Page 171 of Defiant Beta

“Perfume.” Della rests her head on my shoulders. “My sister is Everleigh Ashe. I don’t know if you heard about Lawrence Wentworth…”

River’s smile fades. “Yeah. He was involved with the Asylum.”

The server comes to our table, and after we order drinks, soups, and sandwiches, Della tells River what she was doing at Haven Academy, and the sort of alpha she wanted to protect omegas from.

River takes Della’s hand and squeezes. “Thanks for caring so much.” She turns to me. “Is that what you were doing there as well?”

I shake my head. “Not exactly.” I’d prefer not to talk about murder and Ms. Huffman’s fate in a crowded café. “Then I met Della, and she changed my world.”

Della smiles at me, and I can’t help but kiss her again.

“Are you back home with your family?” Della asks River.

River takes a sip from her straw. “No.” She makes a face. “They weren’t happy with me when I left Haven.”

We discover that River ran away from Haven Academy and returned home, where her family gave her an ultimatum: go back to the school or bond with an alpha of their choice.

“I left,” she says. “I’m tired of someone else dictating my future.”

“So, what are you doing now?” Della asks.

River shrugs. “Still figuring things out.”

“Stay with me,” Della urges.

River squeezes her hand. “I appreciate your help, but I’m learning to stand on my own feet. I, uh, found an auto repair shop that’s hiring.”

“Auto repair shop?” Della echoes. “You’re going to be a mechanic?”

River’s smile is brief as she shakes her head. “Nothing like that. They’re looking for someone to watch the front desk and type up invoices and stuff. I know it doesn’t sound like much, but it’s a job and I’m not proud.”

“When do you hear if you got the job?” I ask.

Her expression is sheepish. “As soon as I work up the courage to apply for it. I keep walking past the shop and the sign is still in the window, so they must still be looking.”

Which means she’s not working. When called me from her cell phone to ask about Della, I’d assumed she was still living at home.

My eyes sharpen on her. “So, where are you staying now?”

She doesn’t meet my gaze. “Just with a friend. Anyway, enough about me.”

I make a mental note to check in with her because I’m not sure she’s being honest with us.

“Well, the offer is there whenever you need it, okay?” Della says, eyes narrowed on her friend, reading the same evasiveness as I did.

“Same goes for me,” I add.

“Thanks.” River smiles.

We spend over an hour eating, talking, and laughing. Della and River exchange numbers, and we leave the café together.

After we say goodbye to River, Della turns to me.

“You convinced her to leave?” she asks, her expression unreadable.

“Yup.”

“And you gave her your number to call you if she ever got into trouble and she needed help.”

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