Paul Rogers, my PI, walked into my office wearing his typical stern expression. Sometimes I wondered if the man ever smiled.
Without waiting for an invitation, he sank into the seat opposite me and placed a brown envelope on my desk. I leaned back in my chair, making no move to touch it.
"Paul," I acknowledged.
"Zephyr," he replied, crossing his legs and nodding toward the parcel. "That's the information you requested."
"Appreciate it." I kept my eyes on the envelope but didn't reach for it.
"Aren't you going to open it?"
"I will. Just not yet."
"May I ask why?"
As much as I wanted to find out the identity of the mole leaking company secrets to our rivals so I could deal with them accordingly, I wasn't in the mood to handle that kind of stress at the moment. The information could wait a little longer.
Ignoring his question, I slid a check across the table. "Thanks, Paul."
He took it, tucking it into his blazer pocket as he rose.
"Always a pleasure."
Then he paused, glancing back. "By the way, how's the girlfriend?"
"She's alright."
"Settling in?" he asked.
I nodded. "She's adjusting."
Paul had been the one to look into Lyla's background long before she became a part of my life. Before Nik and Alex approached her family, before the deal was even set in motion. She checked all the right boxes. A quiet upbringing. No large extended family to raise questions. Just the essentials.
"Good to hear"
He left.
Leaning back in my chair, I let my eyes wander around my office before paging Joan and instructing her to come in. Moments later, she stood a few meters away from my desk.
"Mr. Wrath?"
I gestured to the chair across from me. "Take a seat, Joan."
She obeyed but eyed me warily. "What's wrong?"
Shifting forward, I rested my hands on the table. "This is… unusual for me to ask, but since you're the closest female to me here, I figured you might be able to help."
I let out a breath, annoyed at how difficult this was to say out loud.
"I need advice… on how to win a woman over."
Joan blinked, clearly taken aback.
I cleared my throat and clarified, "I mean, in terms of gestures. Acts of service. Gifts."
I already knew Lyla was warming up to me, I didn't need help with that. Women falling for me had never been an issue. My problem was figuring out what to buy her, something that wouldn't offend her or make her roll her eyes in disgust.
A slow grin spread across Joan's face. "Oh."
She stifled a laugh. "Mr. Wrath, with how serious you sounded and that posture… my goodness, I thought you were about to fire me."
I raised a brow. "What? Joan, I would never do that. And did I really sound that serious?"
She chuckled, crossing her arms. "Mmm, yeah. You did."
Joan shifted in her seat. "So, there's a special woman in your life, huh?"
I sighed. "Do you even read the tabloids, Joan? This isn't news."
She ran a hand through her short hair. "I haven't had time for gossip lately."
"Whatever. Just help me out."
"Women like romance."
I sneered, my face scrunching like there was puke in my mouth.
"Ugh"
"Yes," she repeated, smiling lightly. "We like to be pursued. We like attention. Thoughtful gestures. Effort."
Attention? I had work. Unless I took a break and let Alex take charge.
Maybe I could fly her out of the country for a change of scenery. Or take her shopping in Paris. But was Lyla the type to enjoy that?
Joan's voice pulled me from my thoughts. "You, Mr. Wrath, romancing a woman? Now, that's something I'd pay to see."
She tilted her head, amused. "Anyway, flowers. Maybe go for roses. Hopefully, she's not allergic. My cousin's allergic," she muttered to herself, before continuing. "Small surprises, little things that make her feel special. Remember, it's not just the grand gestures that count."
I nodded. "Thanks, Joan."
She stood, smoothing her skirt. "Happy to help, Mr. Wrath. And don't forget to update me."
"I will. Pull up the best florists in the city and order their finest bouquet."
"Sure thing."
After she left, I sat back, almost amused at myself. I, ordering flowers. Asking for advice on how to please a woman.
But I liked seeing Lyla smile. It did something to me… something I couldn't quite figure out. And I wanted to keep that expression on her face for as long as possible.
That wasn't so bad, was it?
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LYLA
I chose to spend the one hour Zephyr had granted me visiting Aspcreek.
That constant pull in my chest, the one that had never left since the day Nik and Alex showed up at my house, urged me to return. I needed to see it again. The place where I had struggled to grow up. The place I had once called home.
My parents hadn't called me. Not once since I moved into the mansion. No check-ins, no messages. Nothing.
It hurt like hell.
Alexei found a safe spot to park, and I stepped out, making my way toward the compound.
The house was empty. The farm was, too. Not a single animal in sight.
"Ma'am, I believe we're trespassing," Troy said in a clipped tone.
Tall and broad-shouldered, with a buzz cut and sharp black eyes, he stood with his hands clasped behind his back. Like the other two men with me, he was a Lycan of the Wrath pack, though not directly related by blood.
I had asked Celine to wait in the car with Alexei. I would've asked Garrett and Troy to do the same, but there was no chance they'd agree, not when Zephyr had given them strict orders to stay by my side.
"Trespassing how?" I asked.
Garrett nodded toward something in the distance. Following his gaze, I spotted a sign I had missed.
SOLD.
"Oh."
Of course, they had sold the place. No doubt they had moved somewhere better. More comfortable.
Most times, I wondered how much they had been paid to give me up, and what would have happened if I had escaped the night before Alex took me.
I was old enough. Twenty-three years on this earth. But where would I have gone? Where would I have lived? I had no money, no resources. No distant relatives.
Sure, I worked multiple jobs on top of the farm work, but every cent I made went toward paying off my parents' debts.
In a way, I was lucky. The household I was sold to was fair.
Zephyr, no matter how annoying he was, was a good man.
But what if I hadn't been so lucky? What if I had ended up with someone ruthless?
Someone like Darrin.
They never cared about me. I had fooled myself into believing they did, but the truth was obvious now.
I hadn't even realized I was crying until a tear slipped down my chin, and Garrett's voice snapped me out of my despondent thoughts. "Ma'am, are you okay?"
I sniffed, quickly wiping my face. "Yes. Let's head back to the car."
We arrived at the mansion, where I ran into Maria. I'd been avoiding seeing her directly since I came. I'd seen glimpses of her when she was in the kitchen or going about, but I'd never come across her face to face since the first day I stepped into the mansion.
Now, however, there was no escaping it.
I walked right into her on my way upstairs.
Her expression hadn't changed. Hard and unreadable as ever.
"Miss Gray," she said in a clipped tone.
"Maria"
I wasn't scared of her anymore. I had been on the first day, yes, but not anymore. Not when I was to be the woman of this house. Zephyr's wife.
"Enjoying your stay here, I see," she snarked.
"Yes," I replied, holding her gaze. "Why wouldn't I?"
"You seem more comfortable than you should be." She was annoyingly composed, speaking like her title went above head of staff and her words weren't the least bit condescending. "We'll see how long that lasts."
I crossed my arms, cocking my head. "Is that supposed to be a threat?"
She smiled slowly. Coldly. "Just a reminder. You may be wearing a new title and clothes, but you're still just a farm girl plucked from the dirt. Try not to forget that."
My jaw tightened in anger, but I didn't look away. "And you're just the help," I said, matching her energy. "Acting like you run this place won't get you very far. You might be head staff, but don't start thinking you're anything more."
Her smile faltered.
"I wonder what Zephyr would say if I told him how his staff speaks to his Luna," I added.
Maria scoffed. "Luna-to-be," she corrected brusquely. "You haven't taken the vow yet. Don't get ahead of yourself."
I closed in. "Maybe. But even now, I still outrank you. And you know what the best part is?" I smiled. "You. Are. Replaceable."
I walked away without another word, leaving her stiff and silent in the hallway.