Page 30 of My Ruthless Alpha

“Likely the fact that we’ve even been getting along,” I said with a hushed laugh, aware of how everything was progressing in a way I never expected of us. “I thought it would be easier to resist him after everything that happened, but I was wrong.Those feelings came back even stronger, and seeing him with Margo has only amplified them.”

“Does he know that she’s his daughter?”

I nodded. “Yes…it’s only Margo who doesn’t know yet.”

“And what’s stopping you from telling her?”

Sighing, I grabbed the last shirt and carefully tore the tag off, along with the plastic piece. “I don’t have much of a reason to not tell her now…but a part of me is afraid of letting her know, just for something to go wrong between Beau and I. I don’t want to get her hopes up.”

Sydney listened closely while slowly working away at hanging the clothes up, then hummed. “I see…but regardless of what happens between you two, he’s still her dad. She should know anyway, right?”

“Yeah, she should…” I murmured. She was right, and I had known that for quite some time. Still, I had hangups and wasn’t sure how to address them.

Her thoughtful gaze lingered on me for a moment before she spoke gently, “You’re worried you’ll get too comfortable here, and Beau will reject you again, right?”

I winced at her words as if I had been hit with a hot iron. She was too right for her own good, and the truth in her observation made my throat tighten. Sighing, I nodded again. “Yes…it hurt so badly the first time, I’m afraid of it happening again. It makes me feel so paranoid, but I can’t help it.”

“I can’t blame you. I’d probably be the same way,” Sydney said empathetically as she put the last shirt up before walking over and joining me on the bed. “But he’s different now, right? So far, at least?”

Managing a small smile at the thought, I nodded. “Yes, it feels like he’s changed. He wasn’t necessarily a bad person before, but he seems more stable and reliable now. Like he’s gotten his life together. Something about it makes me want to try again, but that fear of it not working is holding me back.”

“If he has changed and you can feel yourself opening up to him again, then maybe it’s worth talking to him about. And I mean everything,” Sydney proposed. “Put every issue out on the table, sort out how you both feel and reach some kind of mutual understanding. Maybe then you’ll feel better about it all.”

Considering her words, I couldn’t deny how right she was.

Even if it was daunting to think about putting my raw feelings on the line like that, I knew she had a point.

For the most part, I wanted to see Beau for the man he had become and see where our growing connection might take us—both for our sake and for Margo’s. I wanted to give us an honest shot after everything and find out once and for all if we were truly compatible enough to get through anything that might come our way.

However, a small part of me was still holding on to that previous pain and resistance. It didn’t want me to let go, all because those things were left unsettled.

As much as it always seemed easier to keep everything bottled in, I couldn’t keep doing that. I had to face it all, even if it still terrified me.

Chapter 14 - Beau

Even after I dropped Faye and Sydney off and made my way back home, that bad feeling I had outside of Colton’s territory lingered, and I couldn’t seem to shake it.

I was glad we all made it back safe, and the two of them had the chance to catch up while Sydney settled in, but the ominous energy made me more aware that the threat was still out there.

Initially, I didn’t think much of the potential damage Colton could cause if he wanted to. Since I didn’t know him, it didn’t feel like something I needed to concern myself with at first. But it felt more real after picking Sydney up and feeling that sense of unease without even being on his grounds.

I was actively risking my pack because Faye, Margo, and Sydney were under my watch. They were like targets, and if he wanted to come after them, then there was a chance everyone could be pulled into the chaos, which was the last thing I wanted.

Knowing Colton potentially had a gang backing him only made it all worse…but I wasn’t prepared to back down because of it.

Even if I hated causing trouble for my people, I knew it was a necessary evil.

I needed to protect my girls and to protect anyone important to Faye. To do that, I had to keep them under my care, regardless of the impact it could have on my pack.

The house was suspiciously quiet when I came inside. I half expected it to be a complete mess and for there to be absolute chaos with everyone around. However, to my surprise, the guys were lounging in the living room, either watchingwhatever cartoon was playing on the television or having a catnap. In the meantime, Margo and Zoe were playing with her dolls, and she couldn’t look any happier than she did at that moment.

“What’s going on here?” I asked with an amused expression as I entered the space.

Margo brightened the moment she saw me, then said my name in an excited voice as she got up and ran up to me.

My heart squeezed at the sight, and I couldn’t do anything but melt. Chuckling, I reached down and hoisted her up, resting her against my side. She smiled wide for me, clinging like I had been gone for weeks.

I never knew how badly I needed that kind of connection before meeting her…getting to know the warmth of my child and the way she saw me as something sparkly and exciting. It reminded me more and more every day of how glad I was to have her and Faye with me.

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