Page 112 of Perfect Alpha

Every ounce of self-control I can muster allows me to set Victory on her feet and take her hand, our fingers intertwining.

“Do you have any other bags?” I ask, grabbing the one she dropped.

She shakes her head and stares at her shoes, the curtain of red waves I love so much hiding her face. “Cade, I’m sorry.”

Squeezing her hand, I lead the way to the truck and toss her bag into the backseat before opening her door. I’m still trying to collect my thoughts as I walk to the drivers’ side.

“We’re taking the long way back,” I tell her after I get the seatbelt buckled.

“Do you have gas?” she teases.

I groan. “I really didn’t do that on purpose.”

“It wouldn’t be so bad to repeat it.”

My hands drum the steering wheel while I drive, my restless energy needing an escape. “I’d rather talk about this when I can look at you, but we have Aidan and your mom waiting for us at home.”

“My parents probably won’t mind watching him tonight,” Victory suggests.

I shake my head. “They’re going out tonight. Dinner with the Grangers.”

“Then just yell at me and get it over with.”

Letting out a long breath, I run a hand through my hair in exasperation. “Can you not be a child about this, please?” I can’t see her, but I know she’s rolling her eyes. At moments like this, even our minimal age difference is a planet separating us.

“You said you wanted to be together. Is that still true?” The words come out in a rush before I can lose my nerve.

She turns to face me, and I briefly glance in her direction before returning my eyes to the road.

“Yes,” she replies. “You mean everything to me.”

“Do you want me and Aidan to move to New York?”

I can feel her gasp as much as hear it. It’s not what I want – at all. But if New York is where she decides she wants to be, I’m following her this time. There’s no way I can do long-distance indefinitely, and if I need to be the one to solve it, then I will.

“What?” she demands. “No. I don’t want you to move. Aidan’s had enough change, and he doesn’t need to be uprooted. Besides, you would hate living in the city.”

“I hate being apart from you more than anything else,” I tell her, and the words hang heavily in the air.

“I need to know that I’m important to you, even when we’re not physically together,” I continue. “Your actions didn’t exactly scream that to me. I said I’d give you time and space to figure things out, and I meant it. But every visit back to New York can’t be like this one. And we have to decide where we’re going to live. I don’t give a shit. I just want to be with you.”

“I’d still be living in Montana if you didn’t destroy us,” she accuses. It’s the equivalent of punching me in the face, and when she continues, the knife in my heart twists a little deeper. “Youdid this, Cade, not me.”

I nod, absorbing her words and acknowledging the truth. “I know I did. And now I’m trying toundo it. Are you going to let me?”

“Yes. But I’m still scared.”

“You don’t have to be scared.” Even though we don’t have time, I pull over so I can look into her tear-filled eyes. “I don’t just want sex, in case you didn’t notice. I wantyou. All of you. I want breakfast with you, dinner with you, and every night with you in my bed. I want the good, the bad, and everything in between. All I want is you.”

“I feel the same way. I’m moving home,” she tells me softly. “When I was in New York, it was clear that it’s not where I belong. It never was. I want to be here with you and Aidan, and I want to visit my parents more often. I love you. All of you. A job isn’t more important to me.”

“I love you more than anything, Victory.”

I unbutton her seatbelt and pull her onto my lap, and our lips meet through our tears. “Are you moving in with me or your parents?” I murmur, and she giggles. “I’m cool with being flashed through the window, but I’d rather have you in my bed.”

“We’ve never lived together,” Victory replies slowly.

“No. First time for everything.” I give her my trademark grin.

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