Page 50

Silas

A month later

Silas ran into his office clutching the box that had just arrived and came to an abrupt stop at finding Popi lounging in his seat. “Did I miss something in my calendar?”

“No.” Popi rose, all elegance in the cream sweater and tailored slacks, as he paid attention to what Silas was holding. “I had word from Vincent that he had sent you the lingerie.”

His thoughts running, trying to catch each other with how excited he was, it took a second to register why Popi had shown up.

It had been an emotional roller coaster since they’d returned from the ranch.

He’d packed his things to move into Ziggy’s place temporarily, while they looked for a place to buy together.

Popi had cried and Silas blocked out his own reaction to that when his brothers—the fuckers—had been present and tormented him over it.

“You came to see what I had made for Ziggy?” Silas stated the obvious, when Popi was coming towards him, hands outstretched.

Silas cringed inwardly when he felt he couldn’t refuse, when this had been Popi’s idea. He just hadn’t considered he’d be sharing what was in the box with anyone but Ziggy. Inside was basically what turned him on and sharing that with a parent?

“Popi—”

“Now don’t go getting all embarrassed. I’m interested in seeing if we can market this to men with this particular interest.” Color coated his cheeks, his eyes sparkling. “And I might like to buy some, too. A treat for your dad.”

“Noooo!” Silas shoved the box at Popi, desperately wanting him to shut up. “Here, look at it and never mention this again… okay?”

Popi smiled brightly, taking the box and going over to the small couch.

Sitting down, he placed the large, black box on his knee.

Silas hovered, disconcerted by the turn of events, but not wanting to miss out on seeming how Ziggy’s designs looked on the flimsy, see through silk.

They had initially chosen gray shading on the soft white, but they had scrapped that version as it did little to give the effect Silas wanted to perfect.

In the end, they had used an artist to hand paint Ziggy’s designs on to the silk using a color palette that would work with Ziggy’s skin tone and existing tattoos.

Popi paused, his hands poised above the lid. “I’m sorry, darling boy, I got carried away. Come sit. You open it.”

A surge of relief rushed through Silas as he sat down next to Popi and shifted the box onto his own lap. Taking a deep breath, to steady his shaking hands, he lifted the lid.

“Oh, my!” Popi gasped, and Silas seconded the sentiment.

The gorgeous, floaty, white silk cami with the matching French knickers and delicate suspender belt were stunning.

They came with silk hosiery with the top band matching the tribal band Ziggy had tattooed around his wrist, only this was in a soft red.

It worked! Silas had hoped it would, but it was so much better than he’d expected, and he couldn’t wait to see Ziggy wearing the outfit. Claim him.

“It’s such a shame no one gets to see these.”

“No one is seeing Ziggy dressed in these,” he snapped indignantly.

“Silly boy, I meant in general. They're so beautiful, it's such a pity we cover them with clothing.” Popi lifted up the cami, holding it up to the light.

“Popi, there’d be a stampede if folks walked about gussied up in these.”

“I know, but it still seems a waste to hide it.” He laid the silk back in the box with a sigh.

“I do believe a range of designer lingerie for men would be very profitable, though. Something you boys should consider when new business is discussed at the next board meeting. I’d even go so far as to suggest showcasing a set of the silks on the catwalk in Milan in two weeks.

It would tease the tabloids and give them something else to talk about, don’t you think? ”

What had happened in Drinkwater with the omegas had been in the newspapers when a member of staff had decided to get rich quick by selling the story.

Silas shoved aside the depressing situation for now.

That morning, Rue had offered to get involved and be the one to take the omegas to the ranch.

Oakland was going to assess the security setup with Ethan and implement whatever was needed to ensure they maintained their safety.

It wasn’t going to be easy, but with Rue wanting to help, it took some of the burden off him and his brothers.

Silas didn’t question Rue’s offer, because he wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Especially when he didn’t want to be separated from Ziggy for weeks—months even.

Ziggy was Jupiter’s PA and Milan fashion week was fast approaching so Jupiter needed Ziggy more than ever, to help with the workload.

“What do you think?” Popi persisted.

“I’ll bring it up, but you have to take the flak from my brothers.”

Popi giggled, making him look thirty years younger. “I can do that.”

Silas was still thinking about Popi’s suggestion when he unlocked the door into Ziggy’s home. The place was cosy and after a long day in the office, it often felt like a warm hug when he shut the door, shutting out the world.

“Hey, you’re early, I haven’t finished making dinner,” Ziggy called out from the kitchen.

Silas placed the black box on the couch as he passed, slipping off his suit jacket and slinging it over the back of a chair in the kitchen. Loosening his tie, he inhaled the scent of herby tomato sauce as he came in to kiss the side of Ziggy’s neck, who continued to stir the pot.

The domesticity of it all never failed to give Silas a warm feeling in the center of his chest. He might not have considered this was what he wanted, but it turned out this was exactly what he needed.

The question of mating hadn’t risen again but Silas was ready, and he hoped tonight Ziggy, wearing the silk lingerie he’d had made especially for him, would honor his snake's request.

“I cancelled my last meeting.” He ran his nose over Ziggy’s bristles, nipping at his jaw.

Ziggy groaned, pushing into the touch. “Why? Weren’t you meeting with Aster to finalize the plans for the new mall build in England?”

Silas's pulse thrummed with desire at the change in Ziggy’s scent. It was another week until his heat, but already Silas could smell the difference, despite how subtle it was. “I rearranged it ‘cause I had something more important to do.”

