Rose Slayer's heartbeat was caught over her throat, speechless, and the pull between them felt tighter and warming, which she couldn't seem to shake off, as it was spreading in her. Before she could even push him away, his forehead touched hers. There, she felt it. She felt Vincencio, making her cry.
"Don't, Night Hound. Please, I don't want to cheat on my husband." With closed eyes, she softly pleaded, making Night Hound pull away, carefully studying her like she was nude all of a sudden.
"I'm not doing anything to you, Rose, and I don't plan on making you fall apart either. But I'm letting you know that I'll stay beside you. Regardless of the mate bond between us, I'll be with you through it all." With an understanding tone, Night Hound softly said, vowing, making her look back at him.
"That's it. He said it. The same thing I feel for him is right. We're mates but…I'm married." She thought weakly, not showing her eyes how troubled her mind was, and yet, somehow, she couldn't hide from his searching gaze. "You're willing to be hurt?"
"I'm not hurt if you're happy." He responded, making her sense the honesty in his words.
"Damn this man, he kept reminding me of my husband. The way he gives assurance, his trust, and the way he spoke with understanding." She thought, groaning in annoyance before saying, "You know what, you never fail to remind me about my husband, and because of that, somehow, I can't reject you fully. I can't hurt you…I just can't…"
Although she didn't want to show vulnerability, Rose Slayer's tone there suddenly cracked, and she couldn't take it back anymore. However, Night Hound understood her well.
"Then you don't have to. Let's just be this. No expectations or anything, let's just sail on this one." He said gently, assuring Rose Slayer with something unbreakable, and it was enough bargains to ease her troubled mind over their bond.
"Now, I'm thinking Ayed's words could be right all along. But let's see it through if the possibility is what I'm hoping for." She deeply thought, yet still listening to his assuring words, making her give up and sigh. "Fine, like you said, let's sail on this one. Just don't make me feel like I'm choosing between my marriage and partnership with you, okay?"
"You can trust that I won't." He replied firmly as if he was indirectly telling a secret.
There was a deep connection between them as Rose Slayer allowed him to gently caress her face before grabbing another file to check. Then, their conversation dropped, and he swamped himself with work while she carefully watched him, familiarizing herself.
"That's an interesting firm response. He knew something that I couldn't figure out easily." She thought, noticing the conviction in his tone, luring her in. Fascinating her more. "Let's see, how things will flow now that I've got you in my watch list, my dear Night Hound."
"Did you just call me?" He suddenly asked, catching her off guard.
"Did I say it loud? Hope not." She thought before denying it and changing the subject. "Nope. Not at all, and I like this detail. Tell me more, if you've got something else."
"Sure, but you better check it thoroughly because he was involved with a woman named Monica Sterling or something." He seriously said, catching Rose Slayer's attention when he mentioned the person who hurt her trust deeply, and Night Hound noticed her sudden silence. "Do you know her?"
"Her…again…" Rose Slayer thought before sighing, and her tone went cold and grim. "Yes, and I'm saving her for last."
"Want me to do something to her?" He carefully asked, checking her, but whenever Rose Slayer went dark, she couldn't be read – not at all.
"Nothing…for now, at least." She said it was much colder than before and seriously added. "Just give me anything that you would find odd among your clients, and I'll give you the lists of the persons I need to check through the siblings."
"If you say so." He replied and focused on his work.
"See you whenever." She coldly said as she headed to the window and left without leaving any traces. "That was close."
***
Received Email:
Information.
Emerson Junes, a fifty-year-old third lieutenant during his year, never excelled on the field. He stayed in his rank for a couple of years before retiring after a young general's death. Speculation spread about his involvement in her death, and he was removed from the service. Later, he started his small-time restaurant and hosting bar business. However, he has spread multiple accounts under different names. His names were known in the cartel business, but none of his clients saw or met him in person apart from Monica Sterling.
They've been seen together a couple of times, either dating in a restaurant, late-night hangouts at some bars in different areas in the city, and leaving hotels at dawn or dusk. They were either high, fucked up, or doing cartel business.
In conclusion, they were digging and making a name for themselves in the mafia world. Just hope they won't cross the biggest fish in the city because once they do, you won't be able to touch them. They're the ones who're going to fry them alive.
Be careful.
Your new friend and partner,
MG Night Hound
"He's something," Medina commented, smirking upon reading the email.
"He is." Skylar muttered as she stood tall by the window of her skyscraper office before adding, "It's short but enough to clarify things we've got."
"True, what do you want to do with this?" she wondered as she resent the email to her address.
"Play the game reserved for him, but get something from Monica first. I want to know why she's working with the person who ruined her during her service." She firmly responded before sipping her coffee.
"Still care?" She carefully wondered as she stood up from her boss's chair after reading the email.
"In some way, but that doesn't change what I have to do to her." She responded coldly, smirking about the nasty play she was preparing for the last. Medina nodded.
"I'll prepare Delta and his team about this." She said, sharing her thoughts about the matter.
"Please do." She said, and Medina left Skylar, her boss, alone in her office again. "This is fun…but setting that aside, let's see what my hubby is doing right now…"
Skylar checked the CCTV from her husband's department. She watched Vincencio move diligently around his usual workflow when something caught her attention. There was a certain moment when Vincencio spoke to some women employees and clients with friendliness, stirring something in them. She knew she was a jealous and possessive wife, but somehow, it escalated.
