NERTHUS
“How did you find me?”
I shrug, scanning the room as we sit in a booth at a bar of the casino. “I’m dating the King, remember?”
“I heard the King has long lost the castle as he was exiled,” he scoffs, taking a sip of the amber liquid of the new drink he got himself.
Leaning in, I scrunch up my face. “Well, he is back. And we need your help. How much to save a King’s ass?”
“Why me?” he asks, gulping.
I shrug again, holding his gaze. “You mean business. You are loyal to your highest bidder. No morals, no games. We are ready to pay you any sum to get you onto our side. Also, we go a long way back, don’t we, Mikey?”
“Yeah… What tells you that I would take a higher pay from your adversary to betray you?” He scrunches up his face, obviously not liking the pet name.
I smile, leaning back. “Like I said. You mean business. And you wouldn’t be that stupid to throw away a nice challenge for a bit of money. Also, as I said, we will double any offer.”
“I don’t know,” he says, pinching his bottom lip.
I shift on my seat, casting Elia and Aleksei a look who are acting like two friends out for a drink a few tables away from us. Opening my clutch, I take out a business card and hand it to him. “Think of what other goodie you would like, and I’ll organize it for you.”
He looks at the card for a second before he takes it reluctantly.
Flashing him a smile, I start scooting out of the booth. His eyes widen as six men stand up simultaneously with me. “I’m looking forward to our cooperation, Mikey.”
***
“So?” Arawn lifts an eyebrow at me, and I shrug. “What else did he want?”
I walk into his office, pursing my lips as I act unbothered. “Ah, he just wanted a blowjob, and he was on.”
“He did what?” My heart speeds up as his eyes darken, his rage making him ready to tear his head off.
I laugh, as I shake my head. “Arawn! You can’t seriously believe I would do such a thing!”
“Don’t play with me like this, woman,” he groans.
Stepping closer, I chuckle. “He will certainly call and tell us. Just give him time.”
Kissing him gently, I add quietly, “My lips are only meant for you.”
He hums, leaning back into his office chair and I lean against his desk. “What is it?”
“We don’t have so much time to lose, and I’m just not keen on waiting,” he mumbles, making me giggle.
Leaning to him, I kiss his lips again, I finally get him to smile. “You waited ten years to get me, didn’t you?”
“And look what it got me,” he chuckles, putting his hands on my hips as he pulls himself up. “I never believed in the ‘good things come to those who wait’ bullshit, and yet here you are. In my arms, wearing my ring. And every awful second of those ten years without you was absolutely worth it.”
I giggle, shaking my head. “You still have to get onto your knees, Arawn. Don’t forget that.”
He grins up at me and kisses my stomach. “Thank you for everything you are doing. Also for everything with Danny.”
“Why are you thanking me if I’m living the happiest life I could have ever imagined? Stop it.” I laugh, making him bury his head against my frame.
I wrap my hands around his head, driving my fingers into his hair as I sigh happily. “Are you coming upstairs?”
“No,” he answers, his voice muffled by the fabric of my dress. “I have to finish one or two things. And I’m still waiting for someone to inform me about Goldman noticing our return.”
“Okay,” I say, jerking his head back as the vibrations of his deep voice on my skin are about to drive me crazy. “I’ll wait for you upstairs.”
Bending down to him, I kiss him on his lips and he groans. “No little treat for your big boy?”
I laugh, freeing myself from his embrace, dodging his attempts to trap me into his arms again. “Seeing that your assistant has passed by at least three times, I would say no.”
“I can send her home,” he protests as I’m already at the door. “It’s too late for her to be in the office anyway.”
“Good night, babe,” I blow him a kiss, making him groan. But I see clearly how he hides another one of his gorgeous smiles.
“Good night, my love.”
With my heart flipping in my chest, I close the door behind me carefully before walking down the hallway.
“Good night, Elinor,” I say with a smile as I pass her desk and she looks up at me, repositioning her glasses as she mirrors my smile with a big one of hers.
“Have a good night, dear.”
I leave the offices and take the elevator up to the penthouse and I love how natural it feels already. I thought that I would be fighting a lot with myself as I would have to start moving my stuff from my apartment to here soon, but I’m surprised as I’m actually looking forward to it.
Stepping into the penthouse, I follow a low humming and lean against the door frame with a smile as I watch Danny unpacking his stuff and sorting it onto the shelves.
He is humming to the music that must be blaring in the headphones he is wearing. I watch him for a few moments until he catches sight of me and jumps with a scream.
I laugh, holding my stomach as he groans, lowering the headphones from his ears. “Creep!”
“Are you hungry?” I ask, wiping a tear from my eye.
He nods happily, beaming at me while I can clearly hear the beats coming from his headphones. “Can we order Pizza?”
“Whatever you want, baby,” I say, looking around his room. “Your room turned out pretty nice!”
“Yeah,” he sighs, tearing his headphones off his neck. “He even bought me these.”
I step into the room, tousling his hair. “Are you okay?”
He groans, getting away from me and combing his hair back with his fingers.
“I don’t know. He shouldn’t spend so much money on me. I don’t need all this stuff.”
I purse my lips, looking around the room. “Well, they just taught you that we wouldn’t need all that stuff because they didn’t want to put any effort into you. But it is actually nice to have it. Just enjoy it, he bought you all these things because he wanted you to feel comfortable in your new home.”
“Maybe,” he says, lowering his head as he drives his hand through his hair. “But he still overdid it.”
I chuckle, stepping closer to caress his hair out of his face. “Just be patient with him. It’s the first time he has someone to spoil too.”
“Doesn’t it bother you?” he asks, looking at me with big eyes.
I shrug, smiling. “Not really. But it’s a bit different for us. Anyway, I love him and I would do the same for him if I could. So… what do you want on your pizza?”
“French fries!” He answers with sparkling eyes, making me crack up.