19
Arjen
My thoughts were up and running, and my body decided to join the race. I wasn’t a coffee drinker, but I paced and fumbled around our bedroom like I’d had four cups. I should have done it a lot sooner than now, but I was about to introduce Mecca to some of the ranking and influential members within the syndicate.
They had phoned yesterday, extending a dinner invite for today, but after my wife had climbed into bed with me last night, nothing else mattered. I informed her of the event this morning as we were preparing to start our day.
I could tell by the way she had come dragging into the house a half-hour ago, with her heels hanging across her manicured fingertips, that she’d had a hard day.
“We can reschedule. This is not mandatory.” I told her, but could hardly concentrate on what I was saying because she had stepped out of our bathroom in nothing but her bra and panties. Her body was so lush and shapely, my gaze would catch a curve and get lost tracing it and imagining what it would be like to move my tongue along the surface of her ridiculously soft skin.
“You met my crew. Now I’m ready to meet yours.” Her words bought me out of the trance her body had put me in, somewhat. “I was starting to think you were ashamed of me, hiding me away from your people,” she added.
I shook my head, but for the life of me, I couldn’t bring myself to glance up and meet her eyes. My gaze was glued to her, breezing along her exposed parts not covered by the navy dress she was slipping into.
My teeth sank into my bottom lip at the sight of her wiggling into that dress. I was grateful she was facing me; because I don’t think I could have remained in place at the sight of her shaking her ass in front of me.
Her full tits, damn near spilling over the cups of her bra caught my attention before my eyes blazed a trail down to the flat planes of her stomach, and the flare of her swaying hips. She was completely unaware of how she affected me. All of that silky, flowing brown skin set against her delicious curves, teased my senses and heightened my arousal like nothing else.
“I would have to be out of my mind to be ashamed of you, Mecca. One mess up on my part was enough. Besides, I don’t want a repeat of what you did to Julie if someone pisses you off.”
Her cute girlish giggle sounded and caused me to smile. Getting to know my wife was an adventure. At home, we were starting to build a foundation, one that I would have never admitted to wanting until she happened. Thankfully, she gave me a woman at home, soft and sweet, not the queenpin or the assassin her men believed she was, or the vicious beast I knew that she was capable of turning into.
“The only people I consider my crew, bear the last name Vallin. The people you are meeting tonight are nothing more than those I have no choice but to deal with. Most of the men in the syndicate, in our local area, are older. They are of the outdated thinking that women shouldn’t be in charge of anything substantial, especially not an operation like mine or yours.”
She lifted a brow in response to my news. “Unless we’re planning on divorcing, they are going to have to get over it.”
Mecca wasn’t a traditional woman; therefore, she wasn’t going to take any shit from anyone. And, I was of the mindset that I wasn’t going to tolerate them doing or saying anything to offend or upset her.
“After I had taken over from my father, I had walked a shaky tightrope with the group. It took years to prove myself and win their acceptance, but I haven’t gone unscathed, because some have done their best to overthrow my position and take it for themselves. I’m sure they are going to welcome you with the same sort of treatment.”
She simply stared at me without responding, getting the gist of the type of people who made up the group she was about to meet. Sheer grace and elegance sashayed in my direction, capturing me as much as when she was flashing skin.
The dark blue silk dress with the fancy gold zippers added a bold touch of sophistication to her confident persona. She had swept her hair up into an elegant bun that rested on her nape. The daringly tall gold heels gave her enough pop to shine light on her feisty side.
Mecca didn’t look like she worked for anybody. She looked like the owner of any and everything she wanted. She didn’t wear one physically, but her head was adorned with a crown just the same.
“Wow. You look beautiful. So sexy and graceful.” I placed a delicate kiss on her cheek, unable to help lingering near her, soaking up her energetic warmth. I eased back enough to capture her gaze.
“In response to your earlier comment. No one else’s opinions matter, and divorce isn’t an option. As a matter of fact, you can delete the word from your vocabulary. You’re stuck with me, forever.”
Her reply was a lingering peck on my cheek, which was all the confirmation I needed that we were in this for the long haul.
* * *
The blaring soundof the city and the sight of its energetic view were all cast away as nothing more than background music. Mecca was all I cared about seeing, and her voice the only sound I cared about hearing.
I took the hand she reached out and helped her from the car. Ron, my driver, no longer bothered coming around to open Mecca’s door. I had told him, unless I wasn’t there, I would be the one to help her out of the car.
A great sense of pride had overtaken me while I strolled along the paved path to the restaurant with Mecca at my side. Automatically, my hand was at her back, as I had accepted that I was unable to keep my hands off her.
For me, she was the most beautiful thing I had laid eyes on. That she was smart and deadly enough to handle the type of lifestyle I lived was a bonus. I leaned in her direction.
“Have I mentioned how gorgeous you are?”
“Thank you, husband.”
That smile. She made me forget that we were about to enter a room full of old relics that would pay anyone willing, to put a bullet in my head.