Page 186 of Ashley & the A-Listers

Dylan shook his head, smiling softly. “Alright. Thanks, boss. I’ll let you know if we need that extra guy.”

“See that you do. And Dylan?”

“Yeah?”

“If I had a nickel for every time I sent an employee out only to come back packed up, I’d have about three nickels, which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it’s happened so fucking much.”

Dylan snorted.

“Sorry, boss.”

“No apologies. Listen. I know the last job was… tough. That it didn’t end well. But you’re a good guy. A good alpha, or else I wouldn’t have let you back into the field. You’ve watched his back so far. You’ll do right by them.”

Dylan inhaled. Wes trusted him. He wouldn’t let him down. “Thanks, boss.”

They hung up and Dylan sank into the couch, head lolling to the back cushion as he stared up at the ceiling and the clouds just past it.

Dylan had been so caught up in Ashley and Cameron and River, enjoying his time with them, that he hadn’t noticed the paparazzi. But this wasn’t like the last job. His mistake wasn’t irreparable. In fact…

He stood, pausing with his hand on the sliding glass door and catching sight of the pack.

All curled up on the couch, the hum of Ashley’s purr probably making Cam happy. River next to Cam, arm around the back of the couch to hold the omega between them.

Through the bond he felt the satisfaction of Ashley, her contentedness of being with them.

Wes was right. The stakeswerehigher, and Dylan couldn’t afford to fuck up.

This mistake had brought them closer, into a pack, but not all mistakes had happy endings. He knew that better than most.

He’d protect this pack, because now he couldn’t afford not to.

Ashley couldn’t even go to her favorite place, the gym. None of them knew how long she’d be on leave, and—if they were being real— if she’d be allowed to return. She was keeping herself busy at her house while Cam was on set, coming to them in the evening freshly showered and yet still tinged with the chemical scent of cleaner and paint.

Painstakingly avoiding the internet, since it was filled with rage for the alpha courting Hollywood’s favorite omega.

The ire was growing stale, since Cam’s new team refused to let them offer any details. Cameron was about to disappear from the media, anyway, since he was too busy filming.

So maybe things would go back to normal.

Or maybe this was their new normal.

Dylan pulled open the door to the sound of an explosion on the television, Ashley’s purr a low hum beneath it. She glanced over at him, arching a brow as if to ask if everything was okay.

He nodded, stepped across the threshold to join his pack, and wondered…

Would that be so bad?

42. LIGHTS, CAMERA…

ASHLEY

“This will be good for you!” Cameron said, voice pointedly cheerful. “To get you out of the house!”

Ashley didn’t see why it was such a problem if she tackled yet another DIY project in her mother’s house, working out her frustration on painting and ripping up carpet, but…

As she stepped on set, seeing the hustle and bustle of Cam’s world, she was struck with wonder.

“Wow,” she said, eyes wide at all the people, the PAs and the crew, the cameras and lights, and the sets that seemed so complete and whole on the screen and yet were nothing more than props in a warehouse.

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