"Why was I deeply affected? Why can't I control it?" Skylar thought, gritting her teeth and crumpling the innocent paper that she was holding.
'Feel it, Alpha.'
"Dammit, Ayed. I feel them too much." Skylar annoyingly muttered before she threw the mouse toward the door.
"Whoa, what did the sharpener do to you? That's harsh, wifey." Vincencio teasingly commented when he entered the room and saw everything – a broken sharpener.
"THEN STOP FLIRTING!" She shouted, bursting something she couldn't explain, where it was deeply coming from. Vincencio was surprised and confused.
"Huh? Flirting? Me? Do you hear yourself, Wifey?" He asked confusedly, approaching her with a bag of take-out lunch.
"ARGH!" She groaned before sighing, pouting, "I don't know…I just…argh…"
"Come here." Vincencio opened his arms, and Skylar didn't hesitate to snuggle into them before he added. "Don't be jealous over something that isn't true. I'm just friendly and easy to approach, but it doesn't mean that I'm an easy catch. Especially, I'm married to a notorious jealous wife that I can't live without."
"I'm not notorious, but I could be whenever I have to. So, be warned." She pouted as she whined, making Vincencio chuckle and pinching the tip of her nose.
"Noted since I am too. So, let's eat." He said, kissing her temple before they started eating their lunch.
The workflow at the company and jealous incidents went by, Skylar found herself drowning with her laptop. However, nothing slipped from her whenever it came to Vincencio's odd behavior. She found her texting, smirking before walking away like he was hiding something from her. It annoyed Skylar, and he wanted to steal his phone to check it.
"Wifey, why are you giving me that look?" Vincencio asked when he noticed her fuming glare.
"What look?" Skylar asked demandingly.
"A kind of look that you're going to murder someone." He answered amusingly, but Skylar was not joking.
"Because I am if you won't tell me who you're texting and making smirk like you're fascinated more than having me beside you." She firmly demanded, making her expression start to turn deadpan.
"Jealous again?" he guessed, still amused but somehow nervous too.
"Don't start there when you know why I'm acting like this." She replied, glaring, making Vincencio gulp since he knew her relationship history.
"There's nothing to worry about. I'm texting my men as they informed me about the cargo that just arrived. And I'm smirking because it's amusing that a noble person trusted my company despite how small it is." He explained carefully and assured her more. "So, again, don't be jealous even though you're hot when you are."
"Whatever, but I don't like the feeling, Hubby. It's like you're going to slip and leave me." She softened and snuggled, calming herself from rising jealousy.
"I should be the one who should be afraid." He softly said, making her frown, and looked at him.
"What are you saying? I'm not cheating on you." She defended herself, searching for faith in his eyes.
"Then why do you smell different lately?" He asked nonchalantly, catching Skylar off guard.
"There it goes again. He has a sensitive nose." Skylar thought before she confusedly wondered. "Smell? I don't understand."
"Whenever you come home late, you either smell like a man who has hovered over you or alcohol and smoke." He replied as his eyes searched for clarification in her.
"Whenever I talked to my men during late-night meetings at the company, they were smoking and drinking wine. And when I say men, it includes women too." She answered honestly, trying to analyze where their conversation was heading before asking, "And about men's perfume around me, some hugged me in a friendly manner whenever the meeting adjourned."
"I see, but there is a man's scent lingering." He said, nodding in understanding, but Skylar was confused.
"What scent are you talking about?" she asked, puzzled by what he was aiming at.
"Heat. Affection. Attraction. Security. Those are the scents that can't be named with perfumes alone. It goes on the skin and…" he answered, describing the scents he smelled around his wife, making Skylar hurt.
"Vince, are you saying that I randomly fuck someone in the company?" Skylar asked in disbelief, and Vincencio couldn't say anything when she continued. "Wow, the only person who sees me naked is you. I didn't allow anyone to touch my body aside from you. Not even Gregory got that deep with me, apart from you. So don't you ever think that I am cheating on you when I kept them all at arm's length aside from you."
"Sky, that's not what I'm…" he tried to reason, but Skylar was hurt and not listening. Yet.
"I'm not a whore or any bitch who will look for someone when their husband won't make love with them. I'm not that low, Vincencio, in case you forgot who I am." She blurted her feelings, crying, and hoping Vincencio would hear them. "And if I'm attracted to someone, I stop it before I break my marriage. I always think of you and our marriage. But seems like you…"
"SKYLAR SAISON-MONSOUR!" Vincencio shouted, catching her attention back at him, cupping her face, and calming her racing thoughts. "Calm down, please. Don't put words in my mouth. Please."
"But…" she trailed off as Vincencio cut her.
"Wifey, I'm just saying what I smelled. I never say that you're cheating." He softly said, giving her a sense of assurance.
"You're making it sound like I do." She cried, pouting, making him kiss her lips deeply before pulling away.
"Then I'm sorry. I don't intend to make you feel that way. So, forgive me." He sincerely apologized for making her worry about something that was not real. "Please, don't cry anymore. It hurts me."
"When I'm with Vincencio, I'm feeling Night Hound too. They have the same wavelength of loving care whenever it comes to me. I feel them from their simple touch." Skylar secretly thought, comparing the two men in her life before speaking, "I'm afraid that you'll break me too, like they do to me."
"I won't, instead breaking you with my love." He vowed, kissing her temple dearly, making Skylar smile warmly until she fell asleep in his arms.