Page 80 of License to Kill

“I know, I know.” Jake dragged me towards the front door. “Where should we meet Amelia and Mellisa?”

“They’ll arrive tomorrow morning,” Jake’s father answered.

“Then we’re going to go to Baltimore to the nicest hotel I can find on short notice, where we will be undisturbed by anyone in the pack, and you can tell Mellisa or Amelia to call me. I am unwilling to negotiate on this. I have plans for coddling my wife, and none of those plans involve you two bothering us.”

“Try to contact us by text once a day.”

“Once a week, and that’s only if I’m feeling generous and believe there has been sufficient attitude adjustments regarding my wife.” Jake continued to drag me, and his path took me close enough to my purse I snagged it with my foot on the way by, spitting curses as I struggled to keep my balance on one foot. “You will be prepared to grovel to my wife when we are finished with this task, whatever the hell it is.”

“I’ll email you with the details and call you about some of the more complicated elements. Drive safely.”

Jake slowed long enough for me to lift my purse by my foot, grab hold of it, and remove the tripping hazard. He then said, “You get to return Dean’s car. It’s in the garage. Mason, you’re driving.”

“Of course I am. I should have guessed. Your vehicle is at the pack house. Why am I being dragged into this?”

I found it interesting Mason had opted against calling it his parents’ place. Sometime later, I would ask him about why he thought, as the general pack peacekeeper, he wouldn’t be dragged into the feud between the Alphas and their son. “Get an electric knife sharpener and help out in the kitchen while we’re gone, Mason.”

The Fenerec chuckled. “I’ll think about it. Head to my SUV, and I’ll grab some clothes for you, as I really don’t think you’ll want to come back tomorrow for anything.”

That earned twin growls from the Alphas, which the submissive ignored.

Jake dragged me to Mason’s SUV, shoved me inside, and hovered until I put my seatbelt on and made a show of cooperating with his wishes.

Wolves. Were there more annoying creatures?

Using some form of black magic, Jake managed to get a room at the Ivy Hotel, which had started its life as a manor before being converted to a luxury hotel with a spa. I frowned and wondered if he’d gotten the reservation earlier, making plans with the rest of his pack while we’d dodged his parents before the hunt.

The Ivy Hotel didn’t just have unexpected vacancies on short notice. It could take weeks or months to get a room at the place, especially when there was anything going on in Baltimore, as it had an excellent location to go with its excessive luxury.

I decided I wouldn’t ruin the moment, although I questioned everything about my situation.

Mason dropped us off, and I spluttered, wondering what the hell we were doing at such a nice hotel. “Jake?”

He slung the bags Mason had packed for us over his shoulder, took hold of my arm, and marched me into the lobby. “I’m making the assholes pay for it if they ever want to speak with me again. They can pay me back later. I’ve notified them they will be paying for it by text. As I’m wise, I notified my father, who readily agreed to my terms. My father, at least, understands when I’m not joking around. My mother is still learning we have new rules in our family. She’s also mad I’m the one making the rules.”

“We’re going to be ordering room service, aren’t we?”

“I have already requested strawberries and champagne, some chocolates, and everything a gentleman might need to pamper his wife. I bought a ridiculous number of products from their spa to help me pamper you, and you have a date at the spa tomorrow afternoon for professional attention. While you are being professionally attended to, I’m getting a haircut and picking something up. We’re not really dressed all that elegantly right now, but it’s not like we’re going to be loitering in their lobby all night long. Don’t ask how much the room cost, as you get upset over things like that. It’s not a waste of money.”

Well, as there was no escaping, I may as well see what he had in mind. “But did you bring your handcuffs?”

“I’ve learned I should always have my handcuffs readily available if I want any guarantees I’m not tenderized by the time you’re done with me. I have several sets of handcuffs with me, and one of them is fuzzy so they won’t hurt your wrists.” Jake smirked and headed for the front desk, keeping a hold on me so I wouldn’t wander off. “I have a reservation under Thomas for two,” he told the woman behind the desk.

“Good evening, Mr. Thomas. Your room is ready, and your requests are waiting for you in your room.” She had us checked in within a minute and gave us a pair of keys rather than the cards most hotels used. With a smile, she gave us directions to our room and wished us a good evening.

Jake transferred his hold from my arm to my hand and pulled me in the direction of our room, which spanned the second and the third floor near the spa, separated from the rest of the suites in a quaint little tower. The entire place oozed opulence, and while I gaped at everything, he guided me straight to our room, unlocked the door, and pushed me inside. “We can explore tomorrow. We’ll be here for three nights. Amelia and Mellisa will just have to find accommodations somewhere nearby. For the next three days, you’re going to rest, and I’m going to cater to your every need.”

“Laying it on a bit thick there, Jake.” I stepped into the room, spotted the fireplace with two cozy chairs in front of it, and decided I knew where I’d be spending most of my time when I wasn’t in bed confirming I lacked any ability to keep my hands off him.

Damned man.

Jake chuckled and closed the door behind us before locking it and setting the room keys on the stand in the entry. “My first plan was about ten times worse and just a really bad idea, and I would have cleared out our saving account pulling it off.”

We had a savings account? “What savings account?”

“The one we opened after we came back to Baltimore after the London fiasco, Karma.”

I frowned, turning to stare at him. “I don’t remember that.”