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“People are wondering why you aren’t arriving at the party with Gavin and Lauren.” Morgan said.
Nick smiled. “Well, let’s get me upstairs to them then, shall we?”
Nick walked into the party with his lionesses around him as if they were his harem. His lionesses had all been in conventional Prides; they knew how to pull it off, and they gave the show expected of them. Every one of them was grateful for Nick’s nontraditional leadership, and they almost always followed him wherever he led without argument.
Tonight, they made an excellent showing, and Nick tilted Ashley nearly into a backbend with a goodbye kiss before he walked to Gavin and gave him the same damned kiss. He didn’t bend him backwards, but he held the back of his skull and moved his head where he fucking wanted it.
The room went silent during the last half of the forty second kiss, and when Nick released Gavin, he leaned in and gave Lauren a five second kiss, and then stepped so Gavin was in the center of the threesome, and the vampire said, “I assume everyone knows Nick? If not, may I present the Rex of the Vegas Strip, and the man I’d share a bedroom with if I actually slept.”
“And the man who took the love of your life’s virginity.”
The wolf was ten feet in front of them, and without giving it a second thought, Nick strode to Jason and punched with all his strength, which was unfortunate because he didn’t realize Gavin was lending him even more power than he was accustomed to.
The wolf went down, knocked out cold, and Nick wasn’t sure what to say, but Gavin filled the silence.
“Anyone else want to say something that makes the love of our lives uncomfortable? Nick beat me to the punch this time, so I’ll have to be quicker next time.”
“For my part,” Lauren said, “I’m hoping this means we can refrain from inviting the riffraff to future parties. Also, I could’ve taken him, but as Gavin pointed out, Nick made it to him first.” She looked at Nick, then her mother, and finally looked around the room. “I’m not a delicate flower who has to be protected, but I admit it’s kind of nice knowing my men will handle any shit that gets thrown my way.”
A member of the security staff lifted the wolf Alpha to his shoulder and fireman-carried him out while Lauren was talking, and when the door closed behind him, she dusted off her hands and said, “Waiters have trays of wine, brandy, and craft beer — all with Gavin’s personal label, from his winery and brewery. If you like it and wish to purchase some to take home, the store just off the lobby on the first floor has plenty of stock. The caterers will be circulating with snacks, and a buffet is set up in the room to my right. Various rooms have different decades of music. Find a spot that works for you and enjoy your evening!”
An hour later, Lauren made it to the rooftop courtyard, and was surprised to see the wolf Alpha vertical and enjoying himself. He was shirtless under his tux, and Lauren scented blood on the jacket, so she figured he’d scrapped the shirt because it was bloody.
She turned her back to him as a power play, assuming security would handle him if he came after her, though she honestly didn’t expect him to.
However, if she’d thought it through, she’d have realized he’d been deeply humiliated, and he’d be looking for a way to save face.
The last thing she expected was to find herself hurled from the top of the building, flying through the air and then plummeting. Fast.
So many people below her, no way could she levitate herself up and not be in trouble with the Concilio.
Mordecai had worked with her on adjusting her trajectory for a seemingly fast landing two days before, though, so she slowed her descent and adjusted the path she was on, aiming in the direction of the large water feature. She’d started on the roof of the thirty-sixth floor, so it wasn’t like she had the time one would when flung from a helicopter, but she made it work, and then dropped all control when she was still three floors up.
She crashed through the surface and torpedoed to the bottom, and before the pain of striking the water had faded, she telepathed Gavin and Nick.
I’m okay. I’m going to let them rescue me. I can breathe underwater. Tell my mom I’m okay, please.
I’m going to kill him,Gavin said, his telepathic voice frighteningly calm.
Agreed, but slowly. You promised a dozen-squared years of pain, yes? We’ll need to trot him out once or twice a year as a brain-dead zombie who stinks of pain.
Have I mentioned lately how much I love you?
The bastard threw me off the motherfucking roof! What made him think he could get away with that? We need to figure out what was going through his mind and make sure we aren’t missing something.
Nick finally joined the conversation to tell her,I let your mom know. It’s possible Gavin and I will have to get in line behind her before we can torture the fucker. Your mom can be frightening, Shortcake.
Lauren relaxed at the bottom of the water feature, fifteen feet below the frothing surface, and let her axolotl breathe for her. Water bubbles rose all around her like some kind of CGI effect in a movie, but it was real. Surreal was more like it.
She moved all her limbs and joints to be certain she wasn’t injured, and assured herself she was okay.
People jumped in after her, and she let them pull her to the surface. She choked and sputtered while expelling the water from her lungs, and she finally relaxed in the arms of a familiar scent. Panda was one of Nathan’s lions, and his scent meant safety.
It also meant he warmed her up, just by holding her. Most shifters ran hotter than human, and Panda’s heat was welcome after the cold water.
Mordecai’s voice came into her head to tell her,The Vegas police are on their way. Too many people saw for us to keep this private. You were on the roof, minding your own business while you escaped the party for a few minutes, looking at the view, and you have no idea who threw you off the roof.
You worked with me two days ago so I’d be ready for this.
