Chapter Eleven

They rolled up to the restaurant in three separate vehicles. Mekhi and Quinn were in his truck that happened to be a Benz. She laughed when he helped her get in with her dress on.

Jabari and Brandi were in the purple Rolls Royce he bought for her. Whenever they had a chance to drive it, she would sigh and call it heaven.

Thrice and Piper rolled up in a Jeep. He took the time to look at every vehicle they owned, from trucks to SUV’s and of course sports cars. In the end, he stuck with his Jeep. Piper came from money. She knew all about being seen in the most expensive vehicle at the nicest restaurants. What she didn’t know about was being cared for. That didn’t take a lot of money. When he opened the door to the Jeep, she beamed at him.

“I feel comfortable in your Jeep.” It brought a smile to his face.

He handed his keys to the valet and went to open the door for her.

“I’ve never been here before. This is the most exclusive restaurant in town.”

“The second most exclusive. Most people don’t even know the first one exists.”

“You’ve been here before?” She placed her hand on the arm he bent for her. She was wearing a Brandi original. Already she had some looks that told her they’d be looking for something like what she was wearing tomorrow. The bronze gown had slivers of red going through it looking like flames. Brandi designed it to compliment both her coloring and her figure.

“No, but I keep a loose tab on my brethren. That’s why I know of this restaurant.”

“Reservation for broken.” Jabari told the maître d’.

He gave them a quick look before his eyes dropped to the book in front of him. They were standing in a richly appointed lobby with chairs lining both sides of the wall. The wallpaper had a nice texture that Brandi and Quinn needed to feel. Piper smiled and joined them.

“I guess you’re used to places like this,” Brandi said.

“I prefer the burger joint we go to, but I’m excited about being here with all of you. I’ve decided elegant is only nice with friends and a hot guy.”

She slept on the bed with Thrice for a week and hadn’t touched him, not once. It seemed reasonable at the time, but now she realized she was an effing idiot. He was her mate. True she hadn’t even started to process that before this moment. Now all she could think about was getting a better look at his body. Those joggers he wore to bed would be meeting a fire if he kept putting them on.

They followed the server to a table that was away from the rest of the patrons. There was a live band and off to one side was a discreet dance floor.

The restaurant was filled with politicians as well as some hopefuls that she knew were trying to break into the field. She bet there were high-paid doctors and lawyers around as well.

“Can we dance later?”

“Do you mind teaching me?”

“No, we’ll take it nice and slow. You can put your arms around me, and we’ll sway back and forth.”

“I like the sound of that.”

“Hi, the owner sent a bottle of our finest. He said it will pack a small punch but will not harm the females.” The waiter placed the bottle on the table before turning to leave.

“We need menus or a listing of the selections,” Piper told him before he could walk away.

“Your meals have already been started. I will bring them when they are done.” He walked away.

“What?”

“They say the owner often knows what you want and need better than you do,” Mekhi told her.

Piper looked at him with horror remembering some of the horrible dishes she had been served when not allowed to pick her own food.

“Shall we dance?” Thrice asked her. She took his hand as he led her to the dance floor.

“You look handsome tonight.”

He was dressed in what looked like a military outfit, except it was all black. The pants kissed his ass perfectly. She drooled every time she looked. He had a metallic belt around his waist, but there was no discernable buckle. There was a tight black tee pulled over his muscular chest. He wore a long jacket that was presently open. The only color was on his shoulders and the breast pocket of his jacket.

“What are these?” She touched his jacket. Each medal looked like it had been sanded down until it was smooth. They were each a different color.

His hand caressed each one. “Each one of these is from the lower spine of the creatures that killed my brothers. This is where they stored the poison they used to incapacitate my family. When I was free, I hunted each of them down and returned the favor.”

“You killed their families?” She could feel the bitch ready to cut into him. She needed to remember she could control her tongue. Instead, she pictured her mother hooked up to the machines in the hospital. Then her father's voice telling them to take her mom off life support. If she could have, she would have killed him and the doctors for doing that to her mother.

“No. I never touched the parents, mates, or children. I did kill a few of the brothers because I saw in them the same evil.”

He waited for her to pass judgment on him.

“Is the rest of the galaxy like earth?”

“Yes and no. There are parts where there is law and order, then there are parts where the strongest rules.”

“Did killing them make you feel better?”

“No, but this wasn’t about feeling. It was about revenge and making sure no one else lost their family at the hands of these killers.”

“I’m glad they can’t hurt anyone else. What do the patches on your shoulder mean?”

“The ones on the right represent the males I call brothers. The ones on the left represent my original brothers. I honor both sets.”

“Honor is important to you; I like that.” She reached up and pulled his head down so she could kiss him. He wasn’t human, and if that’s what she wanted, then she needed to walk.

“Piper?”

