Chapter 171

A week after our discussion at my apartment, I sat on Andrew’s lap in his home office as he read reports about the latest vampiric attacks. I tried to not look at the computer screen, worried that images of the victims might trigger one of my attacks. Fortunately, the Newton’s cradle on Andrew’s desk served as a decent distraction.

Andrew’s arm snaked around my waist. I leaned back against his torso and closed my eyes, enjoying the peace of this moment. His lips found my neck and pressed gently against my jugular vein.

“Thank you for spending the day with me,” he whispered into my skin.

I smiled.

“Thank you for working from home.”

His free hand slowly made its way from my knee up to my inner thigh. My breath caught in my throat.

“You know,” he said in my ear, “I could use a little break from work, and your presence is awfully…distracting.”

I giggled. I could feel just how distracting my presence was to him.

“I can help with that.”

I stretched my head back and kissed Andrew on the lips.

Andrew ran his tongue along my lips, then slipped it inside my mouth. I moaned and darted my tongue out to greet his. Our tongues tangled with each other, playfully fighting for dominance.

Andrew’s hand on my inner thigh slid farther up and pressed against my core. I hissed with desire and sucked on his tongue.

“Uh…Your Highness?” I heard Parker say.

Embarrassed, I disentangled from Andrew and stood at his side. Andrew smoothed out his suit, trying to hide his prominent erection. Meanwhile, Parker’s normally pale complexion was tinted deep red from catching us in this compromising position.

“Yes, Parker?” Andrew asked, regaining his composure as well as he could.

Parker cleared his throat.

“There is one Mr. Matteo Barone here requesting an audience with you…both of you.”

Andrew’s eyes widened, but he did not react otherwise.

“Tell Mr. Barone that he can come back another day when he has an appointment.”

“He says that it is urgent, and he will not take ‘no’ for an answer.”

Andrew’s brows furrowed.

“Oh, he won’t, will he?” He stood up, motioning for me to stay where I was. “He can tell me that to my face, then.”

“I would love to.”

I froze as a man came from just behind one of the double doors. He was tall and muscular, almost enough to rival Andrew, and had slicked-back black hair. His dark brown eyes, nearly black, fell onto me, causing Andrew to step in front of me and send him a warning growl.

The man chuckled.

“Don’t worry, Your Highness. I am not here to try for your girlfriend,” the man—who I now assumed was Mr. Barone—said in a silky-smooth voice. “In fact, I am here to provide you both with a service.”

“We don’t want your kind of help, Barone,” Andrew snarled.

“Even if it could save Ms. Blanchard’s life?”

Andrew hesitated, then turned to address Parker.

“Close the doors. Ensure that we are not disturbed.”

Parker nodded.

“Of course, Your Highness.”

Parker bowed first to Andrew and then to me. With a pause, he bowed to Mr. Barone as well before he left the room, closing the doors behind him.

Andrew motioned to the seat directly across the desk from him.

“Take a seat.”

Mr. Barone nodded and sat down. A moment after Mr. Barone was settled, Andrew settled back down in his own chair. He grabbed my hand and held it close to his shoulder, claiming possession of me in front of this strange, intimidating werewolf.

“Speak,” Andrew demanded in his Alpha King tone.

Mr. Barone chuckled.

“Your hospitality is legendary, Your Highness.”

When Andrew and I did not return his humor, Mr. Barone continued.

“You are aware of my…occupation, I am sure. My connections and resources.”

Andrew glanced at me, then returned his gaze to Mr. Barone.

“I am well aware, but my girlfriend has not had the displeasure of dealing with your kind beyond the most recent threats to her life, so I believe she might be in the dark still.”

I nodded, trying to not let my ignorance make me embarrassed.

Mr. Barone grinned.

“Innocence, how adorable. Well, my dear, you could say that I deal in the more unsavory parts of the werewolf community, the parts that police would rather pretend don’t exist. Parts that your boyfriend there would rather eradicate than work with.”

Despite the vagueness of his comments, Mr. Barone’s message came clearly to me: he was a crime boss in the werewolf underworld.

“I understand,” I said, and I left it at that.

“Smart, I like that.”

Andrew growled again. Mr. Barone flicked his hand, as though he could shoo away the threat.

“Like I said, Your Highness, I’m not after Ms. Blanchard. However, I know someone who is, and not in a sexual way.”

“Cut to the chase, Barone.”

Mr. Barone sighed, as though Andrew’s impatience was grating on his nerves.

“Very well. One of my rival crime bosses, Edoardo Bianchi, wants Ms. Blanchard’s head on a silver platter.”

Andrew’s grip on my hand tightened. I placed my other hand on top of it, as much to ground myself as to reassure him.

“Why?”

“Because she killed his favorite assassin, of course. And he’s not working alone. He’s teamed up with Chevalier’s most recent client, a fellow only known by the name of Bob.”

Andrew growled deep in his throat.

“Bob as in my daughter’s fiancé?”

“That’s the belief, yes.”

Andrew and I exchanged glances. He squeezed my hand, then returned his attention to Mr. Barone.

“And you are telling us this out of the goodness of your heart?” he asked.

Mr. Barone smirked.

“Of course not. I have a proposition for you.”

Andrew’s jaw clenched, but his facial expression and body language did not give away his emotions otherwise.

“What’s your proposal?”

Mr. Barone folded his hands and placed them on Andrew’s desk, nearly knocking over the Newton’s cradle in the process. He leaned forward, shortening the space between him and Andrew.

“You and your little guard can’t protect Ms. Blanchard on your own. Add my forces to yours, though, and you might stand a chance. If you provide me with legal immunity as Alpha King, then I will guarantee protection for Ms. Blanchard against Bianchi and Bob’s combined efforts.”

Andrew stared at Mr. Barone. Silence fell among us.

Thirty seconds passed…a minute…two minutes…

Andrew was on his feet, still clutching my hand firmly. He stood tall, his shoulders back and his head held high. His dark gaze fell upon Mr. Barone.

“No,” he said. “I can protect Crystal on my own, without your help.”

Mr. Barone stood up and sneered.

“Yes, you have clearly done a great job of that so far. How many attempts have there been on her life since you two got together?”

Andrew’s free hand curled into a fist. Every muscle in his body appeared to clench.

“I don’t have to prove anything to you,” he said through gritted teeth. “Now, get out of my house, or I will have you escorted out.”

Mr. Barone locked eyes with Andrew for a minute, then tore his gaze away.

“You know how to reach me if you change your mind.”

With that, he stormed out the door.

Andrew did not relax until after we heard Mr. Barone’s footsteps fade away. Even then, most of his body remained tense.

“You’re going to be all right,” he finally said when he was certain that we were alone.

I brought his hand to my lips and kissed the knuckles.

“I know. I always am, as long as I’m with you.”

Still, I could not keep my stomach from doing flips.