by Layla Nash
She howled and threw a pillow at me. "Oh my God, seriously. I already have morning sickness, I do not need to know that Carter spent most of the night fucking you."
"And most of the morning." I stepped into the dress but got a good look at her face in the mirror. I dared a glance back to wink at her. "We did it in my kitchen. I came there before I came here."
Nat muttered, "I hate you so much right now," and then stepped onto the dais behind me to zip up the dress. "But you look beautiful."
"Thanks." I frowned as I turned in the mirror, uncertain whether the black drop-waist gown flattered or just made me look hippy. The deep cleavage and open back put some of Carter's handiwork on display, though most of it seemed to be healing. Not quickly enough, by the look on Nat's face. "I don't think it'll work, though."
"Why not?" She made a face and tugged at where the material bunched at my waist. "Just make sure you're not all bruised and bitten the night of the party, okay? I don't want to think of Carter nibbling on you every time I look at the pictures."
"He's too nice." I sighed as she gave me a sharp look, but we both clamped our mouths shut as the designer and the assistants returned to work on my gown. By the time they'd pinned and measured and tucked the fabric around me, Natalia looked ready to explode from not talking. The other women retreated, taking the gown with them with only a few raised eyebrows at my extracurricular activities, and as I got dressed again I held up a hand to fend her off. "And don't say anything nice. Seriously. I'm an alpha and I need a badass mate. Or none at all."
"Says who?" She arched an eyebrow and buttoned up her shirt. "Who says what you need or must have? I thought you were the alpha and you made your own damn rules."
"It's just reality, Nat." I rubbed my shoulder and searched for my boots. "Okay? I can't face down Miles Evershaw and Barrett Kaiser and Harrison Armstrong and...your Logan with a weak mate. I can't. It's just how it is."
"Oh, so Logan's power and standing is diminished because I'm human, and weak? The other alphas look down on him because he chose me?" Her expression darkened, and a hard glint turned her eyes angry.
I held up my hands, fussing with my ponytail as her face reddened and she looked ready to brawl. "No. Because he's male, they don't judge him."
"And because you're not, suddenly you're held to higher standards?"
"Aren't you?" The words burst out before I could take them back. I shoved my foot into a boot and nearly twisted my ankle, but stomped my feet just to make the point. "Jesus Christ, Nat, don't you have to be twice the chef any male chef is, just to get in the room? Don't you have to prove yourself, over and over, just to stay part of the conversation? It's a thousand times harder for me to maintain my position because I know, every time I walk into a room, every male there is wondering whether he could beat me. I'm twice the fighter Rafe is. I can beat him up and down this room without breaking a sweat, but he's in half as many rank fights as I get. No one challenges him, because he looks like an alpha. He's what they expect. But me — they think they can beat me because I'm female, so I have to fight twice as hard."
I turned away as frustration made the words stick in my throat. I always thought she understood, that she above all would know what it meant for me to surrender some control to a man, for me to be vulnerable enough to care about someone. "They're going to judge me by who stands next to me, Nat, and that person could literally dismantle what I've spent the last ten years building."
"If that's what happens, it wasn't worth keeping to start with."
I turned to confront her, ready to fight, and found her with her arms folded over her chest and a fierce expression. She set me back on my heels, and Natalia jabbed a finger in my sternum as she stepped forward. "Look, you. This isn't you. The Ruby I know doesn't give a fuck what everyone else thinks, and she sure as hell doesn't give a fuck what Miles fucking Evershaw thinks. Are you kidding me? If those stupid jackasses judge you because you love Carter and want him in your life, then that's their problem. There is absolutely nothing in the world that they could do to shake your pack's faith in you, or turn your pack against you. And if somehow, in some ridiculous twist of fate, Carter is the reason that the pack kicks you out – fuck them, too. Carter would help you make a new pack, a better pack, and you'd better damn well believe that Logan and I, and the rest of the family, will be there to help."
Breathing hard, she scowled at me and started to poke me again. I dodged and stayed out of her reach. "Jesus, Nat. Breathe."
