Slow, tender kisses.
Nibbly, playful kisses.
Open-mouthed, tongue-dancing-in-the-air kisses.
Soul-consuming kisses that leave a person breathless.
I want to learn the ones I don’t know yet, and I want tons of practice with Emory.
He pulls back, smiling against my lips.
My chest heaves as I struggle to catch my breath, and even though I know we’re in a room full of people, I’d swear it’s just me and him.
His eye contact is so intense, but I love it. It makes me feel like he doesn’t see anyone but me.
“I mentioned I almost held our claiming ceremony the night I announced we were married. Knowing what I know now, I’m grateful I didn’t.” He pulls his hand off my ass and brushes myhair away from my face before pecking a final kiss on my lips. “I’m going to be demanding tonight, but I need you to be a good wife and follow my instructions without question. Can you do that for me, Vanessa?”
My head bobs up and down before I can even fully process his words.
His lips tip up. “That’s my girl.”
Jesus.
How could I deny him anything with that naughty grin on his face?
Chapter Thirty-Four
Vanessa
Moretti lets me know he’s about to make the announcement for everyone to leave so the claiming ceremony can start. It takes until I’m well out of his orbit for my brain to catch up to what he said.
He’s always pretty demanding, so I think I can handle it, but I guess I'll just have to wait and see.
Hawk trails behind me as I make my way toward the dressing room to change, and Charlotte stops me before I can make it into the hallway.
“Holy fuck, Vanessa.” She smiles, and her eyes are huge as she snatches my hand in hers, bringing it up to examine my ring. “Now that’s a ring from a man who wants to make a statement.”
I nod, trying to shake off the urge to ask her why she was so close to Magnum. It would just be my instincts overreacting about having another omega near one of my alphas when my heat is so close.
I like Charlotte.
I mean, I don’t know her very well, but she’s not terrible.
Also, I refuse to be catty and treat other women like shit. I’ve dealt with enough of that over the years from girlfriends of the other families and even women dating my brothers.
“It’s intense, but I love it,” I tell her, finally mustering up a smile. “Thank you for helping Magnum find me.”
She releases my hand and beams. “I’m happy it worked out for you. I was kinda scared that Moretti would kill him.”
I laugh a little hysterically. “Yeah, me too.”
My nerves are shot, and I hate that I get this way when I have to interact with the other syndicate families.
“I know you have to get changed, so I won’t keep you,” Charlotte says. “I wish I had a gift for you, but Lucky is sick, and I ran out of time to make it to the store. This will have to do.” She pulls me in for an unexpected hug while all I can do is blink. “Considering the way everything went down, you could have made things really hard on me, but you didn’t, and I appreciate that. You mentioned your mom died, and I just wanted you to have a hug. Since she’s not here, I’ll give you my advice. Focus on Moretti, and everyone else will disappear.”
“Thank you,” I say, patting her shoulder as she releases me to step back.
“I’m leaving with Cormac, but Patrick is staying for the ceremony. Only because I guess it helps to have witnesses who are allies in case someone tries to contest it?” She shrugs. “I don’t know, but if it’s our opportunity to pay you back for being so great about everything, I told him we had to take it. Lacey and Wilder are here, too, for the same reason.”