Ziggy moved so he was looking at Silas, a spark of interest in his eyes. “And what would that be?”

Silas eyed the pot. “Can dinner wait?”

Ziggy’s answer was to turn off the heat and place a lid on the pot. He popped the spoon on the plate he used for such things, to prevent messing the countertop.

The smile that was never far away these days spread over Silas’s face as he stepped away to head back to the couch and pick up the box.

“What you got there?” Ziggy asked, coming towards him, those slim hips of his swaying seductively in the low slung sweats he wore at home.

Silas knew Ziggy changed his clothes, but not what was underneath them.

The black lace he had slipped on this morning when he’d dressed would remain under the baggy T-shirt and sweats.

A temptation no one knew about but him. It was thrilling.

Popi’s comment about it being a waste to hide the garments under clothes were something Silas didn’t feel the same about.

He loved knowing there was a secret hiding under Ziggy’s clothes.

The drawers full of silk and lace Silas discovered when he’d stored his underwear made his fucking year.

Hell, longer. Now he got to pick what he wanted Ziggy to wear and wasn’t that just fucking perfect?

“Something I had made for you.” He offered the box with an unsteady hand. “It was supposed to be a part of the romancing I was gonna do at the ranch.”

Ziggy took it, eyeing the classy black box with a furrowed brow.

“Except you out romanced me.” The ongoing joke had continued between them, and still Ziggy could outdo him with the romantic gestures.

The last was the gorgeous design he'd created and had hand crafted into a ring for Silas to wear that would match the tattoo Ziggy wanted on his ring finger when they got married. He’d cried once more and secretly booked to get his first tattoo.

He wanted the ring etched into his skin.

To feel the permanence of it and know that others would see it too and know who he belonged to.

Ziggy flushed a pretty pink, chuckling.

Silas tugged on his ear, collecting his thoughts, something that was always harder to do around Ziggy.

“As it was more ‘bout telling you type thing rather than showing, I decided to wait. Popi told me ‘bout your designs,” he confessed. “I purchased some from your website and gave them to a designer.” Was he waffling? “Then Vincent and I had to work to refine exactly what I imagined. It took longer than I was expecting,” he finished nervously when Ziggy didn’t open the box but kept staring at it.

“You can open it, it won’t bite,” Silas joked, feeling awkward and anxious, like he was asking a boy out on a first date and worried he’d hate the idea.

Ziggy lowered onto the couch next to him, placing the box on his knee much the same as Popi had done earlier in the day. Silas held his breath as Ziggy removed the lid and placed it on the floor at his bare feet, then plucked aside the delicate black tissue paper.

“You put my designs on silk,” he whispered, his hands shaking as he held the straps of the cami and brought it up in front of him.

The sniff-sob was so not what Silas was expecting. Silas panicked. “If you hate them, it won’t matter. I just thought as they’re so beautiful they’d look great on you and—”

The sentence cut off as his mouth was claimed in a blistering kiss. The box was crushed between them as Ziggy pinned him back to the couch. Silk touched his cheek where Ziggy clung to the cami and Silas at the same time.

“I love it.” Kiss. “I love everything ‘bout it.” Kiss. “I love you.” Kiss. “I can’t wait to try them on.” Kiss.

Breathless and laughing, Silas got his hands free and moved the box to stop the cardboard corner digging into his ribs. “You like it then?”

“I love it.” Ziggy bounced off Silas’s lap and wriggled out of his clothes, giving Silas a sexy—if not quick—strip tease.

The cami floated over his torso, delicate and beautiful. Silas lifted out the silk knickers, suspender belt and stockings. “Can I put these on you?”

At the jerky nod, Silas slipped onto the carpet on his knees,where he loved to be, placing the pile of silk next to him.

Ziggy’s arousal poked at the edge of the cami as he lifted his foot on to Silas’s thigh, showing where to start.

Silk stocking in hand, he carefully rolled it over Ziggy’s toes, sliding the silk up over his foot, ankle and calf.

His breathing increased as he adjusted the top band on Ziggy’s thigh, close to his cock, which was fully aroused.

Swallowing hard, his throat clicked. Silas switched legs, admiring how the print design enhanced the artwork on Ziggy’s skin.

The suspender belt came next, and he clipped it to the stocking tops, brushing his fingers over Ziggy’s soft skin.

Each moan of delight added to the thrill of getting to dress Ziggy—his mate.

As if in a trance state, he picked up the knickers, sliding them over the foot Ziggy lifted wordlessly. He watched Silas with heavy-lidded eyes, revealing his desire.

Sliding the silk over his thighs and tucking his cock inside, Silas found his own arousal pressing painfully against the front of his slacks. When Ziggy took a step back and twirled in front of him, Silas became dizzy, unable to catch his breath.

“Stunning,” he rasped. “Absolutely stunning.”

Ziggy came closer, cupped his cheeks and moved so his face was inches from Silas’s. “You deserve a reward. What would you like me to give you?”

“Make me yours, forever,” he moaned against the lips pressing against his in a sweet kiss.

Ziggy’s body tensed, then his bottom was resting on Silas’s thighs, his mouth kissing over his jawline, heading towards his throat and the bounding pulse causing a riot inside Silas.

“Forever, sweetheart, forever.”

Ziggy’s teeth sank into his neck, the scent of cum all he could smell as he lost control and accepted what he’d known the moment he’d laid eyes on his snake—he was his destiny.