Page 53 of Suspicious

“Haven!” Alpha calls out, making her stop and turn back just before she exits.

She raises her brow in question, and he exhales, staringstraight at her. “Ifuckinglove you.”

Haven lets out a small chuckle and nods once. “I know. I’ll be home soon,” she states as she walks for the door.

Just as she’s heading out, my eyes widen when Bea walks in. They stop and say something to each other as they pass, but they’re too far away for me to be able to hear their conversation.

My chest squeezes at seeing Bea again after a couple of days apart.

Honestly, I wasn’t sure if she was even going to come back.

Her eyes meet mine across the crowded room, and she stops on the spot, just staring at me. But before I have a moment to comprehend what our next move will be, Alpha grips my shoulder.

“Chapel. Now,” he states sternly.

Furrowing my brow as he turns to walk off for the stairs, I glance back at Bea briefly. She inhales deeply before I turn and follow my president up the stairs to the Chapel.

As I walk in, Alpha isn’t sitting in his chair like I thought he would be. He’s pacing the floor as if he is about to absolutely lose his shit. Quietly closing the door behind me, I walk over toward him. “Okay… why do you look like you’re about to run out of here and shoot anyone who moves?”

He stops, his fingers run through his hair while he lets out a long huff. “Haven’s going into prison with fucking convicted murderers and drug dealers and fucking women who don’t give a shit who you are. They’ll shank you for looking at them the wrong way.”

Nodding, I step up to his side and lead him to his seat, forcing him to sit down. Then I take my seat next to him. “Okay… remember how you have this problem of underestimating Haven? Remember how you thought she couldn’t go back to The Nest to take on the people who trained her, andyet,she kicked their asses and saved your daughter from them?”

Alpha grumbles under his breath. “Yeah… but—”

“No buts, Pres. She’s a trained assassin. Sheliterallycame to this clubhouse to killyou. She’s the strongest woman I haveeverknown.”

“I still don’t like it…” He shakes his head, his eyes full of concern. “What if she gets hurt?”

The realization hits me, and I let out a small laugh, sitting back in my chair. My shoulders relax as I stare at him. “Pres, you better put that ring on her finger when she gets back because you’re fucking besotted with her.”

Alpha jerks his head back, scrunching up his face. “I plan to, but it’s just going to be a low-key thing. I’ve done a big wedding. It didn’t turn out well. This one needs to be simple.”

Nodding in understanding, I sit forward. “I get it. I know more than anyone what it’s like when a relationship goes sour, Pres. But what you and Haven have… it’s real. She’s not going anywhere. She treats Poppy like her own daughter, and anyone can see you’re so wrapped up in her that it’s causing you to question her, let’s face it, epic skills. Pres, you know she’s tougher than half the guys in this club. It’s because you adore her and want to protect her that you’re thinking this way. But, Alpha, even though you’ve been married before, Haven hasn’t, and you minimizing this proposal and wedding because it’s your second… is diminishing Haven’s first.”

Alpha sits back in his chair, his muscles relaxing as he lets out a long breath. “Why the hell do you have to make fucking sense for?”

Smirking, I shrug. “Because Haven’s also the stepmother to your child and can’t have any children of her own. Her and Poppy have this bond that no one can understand because of The Nest. Poppy is like the child she could never have. I know your natural instinct is to protect them both with everything you have, but maybe, sometimes, you just have to support them intheirneeds.”

Alpha exhales heavily and nods. “Right! Got it! I have some thinking to do… now get the fuck out!”

Bursting out into laughter, I stand. He glances up at me with a single nod, and I turn, walking out of the Chapel to let him figure out his next move with his Old Lady.

At least while helping Alpha, I wasn’t thinking about my issues. But now that I am heading down the stairs of the Chapel, it’s impossible not to let my mind wander back to the fact that Bea is back at the clubhouse.

Somewhere.

But I’m not going to spend my time searching for her. If she is going to just up and leave without saying goodbye, she can come and find me when she’s ready.

With that, I hightail it straight for my den—I have shit to do.

I close the door behind me, letting out a heavy breath, and slump into my seat. Clenching my eyes shut, I take a moment to try to clear my head.

But all I see isher.

“Fuuuck!” I groan louder than I meant to.

Opening my eyes, they automatically shift to the picture of Jason on the wall. My stomach instantly flips while I stare at my younger brother. Feelings of loss, loneliness, despair, and uncontrollable sadness wash over me.

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