162 Red Lace and Hidden Intentions
Lucian
“The women here are forward, Denis muttered, tossing his jacket on the arm of a nearby chair. “Did you see the way they were throwing themselves at us? I almost wish we’d brought our mates along.”
Darian snorted from the bed where he’d sprawled, still half-asleep. “Trust me, even that wouldn’t have stopped them. Judging by how bold they were, I think that kind of thing’s normal here.”
I shook my head, already tired of the energy in this town. “Let’s just do what we came here to do and get the hell out.”
Denis chuckled, but I was already heading for the bathroom. My bladder had been nagging me since we landed.
As I unbuttoned my jeans, my hand brushed against something tucked deep in my pocket. Curious, I pulled it out, and stared.
Red lace.
Mara’s panties.
A laugh escaped before I could stop it. That woman… I swear. Mischievous didn’t even begin to cover her. I could just imagine her smirking as she slid these into my pocket, thinking about the look on my face when I finally found them. I shook my head, still chuckling.
Of course, they had her scent, subtle, but undeniably hers. Bad news for my c**k. I quickly shoved them back into my pocket before my body embarrassed me further. I gripped the sink for a second, breathing through the sudden ache of arousal.
“She definitely deserves a spanking when I get back,” I muttered to myself, shaking my head and smiling like a fool. My wife was wicked, and I loved her for it.
Once I’d finished and pulled myself together, I stepped back into the room.
“So, when do we see her?” I asked Denis, my tone slipping back into business.
He had just finished speaking into the intercom. “Her daughter’s coming to pick us up.”
Darian made a beeline for the bathroom.
“I ordered us breakfast,” Denis added casually, “and told the hotel to send up a food taster.”
That made me grin. “Smart. Can’t be too careful.”
We both laughed, but there was a quiet edge beneath the humour. We weren’t here on a casual visit. People had a lot to lose if we uncovered the truth-and even more to gain if we failed.
Staying sharp wasn’t just smart. It was survival.
Two painfully hungry hours later, breakfast finally arrived-along with the food taster we had requested.
Only, she looked more like someone hired for entertainment than hotel staff.
She strolled in with a sway in her hips, balancing a tray as though she were auditioning for something far more provocative than food service. But we couldn’t send her away-we had asked for a taster.
“What’s your name?” Denis asked, raising a brow as she delicately began plating sample portions of our meal.
“Patricia Moses, sir,” she replied, her voice dripping with seduction. It was clear she wasn’t from around here-locals from Neev rarely bore English names, and certainly didn’t speak with that polished, flirtatious lilt.
< 162 Red Lace and Hidden Intentions
+5 Points >
“Where are you from, Miss Moses?” I asked, curiosity piqued more by her demeanour than anything else.
She blushed, eyes locking with mine as though I’d just whispered something scandalous. “Goldenpeak, Alpha,” she said, biting her lower lip slightly.
I resisted the urge to sigh. Was this a general trait of Goldenpeak women-bold and unashamedly forward?
“No hotels in Goldenpeak?” Darian chimed in, arching a sceptical brow.
She shook her head slowly, her earrings catching the light. “Goldenpeak is a poor city, Alpha. Most of us come to Neev to find work. The women here are… selective about the jobs they take. So we do the ones they won’t.”
The implication hung thick in the air, no further explanation needed.
She smiled faintly and resumed her task, taking bites from each sample with exaggerated poise, as if the performance was part of her job. I exchanged a glance with Denis, and even Darian looked amused now, no longer half-asleep.
The food was clean-at least according to her-though I’d be double-checking with the scanner in my bag.
Still, it was clear now.
Neev might wear the face of a peaceful green haven, but underneath, it had its own currency, its own hierarchy. And women like Patricia? They knew exactly how to survive in it.
