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“I would say good luck to you, but you’ve been trying ceaselessly for over three years with nothing to show for your efforts, so I wouldn’t want to waste my wishes on a deadbeat,” I replied, injecting a sickening amount of sweetness in my tone.

Tom was in front of me in a flash, his eyes wild with anger.

“What did you just call me, bitch?”

“Deadbeat. I believe that’s what the lady said, and for context, it means a spineless jelly of a man who has a penis the size of a baby’s pinky and corners women to threaten them instead of facing their own lives.”

I pursed my lips to hold back the smile flirting with them. Trust Victor to make the most dramatic entrance and speak to potentially dangerous men like they were babies. I would never understand where he got his audacity.

“Oh,” Tom exclaimed, his eyes darting between me and Victor, who was currently standing next to me. “You’ve graduated to bringing your men home and turning my uncle’s house into a whore house?”

“Go home, Tom. You’re only embarrassing yourself at this point.” I sighed, pushing past him with Victor behind him.

“You just watch. I will expose you for what you are, and when I’m done with you, you’ll be left naked in the streets.” He retorted, hurling threats after threats.

“That’s enough, Tom. You have till the count of five to get out of here, or I’ll be forced to do it myself.” Victor cut through his rants, and like the chicken I know him to be, he tucked his tail between his legs and fled the room after throwing a few colorful words my way.

“Does that happen a lot?” Victor asked when Tom was finally out of the house.

“Today is one of the good days. Sometimes, he resorts to breaking things to prove a point. Your presence must’ve scared him off,” I replied, handing him a glass of wine.

“Cara,” I called Noah’s nanny when I heard her in the kitchen. “Tom is not allowed in the house anymore. Pass the message to security. If he tries to force his way in, call the cops.”

He was the only link I had to Adrian, and I would’ve loved to have him around, hence the countless chances I’ve given him. But it didn’t seem like that was going to happen any time soon, so I’d rather he stay away from myfamily.

Victor took a sip from the glass before looking at me, a flirty look playing behind his soft gray eyes. “So, what do I get for being your knight in shining armor, huh?”

A blush crept to my cheeks. Victor had a charming way with words, and he was the only man I’ve let close to me since Adrian died. The fact that he was also a werewolf made me feel safer around him, but I couldn’t deny the interest he had in me, nor could I continue putting him off for long.

“I would’ve made you a special dinner, but I just got back from a work dinner, and I’m a bit tired.”

A charming smile touched his lips.

“It’s alright, I’m not dying tonight.”

“Alright then, I owe you dinner,” I replied, smiling back at him.

*****

“What do you mean you hate caviar? Who hates caviar?” I stared at Victor, who stared at the open can of caviar in front of me with disgust.

We opted for lunch at Masa in place of a home-cooked meal. After days of burying myself deep in work to keep my thoughts from wandering to Griffin’s threats or the way my body reacted to his touch, the change of scenery was much appreciated.

“It just fishes eggs, and it has a weird texture. I’ll never understand the hype about it or the ridiculous price attached to it. I don’t even understand why anyone would eat it.”

I smiled at how simple he could be sometimes. It was one of the things I admired most about him. He managed to maintain his simplicity and originality in a world where everyone was struggling to be seen.

“It’s quite nice when you get into it.”

“I know it’ll be. I just need to get into first,” he replied, a mischievous look playing behind his eyes.

I caught the double meaning behind his words a lot faster than I would like to admit.

“Are we still talking about caviar, sir?” I replied in a sultry tone, deciding to indulge him a little.

“I don’t know,” he leaned into his seat, pining for me with an intense gaze. “The subject of my comment is luxurious, highly sought after, and insanely beautiful. So, you tell me, are we still talking about caviar?”

I weighed my options carefully, deliberating between continuing with our little game or shutting it down. When I agreed to play along, I was hoping for a little friendly back and forth, but the look in his eyes had gone from mischievous and playful to intense real quick.