Page 152 of Chosen Beta

I move over to the sofa and sink down into it.

I’m tired enough to doze off right there.

My eyes start to close, and then the door opens.

I push back up, stifling a yawn.

Pete walks over to me. “Looks like you’re ready for bed.”

It sounds like a sexy offer, and I really wish I was up for one of those.

I give him a smile. “I’m tired, for sure. Are you my bodyguard for the night or did Owen kick you off that job again?”

“Actually, I got the chance to speak to the rest of my pack while you were in here talking to the brainwashing victims. Shadow’s currently cooking us all dinner in our suite. I think that’s where you should spend the night. That way you’ve got the full protection of all of us at once.”

Oh my God. All of them at once?

I can feel myself waking up at the thought of that.

My cheeks burn with heat imagining what might happen in that suite.

He holds a hand out to me. “You look like you need help to get up. Do you want me to carry you?”

I take his hand and use it to haul myself to my feet.

“I can walk.”

For now, at least.

Who knows if I’ll be able to after I’m with all of them at once?

Pete smirks as if he knows what I’m thinking.

He should, since he’s the one who put those words in my head.

“I’m guessing you told them about us?”

“You think I could keep my mouth shut about it?”

I laugh. “Well, when you put it that way, not really.”

“Exactly. They know. And they’re all on board.”

“Even Owen?” I ask. “I know how he feels about Cressidan City, and Goldcrest …”

“He had a change of heart.”

“Just like that?”

He shrugs. “Give a guy the right motivation, and he can move mountains.”

I lead him out of the office, stopping to turn out the lights.

It’s a little after five p.m. and I’m more than ready to be done with work for the day.

Remembering to lock up, I also remember to turn the reception computer off.

Erika took her new clothes to her room, after she made me put it in writing that she would have a job to come back to whenever it was safe for her to return.

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