“Yes, sir,” he said, bowing his head a little. “Today, sir?”
“Yes! No use letting a wound fester. I want him to have a whole new reason to hate me by the time he hands his son off to me tomorrow morning.”
I opened a drawer on my desk and removed a paper-wrapped package. I smirked at it. I’d seen its contents last week when I was traveling for a meeting, at a small boutique I’d happened to be walking past, and I’d become ensnared by some cute underwear. I’d never fuckin’ wear anything like them, but they’d look perfect on Noah’s slim hips. I scrawledPUT ME ON OR ELSEacross the top in pen. Then I added,Wear a nice suit over them. I’m taking you out for dinner tonight.
After I left the package next to a still-sleeping Noah and stopped to stare and play with his hair again, my phone buzzed in my pocket. Of course the call was business I couldn’t let go, and despite the fact I’d canceled most of my meetings for today, I felt the issue was important enough to handle myself. The afternoon disappeared in a pile of paperwork and phone calls I probably should’ve let my second-in-command handle, but if I was the kind of man who passed along problems, I wouldn’t be making money hand over fist the way I did.
Nothingwas beyond my personal attention. That was how I’d caught on to Edison fucking Divine as a liar.
A little after five, when the windows started to fill with dusk, I left my office and went in search of Noah. He wasn’t in my room, but the package had been ripped open, which got my blood pumping. I continued looking for him but didn’t have to go far. I found him sitting on the right side of the split staircase watching Russ lose his mind in a spectacular, bellowing fashion while directing the outflow of party preparations, boxes of baskets, and a long dining table that was going from here to the reception venue.
Noah glanced over his shoulder at me as I chuckled and came to stand on the step above him. The dark silver suit with a matching tie that he’d picked out to wear tonight made his eyes dazzling.
“Why are you moving furniture?”
“The wedding was on such short notice it was easier to use things I already own than worry about rustling up new stuff, at least that’s the case according to Russ.” I shrugged.
Noah’s eyes held something... sad, and I ignored a tiny wave of guilt that washed over me as he hunched his trim body forward, away from me. I’d worked hard to get here in this house and to this moment, and it was time I finally had a few things I wanted that weren’t possessions. Noah’s plush lips were perfection and I’d have them on my cock again. I wanted that and it would happen. All the better that having Noah would make Edison Divine uncomfortable. Let it eat at him that he’d made this pretty man for me to fuck.
And let Edison worry about the fact that Noah would have my last name from here on out. I hoped he had a fucking heart attack from the stress.
“On your feet.”
“I suppose you want me to say yes, husband?” he asked dryly, his voice soft but full of rage.
“Certainly.”
He gave me a sour look.
Laughing, I held out my hand, and he hesitated before slipping his fingers along my palm, almost as if he was searching for a way to avoid doing it. I clasped my fingers tightly around his. He didn’t hold me back, but he didn’t fight, either. The graceful ease with which he stood had my mouth watering to see him in motion other ways, and I ignored my semi as I led him out the front door around the wedding planning nightmare, which thankfully wasn’t my problem, to my red Jag. I liked the Talacrest, but it wasn’t the most practical vehicle in the world.
“Where’s my Charger?” he asked quietly.
“At a garage in the city.”
He straightened. “Why?”
Laughing, I raised his hand to my lips. “Wedding present, lover.”
He jerked his hand away from mine and clenched it into a fist. “What did you do to my car?”
“I’m having it detailed and refurbished and painted. I assumed you didn’t want it looking the way it did.”
His jaw tightened and I could see the struggle. He wanted to hate me, and that was fine. But I couldn’t deny the hurt when he crossed his arms. It had been a random request from me to Antoine earlier this afternoon, but I’d thought he’d be a tad grateful.
“Get in the car,” I snapped.
“Yes, husband,” he hissed acidly at me, and that wasn’t nearly as nice as what I’d imagined earlier. I slammed my door after I slid in behind the steering wheel, and he did the same on his side. I started the Jag and jammed my foot on the gas pedal, peeling out from my spot. His chest rose and fell fast and he looked at me with wide eyes, but I ignored him, barely slowing enough to allow the gates to open at the end of the drive.
The trip into New Gothenburg from the island didn’t take long enough. I was still pissed off by the time we got downtown, and I changed my mind. I’d been ready to take him to a hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurant that served the best manicotti in the city, but my feelings were hurt, and I wanted him to learn what it meant to be my husband. He should see what else could’ve happened to his spoiled ass if I hadn’t done what I’d done.
We were both silent as I parked at the end of a row of cars on a small side street, and Noah glanced around, anxiety clear on his face.
“Aren’t you worried you’re going to get carjacked here?”
“No,” I said as I got out. I went around to the back of the car and popped the trunk, and he came back to stand beside me as I yanked a large duffel bag out. His eyebrows rose as I slung the bag strap onto my shoulder, and I could practically see the questions burning in his eyes. Nearby the streetlights flickered on, though the one closest to us went on and off, then stayed off. I slammed the trunk closed, and he jumped. I didn’t take his hand because I was still mad, and his rapid footsteps right behind me were the only indication I had that he was following.
We went down a long alleyway with dim lighting that must’ve been creepy enough that Noah decided his safety was more important than our spat because he came very close to plastering himself against me. I shifted the bag to my other side and snagged his hand. He didn’t complain. We stopped at a door with a single light burning bright above it and a largeKeep Outsign stuck on the front. There was a mountain of a man leaning against the wall in the shadows.
