*** Alejandro ***
I realise how lucky I am that Salma has trusted me enough to help her. It has been frosty between us for over three months and as much as I am annoyed at both our parents for poking their noses in, I cannot deny that I want her. I want Salma Morales like my life depends on it. I would be a fool to not want her, she is incredible.
This started off as a business arrangement, but boy could that woman keep me honest. She takes none of my crap, she stands up to me, she has a brilliant mind and work ethic, and it does help that she is sexy as hell and fiery and passionate.
Ever since that night when I caught her before she fell down the stairs head first, all I can think about is the connection between us. There is a chemistry there that I have never felt with any other woman, she has me enraptured and her elusiveness just fuels that even more. To prove my point, I start to harden at the memory of her in my arms.
We are just coming out of the local authority building and she is absolutely fuming. However, this turns into hope and determination when she calls her friend, and she finally answers.
“Meet me in town as soon as possible,” I hear her say, and they exchange phone numbers because Eva lost her phone during whatever happened yesterday.
I open the car door for her and smile when she thanks me. I like that she is the Princess of the Mafia, but she still has manners. “Where in town shall I take you, Sal?”
She thinks for a minute and then gives me the address of a small café on the outskirts and she texts her friend the location.
“Something is not right Ale, I can feel it,” she tells me with a worried determination. The man we spoke to found no record of Eva’s child being placed in foster care and the woman involved in her case is now off sick. Alarm bells are ringing alright. How could a two-year-old just vanish from the system?
“I feel it too Sal, but we will find her. Once Eva can tell us what happened to her last night maybe that will give us a clue to where her daughter could be?” She smiles at me, and it could melt the coldest Antarctic ice. I like us being a team and I hope she sees the benefits of us working together too. All my training with her father is for nothing otherwise; I could never take her place from her, but I am willing to help her hold on to it.
The initial request from Salma’s father to marry his daughter and help her take over from him shocked and pleased me. Of course, getting married was not on my agenda at that time but it was worth it to head up my own firm. The last time I had seen Salma, she was a teenager, snobby and self-assured. Not my type at all. Imagine my surprise and glee when I finally laid eyes on her and realised she was a knockout. Sultry, sexy, smart, sassy and so standoffish I couldn’t get anywhere near her.
Her voice brings me out of my daydream.
“Thank you, Ale. I am sorry that I called you names. I am just annoyed at the way things are. I am annoyed that my family business will pass to you rather than me because I am a woman.”
Yes Salma, you are all woman! Shit, she’ll definitely strongarm me out of here if I come out with comments like that. I need to play it cool.
“It’s shit, Sal, I know it, you know it. But your papa is just trying to protect you, he knows first-hand how harsh and misogynistic the Mafia can be, the other firms will see you taking over on your own as a major weakness and will target you. By teaming you with me, your father is being very astute.” She snorts at me, and I can’t help but laugh at her shocked expression as she claps her hand over her mouth.
“Oh, my goodness, I snorted like a pig,” she exclaims as we both laugh.
“I thought it was cute!” The atmosphere changes again and I take note of her pupils dilating. “Sal, look, I don’t want to take the business from you, but think about it, about us. I think we could give this a go. You don’t have to marry me; hell, I think I’d like a quiet wife who stays at home and listens to me. But I think we could work together at the very least, don’t you?”
She’s smiling at me. “Okay Ale, I will think about it. Now are you going to drive, or do I have to do it myself?” I start the car as I laugh.
I think Salma might be softening towards me, and I hope she hurries up. God, I can’t stop thinking about her in my arms again.
*** Amber ***
I have been on the hunt for a couple of hours trying to find the little girl. There is nothing in the systems and, despite intimidating some young girl who works within the child protection department, all I had found out is that Summer was assessed by a woman called Carole Berkley who has called into the office sick now.
I call Preston, and I want to cry with how distant he sounds to me. “Yes?” That’s how he answers my call, he used to always call me beautiful, and I would chastise him. Now I have to settle for a ‘Yes’!
“Beta Preston, could you please run a check for me, I need everything you can pull on Carole Berkley who works for children services.” I wait for his reply but it’s not what I had hoped for.
“I will send it through now, bye.”
It feels like my heart drops into my boots. This feels like the long goodbye. I need to do something fast to show Preston that I do care, but after all this time, will that be enough?