“I like you Thrice. Really like you. I know we’re mates, and we need to talk about that. But before we do, you need to know I spent this week watching you. I know what I like, and you embody it.”

She wrapped her arms around him and got closer swaying slowly back and forth. The music changed, but she didn’t let go.

“Piper?” He leaned down and whispered. “The other couples are dancing apart and moving faster.”

She never opened her eyes. “If they knew what I knew they’d hold on for dear life.”

His lips tilted up, and he held her tighter. When the song finished, they went back to the table.

“Loved those dancing skills,” Brandi teased her. They bumped fist.

“I got to go to the restroom,” Piper informed them. Brandi and Quinn said okay and got up.

“You’re all going together?” Mekhi asked.

“It’s a girl thing,” Quinn told him. They laughed as they walked out.

“Somebody is feeling Thrice.” Quinn teased.

“I feel drawn to him. Does that sound weird? I mean it takes forever to find the right person. You meet someone, date, then meet someone new and repeat. Eventually, you find the right person.”

“Is he the first guy you dated?” Quinn asked.

“Of course not.”

“Then it sounds like you did the date, rinse, and repeat routine already.”

“Yeah, but it won’t be easy. Am I whining?”

“No. I wanted someone to love before I died. I knew better. I should have left Jabari alone, but the way he treated me and the way I felt around him.” Brandi shrugged. “I couldn’t. I knew there was no guarantee. Actually, I knew I would die, but I couldn’t stop loving him.”

That’s what scared her. That one day she would order his death even though she was head over hills in love with him.

“One day at a time.” Brandi told her.

They freshened up their makeup and made their way back to the table. Jill was sitting at the table pressed close to Thrice. Her hand was caressing his fingers. He moved over, and she moved closer to him.

Anger dark and nasty rose in Piper.

How could he do this to her and with her nemesis? She had been a childhood friend until they became teenagers. Jill had the perfect pageant body while Piper didn’t. She seemed to take a liking to any boy or man Piper had ever been interested in. It got to the point that she expected Jill to steal her man. The last time it happened, she swore never again, and now Thrice was choosing that fake tart over her.

He was a two-timing low life alien, and she would make him pay. She walked up to the table anger strumming through her body. When she opened her mouth, nothing came out.

“Your first real test and you fail. Look at him before you eviscerate him with words. Then make me proud.”

Who the hell was in her head? That could wait, she had a situation to deal with. She stopped even though the bitch within told her to roll with it. He looked up at her helpless. There was a pleading expression on his face. She looked at Jill again, and that’s when she saw that one of her hands was curled around his wrist, and her nails dug into his skin.

“Jill move away from my man.”

She flashed her blue eyes at Piper and tightened her hand on Thrice’s wrist.

“Piper, it’s nice to see you. I never saw you come in. Have you met this hunk of a man? He and I are making plans to go out. Although he is shy about his name.”

Quinn and Brandi went to move, but Piper stopped them.

“Jill, leave him alone.”

“He wants me. He never asked me to move.”

“That bitch is lying. I was over here I heard him say he had a mate. He asked her to leave him alone. I think he’s just too much of a gentleman to put her in her place. Beat her ass that’s what she deserves.”

All eyes turned to look at the woman defending Thrice.

“Hi, I’m Serenity, and I’ve been watching her all night come onto men both single and married. I almost wish I came with a date, so I could beat her ass myself.” She moved to stand with Brandi and Quinn. “We got your back girl.”

“Sounds like she’s another loser who can’t keep a man. Just like you, Piper.”

“Jill, I’m going to give you to the count of five to move. If you’re still there, I will start by ripping that expensive weave out of your hair. Then I’m going to take those blue contacts out of your brown eyes, and if you piss me off enough, I’m going to stab a hole in those silicone bags you call breasts. Get your hands off him.”

She laughed and trailed her free hand down his chest. Piper did a countdown in her head. When she reached one, she couldn’t help but smile. Her hand twisted in Jill’s hair jerking her backward. She put everything she had into pulling her away. Jill clung to Thrice’s arm. Serenity went around them, took her small evening bag and hit Jill in the face with it. She let go, and Piper dragged her out the seat and onto the floor.

“Why didn’t we think of doing that?” Quinn asked Brandi.

Brandi nodded. She knew Jill, knew she was a low life, but she never thought she’d go this far.

Piper calmly sat on her before she started punching her in the face. It was Thrice who stood and pulled her off. The waiter came over with a smirk on his face.

“I guess you want me to take out the trash?” Thrice nodded.

He picked Jill up and swung her over his shoulder before he gave Piper a thorough look. “I wouldn’t mind having a mate like you.”

Thrice growled, and he laughed as he walked away.

“Oh, I need to hang with all of you.” Serenity said before she waved goodbye and walked away.

“Piper, I’m—.” She threw her arms around him and kissed him for all she was worth.