The restaurant had a classy and relaxing oriental ambiance. The music wasn’t too loud, and even if it was a busy hour, it was large and expensive enough to guarantee privacy to all their guests.

“Ah, Mr. Riegel, welcome! We are so glad to see you again.”

“Thank you, Lu. For two, please,” Vince replied to the host, who guided them to a nice, cozy table.

“Something to drink, Mr. Riegel?”

“A Pinot Noir, perhaps? Or a good Merlot?” V asked, thinking of the perfect pairing for the duck.

“We have Pomerol. Would you like that, sir?”

“Ah, yes. Bring the bottle, please,” he said with a smile.

“A… bottle?” Siel said, worriedly since she had very limited alcohol tolerance.

V picked up on her tone and tried to reassure her. “We can order whatever else you favor, but I do hope you prefer wine.

It would pair amazingly with the duck.”

“Oh, yes, I do like wine, but I’m not used to drinking,” she admitted. “I only need to warn you, I get tipsy easily, and we do have to go back to work.”

“Who said we have to?”

Siel’s eyes opened wide. “What!”

Vince nodded at the waiter who was about to pour their drinks before looking back at her. “When you stepped out of my office to wait for me, I already texted Myron to clear my afternoon schedule.”

She shook her head at him in an effort to scold him wordlessly. He only laughed deeply, letting the masculine sound rumble in his chest as he continued in a low whisper.

“Besides, I believe all our work is already done for the day, so I hope you don’t mind if I just enjoy your company for as long as you allow me.”

He finished his explanation by taking a sip of the wine while charmingly smirking at her.

Meanwhile, Siel was being overwhelmed by his flirtatious undertones. His husky voice and naughty smile sent chills throughout her body. Instinctively, she crossed her legs tightly and took a deep breath to calm herself.

What the hell have I gotten myself into? We’re not even fifteen minutes in, and it’s getting hot in here already, she thought, blushing at the dirty thoughts her mind was starting to fabricate.

On the other side of the table, Roth was going wild and V knew why. The wolf could smell her arousal, and controlling his own was becoming harder by the second.

Be a gentleman, V… damn it, you ARE a gentleman! If you make a wrong move, you will lose your mate!

The whole lunch was like that. They laughed a lot and had a great time together. In between serious or funny topics, he would keep telling her how pretty and smart she was and how happy he was that she agreed to have lunch with him.

“To be honest, I didn’t think you would want to join me,” he admitted, sipping a little more wine.

“What? A man like you could doubt that a girl as plain as me would accept your invitation?”

“Plain? You? You definitely need a bigger mirror at home and a better group of friends. I can introduce you to some very honest people if you want. The mirror I can easily buy, no problem.”

“No more buying, ok? No more…” Siel laughed; her words slightly slurring.

“What? No more? And here I was hoping that we could do some shopping for the kids,” he drank more wine while carefully watching her reaction to his latest proposition.

Her eyes open wide again and her mouth too. “More shopping?!” She said a little too loudly and yet was unaware of it.

Obviously, she was a little more expressive after one or two glasses of wine.

He softly tried to shush her in between their laughter. Wolves have a high tolerance for alcohol, and for him, the wine had the potency of orange juice. For her, however… well, let’s just say that he was enjoying the show.

Siel, on the other hand, was just trying to keep her thoughts together while savoring the moment.

Yes, he’s right, the wine paired perfectly with the duck… Actually, all the food had been great. And him… well, he’s more than great… but wait… what did he just say? Oh yeah… shopping…

“Yes, more shopping, but with you this time,” he said, looking directly at her, drowning in her hazel eyes in the process. “As an apology… Please? I want to buy some Christmas sweaters or coats for James and Rose. I think they will look so cute in them. And if their mommy lets me… I’d like to buy a sweater for her too.”

“So, you plan to apologize for all you’ve already bought by buying more stuff?” Siel pointedly said, her lips twisting in mock disapproval.

She has a point, V, Roth interjected.

Vincent ignored the voice in his head as he continued to explain to his mate, “I told you, I just want to take care of my kids because of the Christmas angels. You put whatever conditions you want, Elena. Choose the store, the clothes, the brand… everything will be your call! So, what do you say?”

It might be the alcohol, or it might have been his negotiating skills, or maybe it’s the idea of spending more time with him… Whatever the reason, she finally nodded at him.

“Alright, and if you break my rules, I’m going home on my own. Deal?” said she, raising her refilled glass of wine.

“Deal,” replied V as she clinked her glass with his.

“Hope you don’t mind crowds because we’re going to the lowest class mall there is around here, V. AND… since you’re the one who insisted we do something together, I got to put a limit on your spending. No, buts!”