"Don't make me mad, Ruby Leigh O'Shea." Her cheeks flushed. "I hate seeing you like this. I don't know if this is something to do with Carter, or Evershaw, or what, but this isn't you. Hike up your big girl panties. You are the alpha. You could pick a human bum for your mate, and if that's who you're supposed to be with — that's who you're going to be with. If one of those men says a damn word to you about it, then we will both show them why it's a terrible idea to judge someone over love. Got it?"
"Yeah, I've got it." I caught her shoulders and steered her toward the chaise. "Just…calm down. You look like your face is going to explode."
"I don't like seeing you so uncertain." She touched her stomach and reached for a bottle of water, cooling next to the bottle of champagne. "If you start getting all wishy-washy, the whole damn city might be coming down around my ears."
I sat on the dais to study her, though I tried to hide it as I fussed with my boots. "Did you really have to use my middle name?"
She shot me a sideways look. "You were being ridiculous. That was the only way to get your attention."
"Thanks." I snorted, shaking my head. "But I still don't know if it'll work with Carter."
I barely dodged the bottle of water as it sailed past my head, and Natalia threw her hands in the air in exasperation. "You have got to be…"
"Excuse me, Ms. Spencer?" The designer poked her head in from the main showroom. "There is a delivery for you."
"A delivery?" Natalia sat up, double-checked that her clothes were all done up, double-checked me, then nodded to the woman. "Thank you, please let them in."
"You are a lucky woman," she said, then stood out of the way as a white-suited deliveryman strode in carrying two enormous bouquets of gorgeous stargazer lilies and purple larkspur.
Natalia blinked as he handed her one, then turned to offer the second to me. I took it, at a loss for what else to do, then sneezed. A second man appeared to hand over two boxes wrapped beautifully in clean white paper, with a ribbon curled in a bow on top. He smiled and clicked his heels together as he gestured at the box Natalia held. "Fresh saltwater taffy for Ms. Spencer, and fresh caramels for Ms. O'Shea. Please, enjoy."
When the door shut behind them both and we were alone, I looked at Natalia with my eyebrows raised in question. What the hell? She shook her head, fishing around in the flowers for a card. She flipped it open with a frown, read for a moment, then started laughing. She held up a very small tomato, nestled among the larkspur, and tossed it to me. "I had a moment this morning and called Logan in tears over some shitty produce. He claims he felt bad I had to face bruised tomatoes, but I see Edgar's fingerprints all over this. The candy is definitely Edgar."
"Why the hell did I get flowers and candy?" My mouth watered at the thought of fresh caramel, though. The box still felt warm. Natalia, at least, wouldn't judge me if I broke it open and devoured every one.
"Because you're here and you're awesome." She inhaled from the lilies and smiled, brushing the petals with her fingertips. "And maybe it was Carter's idea."
My cheeks burned. "He shouldn't be sending me flowers. That's not part of our agreement."
"Then see if you have a note, idiot."
I fished through the leaves, still tempted by the caramel, and found a small white card hidden among the flowers. ‘Thank you for a wonderful evening’ was printed on it, but that was it. I frowned, flipping it over, but found nothing else. It seemed unlike Carter, but oh well. They were beautiful flowers.
Natalia broke op
en the taffy and papers rustled as she fished for a specific flavor. "Are you hungry? We should get lunch. I'm not sure where to put the flowers, but we'll find a place. Come back to the house with me and we'll figure this all out."
It was tempting. Hanging out at the mansion usually meant Natalia would cook, and I would stay for dinner, which meant Logan's amazing wine cellar, and probably a movie in their private theater, and staying over in a gorgeous spa-like guest room. A girl could get used to that kind of luxury. But I shook my head, gathering up the flowers and candy. "I've got to be at the bar tonight, and if I go to the mansion, I won't want to leave."
"The apartment, girl. We can go to the apartment." Nat heaved to her feet with an unladylike grunt, and took one more look at the white wedding dress hanging on a stand. "But whatever I make for lunch should be low cal. Definitely."
