Chapter 68

MISTY

After showering together, which took much longer because Lloyd couldn’t keep his hands off me, we finally dressed and drove to a small grocery store.

By his expression, I knew he’d never been shopping, and I grabbed his hand before snagging a cart.

Lloyd had so little experience in our era, yet it was nothing short of miraculous how quickly he adapted to everything.

We strolled up and down the aisles, and his incredulous expression made me smile. I bought everything we needed for the next few days, and I already knew what I would cook.

~“Let’s go for a run along the beach tonight,”~ Cammy suggested, hopefully.

~“Absolutely, it’s time for you and Vetus to spend some time together.”~

I turned to suggest it to Lloyd, but he spoke before I could. “Let’s go for a run tonight,” he suggested, and I burst out laughing.

“I think our wolves have been conspiring. Cammy just asked me the same thing,” I told him.

“It is high time they cement their bond,” Lloyd chuckled.

I sighed with contentment. I had dreamed of a life where we could simply be together, free from the weight of responsibility. But deep down, I knew Lloyd’s unwavering sense of duty would never let him walk away and that we’d inevitably end up living in the palace.

But would it be such a big issue if we purchased a little place of our own to escape the palace?

I would keep an open mind when viewing the fourth floor, but I wanted something where I didn’t have servants to cook my meals or clean up after me. Something where I could take care of my mate and spoil him.

Lloyd paid and grabbed the bags, stowing them in the Audi. I brought up the topic as soon as he’d buckled me in and was driving back.

“Lloyd?” I began, turning slightly to face him. “I know we’ll have to live in the palace permanently, but do you think there’s a possibility we could buy a little place—like this one—just for us? As a compromise?”

The moment the words left my mouth, I braced myself for his response. Lloyd was conscious of money and the cost of things, and I knew he didn’t like the idea of us having extras or living lavishly.

But this wasn’t about luxury; it was about finding a balance between duty and us. I watched him closely as he drove, hoping my request wouldn’t be too much. He pulled into the drive and cut the engine, turning to face me, hand on my thigh.

“I would love that, and I know no one would object, especially now that Axel’s money is back in palace coffers, but I feel guilty doing something like that,” he admitted candidly.

“You will earn a salary, and while I’m sure it won’t be excessive as Axel’s was, we could apply for a loan and pay it off,” I suggested, hopefully. “That wouldn’t cost the palace anything…”

“Oh, I didn’t know that.”

“You have a credit card, and I assume Jocelyn has opened a bank account for you?”

Jocelyn had been appointed after we found Shelley’s body. Her death, even though I didn’t know her that well, sent me into a crying frenzy. I wasn’t just crying for her but for the lives that were lost.

“Yes, she has, but we are still negotiating a salary,” he admitted.

“What do you mean negotiating?” I asked with a frown.

“Let’s take this inside,” he suggested, releasing my seat belt.

“Okay.”

Lloyd grabbed the groceries while I unlocked the door, and we unpacked everything together.

I noticed how he frequently picked up an item, turning it over in his hands to read the label, as if the concept of prepackaged food was foreign to him. It made me realize how much simpler his life must have been before.

“Were there even grocery stores when you were young?” I asked, unable to help my curiosity.

He chuckled softly. “Not like this. They existed, but we didn’t rely on them much. Back then, packs stayed within their territory and hunted for what we needed. We spent more time in our wolf forms, living off the land. The palace was around, but it wasn’t nearly as large, and definitely not as many floors. That came later.”

“Wow,” I marveled. “Life must’ve been so different. But, going back to the salary thing…why would you need to negotiate?”

Lloyd sighed, leaning against the kitchen counter, his arms crossed. “Jocelyn wants to pay me fifty thousand dollars a month,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I feel like that’s way too much.”

I blinked, momentarily speechless. ~Fifty thousand dollars? A month?~ That was an incredible amount of money, especially considering the guards only earned about twelve hundred a month. “I see. What’s her reasoning?”

