“You can enjoy three more hours of rest, but Vanessa and I have plans tonight. I will wake her if she’s not up by then.” Moretti spins and heads down the stairs.
Magnum takes several steps toward the bed, and I barely hold back the snarl that aches to rip from my chest. The only thing that stops me is that I don’t want Vanessa to have to wake up to another confrontation.
“Is she warm?” he asks, keeping his voice low. “She was burning up last night when I found her. I don’t think she’ll make it more than a week or two before she goes into heat.”
Frowning, I bring my hand to test her cheek. The other is plastered to my chest, making it impossible to check that one without bothering her.
“Maybe a little?” I whisper, brushing the backs of my fingers over her forehead. “It’s hard to tell. I run hot, and she’s under the blanket.”
“You’d know if it was a heat spike.” He nods and leaves without another word.
My life is so fucking weird lately.
Well, if nothing else, Vanessa will be relieved to see they made it back without killing each other.
Chapter Twenty
Vanessa
Moretti kept his word about not killing Magnum, so I keep mine about not complaining, even if going on a date is the last thing I want to do.
The women who popped up to do my hair and makeup were talented. They were friendly but professional, and I’d be happy to have them back again.
I look fierce as I make my way down the stairs to the first floor. The top of my hair is in double French braids up to the crown of my head. They’re tied off and pinned together, with the rest falling over my shoulders in cascading waves.
The dress hugs my breasts and hips, but it’s forgiving around my middle. It features a silver silky bottom layer that’s soft against my skin and a sparkly champagne-tinted see-through overlay. The colors sound like they wouldn’t work, but together the effect is magical.
I’m not sure what Moretti was hoping for when he told me to pick something short and flirty, but it falls to my knees. It still shows plenty of skin, considering the top has spaghetti straps and a low V neckline.
Moretti stands, leaning against the wall across from where the staircase ends. He has one hand in his pocket while the other adjusts his tie, and I almost stumble over my own feet.
The short hair on the top of his head falls over his forehead, and it looks like he trimmed his beard. He manages to look dangerous and sexy all at once, and things will only get more complicated once I can smell him.
He sees me watching and smirks, shoving off the wall and coming to meet me as I step onto the first-floor landing.
“Jesus, Vanessa.” His hand comes to rest on my waist, and he dips his head, kissing my temple. The move makes it seem like we’re much more intimately acquainted than we really are, and I peek around to see if he’s putting on a show for Magnum. Only, I don’t see Mag. “You sure know how to test a man’s resolve.”
“Y-You look handsome,” I choke out, trying to steel my nerves.
“I have something for you.” Moretti reaches into the inside pocket of his suit coat, pulling out a necklace box. He steps around behind me but keeps the box held in front of my chest as he moves. It leaves him wrapped around my back, and he dips his head close to mine. “I believe it will match that dressperfectly.” He loops his other arm around me from behind, popping the lid.
It’s a double-layered necklace, and it looks like it was made specifically to fit the neckline of my dress.
“Here, let me help you into it,” he murmurs, pulling the necklace from the box. He guides us over to a mirror that hangs above a small wall table. He drops the box and unhooks the necklace, bringing it to my throat.
I gather my hair, holding it out of the way as he clips the elegant piece of jewelry.
I’m not sure if it’s a Y necklace or possibly a lariat. There’s never been a man in my life to pamper me with jewelry, so I never put any effort into learning the difference.
I’m starting to think that giving jewelry is Moretti’s love language. Or he just has to keep up appearances.
Either way, I don’t care.
I love it.
The top layer features a single diamond that falls right between my collarbones. The other chain hangs much lower, and it features five smaller diamonds—two on each side following it downward and one in the middle. Another chain dangles just under the center diamond, and it hangs low enough that it falls between my breasts.
It’s thin and the diamonds aren’t huge, making the piece seem delicate rather than ostentatious.