"I don't think you know how to cook anything without a pound of butter," I said under my breath, and she gave me a dirty look. I helped her juggle the flowers and candy and bag, sneezing again as leaves tickled my nose. "But I'll help you get this stuff back to the apartment. I forgot you and Logan found a place close by."
"Very convenient." She glanced at me sideways but paused to thank the designer, kiss her on both cheeks, and wave to the flock of assistants. When we were outside, Natalia fished around in her bag and offered me a key. "So if you ever need to use it for anything, feel free."
"I'm not using your love nest with Logan as a place to take Carter." I flushed at the thought. We'd have to clean every inch of it just to make sure Logan didn't know by smell that we'd been there.
Natalia snorted and shoved the key into my bag. "Please. It's nicer than your place by a mile. Just call ahead to make sure we're not using it. If Edgar has a late meeting, sometimes he'll stay there, as well. There are two spare bedrooms. Help yourself to either one. And give me a head's up so I can send the maid over."
I chewed my lower lip as I loaded the flowers in the backseat of her expensive sedan, outfitted with every security feature imaginable. "I don't think I'll ever use it. But thank you for the key."
"You're welcome." She braced her hands on her lower back and stretched, making a face. "Ugh. Trying on dresses is rough this early in the morning. I could use a nap and a sandwich. Let's go."
"I'll follow you on the bike," I said, and tilted my head at where the motorcycle waited.
"Suit yourself." She slid into the driver's seat but rolled down the window as she held up the white box of caramel. "But your candy might not survive the four blocks to the apartment."
I leaned in to take it back, laughing. "I will cut a bitch over some caramel, Nat."
She laughed as she drove off, and I took an extra minute to secure the box to the back of the motorcycle. I dialed Carter's number on my phone, but I hesitated before I hit send. I finally hit the button before I chickened out, and I almost hung up five different times as it rang and rang.
But Carter's voice, smooth as caramel, made my knees knock and heat rush through me when he answered. "Hey there. This is a nice surprise."
"I wanted to thank you for the flowers." I didn't sound particularly grateful, though. I pinched the bridge of my nose and stared down at the sidewalk under my boots. "I mean, thank you for the flowers and the candy. They're lovely. Very thoughtful."
A slight pause ignited doubt in my chest, and for a second I thought I'd made a terrible mistake. Then he chuckled and said, "You're very welcome. Did you and Natalia have a good morning?"
"Trying on dresses is never fun," I said, chewing my lip as I looked around the street. Jesus. I felt like a damn teenager sneaking calls to her boyfriend after curfew, trying not to wake my parents. "But the flowers saved the day."
"I'm glad. What are you doing for dinner tonight?"
"I have to keep an eye on the bar tonight." I picked at a thread on my jeans, feeling a little queasy and nervous and excited, all at the same time. "So that's where I'll be from two this afternoon until probably three in the morning. Later, if there's anything to clean up."
"Good. I'll know where to find you." Someone else spoke in the background and he grumbled something at them, then dropped his voice as he went on. "I'll stop by the bar, then. See you tonight."
I opened my mouth to ask whether that meant business or a date, but he'd already hung up. I growled in frustration as I shoved the phone in my pocket and kicked the bike to life before heading toward Nat's apartment. I didn't like surprises very much, and Carter Chase was the biggest surprise of all.
Chapter 12
Sitting at his desk for the rest of the afternoon seemed more tortuous than normal. He barely made it through lunch with Edgar and Benedict before Edgar told him to go check on business at Natalia's restaurant. He was in the back office at the restaurant when Ruby called, and her husky voice sent shivers all the way through him. He also felt like a kid, hiding in the storeroom so no one would overhear, in case he sounded like a love-struck idiot. And then the anticipation of seeing her that evening, being with her in public, distracted him for the rest of the day.
He remembered to call Edgar to verify whether his older brother was behind the flowers and candy, and Edgar just laughed. Apparently Logan failed at figuring out how to send flowers, so Edgar took over and added a bit just to complicate Carter's life as well. But Carter knew he owed Edgar one.
