Page 54 of Assisting the Alpha
She comes out from behind the sleek black desk to give me a tight hug before letting go at the sound of Ethan’s quiet growl. “Just helping out while Gianna is visiting family in Florence. Are you well? Are you keeping safe? And why is there an alpha wolf growling at me?”
Ethan stopped growling as soon as Aunt Lexie let me go, of course. He steps forward at her question. “Ethan Lupo, Soldati Security.”
Her eyes spark in recognition. “Ah, Ayo’s new boss. I’ve heard a lot about you. The whole supe community is talking about you and your team.”
That doesn’t surprise me. A mixed-species team challenging the task force, who are almost universally disliked? Yeah, of course everyone is talking about them. Especially since I’ve been going around, introducing Ethan to people.
“He’s also my boyfriend,” I say, bouncing slightly as I slip my hand into Ethan’s.
“That explains the growling,” Aunt Lexie says with a laugh. “Maybe keep it under control upstairs, though. The Morettis don’t tolerate threatening behaviour. Are you here to see Lorenzo or Vittorio? The appointment on the system isn’t clear.”
“Both, actually. They’re expecting us.”
“Let me take you up, then.”
Aunt Lexie takes us up in the lift, which requires a security pass to use, then into the corridor that also requires a security pass to access. I’ve been here a bunch of times and it never fails to impress me how expensive it all seems. Like anyone coming here is hiring the best lawyers in the city.
Aunt Lexie knocks on Uncle Lorenzo’s door first. I don’t hear his response but he must give one, because Aunt Lexie opens the door and ushers us in before leaving and closing it behind us.
Uncle Lorenzo comes around from behind his desk, fastening his suit jacket as he does. I’ve always thought he looks like a film star, with his sharp jaw, curly black hair kept short, and intense blue eyes. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him looking anything less than perfect.
“Ayo.” He kisses me on each cheek. “How are you,cuginetto?”
“I’m good, Uncle Lorenzo. Thanks for seeing us.” I beam at him. I adore all my vampire aunts and uncles. “This is EthanLupo, head of Soldati Security. Ethan, Lorenzo Moretti, head of the Moretti Clan.”
Ethan and Uncle Lorenzo shake hands, sizing each other up. Ethan doesn’t growl at my uncle for the physical contact though, which is progress.
Before I can work out how to extract myself and go find Uncle Vittorio, the vampire appears in the doorway behind us. “Ayo, you made it.”
He sweeps me up in a quick hug before doing the cheek-kissing thing like Uncle Lorenzo did. He’s even more classically handsome than Uncle Lorenzo, if that’s possible, with neat black hair, a sharp blue suit with a white shirt, and a permanent five o’clock shadow. I asked him once if vampires need to shave or if he just had that amount of stubble when he was turned, but he just laughed at me and never actually answered the question.
“Uncle Vittorio, this is Ethan Lupo of Soldati Security.”
Vittorio ignores Ethan’s hand and kisses my startled boyfriend on each cheek instead, beaming at him. “You and our little Ayo make an adorable couple. Come by for dinner sometime. We need to welcome you to the family.”
“Vittorio,” Lorenzo grinds out.
Uncle Vittorio throws his hands up. “What? Your sense of smell is as good as mine. They’re clearly together.”
Lorenzo pinches the bridge of his nose. “Just get out of here,diavolo.”
Uncle Vittorio hooks his arm through mine and leads me out of the office. “Come on, let’s gossip and leave those two to do the boring stuff.”
Ethan starts to follow, a scowl on his face, but I wave him off. “I’ll be fine, I promise. Uncle Vittorio’s office is right next door.”
Ethan doesn’t look entirely convinced about letting me walk away with a vampire he doesn’t know. He stalks over to me andpresses a kiss to my forehead while scenting my neck with his hand. “Don’t put up a ward.”
“I’m definitely putting up a ward.” I soften my statement with a cheeky wink and skip off with Uncle Vittorio.
Fortunately, Uncle Lorenzo distracts Ethan and I’m able to escape. As soon as Uncle Vittorio and I shut ourselves in his office, I erect a privacy ward while Uncle Vittorio makes me a cup of tea. There's already a silencing ward in place here, as there is in Uncle Lorenzo’s office, but there’s no harm in layering my own on top.
My uncle hands me the tea in a fine china cup, then sits next to me at the circular table away from his desk, a huge stack of paperwork in front of him. “Now, tell me, how are you really? Because I’ve been worried about you since you asked me to claim this for you in secret.”
I cradle the cup in my hands and give my uncle a tight smile. “I promise I’m okay. Other than there being a serial killer on the loose who might have me marked as their next target and getting jumped in an alley and warned off from claiming an inheritance I knew nothing about, of course.”
My uncle nods, his expression serious. “Having a handsome wolf shifter sexing you up is an admirable coping strategy for all of that.”
I crack up, needing to put my tea down so I don’t spill it. Uncle Vittorio grins at me, clearly pleased with himself for lightening the mood.
