Chapter 247

#Chapter 247 – Reunion Bridgette is standing in the doorway with a bag pressed tightly to her chest, Alvin’s hand held tightly in her own. Her lovely blond hair is golden in the backlit glow from the porch light. “Um,” she says, giving us all an awkward little smile. “Does anyone want some ice cream? Alvin and I made a…pitstop.”

Rafe just stares at her, struck dumb by something – her beauty, his own fear of losing her again, his guilt perhaps? I look between the two of them, assessing, but luckily Ian comes to all of our aid.

“I want ice cream!” He calls, jumping off the couch and rushing towards Bridgette. “What kind did you get?” he asks, pulling at the bag in her arms and not bothering to say hello. “Did you get rocky road?

You didn’t get strawberry, did you?”

Bridgette laughs, her face lighting up, and begins to answer his questions.

I blink, coming back to myself, and walk warmly over to her.

“Ian,” I scold, frowning at him. “Do we interrogate people about their ice cream when they come into our house? Or do we say hello?”

“Oops,” he says, giving me a little grimace. Then he gives Bridgette a bright smile. “Welcome home, auntie!” he says, wrapping his arms around her waist as she laughs and pats his back. Alvin takes the opportunity to steal the back of ice cream, absconding with it to the kitchen, where he puts it on the table and climbs up next to it like an eager little monkey.

I watch him, laughing a little as he pulls the cartons out and places them on the table. I should scold him too for climbing on the table, but he’s just so funny.

“Hey!” Ian shouts, realizing that the ice cream is gone. He spies his brother taking the advantage and runs over to the table to join him.

“Wash your hands!” I call out to them as I close the door behind Bridgette. “Spoons! Bowls! Paper towels! We are not eating our ice cream with our fingers tonight!”

The boys shout their assent and continue their work. I wrap my arm around Bridgette’s waist, bringing her in and giving her another warm smile, hoping she knows that she’s safe and welcome here. She gives me an anxious smile in return, glancing towards Rafe, who hasn’t moved.

“Thanks for getting the ice cream, Bridgette,” I say. “You really didn’t have to do that.”

“Oh,” she says, smirking a little and letting me know with her expression that she figured out my plan. “I don’t think Alvin was going to let me not stop for ice cream.”

“Yes,” I say, pretending to be wistful as I look towards my boys. “Those Alpha children. So willful.

Where do they get these ideas.”

Bridgette laughs and then Victor comes to our side. “It’s lovely to see you, Bridgette,” he says, leaning forward to give her a brotherly kiss on the cheek. She murmurs her returned greeting before he turns to me, putting a compelling arm around my waist. “Come on, Evelyn,” he says, tugging me towards the living room. “Ian brought down those pictured you asked to see – they’re very interesting, I think you’ll want to study them for quite a while –“

I open my mouth to protest, intending to stay at Bridgette’s side, but Victor gives me a look. Come on, Evie, he says sternly into my mind. It’s their relationship, let them figure it out.

I scowl, realizing that he’s right, of course. I am, perhaps – just perhaps! – getting too involved in what is really their affair and their choice. My heart is in the right place but…it’s time to let go.

I give Bridgette a little kiss on the cheek and let Victor pull me away. “We’ll be right over here,” I whisper, nodding towards the living room. “In case you need anything –“

Victor sounds a little growl and pulls me off my feet then, sweeping me up into his arms as he did to Ian a few minutes ago and making me give a little indignant yelp.

“Hey!” I grumble, kicking and squirming against his confining grip, even though I know it’s fruitless. “You can’t just carry me away when I’m being bossy! I am the Luna!”

“Sure I can,” Victor murmurs, sitting down on the couch and pulling me with him so that I end up curled up in his lap. “That’s my right, as the Alpha. 50/50 tiebreaker decisions go to you, carrying-away-

overwrought-Lunas goes to me.” He gives me a charming grin and I can’t help but laugh.