 +++

Since he agreed, he was quite docile when he drove them to the mall. It was another thing entirely when they finally arrived…

He didn’t think it possible but he thoroughly enjoyed that whole shopping experience with her. Zigzagging through the holiday shoppers, looking at the cheesiest decor, and checking out the most shockingly affordable clothes he has ever seen in his entire life was quite the treat!

V had really very few chances to shop on his own, especially in places like these. But his mate managed to make the most mundane experience into an amazing revelation for him, and he was thoroughly enchanted with everything she showed him… And everything she was to him.

Meanwhile, Siel melted over and over again while looking at him getting excited over baby clothing, Christmas sweaters, and even those cheap socks that were three pairs for a dollar. He was even trying out those free candy canes, chocolate coins, cocktail punch and fruit cake samples. Surprisingly too, he didn’t seem to notice how odd it looked for a man in a signature suit, Italian leather shoes, and expensive watch to be taste-testing such treats.

How could he be so perfect? And how could a man like him be so interested in me?

As they left one of the stores, where V seemed to have made several friends among the sales staff, Siel felt her employer’s hand suddenly grabbing hers as he pointed to another place he wanted to check out. She let him semi-drag her along, smiling at him when he looked at her, while feeling the tingly goosebumps his touch always managed to give her.

Meanwhile, V’s smile had widened into an excited grin as he realized that she wasn’t pulling away from his grasp. He couldn’t believe it but there it was. She was finally warming up to him.

I really wish this day would go on forever, she dreamily thought.

Goddess, I wish this day would never end, he silently wished.

* * *

What the fuck is she doing here? Doesn’t she have work? And who the hell is that guy with her?

From afar, a slim man was looking at a happy couple, one in a black dress and gray blazer and the other in a black business suit, as they brisk-walked hand in hand from one store to another.

And this male’s expression was definitely not a happy one.

That was because he didn’t like seeing certain people happy when he’s not. Especially, Siel…

“Aw hell no, you bitch! You think you can replace me that easily? Just because you divorced me doesn’t mean you’re free of me,” he mumbled as he continued piercingly staring at the pair.

Unfortunately for Siel, her ex-husband Jonah was lazily hanging out at the same mall with one of his dates right when they were there. To make matters worse, the fact that the man his ex-wife is currently with seemed better dressed, better built, and even taller than him, was now rubbing his insecurities raw and his lousy excuse of masculinity the wrong way.

“Are you talking to me, Jonah?” squeaked his super-thin date with the badly dyed blonde hair, cheap make-up and tacky jewelry.

“Huh? No sweetheart. I would never call you bitch…”

Whore maybe, not bitch. Siel is the only one I’ll call a bitch because she’s my bitch, and no one else’s.

Somehow, he got rid of his poor “whore” after buying her a cheap overly-revealing dress for her. After seeing her off in a cab, Jonah drove off in his black Ford Taurus and went straight to Siel’s house, planning to ask for explanations.

And he planned to do it the same way he did back when they were still married.

He violently knocked on the door while yelling at the top of his lungs, “SIEL! SIEL! You BETTER be back home already, or I’ll FUCKING…”

Nella opened the door just because she didn’t want the twins waking up to this kind of racket. They hated the sound of screaming so much they would cry even when it’s just the neighbors doing it.

“Or what? She’s at work, you idiot! Why the hell are you looking for her here?!”

“Stand aside, I want to see my kids!”

“Then stop yelling! They hate that. Calm down, and I’ll let you in!”

Jonah pushed Nella aside …

Nella almost fell but managed to keep her balance. “Hey! You can’t just come in here! This is still your ex-wife’s house!” she hissed, hot on his heels as he entered the living room.

“And those are my children, so I have the right to come in and visit them anytime I want. If you think you can call the cops on me, be my guest. You know I have the right to be here, and they will take my side!”

“Alright… alright… just shut the damn fuck up, so you don’t wake up the children!”

“MY children, alright and…” Jonah suddenly noticed the elegant and expensive-looking Christmas tree snugly placed in one corner of the living room, along with several large boxes of presents with silver bows and wraps.

She can’t afford this with her pay! That bitch, what did she give him to get all this?

Nella watched as Jonah strode over to the tree and gifts, his face turning from moderately angry to extremely furious in just a matter of seconds. Based on Siel’s stories about the guy, she could only imagine what he was thinking about V’s gifts to the twins.

“So, you think he’s better than me, huh, bitch? You’ll see how wrong you are. And I’ll make you see it, whatever it takes! You will see it, and he will pay dearly for trying to steal you from me,” muttered Jonah to himself.

Unknown to him, Nella had heard him. Every single word…

She turned around and started texting Siel. She didn’t dare call her, or else the livid ex might find out about her stealthily-made message. Nella was now praying that the children’s biological father would be able to keep himself together while waiting for his ex-wife to come home…

Otherwise, she might have to be forced to use the small lady’s handgun in her backpack just to keep the babies safe from this monster.