Tessa’s POV
The sky was dipped in twilight now, streaked with amber and lavender as the sun finally surrendered behind the trees.
The garden lights glowed brighter in its absence, casting a dreamy haze over everything as the music slowed into something softer, smoother- like honey being poured over the moment to savour the night.
i was still flushed from laughing too hard at one of Erin’s stories when Fiora rose from the bench beside us and stretched with a graceful sigh.
“Well, that’s my cue,” she said, brushing off her dress. “Rico’s already vanished into the cigar lounge, which means if I want to avoid a secondhand headache, I better head to bed.”
She turned to me, her hand resting lightly on my shoulder. “It was so good to talk to you tonight, both of you. For the first time in a long time, i feel like I’ve made some genuine friends. I’m sad that you aren’t staying for longer.”
“Me too… hopefully we can arrange visits to each other’s packs in the future since from what I could see, Kane seems to really like Alpha Rico’s company too.” My tone held a promise, as I added; “Thank you so much for tonight… for being so welcoming!”
Her smile warmed. “Of course. Us girls have to stick together in a world full of teeth.” She joked, moving to hug Erin next who gave her a squeeze.
“Fiora, m’amore?!” We all turned to find Rico hanging out of one of the garden doorways, waving her over with one large hand, cigar hanging loosely from his lips.
“Ugh! Missed my chance to slip away quietly now!” She giggled, rolling her eyes playfully at us before turning towards Rico with a plastered smile, sauntering her way towards the villa.
We watched her silhouette vanishing into the golden interior light, Rico’s arm slinging around her shoulders as she reaches him, a light kiss being pressed to the side of her head.
I admired what they had here at their pack, already liking Rico as an Alpha and friend of ours.
Erin leaned back on the cushioned chair with a soft groan and let her head fall against the back of it.
“That woman is so cool and amazing,” she mumbled, her eyes finding mine as I joined her on the seat once more.
“I know,” I said with a small laugh. “I wish we could take her back home with us too.”
It felt strange to sit there so at ease- so full, so sun–kissed, so… normal. But even as I tried to hold on to that feeling, I could sense him coming before I even saw him.
Kane.
My eyes drifted across the garden just in time to see him speaking with Kion and Seth by the back entrance to the villa. He said something low to them- both men grinned, clapping his shoulder- before he turned and fixed his gaze on me like a silent magnet.
Oh no.
The same unreadable look was on his face. Calm, Collected. But that simmering heat beneath the surface?
Unmistakable fire brewing.
He crooked a finger at me.
Just once.
But it was all it took.
I swallowed, feeling the tingle ripple up my spine as I stood, brushing invisible crumbs off my clothes.
1/3
Chapter 140
Erin shot me a look the second I moved. “Where are you going?”
“Apparently.” I said, adjusting my shirt as I turned, “to discuss my ‘weak mind‘ with Kane.”
She raised a brow, looking past, me. “Well by the look on his face… you’re so screwed on whatever you’ve dons.”
“Yeah,” I muttered under my breath. “I think I am too.”
I hurried toward him, following him back through the villa, our footsteps echoing in the now–quiet hallway.
He said nothing as he climbed the wide staircase, and I stayed a step behind, half–expecting to be teased… or scolded… or kissed speechless?
He pushed our room door open, stepping aside for me to go in first, as I paused at the threshold, feeling the weight of the evening settle on my shoulders..
“Are you really mad?” I asked cautiously, finally stepping in.
He didn’t answer at first. Instead, he closed the door slowly behind me, the click of the latch sounding far louder than it should’ve. Then he turned to faze me fully.
“I’m not mad,” he said, his voice low and warm. “I just think we should talk about how you threatened me with the idea of some hypothetical “huge, handsome guy‘ wandering past.”
My cheeks flamed. “I was just joking.”
“You were teasing me,” he corrected, stepping closer. “And you knew exactly what the outcome would be.”
He stopped in front of me, close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off him. His eyes searched mine, intense and unreadable.
“I’ve shared my mind with you,” he said softly, brushing a loose strand off my forehead. “For you to tease me?”
“I know,” I whispered, heart beating far too fast. “It wasn’t real, Kane.”
“I know that too,” he murmured.
And then his lips brushed my jaw, so lightly it almost didn’t register. “But even joking like that?” he whispered against my skin. “You should know I don’t share well.”
His mouth slid lower, grazing the edge of my neck now, slow and deliberate. I felt my breath hitch, my fingers clenching at my sides.
“You’re mine, Tessa,” he growled, “And now, I hear everything
you
think…”
My hands lifted on their own accord, fisting in the front of his shirt. “Then you already know what I want…”
He pulled back just enough to look at me, his pupils blown wide now in shock at my words. “I want you to say it anyway…”
My mouth was dry, my pulse loud in my ears, but I said it.
“I want you,” I breathed. “I want you to show me exactly how not–shared I am.”
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