Page 6 of The Alpha's Bargain
“Six months. With me, here in myhouse.”
“I can’t let you pay my family’s debt, Luca. It’s notright.”
He brushed his nose against mine in such a caring way it was a shock. No man had ever given me that tender of a touch. “If I can have you in my home and in my bed for six months, I’ll be a happy man. I want this, Cal. What if I wired the money into your business account? No stringstome?”
“And what do I tell my pack? Oh, I just had a hundred-grand pop up? That’s ridiculous.” Even entertaining this idea was absurd, but with his heat so close to me, my brain couldn’t function normally. My body was on red alert, and my wolf paced back and forth, growling. She lovedthisidea.
“I had a feeling this would be a hang up for you. Do yourememberIvan?”
“Of course.” He’d been a pack mate up until a year ago when his body had given out. He’d been hundreds of years old, and it’d just been his time. His death was had been felt throughout our entirepackhard.
Luca gave me a squeeze, then released his hands from my body, leaving coldness in their wake. He moved back just a bit to where I had to bend my neck tolookup.
“We are going to say that he left your pack a nest egg. It’s been caught up in litigation with the Breed Counsel and has just now come to light. The sum will be given to your father as a lump sum payout. All the legal documentation will be there. I will put the money in, and no one will be thewiser.”
My mind reeled. This man had thought of everything. The Ivan story would work because he’d had several stocks and bonds that we were able to get. This money could go into my pack clean, without anyone knowing what I’d done. All for six months of timewithLuca.
“But, why would I all of a sudden pick up and move in with you and your pack? That doesn’t makesense.”
He reached down, taking my hands in his, then lifting them up to his lips, planting a soft kiss on the top of each, then holding them to his chest. “You tell them we’remates.”
I gave my hands a tug, but he didn’t let go, holding them fast. “I can’t say that! One, they know I haven’t had my heat cycle; therefore, I can’t have a mate. Two, what happens at the end of six months? I put my tail between my legs and crawl back to my family? You know there’s a possibility they won’t take me back becauseofthis.”
That thought made me want to throw up. Being a lone wolf wasn’t on my agenda for life, and that would be exactly what happened if Luca tossed me out and my family wouldn’t take me back. Would he use me then throwmeout?
My knees began to buckle, and I gripped his hands that he wouldn’t release for support at the agony of what this could do to me hit full force. A female wolf’s dream was never to be out in the world, alone and desperate. Those wolves were forced to do many things they didn’t want to do to survive. Some changed into their wolves and never turned back into human form. That wasn’t the life Iwanted.
Heavens knew what my family would think. They had every right to not take me back into their fold after the six months, but if they found out I lied, who knew what they wouldchoose.
Luca leaned in, rubbing his nose against mine, then pulling back. He had a serious thing for it, and it gave me serious tingles throughout my core each time, along with sending shivers of calm throughout me. “Your family will take you back after the six months; I’ll make it so. That isn’t an issue. As for them not believing the mating, it doesn’t matter. As long as you come to me of your own free will, they cannot do anythingaboutit.”
Even growing up, Luca had been seriously smart, excelling in pretty much anything and everything he touched. Him having the answers so calmly shouldn’t have surprised me in the slightest, but to have it this planned out on my behalf did. He’d always been a thinker, examining all the components of situations before acting. It was what made him an exceptional alpha. At least, that’s what my father always said about Luca. They worked closelytogether.
“I can make all your pack’s money problems disappear today, Caleigh. One phone call and it’s all finished. I won’t force you to sleep with me, Cal … ever. If that ends up not being a part of this, then so be it. I justwantyou.”
The weight on my shoulders felt too much to carry. With what I had done with the money, and now this … it was alltoomuch.
With one bargain, it could all be erased. My pack wouldn’t have the burden. They could get all the renovations done with The Grey Wolf and still stay afloat. It would only be six months. Six months with the man I’d craved since we wereyounger.
He’d said he’d make it so my family took me back, and I believed him. Not sure why, but it was there. Yes, that fear still rode me, but with Luca, he seemed to make it allmeltaway.
Doing this would help, and I wouldn’t have to worry about my pack financially. That was the goal. The rest … I’d deal with it when my six monthswereup.
“There will be no other women in your bed, Luca. I’m serious. One and the deal’s off and you pay the money, even though I leave. It’s my only stipulation.” Being in his bed was a strange concept, but having another wolf in there wouldn’t work for me. I’d always been a very monogamous woman, not jumping from bed to bed. I’d only had a few boyfriends, but none lasted long. While I was with them, though, there was noother.
Luca’s reputation was that of a bed hopper. No way I’d subject myself to that while living under the same roofashim.
He nodded. “That, Iconcedeto.”
“I can’t believe you’redoingthis.”
He cupped the side of my face, and a small sigh left my mouth. “Believe it, my beautiful Caleigh. I’ll make everything you wantcometrue.”
My heart warmed and something deep inside me settled. This was going to change my lifeforever.
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ChapterFour
