Page 26 of The Betas: Rene
René got off the phone and rolled his eyes. “We’re going to have company shopping. The Alpha has decided to come.”
Frankie smiled. “Edward did tell me that Alpha La Marche could be a steamroller. As far as rings go, I’m all for plain gold bands. At Mr. Abbott’s, I don’t mind if The Alpha picks out the suits. I’ve always worn Italian suits off the rack. I wouldn’t know what constitutes a well-tailored English suit. I was going to depend on you.” He put his arms around René and hugged him. “I don’t know how it happened so soon, but I’m sappy about you.” Frankie nuzzled René’s neck.
René took a deep breath. “You’ve become a walking challenge to my honor. I can barely keep my hands off you.”
“I know, and it makes me happy. I’ve gone so long without anyone. I did nothing but one-nighters, I’m ecstatic to have found you. I love you. I want you to believe me. I didn’t think that it was possible to love someone so much, so quickly, but I love you.”
“And I adore you, Ma Vie. You don’t mind that The Alpha is determined to dress you?” René seemed sheepish, it seemed he was honestly afraid of how Frankie would react. René already knew to tread lightly on his independence. Frankie was glad his fiancé already realized that he treasured the independence for which he had fought so hard.
“He wants me dressed in a particular manner. It doesn’t matter how, to me. I’m glad that The Alpha had enough faith in me to hire me. As far as how I appear to the world, the only person I’m worried about impressing is you.” Frankie kissed René with longing.
“I think you’d be stunning in rags.” René glanced over at the clock. It was eight. “We need to get dressed to go out. Pierre will be here for us in about thirty minutes.”
“What should I wear?” Frankie didn’t want to offend The Alpha, but all he had was casual clothes and his Italian suits.
“We’re going out with The Alpha. Wear a suit and tie. You’ll need the dress shirt to be fitted anyway. Mr. Abbott has custom shirts, but we have to go to Lobb for custom shoes.” Frankie opened his suitcase to choose a tie. He thought he might have heard wrong when René had said custom shoes. That was a waste of money he’d deal with later.
§ § §
In the Limousine
Pierre picked them up at eight thirty, and they climbed in. The Alpha was in the limousine with Martin, but The Alpha Mate was nowhere to be found. An Enforcer, Didier, sat in the front with Pierre. René let Frankie in first, and Frankie sat next to The Alpha. Martin had the window on the driver’s side, and The Alpha sat beside him. René wound up next to the window on the passenger side, his accustomed place, only this time he protected his Frankie rather than the Alpha Mate.
A Navigator with six Enforcers rode behind the limousine with another in front. “The Alpha Mate?” René turned his head. “Why so much security, Alpha?”
“I got word after I spoke to you that two of the members of the old Russian Council, Klim Leontiy Prokhor, the former Second, and Boris Pyotr Mikhailov, the former Fifth, escaped loup garou custody just after their plane landed in Russia last week. They sought refuge with the Russian Oligarch, Arkady Viktor Kuznetsov, an arms dealer. Kuznetsov has them in a villa outside of Moscow that would be difficult for our people to get into without spending a human life. Our spies tell us the two Russians are coming to Manhattan because New York is an open city. I don’t want The Alpha Mate unnecessarily out of the house until we can apprehend them. They intend to attempt to challenge me and take over the Council.”
“What are we going to do, Alpha?”
“I don’t know. I can take them, but I know they’ll cheat.”
“Excuse me, Alpha,” René shot Frankie a warning look, but Frankie continued. “I know Kuznetsov, he deals with Dante. As a matter of fact, he has an appointment with Dante a week from Friday and he told him he was bringing two associates. I was supposed to arrange the security, until I resigned.”
René stiffened.Be careful, my Mate.
