Chapter 39
JESSICA
The garden is stupidly beautiful.
Fairy lights hang like stars from the trellises, weaving through blooming white roses and night jasmine. The long table sits in the middle of it all, wrapped in soft gold linen, glowing candles flickering down the center. Someone even had the audacity to put real crystal glasses out
I know exactly whose work this is. Grayson’s mother. She’s obsessed with gardens, beauty, appearances. And it’s working–if I didn’t feel like was about to be gutted and served with dessert, I might’ve enjoyed this.
Logan leans in. “This looks like a wedding rehearsal dinner.”
I elbow him. “Shut up.”
He snorts, unbothered, and steals a grape from the tray in front of us.
I smooth down my dress for the third time and instantly regret wearing it. It’s too soft, too clingy. Too pretty. I feel like I’m trying too hard, which is pathetic, because I don’t even know why I’m nervous. It’s just dinner. With my brother. And Grayson. And Logan. And Aria.
Okay. That last one explains it.
Aria looks like a goddamn porcelain dagger. Pale pink silk. Thin straps. Glossy lips. Every move she makes is too graceful, too intentional, like she’s performing for someone.
Grayson hasn’t said a word to me since we sat down. I wonder what’s making my baby sad? I smirk at that thought.
“So,” Aria says, tilting her head at me. What a bitch. “I just really wanted to meet the people Grayson grew up with. Since we’re all going to be family soon.”
I take a long sip of water, just to keep myself from laughing in Aria’s face.
Family. She really said family.
–
Bitch thinks because she wore a pastel dress and memorized/a few facts about Grayson’s mom’s roses, she suddenly gets a seat at the table? more than once. Grayson’s mother probably still waters the hydrangeas Please. I’ve bled on this soil. Fought on it. Gotten fucked on it too beside the training field without knowing her future daughter–in–law had her legs over her son’s shoulders right there last week.
Aria’s still babbling, her hand grazing Grayson’s bicep in that fake–innocent way. He doesn’t look at her. Doesn’t touch her. But he doesn’t stop her either.
I don’t blame him. If he blinked too fast, he might get accused of mistreating her or whatever polished bullshit she’s rehearsed with her father. Aria’s not subtle. She’s a glass doll with a blade behind her back – too pretty, too practiced. She’s here to perform.
I shift in my seat, casual as hell, and stretch my leg under the table until the arch of my foot brushes against the inside of Grayson’s thigh.
Bullseye.
He jolts – barely – just enough to make his knife scrape against his plate.
Got you, baby.
“Are you alright, alpha?” I ask sweetly, reaching for my napkin. I press it to my lips like I’m hiding a smile. “You’ve barely touched your food.”
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Chapter 39
His eyes flick to mine. Stormy. Dangerous. Starved.
“I’m fine,” he says, but his voice is lower now. Rougher. That’s the voice ite uses when he’s trying really hard not to grab my face and vise in
smirk off it.
“I’m just so glad your father arranged this,” she’s saying. “It’s lovely to be included.”
“He really has such exquisite taste,” Aria continues, as if she doesn’t notice Grayson’s hands curling into fists. “The decor… the food… I can see where you get your refinement from.”
I flex my toes just below his zipper.
Gods, I love making the Alpha squirm.
“You’ve barely touched your food,” I murmur again, eyes locked on his mouth now, tongue darting out to wet my lower lip. “You sure you’re not… hungry?”
Grayson doesn’t answer. His knuckles whiten where he grips his fork. His thigh tenses beneath my foot like he’s daring me to go further.
Challenge accepted.
I slide my foot up one more inch
toe brushing right over the thick, hot bulge straining under his pants.
He twitches.
Just a blink. A sharp inhale. A tiny shift of his hips.
And I fucking feel it – the way his cock pulses under the pressure of my touch.
Oh, baby.
I smirk and keep my gaze perfectly polite. Logan is still chewing. Pierce is sipping wine like this isn’t the most unhinged dinner of his life. Aria, that plastic doll, keeps talking.
“I just think it’s important to really bond with everyone. I mean, when I’m Luna, it’ll be my duty, right?”
Ugh. Shut up, Aria.
Grayson exhales, nostrils flaring. He drops his fork.
I press harder.
Aria is still talking.
“I mean, of course, no one can replace the people you grew up with,” she says. “But I want to be part of it too. I want to understand what shaped you.”
He shaped me, bitch. On his tongue. On his cock. In his bed, in his office, up against the goddamn war room door.
I lean back slightly, legs still crossed over his thigh, watching the muscle jump in his jaw. I wonder if he’s hard enough it hurts. I hope so. I hope he sneaks into my room tonight. Climbs through the damn window, yanks my panties off with his teeth, and finally fucks me until forget how to walk. Because ever since I had him, I’ve been in heat like something wicked.
He’s ruined me. That cock should be a controlled weapon. And right now? He can’t do a damn thing about it. I brush him one more time slow, filthy, just enough to feel his whole body stiffen – and then I pull away. Sit back.
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Chapter 39
Take a dainty sip of my wine. “Such a lovely dinner,” I purr. “We should do this more often. His gaze traps to me if ever could bitz 14 bleeding
“Really?” Aria asked. I mean, I get it she’s trying to intimidate me. But little titties and harsh words won’t make me fold Hall, Eva KORVAT Gray’s temper tantrums. “I mean, that’s so nice of you. Thank you,” she said sweetly, shooting me a smile.
Grayson look like he’s cursing me in his head right now. “So…” I tilt my head at her, all innocent curiosity. “What makes you like out alohas
Aria blinks. “I… well, I admire his leadership. He’s strong. Respected. Responsible. He’s very-
“Loud,” I interrupt, deadpan.
Aria pauses. “Pardon?”
“I said loud.” Hean forward slightly, chin in my palm. “He barks like a dog when he’s angry. It’s actually so embarrassing. I mean, I’m allowed to say that, right? We grew up together. I’ve seen him throw tantrums over burnt toast.”
Pierce chokes on his water. Logan grins into his plate.
I flash Grayson a wink.
Aria forces a polite laugh. “Well… he’s passionate.”
“Right,” I say.” And he’s also an alpha–hole.”
“Jess.” Pierce warned.
Grayson darkly chuckle. I bet he’s thinking of ways to punish me now. I just don’t like it when he’s letting another girl touch him. “Is that what you think of me, Jess? An alpha–hole?”
I raise one eyebrow, swirl my wine again. “Don’t look at me like that. You know it’s true.”
His nostrils flare. “We both know why I’m so asshole when it comes to you.”
“Well, I’ve been curious.”
“Well,” I say sweetly, “I’ve been curious.”
“I think she’s drunk,” Pierce cuts in like the good little soldier he is, trying to rescue me from my own mouth. Pathetic. “I’m sorry, Alpha.! should get her home.”
1 shove him away with one sharp elbow. “I’m not drunk. And even if I was, it doesn’t make it less true.Grayson Westwood is a big asshole,” I continue. “A very big jerk who was born to humiliate me, to get angry at me, and to make my life so unbearable I’ve considered praying for divine smiting.” I grin. “I mean, if the moon goddess has a hit list, his name better be on it.”
Aria’s eyes go wide. Pierce looks like he’s praying, to that same goddess to shut me up. Logan has the audacity to smirk behind his cup.
How’s that for pretending we hate each other, alpha?
His eyes are black now. Gone is the polished pack leader look. What’s staring back at me is the feral thing he tries to keep chained – the one that knows exactly what to do with a brat like me.
I cross my legs again, biting back the grin.
Aria clears her throat. “Well, I didn’t realize there was so
