Page 40 of Cruel Alpha: Season Two

Speak of the fucking devil.

As always, there’s a smug grin set on her face. She moves through life like she owns whatever room she enters, including this one.

“Gentlemen,” she says, greeting us with a smile. “Now I understand why my ears have been burning.”

She’s less than subtle about making it known that she overheard the tail-end of our conversation, and her hearing is still just as keen as it’s always been.

Dimitri stands and faces our uninvited guest, forcing a smile as he kisses her cheek. “Good to see you again, Aunt Pen.”

She smiles back, squeezing my brother in a tight embrace. “Oh, Dimitri, you always were a terrible liar.”

The two share a laugh, but Dimitri doesn’t deny the accusation.

Aunt Pen’s gaze shifts to Creed and she nods once, casually acknowledging him. “Lovely seeing you as well, Creed. It’s been far too long.”

“Yes, Ms. Thornhill. Too long indeed.” He offers the same fake smile as Dimitri.

“Oh, please. You’re as much my nephew as these two miscreants. Just call me Aunt Pen.”

Creed smiles again. “Very well.”

The next second, Aunt Pen’s focus is solely on me. “I’d like a word with you. In private,” she adds.

I close the folder in front of me, concealing the classified information inside it. “I have a lot on my plate today, so we’ll have to do… whatever this is some other time.”

She approaches silently, placing both hands on my desk as we lock eyes, glaring when she speaks again.

“Unfortunately, I’ve come to discuss a highly sensitive matter that simply cannot wait.”

The room is silent and thick with tension, and neither my aunt nor I are willing to budge. If she’d like to request an audience with me, she can make an appointment just like anyone else would be required to do.

“Actually, Dimitri and I have a meeting with Knox that’s set to begin any moment. We’ll stop back by this afternoon.”

Creed finishes, then nods toward the door, prompting Dimitri to stand and follow him out. And just like that, Aunt Pen has thrown her weight around, ending my meeting, and completely changing the course of my day.

“Well, would you look at that. Your study has magically cleared out. Looks like it’s just us, Nephew.”

I swallow the rage-filled words threatening to burst from my mouth, opting instead to mind my elder as my mother taught me.

“Alright, you’ve got my attention,” I sigh. “So, what can I do for you on this lovely morning? Was the coffee not to your liking?”

“The coffee was meh, but I had a very interesting conversation to distract me from its mediocrity.”

She doesn’t elaborate, so I take the bait. “Conversation with whom?”

Aunt Pen backs toward a chair, then flops down into it with a huff. “Ms. Breedlove.”

The polite smile I’d plastered on purely for her comfort fades away. “You’ve spoken to Annalise?”

She nods. “Indeed, I have. She’s lovely. And… she had quite a bit to say.”

I hate that my heart races, feeling equal parts curious and jealous. While the curious part is self-explanatory, the jealousy is irrational, brought on by not having had contact with Annalisemyselffor nearly a week.

“What did the two of you discuss? You kept things lighthearted, I hope.”

Aunt Pen shrugs, and I’m feeling highly annoyed with her antics.

“It was lighthearted enough,” she says, “but there was just enough depth that I felt inspired to pay you a visit.”

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