, but it got really curly when short, which was its own set of obstacles. Right now it was just wild.
“You look sexy.” Fiona stood in the door of the bathroom. “Oooh, is that silk?” She rubbed her hands over it. “Now that is a fucking shirt.”
“I wanted to look good for you tonight.” I turned and looked at her. “You look amazing.”
Her makeup was finished, face sparkly, with little gold heart-shaped freckles across the bridge of her nose and cheekbones. Her hair was done in little space buns with sparkly clip-ins, and a sparkly, stretchy headband.
She settled in my arms. I looked at us in the mirror. I thought we were pretty cute together.
“Are you having fun?” I asked.
“So much fun.” She kissed me. “Most importantly, I’m with you.”
“Good.” I kissed her nose.
“Don’t we look cozy.” Hale stood there wearing jeans and a dark-blue turtleneck sweater. He also had his cowboy boots on and a fanny pack?
“Ready?” Saoirse stood there, wearing a variation of the same black suit and white blouse I nearly always saw her in.
“Yep. Can someone call a car? I still don’t have my phone.” I sighed. “I hope they find it. Should I just order one?”
“It’s Christmas Eve. You probably won’t get a new phone until the day after Christmas or later,” Fiona replied. “Might as well wait. If there’s an emergency, your family knows you’re with Dusty.”
“True.” And nothing would be happening with my friends or team. It would be fine.
The event was already in progress by the time we got to the club. Dusty’s fans mingled and drank. His songs played in the background as people stood in line for their chance to meet him and take pictures.
It was amazing that so many people were here. The first time he had a meet and greet, there were five people and two of them were me and my sister.
Saoirse’s phone rang and she went off to take it. I stayed with Hale and Fiona as we got food and drinks. Tyrell saw me and waved. I waved back.
People in their winter club finery danced to a song currently playing.
“Shots?” Hale asked as we headed back toward the bar. “Also, I have the good stuff for later.”
“Your good stuff?” I asked, ordering shots of tequila from the bartender.
“I have some of that. Also, I have the same shit we were doing at Verity’s wedding. Not sure what you can use during the season.” He handed Fiona and me our shots.
We toasted and drank them down. That shit we did at the wedding had been crazy.
“I can also see if I can trade for something that won’t hit the tests. Even if they’re not looking for party drugs, I don’t want you to get in trouble.” He looked at us. “Again?”
“Why not,” Fiona replied.
“Sure.” I nodded to the bartender who got us another round.
“It’s Christmas. I can party. We don’t have anything until the twenty-eighth. It’s all good.” I turned to Fiona. “Not sure how you feel about party drugs. No pressure. I did bring a few different legal recreationals, including the one you like.”
“Hit me with the good stuff. Please.” She grinned, then downed her shot.
Hale and I did the same.
“How about a recreational now and the good stuff later?” I pulled the small tin out of my pocket, explaining the different ones.
We each took one.
“Any more shots?” The bartender eyed Hale hungrily.
“Sure.” Hale nodded.
The bartender got us another round. Fiona downed her drink and put the glass down. “Dance with me.”
“Always, Mi Reina.” I did my shot and took her hand.
She pulled me towards the floor. “Come on.”
Fiona grabbed Hale’s hand as well. She started to dance, the two of us on each side, with her in the middle, facing me.
She looked beautiful, and the lights of the club made the sparkles on her face glimmer. Fiona tipped her head back and gave Hale a smile.
He beamed and kept dancing. He had such pretty eyes. There was a lot to like about Hale. I was glad that we’d become friends despite his sister not wanting us to.
I focused back on Fiona, heat sizzling through us as I rubbed up against her, my head tipping to hers. Tilting her chin up, her lips seized mine as she pulled me closer to her. I could smell her arousal despite the club being full of scents. They should probably turn up their air purifiers.
My arms closed around her as we made out. Hale’s arms tightened around the both of us, as we got pretty hot and heavy on the dance floor. Not that I cared. It was Christmas Eve in Europe.
Fiona broke off our kiss, and captured Hale’s mouth with hers. We kept dancing, the room shrinking to just the three of us. The music continued to play, like it was for us alone as we danced like there was no one else in the room.
For a brief moment, I wished it was later on in the night so I could just take the two of them back to the villa. But we had a whole night ahead of us.
Hale turned to me, eyes and scent full of want and need. His head moved too close to mine. Without another thought, I moved in for a kiss.
Why not? Not only was he hot, we’d already established that we’d both fuck Fiona later.
His hand tangled in my hair as he pulled me to him and kissed me.
I savored the sensation as I kissed him back.
“Finally. That’s so hot. I want you both. Now,” she breathed, rubbing against the both of us suggestively.
Hale gave me a smoldering look, then looked around. “I’d like that. A place like this has to have something.”
He took our hands and led us toward the stairs. The bouncer gave us a look. “Are you looking for someplace in particular?”