Carter managed to put together a few recommendations for Ruby's business plan, and changed into jeans and a sweater at the office before heading to the bar around seven. They all kept wardrobes at every possible place they would stop in the city, mostly because shifting ruined a lot of clothes. And with the long hours at the office when the business world woke up in Tokyo and London, variety in clothing choices made all the difference. So he was at least wearing comfortable clothes as he drove to O'Shea's.
When he walked in, Ruby stood behind the bar, leaning on her elbows as she talked to some strange dude. The lion immediately wanted to kill the guy. Or at least roar enough to scare him off. But Carter only gripped the business portfolio containing his notes until his nails punched through the leather. Rafe waved at him but Carter barely noticed, making a beeline to the bar.
She straightened as he approached, and a smile slid across her face. It made him think of breakfast in her kitchen. Syrup. They could try syrup next time. Get sticky in all the right places. Ruby's head tilted and her cheeks grew pink. Maybe she could read his mind.
Carter took a stool farther down the bar, nodding at her. "Beer, if you don't mind."
"Sure." She pulled a pint glass, but gave him an odd look. "Why are you all scowly?"
He frowned, about to argue, but she put a coaster on the bar, tossed salt across it, and put the beer in front of him. Her eyes sparked gold, and her head tilted just slightly enough to indicate the skinny dude at the other end of the bar. "Don't tell me it was our friend the jackal?"
Carter concentrated on the beer, draining the pint glass before setting the empty in front of her. "Of course not. One more, please."
Half her mouth curled in a smile. "Come on, Chase. Admit it. You're jealous."
He killed the second beer before he opened the portfolio, but kept his voice low, in case the jackal had prying ears. "Why would I be jealous? It's not like you're mine."
Something changed in her expression, as if he'd rejected her, and Ruby started wiping down the bar a few feet away. "Right. I'm not."
Carter leaned over the bar to grab her wrist, drawing her closer, close enough he could breathe, "If you were, yes. I would be jealous. I would rip that guy's fucking throat out, because he was staring down your shirt and probably thinking unclean thoughts."
He met her gaze long enough for her to see the lion peering out, for her to hear the growl that rumbled from the animal side of him, and when her lips parted and her cheeks flushed, he released her. Sat back on the stool and sipped his third beer. He glanced at her as Ruby rubbed her arm and set out a bowl of popcorn at his elbow. Carter said, "You guys ready to ta
lk business?"
"This is a business meeting?" He thought he saw disappointment in her eyes, but couldn't be sure. Ruby shrugged. "Sure."
She called Rafe over, and he shook Carter's hand with a smile. "Good to see you, man. Heard you're working out with Kaiser's guys these days. Expecting some fights in the near future?"
"Maybe." Carter tried not to think of Ruby, of fighting for Ruby. He'd get in the ring for her. He'd face down the bears or her entire pack, if that's what it took. "Mostly, it's good business sense. The bears want to train some MMA fighters, try to get someone on the circuit. It's a good investment. If you have some extra cash lying around, you might want to point it toward Kaiser."
"No extra cash, friend." Rafe grimaced, his dark eyebrows heavy enough to nearly conceal his eyes. "Ruby said you were looking into some other business planning for us?"
"Yep." Carter opened the folio and handed them a couple of proposals. Somehow it was easier, less disconcerting, to address Rafe more than Ruby. At least Rafe couldn't set his heart racing, or make his lion purr with just a look. Carter cleared his throat. "Here's the thing. O'Shea's appeals to a certain clientele. You've designed it for yourselves and your friends, but that doesn't necessarily draw in the money. If you want to expand, you're going to have to appeal to a larger demographic."
Ruby got a guarded look on her face, watching him even though she held up the papers to read. "What kind of demographic?"
"People with money." Rafe snorted, shaking his head, and looked around the bar. "This is a dive, Carter. It's always been a dive. We like it that way."
"Exactly. If it's a dive, you're not going to get the traffic you need to increase revenue. Without increased revenue, you can't expand to other locations or enterprises. Ruby said you didn't want to take on a bank loan or other investors. If that's not the case, let me know because that changes our calculus considerably. If that is the case, well. Your options are limited to making changes here."