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"No," Maksim laughs. “No wife of mine will ever be anenforcer,but yes. You are up toRossi’sstandards in the gun department."
"Your only wifeever.” I remind him. “This is the best gift I've ever gotten." It really is. I just wish it were pink, and maybe sparkly, but I can DIY it later. I’m sure I can find a few videos on YouTube. I hear chuckling from my right and see Parker coming in with sweat dripping. He always works out a little harder on the days I bake.
“Did you give her the gun?” Maksim steps out of the way so I can show Parker the 9mm. He nods, eyes crinkling at the sides while he beams at me. Once he reaches me, he plants a kiss on my forehead. I love when he smells all manly. “You look hot. Like a little femme fatale.” I strike a pose while pointing it, and his hands go up, mix-matched eyes glittering my way. “I should not be getting a boner right now, should I?”
Maksim laughs then shrugs. “I literally fucked her while she was holding a gun to my head. What do I know?” He takes the gun away from me and puts it back into the box just as the timer on the oven goes off. He turns off the oven, puts on the neon pink oven mitts, slowly opens it and takes out the tray for me. “These smell fucking amazing.”
I practically purr, my blush rising up to my cheeks. I very much like praise. The degradation is also a favorite of mine but only in the bedroom. Or the sofa. Or the gym. Or the- anyway.
We've pretty much moved into the mansion, with us only staying at the penthouse if absolutely necessary. “Have you heard from Raven? She still sick?” Parker asks, grabbing one of the muffins, still too hot to eat. He shakes his hand andtries again.
“Yeah, she's not able to make it to the party tonight, but they all made a sizeable donation.” It's Halloween, and Angie is hosting another charity party at her new art gallery in Manhattan. While the money is going towards children, it's adults only. We've had our costumes picked out for weeks. She was going to be an angel (of death), and I have a sweet bunny costume. Well. I'm supposed to be Elle Woods from Legally Blonde, but I doubt anyone will understand the reference. “I made her soup earlier and dropped it off. Poor thing was ghastly. All sweaty and pale. They wouldn’t even let me drink the tea Maverick had at the ready. You’d think the man was part English the way he hogged it.”
A look passes between Maksim and Parker, but I pay it no mind.
“Anyway!” I declare “Jonas had the flu last week, so I'm not surprised she's sick with how much they tango in the nude. I mean, I hate they're not going, but I don't think I can afford any distractions at the moment with midterms coming. Oh, God.” I fake a gag. “I can't believe I'm saying that word again.”
Parker pats my back while taking a bite into the muffin he's been blowing on during my monologue. I grin at him but turn to Maksim. “Are we still meeting you there?”
He nods, grabbing a muffin for himself. “Niko is finally back from Boston, and Aleksi has to talk to me about something. The new kid, Elio, will be guarding you since Sasha is at home with his wife. Apparently she's thirty-six weeks along. Doctor says it could happen any day now since they're expecting twins.”
My brows furrow, and my lips roll inward before I ask. “Do… does the mafia have paternal leave? Do they take that up with HR or…?”
Parker chokes on the muffin as Maksim deadpans. He wags his finger at me. “I married a very funny woman.”
I laugh and press on my toes to kiss him but take a bite of the treat in his hand and then kiss him. “You married a clever woman.”
“Hmmm.”
I roll my eyes. “Please, we both know you'd be bored to tears had you married anyone else.”
“You're probably right,” he kisses me, licking the crumb from the corner of my lips. “I was right. My Wife's muffin is delicious.”
I cackle horribly, and it ends in a godawfulsnort, but Maksim's eyes are still on me. “I would marry you, each time, over and over again, if given the chance.”
Tears spring into my eyes, and I melt into him when he wraps his arms around me. “Stop it. I don't feel like crying. You know I've been wonky lately with my periods being weird.”
Parker clears his throat. “I need to shower before tonight.” He pecks me on the cheek. “Come join me when you’re done, baby. Love you.”
Once he’s gone, Maksim pulls away. “You still haven’t said it to him?”
“I was waiting for tonight. You know we have that whole thing planned, and I thought we could both bring it up to him tonight.”
“It’s not a bad idea. Alright. I should go, too. I love you.” He grabs another pastry from the tray. “I'll see you at the party.”
“Don't forget to pick up your costume!” I call out only for him to mutter something back to me. It's not my fault he's a giant and had to get his specially altered. Where I'm going as a bunny, both of my men are going as wolves. I should've gone as Red Riding Hood so they could eat me.
I giggle to myself as I leave the kitchen and start up the stairs to join Parker in the shower. Either way, I know I'll be eaten and stuffed like a turkey after midnight.
God, I love the holidays.
Anticipation is rolling in my tummy as I walk down the black stairs of the second floor of the gallery. It's very posh, modern, sleek, shiny – all the things you imagine when you think of an art gallery. The ceiling is tall and mighty. Both floors are large, open spaces with black, marble floors. The music is blaring (to me). People are talking loudly, and drinking.
But that’s not what’s got me feeling like this.
I can't find Maksim anywhere. I spot Niko in his usual Armani and a black Zorro mask, his blue eyes like clear skies peeking through and push through the things of people talking, as he leans against the wall. I can feel Parker's looming form behind me, and if I'm honest, I'm panicking – to the point where I feel like I'm going to be sick.I push through the throngs of people talking, gathered around the exhibits. At one point, I swear I see Verity Huntington, but I don’t care. My anxiety is rolling, and my stomach with it.
“Have you seen my husband?” I ask, feeling silly in pink tights, a bedazzled corset with a tail, and a half-mask with bunny ears.