“Bossy,” I murmur as I look towards the kitchen, where the boys are sitting on the table digging into the ice cream and Bridgette is taking a few tentative steps towards Rafe, his head lowered to look closely into her eyes.

“Yes,” Victor agrees, running his nose against the soft skin behind my ear and whispering so only I can hear him. “I am the boss, and one day I’m going to turn you into my perfect, obedient little Luna, who obeys my every command with a smile –“

I huff a laugh and turn to glare at him playfully. “Don’t get your hopes up on that one, kid,” I murmur, returning my eyes to Rafe and Bridgette.

“I can do it,” he continues softly, confidently, beginning to press kisses discretely along the length of my neck. “I can find ways to make you want to obey me.”

“Oh really,” I ask, distracted and newly intrigued. He traces his lips across the skin of my shoulder, just barely using the edge of his teeth to press a sharp line there, making me shiver and reminding me of that night in the pool –

“Yes, really,” he murmurs, moving a warm hand to my knee and beginning to slowly, intently move it north. My core heats at this touch and I turn my face to him, my eyelids low as I take in the shape of his lips, the hard line of his jaw. I lean forward, then, ready to press my mouth to his when…

“Hey!” I hiss, pulling back sharply, realizing what he’s doing. “You’re – you’re using your wiles! To distract me!”

I open my mouth to protest, intending to stay at Bridgette’s side, but Victor gives me a look. Come on, Evie, he says sternly into my mind. It’s their relationship, let them figure it out.

Victor bursts out laughing at this as I push against him, trying to get to my feet. But he just tightens his arms and pulls me back into his lap. “My wiles?” He asks, still laughing.

“Yeah!” I snap, pouting up at him when I realize there’s no way he’s going to let me go free. “You’re using my attraction to you against me – your wiles! Distracting me with your body and your stupid pretty face!”

“Pretty?” He asks, tilting his head as he considers my word choice. “I was thinking rugged, handsome, maybe roguish –“

“No way, pretty boy,” I growl, pointing a finger at him with a glare. “I am vigilant! I will not be beguiled –“

“Oh come on,” he huffs, returning his hand to my leg and continuing its interrupted journey. “You like it.

You want to be beguiled.”

And, damn it, but my body betrays me. My breathing picks up as he works his right hand further up my thigh, as I feel him stir tellingly beneath me. His left arm is wrapped around me, and I know he can feel my heart start to pound as he presses his face to my neck, as the thumb of his left hand just barely –

barely grazes the underside of my breast.

“Okay!” I declare, pulling myself together before this goes any further and beaming around at everyone else in the room. “Victor and I are going to bed!”

“Yup,” Victor says intently, getting to his feet and taking me with him in his arms. Then, he stalks to the stairs, not looking at anyone, fully intent on getting me up to our room as fast as possible.

“Goodnight!” I call, waving cheerfully as Victor takes the stairs two at a time. “Boys, put the ice cream away when you’re finished! Bridgette, you’re welcome to take the boys room tonight – they won’t mind – Rafe you are on the couch – boys, you make sure he sleeps there, you’re on guard – there are blankets – “

But by this point, Victor has carried me into the bedroom. He slams the door shut behind him, cutting off further communication, and he cuts off the rest of my words by pulling my mouth to his. I let him, melting into my mate as I wrap my arms around his neck, completely distracted, beguiled, diverted.

Whatever.

My mate is hot and I want him now. Bridgette and Rafe can fend for themselves.

“Bed,” I demand, pulling my mouth away from his for just a moment.

“No,” he replies, shaking his head against my mouth. “Shower,” he declares, carrying me into the bathroom.

“Bossy,” I accuse again, smirking as I start to pull my shirt over my head.

“See?” he says, his eyes intent on me as I toss my shirt to the ground. “I knew you liked it.”

I bare my teeth at my mate, pulling him against me as he carries me into the bathroom, determined to show him just how much I like it.