Big Bad Wolf Chapter 10: Francine Grimaldi

Alex looked up as a potent and most remarkable scent hit his nostrils. He jolted in his chair, and his blue eyes started to turn amber. He looked around, and everything was in black and white.

“Shit!”

His fingers clasped the edge of his desk and gripped it hard as he closed his eyes shut and took a deep breath to calm himself. After a moment, he could finally see things in his world in bright colors, and his eyes’ color was back to blue.

His head tilted to the side, and lines formed between his eyebrows as he tried to figure out where the scent was coming from and how it made him lose control. It never happened to him before. As a master lycan, he had always been in control of his wolf.

The scent didn’t go away; in fact, it seemed as though it was almost within his reach.

Alex swallowed hard. He couldn’t be responsible for giving their human employees heart attacks if he were to let his wolf go. Unlike the other beings in their spectrum, like the bloodsuckers (as he so fondly called them behind their backs), wolves and Lycans alike would most likely create mass panic when they would shift into their natural form. It would undoubtedly be the end of him if that were to be the case.

He cursed at the intoxicating scent. It was so sweet and hot that his mouth watered a bit.

“Fuck!” he exclaimed, breathing hard. Then, he suddenly straightened in his chair and got himself under control as soon as he heard a knock on the door. Before he could call out for whoever it was to enter, the door swung open.

“Hello, brother.” Collette walked in.

Alex shut his eyes closed when his stomach lurched as he was again hit with the overly enticing scent.

“What’s wrong with him?” he heard another voice, and this time he quickly opened his eyes.

Standing proudly next to his sister was a young woman who looked aristocratic even in her applique, mesh-sleeved, form-fitting dress. Her slim, oval face, prominent and defined cheekbones― everything about her was refined and striking.

Alex had to try harder not to lose his shit and act normal so that neither women would notice, Collette especially. Her sister was a real, mean, pain in the ass and his mind wasn’t clear enough to take any of her spitefulness.

"Alex, I'd like to introduce you to Francine Grimaldi. She was one of my friends back at the University of Copenhagen,” Collette introduced. “Francine, this is my brother, Alexander.”

“I’m pleased to meet you, Alexander,” Francine spoke. Her voice reeked of confidence. Alex stood up and walked around his desk to reach out to shake her hand.

Alex momentarily went blank as soon as Francine’s soft hand touched his. Suddenly, it hit him―the distinct cold feeling that ran up and down his spine could only mean one thing.

Francine Grimaldi was a vampire. She was, unfortunately, one of those bloodsuckers. This meant that she was off-limits, which meant that he’d have to suffer whenever she’s around.

Fucking treaty, Alex thought. And with the most normal voice he could muster, he finally said, “Pleasure’s all mine, and please, call me Alex. And what brings you to my humble tower?”

Collette rolled her eyes. “She’s attending the opening of my charity next week. She’s one of my biggest benefactors,” she said while eyeing proudly at Francine.

“And those poor animals deserve all the help they can get, Collette.” Francine smiled.

“That is absolutely true.” Collette looked at her brother then smirked as if sensing his discomfort and enjoying it. “And this is why we are here.”

“Why are you here?”

“We would like for the Carmichael Group of Companies to be one of Heart For Rescue Foundation’s additional big benefactor.”

Alex took a deep breath and let it out again slowly. “Why didn’t you bring this up over lunch instead of pounding on me with some nonsense? You could have asked dad or mom to approve your request.”

Collette smiled at Francine. “You have to forgive my brother; he was born insolent.”

“I’ve met a lot of men like him,” Francine assured her, implying that she didn’t really care how the siblings would behave in her presence.

Alex gave her a crooked smile. “You have?”

Francine quickly returned it with a half-smile. “Yes. Indeed, I have.”

Collette heaved a sigh of annoyance at her younger brother. “I’ll tell my assistant to send over the damn request. I need your signature by tomorrow morning.”

“Fine. And why don’t you give Francine the tour? I’ll join you in the lounge area in a few minutes?”

Collette led Francine out of Alex’s office. “Come along, Francine, and let me show you dad’s painting collection.”

“Catch you later, Francine,” Alex muttered before smiling at her.

Francine glanced at him over her shoulder then smiled briefly without saying another word.

