Page 36 of Jesse
“I—” I started. “Sorry. About that kiss.”
Beck blinked once, twice. Then his lips curled into a shy smile.
“Don’t be,” he said. “I… kind of liked it.”
My heart somersaulted in my chest.
“I’d like to thank you too,” I said.
“For what?”
“For pulling me out of my funk earlier. For not giving up. For sticking through all of this.”
He looked down for a second, like he was trying not to smile too hard. “Looks like we’ll still be working together.”
“Yeah,” I said, voice thick with more than just excitement. “And, uh... I was wondering if you want to go out and celebrate tonight?”
Beck looked up. His smile was slow but sure. “Yeah. I’d like that.”
Later that night, after we cleaned up the truck and said our goodbyes to the crowd, I drove home alone, the radio humming quietly in the background.
I couldn’t stop smiling. A date with Beck.
I replayed the kiss more times than I’d admit, and every time, it made my chest go tight in the best way.
His smile, his warmth, the way he didn’t pull away, it was all there, blooming into something that felt real and new and full of promise.
My phone buzzed in the cupholder. I glanced down and saw Cooper flash across the screen.
I answered on the first ring. “Coop! You’re not gonna believe it. We won. Well, kind of. Fan vote, but still we’re in.”
Cooper chuckled. “I saw the update. Congrats, man. Sounds like you made an impression.”
“We really did. It was wild. People loved the food.”
“I’m happy for you,” he said, then his voice lowered. “But don’t forget, you’ve still got a job to do.”
The smile on my face faded just a little.
“I haven’t forgotten,” I told my lead alpha.
“There’s still a killer out there, Jesse. You and Beck were lucky this time.”
I nodded, gripping the wheel tighter. “I know. I’m on it.”
“Good. Enjoy the win, but don’t lose sight of the bigger picture.”
“I won’t,” I promised, though my chest felt heavier now.
As the call ended, I glanced up at the road ahead. The night stretched on, the stars bright above the trees. I thought about Beck, his laugh, his kiss, his hand in mine.
Then I thought about the blood on Beck’s truck. Two halves of my life, pulling in different directions.
But tonight? Just for tonight, I let myself breathe. Tomorrow, I’d get back to the hunt. But tonight, I’d be celebrating this little win.
Chapter 9
Aiden
