Karl I put down the stack of papers and lean back in my chair. I’ve spent the better part of the morning going over the report from my investigators, and I’m still struggling to wrap my head around everything they found. It seems like Abby has had a tough couple of years. Even though h
AbbyI stand with my hands on my hips, watching a group of law enforcement officers pour into my restaurant. One of them approaches me, a stern expression on her face. “Mam, you need to shut down this restaurant immediately and straighten out your practice.”“Pardon?” I say, looking around with wid
Abby I’m not sure what I was expecting, but it’s definitely not the look that crosses his face. His smile falls, replaced quickly by a frown. He looks genuinely confused, but I force myself not to read too much into it. He could just be faking it. I’m sure his time as an Alpha has taught him
Abby Karl hands me the report, his expression unreadable. I can feel his gaze on me as I pick up the stack of papers and scan the first page. “That’s everything my people could find,” he says. I look up at him and nod. It took an hour to get the report, and we spent most of it in tense silen
I nod. “Alright.” “But you have to promise we’ll have a serious conversation. The minute this is all figured out.” I bite my lip. It’s not a conversation I’m keen on having, but if he’s helping me with this, I don’t really have the right to refuse. Talking to him is the least I can do if he help
Abby A cool breeze drifts in through the kitchen window, and I cross the room to peer outside. I live on the top floor of my building, and I’ve got a great view of a nearby park. Standing at the window, I can hear the whoosh of the wind, and shouts down on the street. I’ve been waiting to hear f
“I’ve been fine,” I say. “Good.” He nods. “Nice place.” I can’t tell if he really means it, but I don’t have the nerve to ask. “Yeah, I like it.” He nods again, turning back to me. “And you’ve got a restaurant.” “Yeah, I’ve got a restaurant.” I force a smile. “It’s doing really well.” Of c
Abby He looms over me, his jaw clenched. His anger seems to win out over his attempt to shield his emotions from me. The sheer power radiating off him makes me want to back down and submit to him. I shake my head to clear my thoughts and take a step back. He might be an Alpha, but that doesn’t m
Abby Intrigued, I let Karl take my hand and lead me discreetly away from the reception, weaving through the tables and out a back door into the gardens. A mischievous grin plays on his lips as we giggle like teenagers, ducking behind hedges and scurrying across the lush green lawns. “Where are w
As the music shifts to a slow ballad, I feel a familiar pair of strong arms circle my waist from behind. “There’s my beautiful wife,” Karl’s deep voice rumbles in my ear, sending shivers down my spine. He spins me around to face him, our bodies swaying in time to the soft music. I gaze up at him
Abby The reception hall is cast in a warm, romantic glow, with twinkling lights and the warm flickering of candles on every table. Soft music plays as Karl and I make our entrance, hand-in-hand to raucous applause and cheers from our guests. I can’t stop smiling as we wave to our loved ones gather
Abby The afternoon sun streaming in through the tall windows of the chapel casts the stones in a warm golden light, giving everything a sort of ethereal energy. I stand in the hallway, my arm linked with Anton’s, as the wedding coordinator prepares everyone to walk down the aisle. “Are you ready
Abby As I sit in front of the vanity mirror with the hair and makeup artist circling around me, I meet my friends’ gazes in the reflection; Chloe, Leah, Daisy, and even Elsie are here as my bridesmaids, each of them looking more beautiful than the last. “The seamstress really did do a great job
Abby With a gasp of excitement, I pull the wedding gown out of its box and hold it up in the light. Everything is perfect; the way the beadwork catches the light, the silky texture, the shape. I can’t wait to try it on now that it’s been altered to fit my body. Quickly, I slip out of my clothe
Abby “Abby, why don’t you sit down?” Karl looks up at me from where he’s sitting on the sofa, a look of concern on his face. He pats the spot next to him, but I shake my head. “I can’t,” I say, continuing to pace back and forth in our living room. “I won’t sit down until I hear back about that
Abby As I chop, stir, melt, and saute, the others stand around me, watching intently. The pasta simmers on the stove, the air smelling like warm butter and spices. It’s enough to make anyone’s mouth water. But my focus isn’t on the rumbling in my belly, nor is it even on the lingering pain in my
As we continue searching, I keep thinking back on our last harrowing hunt for black truffles; those poachers nearly shot us. Even now, I can still remember the sound of the bullets whizzing past my head, and the thuds they made when they careened into trees. “We got really lucky,” I say. “If we ha