Once they were gone and the door was closed, Alex sat back down at his desk and wondered if the scent was a natural thing knowing that she’s a vampire. Did Collette smell the same scent radiating off her too? Were vampires’ smells normally that intoxicating and irresistible? He couldn’t recall as he was never really around with vampires that much.

He groaned at Francine’s scent that lingered in the air, making it difficult for him to control his dark and obscene thoughts.

Obscene thoughts.

He grunted at the word when he quickly remembered what Harper had told him a moment ago in the elevator. The woman sure had the nerve, he thought, suddenly amused.

His thoughts were then interrupted when someone came into his office without knocking, and he found himself looking at Mira, looking as provocative as usual in her red split thigh, slip dress.

“Mira,” he breathed and sat back. “I hope HR hasn’t called you on what you’re wearing today.”

Mira grinned and sauntered to his desk. “Well, if they do, you got my back.” She was a cloud of perfume.

Had it been any other day, he would have ordered Mira to bend over his desk and thrust on her senseless. But he couldn’t. Not when Francine and his sister were still in the building somewhere.

So, Alex just sort of shrugged it off, giving her his usual smirk.

Mira walked around his desk. “I saw your sister come in. Did she give you another hard time?” she asked, trailing her slender fingers up his arm.

Alex laughed, low and throaty. “No. She’s here to introduce her friend from college.”

“Oh. That woman,” Mira said with a dismissive tone. Like she was far from being interested in talking about Francine. “You think you could just get away with making me feel all worked out?” she added softly, eyes dark and pupils wide with arousal. “Well…I think it’s time to teach you a lesson…”

Oh shit.

“And I am so sorry about that, darling,” Alex replied.

“I want to know how sorry you are.” Mira grinned, pushing Alex back against the backrest of his chair and dropping to her knees.

Alex tried to pull away, but her hand quickly palmed the bulge in his pants. “Fuck, Mira,” he groaned.

Mira giggled excitedly. “This is so hot.” Her hands were deft as she undid his belt and pushed his pants. “You’re so hard already.” She seductively brushed her mouth against Alex’s hardness underneath his boxers.

Alex knew that what Mira was doing now was probably his own doing after teasing her while he was stuck in the elevator. So how in the hell was he supposed to stop her and put the fire out after lighting it? He pushed it from his mind and let Mira’s fingers slowly pull down the waistband of his boxers.

And then came a soft knock on the door before it creaked open.

Alex thought a few things could be more embarrassing and mortifying than being caught with Mira on her knees and face between his legs. His mortifying moment soon quickly became a reality when he saw shocked eyes behind a pair of glasses.

Of all people, Harper had to be the one who walked in on him and Mira.

Immediately, Mira stood up and smoothened her dress while Alex quickly pulled his pants up.

“What the hell? Since when did you think you can barge in here without knocking, Ms. Fritz? What the fuck?!” Alex exclaimed, his face was reddening in both humiliation and anger.

“Correction. I didn’t barge in, and I did knock.” Harper’s voice was calm and collected, which actually surprised Alex.

“And you seriously have the backbone to talk to me that way.” Alex glared at her and shook his head in disbelief. “And why the fuck did you think you couldn’t tell Lucas whatever it was you need instead of directly coming here?”

“I don’t need anything. I just ran into your sister in the hallway, and she told me to tell you that you better get your ass in the lounge now…or else…” Harper paused. “She didn’t really say anything after or else.”

Mira turned to Harper, face an impassive mask, and a challenge against the young woman. “I guess I’ll have to see you later after work, Mr. Carmichael.”

“I will be working late, but I will call you once I’m done here.”

Mira’s enthusiasm was immediately replaced with a frown. “Oh. Okay. I will wait for your call then.” Waving half-heartedly, she left.

“And you may leave now, Ms. Fritz. By the way, not a single soul should know what you just saw. Or I’ll make sure no company will ever going to hire once you leave.”

He noticed Harper’s jaw clenched before nodding. “Your dirty little secret is safe with me.”

Alex chuckled. “You, Ms. Fritz, is one of a kind,” he sarcastically said.

Harper’s lips pursed into a sardonic smile before she left the room, almost slamming the door behind her.

The second the door closed, Alex put his face into his hands and sighed deeply while mumbling, “What a fucking ballsy woman.”