Page 37 of The Boss
The entry way and stairs are jam packed with men, and a few women. I spot sweet little Sheila on the second floor, gazing down like she’s looking at her lord and savior in the flesh. Actually, everyone kind of has that expression, I follow their eyes and start to walk down for a better view.
“Alright, alright!” Quinn quiets the crowd from the third or fourth step. “Today was a good fucking day.” The people lose their minds clapping and stomping and hollering like animals. I step forward a tiny bit to see around a guy’s raised arms. Quinn spots me and grins. “Ah, wife.” He says, and he starts to take the stairs to me two at a time. Then the crowd splits for him.
His steps are so sure, his gaze so pointed, I want to pull the dude in front of me closer like a human shield. Or maybe run back up the stairs. Because what is he doing? What the hell is going on?
He reaches me and his eyes glance down at the dress with a hint of surprise.Yes!
He puts a hand on either side of my face and kisses me, hard. Cheers erupt again. He hums into my mouth before pulling away and addressing the people. “Today you brought me a rat.” More yelling. “And we killed him. Painfully.” Applause again. Someone hands Quinn an open bottle of beer, which he holds up. “And yesterday, I brought you a queen.” He pulls me into his side by my ass, his grip hot and hard like he owns me. I start to shove away but his eyes dart to mine, just a split second. But I get the message.
Play Along.
I try to smile at everyone but it feels like a grimace.
He lifts his beer and calls out, “Welcome Mrs. Luna Quinn!” He holds up his beer and again the mass of probably a hundred people in the stair wells screams and drinks and clinks their beer bottles. Quinn kisses me again, a few times, overtaking my lips with his, not opening me up with his tongue, just sucking the tiniest bit, covering me, sealing me.
He pulls away suddenly and I’m embarrassed to find myself leaning in and up, wanting more.Damnit.
“Now, we celebrate. Let’s eat.” He dips his chin down as he says it, and the men immediately start moving toward the dining hall. His heat leaves me when he is basically swept down the stairs by his crowd of admirers. When he hits the ground floor he looks up at me with a spark in his eyes as he commands. “Come.”
I cement my feet in place and my jaw in a hard line. But then I remember my mission. He knows the phrase has pissed me off but I’m not going to get into his pants by being my stubborn self.Still, I can’t help but lift my chin and take my time. It’s not hard to go slowly since I’m continually interrupted by all the guys stopping and nodding their heads at me in respect. They give me a wide berth and don’t meet my eyes. Some call me “Miss” some say “Ma’am” a few say, “Mrs. Quinn.”
But I sigh.
Because not one of them calls me, “Boss.”
CHAPTER 21
Quinn
Fuck, this feels good.
I knew one of my dad’s old soldiers was a mole and beating him senseless was the release I needed. Well, most of the release.
The other, I need to see about, and soon. Or else I’m going to embarrass myself, walking around here with a permanent hard on for my little angry hornet of a wife.
I take a long drag on my beer, trying to focus on the conversation around me. Trying not to think about that very thin, very pretty, very rip-able dress. Or relive the moment on the stairs when she melted into my side for a second, despite herself. Or the other moment when I gave her a command I knew she’d hate and her eyes flashed with venom before she resumed her acting and started slowly down the stairs.
Damn, she’s fun to play with.
Like fire, though. I need to remember that. I don’t want to get burned. More importantly, I don’t want my whole world going up in flames.
I eat and laugh and talk with my men, but I’m distracted. Where is Luna? Did she defy me after all? Go to our room? She has to be hungry. I’m told she barely ate breakfast, skipped lunch and spent the entire day walking the property.
So…maybe a little more stoking the flames won’t hurt.
“Shelia!” I call out to the room, knowing someone close by will track her down for me.
She breezes up to me at the head of the table. “Yes?”
“Find Mrs. Quinn and tell her to come eat—”
I’m cut off as the woman herself comes in, seemingly the last person with a plate of food. I fight a smile as I watch her. She clearly heard my summons and is buzzing with irritation. But my smile dies because her sweater is off her shoulders and that dress hugs her tits and, as she’s the last one in, every pair of eyes is glued to her.
“You rang, husband?” She says sweetly to me once she’s reached my side. I missed that she’s got her damn dog with her in its purse, now level with my face.
I glare at it, then her. “No dogs inside, remember?”
“But, baby,” she leans in, offering a clear view of her cleavage, then her voice becomes buttery as she pretends to lower the volume, but she clearly wants the men to hear. “After last night, and then again this morning, I convinced you, remember?”
