Page 56 of No Mane, No Gain

“Everything looks perfect, Pierre,” Chaos said, nodding approvingly. “Thank you.”

The chef beamed, his Italian accent thick as he replied, “It is my pleasure, Mr. Amato. I hope you and the lovely Miss Russo enjoy your evening.”

As Pierre departed, Chaos glanced at his watch. Olive would be arriving any minute. He straightened his tie, a hint of nervousness fluttering in his stomach. It was ridiculous, really. He’d faced down corporate raiders and rival prides without breaking a sweat, but the thought of a romantic evening with Olive had him feeling like a teenager on his first date.

The elevator dinged, announcing Olive’s arrival. Chaos’s breath caught as she stepped into the penthouse. She wore a deep green dress that hugged her curves, her flaxen hair falling in soft waves around her shoulders. Her blue eyes sparkled as they met his, a smile lighting up her face.

“Wow,” Chaos breathed, crossing the room to greet her. “You look incredible.”

Olive’s cheeks flushed rosy. “You clean up pretty well yourself, Mr. Amato.” She glanced around, taking in the romantic setup. “What’s all this?”

Chaos took her hand, pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles. “I wanted to do something special for you. To thank you for being so understanding about... everything.”

Olive’s expression softened. “Chaos, you don’t have to thank me. We’re in this together, remember?”

He led her to the table, pulling out her chair. “I know. But you deserve to be appreciated, Olive. I hope you’re hungry - Pierre has gone all out tonight.”

As they settled into their meal, conversation flowed easily between them. Chaos found himself relaxing, the stress of the past few days melting away in Olive’s presence. She regaled him with stories from her latest vlog recording session, her animated gestures and infectious laughter bringing a smile to his face.

“Oh!” Olive exclaimed suddenly, her eyes lighting up. “I almost forgot to tell you. Remember that romance author I’ve been raving about? She reached out to me about doing a collaboration for her next book launch!”

Chaos grinned, genuinely happy for her. “That’s fantastic,bella. I’m so proud of you.”

Olive’s smile faltered slightly. “Yeah, it’s amazing. I just... I hope Tia doesn’t try to sabotage this too.”

Chaos reached across the table, taking her hand in his. “Hey, don’t worry about Tia. I’ve handled it. She won’t be bothering us anymore.”

Olive’s eyebrows rose. “Oh? What happened?”

Chaos sighed, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. “I had a talk with my parents. Made it clear that if Tia doesn’t back off, I’llhave to cut her out of my life. They’ve promised to talk to her and make her understand her behavior is unacceptable.”

“Oh, Chaos,” Olive breathed, her eyes wide. “I never wanted to come between you and your family.”

He shook his head firmly. “You haven’t. This is on Tia, not you. Besides, you’re my family now too, Olive. And I protect what’s mine.”

The intensity in his gaze sent a shiver down Olive’s spine. She leaned across the table, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. “My big, strong lion,” she teased, lightening the moment.

After dinner, they moved to the plush sofa, Chaos pulling Olive close as he queued up a movie on the massive flat-screen TV. She snuggled into his side, a contented sigh escaping her lips.

“So,” she said, tilting her head to look up at him. “What cinematic masterpiece are we indulging in tonight?”

Chaos’s lips quirked into a smirk. “Well, I thought we’d go with a classic:The Matrix.”

Olive burst out laughing. “Seriously? Mr. Tech Genius wants to watch a movie about evil AI?”

“Hey,” Chaos protested, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “It’s a great film. Besides, I thought you’d appreciate the unexpected romance subplot.”

Olive’s laughter subsided into giggles. “Ah yes, nothing says true love like unplugging someone from a simulated reality.”

As the movie began, Chaos found himself paying more attention to Olive than the screen. The way she bit her lip during tense scenes, how she’d occasionally mutter snarky comments about the characters’ choices - it all endeared her to him even more.

Halfway through the film, Olive tilted her head up, catching Chaos staring at her. “What?” she asked, a hint of self-consciousness in her voice.

Instead of answering, Chaos leaned down, capturing her lips in a deep, passionate kiss. Olive melted into him, her hands coming up to tangle in his hair. When they finally broke apart, both slightly breathless, Chaos rested his forehead against hers.

“I love you,” he murmured, the words slipping out before he could second-guess himself.

Olive’s eyes widened, a brilliant smile spreading across her face. “I love you too, my big, sexy lion. Now all we need to do is mate.”

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