Page 27 of Pack Down Bad

“Paige O’Hara, that’s her pen name, sends me these incredibly written romances. The only romances I edit, since I mostly work on fantasy and science fiction projects. Then, I tear them apart in the hopes of helping her make the book better, she thanks me with thinly veiled sarcasm, and we go our separate ways until she sends me an update on her next project.”

Does he even remember I’m still in the room?

I shift uncomfortably around in my seat, suddenly ready to abandon the library completely as these complicated feelings wash over me. I don’t like the bond he seems to have to this other person, but I don’t think I have any right to comment.

Funny how I’m not jealous at all of the dynamic between the three alphas, but the idea of someone from the outside having his attention?

Unthinkable.

Awful.

Completely unacceptable and enough to make me want to drape myself dramatically over his lap and beg him to never think of her ever again.

In real life, I work painstakingly to keep my voice even as I remark, “Having a low-contact client must work out great for you since you can only talk to them through Rhys when he goes into town.” I’m confused about how that system works, but I don’t think I want to hear anything more that has to do withher, right now.

“Right,” Percy agrees flatly, glancing away.

My thumb absentmindedly traces the spine of the book in my lap. I shouldn’t care so much about this connection of his, they don’t eventalk. And yet, jealousy is rearing its ugly head.

I don’t mind sharing, I just don’t want to sharelike that.

“She’s lucky,” I murmur, surprising even myself with the blurted words.

Percy looks at me with startled, wide eyes.

He takes his time asking, “What do you mean?” with slow, careful words.

“To have you,” I clarify reluctantly. “Even if it’s just through emails.”

My throat is all choked up. I fall silent as I blink back unexpected warmth at the corners of my eyes, where they suddenly feel watery. Whatever I do, Icannotcry about this. I don’t have that right.

ChapterFifteen

Percy

I’m fucking this all the way up.

First, I nearly outed myself checking my email to see if Paige O’Hara sent her manuscript over, yet. And now I’ve given Belle the wrong idea about my relationship to the author.

I might have toyed once with the idea of trying to meet the writer behind some of my favorite romantic scenes, but I’m content never unveiling the mystery now that I’ve met Belle. She looks perfect curled up across from me in my office, one of my books in her lap.

The only part that isn’t perfect is that she’s avoiding my gaze.

I stand up and walk around my desk to make my way over to her. Forget work. Taking care of my omega’s hurt feelings is my top priority.

Her body tenses when I stop next to the chair. She still refuses to look at me any longer, though her eyes were happily trained on me only a few minutes earlier. I didn’t consider how my concern would sound to her. As I shake my head at myself, I tug the blanket from the back of the chair tightly around her shoulders, wanting her to feel supported and safe.

“The thing with the author isn’t what you’re thinking,” I tell her, careful to keep my tone gentle and reassuring.

She tucks her chin, staring down at her lap. “I’m not thinking anything.”

“Belle...”

She opens her mouth, but nothing else comes out.

I kneel at her feet to force her to look at me. Her eyes are watery and distrustful. The sight guts me. I can’t believe I did this to her. I need to fix this fast before I completely ruin the wonderful afternoon we’ve been spending together.

“My relationships with the authors I work with aren’t personal,” I explain firmly. “We focus on words and deadlines, and structure. We don’t have real conversations or spend any length of time together.”

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