He shrugged. “She said a CEO makes more than that, and I’m essentially doing the same thing—running everything, making decisions.”

I bit my lip, considering it for a moment. “Can I suggest something?”

His lips curled into a mischievous grin. “I hope your suggestion involves the bedroom,” he teased.

I playfully smacked his arm. “Focus! I’m serious. She has a point, but even I think fifty thousand is too much. How about this—suggest twenty-five thousand instead and use the opportunity to push for a general salary increase for the palace staff.

“I’m not sure what the servants make, but I bet it’s less than the guards. Things are expensive, and you deserve compensation that reflects your position. Plus, the palace generates income from its properties, so it’s not like you’d be taking food out of anyone’s mouth.”

Lloyd pulled up a stool, resting his elbow on the counter, his expression thoughtful but laced with hesitation. “I know, but I plan to lower the tithe. And remember, we don’t have real expenses. The palace covers food and housing, so even twenty-five thousand feels excessive.”

“I get that,” I said, acknowledging his discomfort. “It ~is~ a lot of money, but we won’t be like Axel. We won’t use the palace accounts for personal stuff—clothes, vacations, a house…”

I let my voice trail off, my mind drifting toward how different our lives would be with Lloyd in charge. Everything would be more grounded and responsible—no more extravagant spending or abusing palace resources for personal gain.

Lloyd nodded slowly, his gaze meeting mine with a renewed sense of resolve. “I’ll reevaluate the staff salaries and overall expenses. Jocelyn sent me the balance sheet a while back, but I think I accidentally deleted it…

“Anyway, I can’t make a proper decision until I see the numbers. For now, I’ve instructed her to deposit five thousand into my account, which I still think is excessive, and I’m making sure any credit card expenses are billed to ~my~ account, not the palace’s.”

I smiled, appreciating how seriously he was taking everything. “That sounds like a good plan, and five thousand is a lot for me too. But can we look for a little place here, right on the water, please?” I batted my eyelashes.

“I don’t know, I need convincing…”

“Oh, really. How many blow jobs will it take?” I asked saucily.

Lloyd let out an explosive sigh, and I knew his thoughts had gone south. “I’m not sure, but I’ll let you know after the first one. You might need practice,” he said, his eyes darker and filled with lust.

“Underwater?”

He laughed out loud. “Do you have gills?”

“No, and now I’m going to cook. You must be starving.”

“I am rather hungry…,” he winked.

“Go and unpack our things while I make breakfast,” I admonished.

“Okay, my little she-witch,” he drawled.

She-witch? I couldn’t help but grin at the nickname as I made breakfast.

~“Cats and wolves don’t mix,”~ Cammy murmured.

~“They do,”~ I countered. ~“Look how great we’ve become.”~

Cammy snorted but didn’t comment.

We had become incredibly agile, but even though Yamika had said that once magic lives in the body, it can be easily regained, I hadn’t regained any…yet. Lloyd’s dominance was so powerful, and now I was able to match him better.

As I whisked the eggs, I fantasized about a cozy little house where we could escape from palace duties and just ~be.~ A quiet home by the sea, a place where we could cook breakfast together, laugh, and enjoy life outside of royal expectations.

A house that didn’t come with the baggage of history, of Axel’s shadow. Somewhere we could make new memories untainted by the past.

I even started Googling properties for sale, but my heart sank when I didn’t find anything near the beachfront. The idea of waking up to the sound of waves had taken root in my mind, and the lack of options left me sighing in disappointment.

~Patience~, I reminded myself. The right place would come along eventually.

Lloyd’s arms snaked around me, and I leaned into him. “That was quick. Did you fold anything?” I asked.

“Was I supposed to?” he asked, wrinkling his nose.

I turned in the circle of his arms. “I know you can because all your stuff was folded neatly in the cottage.”

“Ah, yes. The day you came spying and broke the Jeep.”

The memory made me smile, and I immediately thought back to what Yamika said. Was it possible?