True to his word, all the information about Carole Berkley comes through. She is a social worker with the child protection team and has worked in the field for over twenty years; however, she seems to move about a lot, never staying for longer than a year in every location. I have all her work history and her home address. I think it’s time to pay Carole a visit.
Just as I go to jump on my motorbike, I get two text messages, the first is off Aiden and it’s the address of a café in town and a request for me to meet him as soon as I can. The second is off Preston.
Preston
Be careful x
Maybe it’s not too late after all? If he wants me to be careful then he doesn’t want me to get harmed, meaning he still cares about me.
I head off to meet Aiden, I can tell him first-hand what information I have gathered and we can decide the next step together.
When I pull up into the car park, I notice another Mafia car. Why do they keep showing up? At least it’s not Salma, it's Alejandro’s car and he isn’t so bad, at least he respects my rank. I don’t see Aiden’s car yet, so I wait back until I see him.
I am locking up my helmet when Aiden pulls in; however, he doesn’t even notice me. I watch my brother, the gruff, no nonsense and aggressive Alpha as he jumps out to open the car door for his fated mate, and then holds her hand as she stands. He's over a foot taller than her. It's the cutest thing I’ve ever seen!
I notice the looks between them, the closeness that has already developed between them and I get a good feeling this will work out, or at least I hope it does, for my brother's sake. A pang of envy hits me when I think of how easy it is for them when it seems so impossibly complicated for Preston and me to be together. Preston says I made it hard, I put up obstacles and make things unnecessarily difficult, but that’s not my intention.
“Aiden!” I shout at him as they get to the door and I laugh a little when Eva jumps back, letting go of his hand, but Aiden quickly reclaims it and pulls her to him, not ready to let go just yet.
“It’s just my sister, Shortie, don’t fret. Hey Amber, nice timing,” he says to me as I join them at the door.
“Aiden, the Mafia are here.” He laughs at me, confusing me even more.
“Yeah, I know, that’s who we are meeting,” he tells me, straight-faced. Is he kidding me? Where is his contingent, where are his Beta and Delta wolves?
“Aiden, have you lost your mind? You can’t just rendezvous with the Mafia without backup, what the hell are you thinking?”
He puts his hand up to me. “Stop it with the third-degree, Amber. Salma is Eva’s friend, and they are helping to find her daughter.”
When I look at Eva, she looks wide-eyed between my brother and me. “Are you telling me that Salma is in the Mafia?” Oh Goddess, not another can of worms. If only this delicate little soul knew that Salma is not just in the Mafia, she is the Mafia!
“Don’t worry, Shortie, I will explain it all later. Don’t worry about this, it’s not important, just concentrate on getting Summer back.” I thank the Moon Goddess for blessing me with a fast-thinking brother although I nearly choke on my own tongue when I watch him lean down and kiss the little human affectionately on the head. What the hell is happening to my brother?
I don’t have time to ask as Aiden directs us into the café, and I notice Alejandro Suarez sitting very close to Salma Morales. Rumour was they are to marry in an arrangement made by their fathers. Well, things are certainly looking cosy here.
Hostility grows in Salma’s eyes as we approach, or is it confusion? Is she expecting us?
I hold Eva back as Aiden approaches first. No matter the situation, formalities must be regarded.
“Mr Suarez, Ms Morales. We come here as allies to Eva Jefferson.” I listen as my brother takes the lead.
“Alpha Aiden, thank you for bringing my friend here but I don’t understand your connection.” Salma just has to be bloody awkward, doesn’t she?
“Please allow us to join you and we will explain everything,” Aiden replies.
I am on guard as I hear a chair scraping against the floor, but it's Alejandro. He extends his hand to my brother. “Alpha Aiden, thank you for bringing our employee and Salma’s dear friend here to us. It seems we have a lot to catch up on. However, would you mind explaining how Mrs Jefferson came by her injuries, please?”
The line has been drawn: if they find Aiden guilty of mistreating Eva, they will go to war with him and the pack.
“Alejandro, Aiden wasn’t responsible for this.” Eva has managed to sidestep both me and Aiden and is almost at the Mafia’s table. God damn her for being so small and discreet. “Sal, he helped me, they’re helping me find Summer.”
And blow me down but I see tears in Salma Morales’ eyes as she jumps up and hugs her friend. “I am so relieved you are ok, but we have to find Summer, Eva. Something feels really off and if we don’t move fast, I fear what will happen.”