Page 56 of Alpha Jax

“Any luck getting in yet?”

I nod, drawing my lower lip between my teeth. “Oh yeah. I’m just copying the files now.” I type in the last few functions, hit enter, and push back from my desk, folding my arms and grinning in satisfaction. “Done.”

Brooke watches my computer screen, a smile creeping across her face. “You’re a genius, you know that?”

I shrug, though I enjoy the compliment.

“I’m so glad you decided to come up here and join us. Put your hacker skills to good use.” She smiles, tucking her long blonde hair behind her ears and turning her chair toward me. “Seems like you’re settling in pretty well, huh?”

Brooke arches a brow, her tone suggestive, anddamnit I knew this was coming. Ever since she called me out for having a dude in my closet yesterday, I’ve been walking on eggshells, dreading the inevitable moment she brings it up.

I look away from her, back to my monitor. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh please,” she hisses, slapping at my arm with the back of her hand. I rub the offended skin, feigning injury while she rolls her eyes behind her black framed glasses. “So who is he? Someone I know?”

I wave her off. “Now why would you assume it was someone you know?”

Brooke leans forward, pointing a finger at me. “Ha! So youwerehiding someone!”

My cheeks heat as I realize I’ve just given myself away. “I never said that,” I grumble.

“The complex isn’t a huge place, so it’s gotta be someone I know,” Brooke muses, leaning back and folding her arms over her chest. “He smelled familiar, too. I couldn’t quite place it, but definitely familiar.”

I pop my head up over my monitor, looking around for Theo. He doesnotneed to catch wind of this conversation; I’d never hear the end of it. Plus, there’s a life at stake here- the minute he finds out that Jax has been slipping it to his baby sister, he’s a dead man.

“He went to Gray’s office for something,” Brooke says with a wink. Of course she knows who I’m looking for. “So…” she leans in closer, resting a hand on my arm. “Are you gonna tell me who it is? I promise I won’t say anything!”

In that moment, all I want to do is tell Brooke. We’ve always been close, so it feels weird keeping it from her. Not to mention the fact that she’s great with advice and she’d probably help me sort out some of my confusing emotions concerning Jax. She’s mated to my brother now, though, so the dynamic between us has to change. I can’t ask her to keep things from her mate- confiding in Brooke would put her in an impossible position.

But like… Brooke was my friend and Theo wound up with her, so why couldn’t I get together with one of his friends? Doesn’t it seem like a double standard is at play here? I suppose those two get a pass because they’re mates, but I can’t help but think of how Brooke’s one of the only people who may be able to understand what I’m going through right now, yet she’s the last person I can confide in.

“You know I can’t,” I sigh.

Brooke frowns. “Why not?”

I arch a brow, dropping my voice low. “Would you be able to keep it from Theo?”

She pauses, leaning back in her chair, chewing on her bottom lip. After a moment, she mumbles “probably not.”

At least she’s honest.

I give a little nod. “That’s what I thought.”

I look up to see Theo entering through the doorway of the hub, striding in our direction. “Speak of the devil,” I muse, smirking as he approaches. “Hey, big bro.”

“Sup, Q?” Theo breathes, sliding up behind Brooke and leaning down to press a kiss to the top of her hair. Like I said, the PDA is constant with these two.

“Just showing off my hacking skills to your girl here,” I say, smiling smugly and tossing my hair over my shoulder.

“Oh yeah?” Theo chuckles, looking from me to Brooke. “You guys ready to get outta here? It’s after five.”

Brooke and I respond in unison- I answer with an enthusiastic “yeah!”, while she mumbles something about wanting to stay a while longer to finish up.

I assume my brother’s going to stay with Brooke, I’m surprised when he turns to me and waggles his eyebrows. “Looks like it’s just you and me, Q. Whatcha got planned for tonight?”

I shoot him a questioning look, catching him exchanging a quick glance with Brooke.What the hell are those two up to?

“I’ve gotta head over to Goldenleaf to pick up my car, actually,” I say, taking my computer mouse in hand and clicking around to close out my open programs and save my work.

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