Her father sighed. “Give her some time. She just wants the best for you.”
“I know, papa.”
He considered her with the quiet seriousness that she associated with him. “Are you sure about this young man? He has a certain… reputation.”
Zephyr gave her father a smile. “Papa, trust me. He’s the one. You remember how you told me when it’s right, you just know? I know. And I want to marry him on my birthday. We can have a big wedding later, but I just have to. Please support me.”
Her father sighed again but nodded. Giving both daughters a kiss on the head, he left to go talk to her mother and calm her down.
“That went well,” Zen whistled. “What are we baking, by the way?”
Zephyr smiled as she continued pounding the dough. “Bribes.”
***
A week. She’d given him an entire week before deciding enough was enough. Her birthday was tomorrow, her plan wasn’t working, and she needed reinforcements. Thanks to their history and the interrogation with Victor, she knew just the weapons to bring.
Zephyr walked into Trident Towers with a lot more confidence this time, signing herself in as ‘Miss Rainbow’ at the reception, a box clutched in her hands. She grinned at the guards, at the receptionists, at everyone on the elevator, trying to hide the nerves in her stomach as the doors opened on the 28th floor. It was exactly as it had been the last time she'd been there, hot men lingering in the open area, eyes coming to her and recognizing her, them trying to seem uninterested but paying attention as she stood there.
The door to Alpha’s office was open. She could see him and Hector walking out towards the elevator, both concentrating on the conversation, and she braced herself for the impact of his gaze. Alpha looked up and saw her, coming to a stop in surprise. Guess he hadn’t watched the cameras this time. Disappointing.
She gave him a bright smile as Hector gave her a man nod. “Yo.”
“Yo.” She tried to imitate the chin lift thing but she was pretty sure she failed. But her beast’s unscarred lip twitched, and that alone made being stupid worth it. She turned fully to him.
“So, do you want me to get on my knees here or should we go to your office?”
She heard someone choke on something but kept her eyes on the man before her.
A vein on the side of his neck pulsed slightly, and god she wanted to lick that.
“Inside,” he growled, heading back to his office.
“Whatever you say, sexy,” she followed cheekily, seeing his step falter before he continued, someone coughing their laughter behind her.
Alpha shut them in and turned on her. “Don’t do that.”
She blinked innocently. “Do what?”
“Make suggestive comments in front of my men.”
She leaned against the door, craning her neck up. “Would you prefer I make them just to you then?”
“No.”
The vein pulsed harder. Something else was hard too even though he clearly didn’t want it to be. Taking pity on his circulation, she took a step closer, holding the box out for him. “This is for you.”
She saw him exhale before eyeing the cardboard box curiously, raising his unscarred eyebrow at her in a silent question.
“It’s a bribe,” she rolled her eyes. “So you’ll put me out of my misery and marry me and make me a stinking rich woman.”
He scoffed, and she was glad to see that he knew she wasn’t a gold-digger. He hadn’t been rich when she’d loved him, and if he lost everything tomorrow, she’d still be there. He just didn’t know that yet.
“Most people propose with rings but I thought you’d prefer this.”
Genuinely intrigued, he opened the box.
And completely stilled.