Page 15 of The President

I chuckle while nodding. “Yeah, Tressa, Nini, the club girls, and Nonna are working on the menu now.”

“And your mate’s coming with her father and best friend?” Popeye, questions. “Anything I should look into, just in case?”

As our secretary and IT guy, he usually does background checks on anyone who’s going to be around the clubhouse. Nodding, I quickly give him the information I know about Angie, Vivi’s father, and her former pack. Forewarned is forearmed, after all.

“Kinda bothers me that some asshat is on a mission to find your mate,” Stealth chimes in, while Chaos nods.

“Vivi said her girl traded out her vehicle somewhere in Oklahoma, so hopefully that’ll throw this Carter fucker off the trail. Still, he’s not her mate, I am, and there’s no fucking way he’ll get close enough to her,” I retort.

“I’ll let you know when I have something,” Popeye advises, already walking away toward the office he uses for his various computers and monitors. I have to give him props, though, because he’s like a concert maestro and he makes them bow to his whim. Me on the other hand, barely know how to maneuver around a fucking game console. Still, that’s why he’s got the position he has, and why I don’t.

“We’ll keep the girls,allthe girls, safe,” Chaos states. “Wait, did you find out if she likes to read or not?”

“Based on the bookshelves in her apartment that have a few knickknacks on them but far more books, I’m gonna say she does,” I reply, smirking.

“I’ll have Nini ask her this weekend,” Stealth says. “That way, they can always buy another ticket for her to go with them.”

“She has her friend with her now, too,” Ledger advises. “Probably would want to get her one as well so she doesn’t feel left out.”

“Fuck, at least it’s close enough we don’t have to get hotel rooms,” I mutter.

“Tressa says that’s half the fun,” Chaos replies. “Being able to ‘commune with their fellow bookies’ or some shit.”

“Okay, never use that phrase again because that’snotwhat I said,” Tressa states, having walked up behind her mate. She looks at me and says, “I think it’s a lot of fun to hang out with a lot of other booknerds,but I understand if Mr. Protective and Over-the-Top doesn’t wanna do that. Still, who knows when Sapphire will host another one and if it’ll be in the same place or not.”

“Baby, if you want to stay at the fucking hotel, we’ll stay at the fucking hotel,” Chaos rumbles, which has me hiding my smirk.

Somehow, I suspect I’ll be the same way where Vivi is concerned, and I truly cannot wait.

We’ve waited a long time, my wolf whispers.

Yes, yes we have.

While Vivi and I have been texting on and off all day as she’s had time, I’m still surprised when my phone rings and I see her name pop up.

“Hey, sweetheart. Your dad and Angie getting settled in okay?” I ask once the call connects.

“Hey, Fox. They are, actually. They both love the shop and are currently walking around Zephyr Hills getting a feel for the town itself,” she replies. “Which is why I figured I’d take a few minutes, rest my fingers, and call so I could hear your voice.”

“Miss you and honestly can’t wait to show off the clubhouse,” I tell her. I leave off ‘and our den’because I don’t want her stressing over that. “I do have a question for you.”

“Shoot,” she replies.

She sounds so free and happy right now, and I know a lot has to do with her worry easing over her friend and father no longer being subjected to anything from their former pack. I’m sure that the alpha has tried to put on a lot of pressure to find out where Vivi went. I also suspect that neither of them would ever give my mate up, even under threats of severe punishment.

“Okay, so Tressa and Nini love to read and apparently, there’s a book signing coming up in Frisco this May. The authors independently publish their books, although I think there are a few who use publishing houses as well. Do you think you and Angie would want to go with the girls?”

She squeals in my ear which makes me grin. “Are you serious right now? I mean, I know we’re real-life shifters, but some of the authors attending Motorcycles, Mobsters, and Mayhem really know their shit. Plus, of course, I like reading MC romances too.”

I shake my head with a smile plastered across my face because I didn’t mention the name of the event and yet she knew which one I was referring to. Which lets me know that she’s just as much of an avid reader as the other ol’ ladies in the club.

“Yeah, gotta say, babe, most of those are definitely fictionalized. If we did half the shit some of those books talk about, we’d be dead,” I reply, chuckling. “I’m sure there are possibly clubs out there who get into the more nefarious side of life, but we’re not about that lifestyle whatsoever.”

Well, except if our mates are in danger, but I don’t feel the need to mention that particular tidbit to her right now. She’ll figure that out soon enough once she talks to Tressa and Nini. That’ll be a problem for future me and my wolf.

“You said you can get me and Angie tickets?” she asks, her voice still sounding excited.

“Yeah, I’ll take care of it, babe. Also, Tressa wants to stay at the hotel even though it’s well within driving distance. How do you feel about that?” I question. I can hear her doing something on the other end of the line and call out, “Vivi? Did I lose you?”

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