Page 91 of Perfect Alpha

“Have you fucked her?” Bobby asks, taking a long pull of his water.

I laugh. “You’re a fucking pig.”

“Yeah.” Gavin nods his agreement. “We all are. But have you?”

“Not since the night we slept in my truck… No.”

“Damn, having her under your roof and not touching her must be a special torture reserved for people who did something really bad in a past life,” Bobby helpfully notes.

“It’s no secret I want her back, but she’s… It might be too late, guys.”

“Never too late,” Gavin interjects, taking a bite of pizza straight from the box. We don’t bother to get plates.

“She’s crazy about you,” Bobby agrees. “I have no idea why, but she is. You can feel it from miles away.”

I shake my head. “At one time, yeah. But I don’t know if we can find a way forward.”

“Well, I can’t blame her for not wanting you,” Bobby replies with a grin. “Youarean asshole.”

I love that they’re still busting my balls. I couldn’t handle it if they treated me like I was made of glass. I’m so grateful they understand without me having to tell them.

“Thanks, guys,” I say, with a chuckle. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“It would be hopeless,” Bobby says. “You’d never be able to cope with life.”

We talk about Bobby’s game schedule and how busy the ranch has been, reminding me the world keeps turning and people keep living their lives even while mine is falling apart.

When we share our favorite memories of Hannah, it makes all of us tear up because she was like their little sister, too.

Gavin updates Bobby on how our conversation with Jimmy went – very rough and emotional – because I can’t get the words out. Jimmy was completely gutted, and I can’t even imagine how he’s coping. The loss of Hannah has left holes in so many people’s lives.

For the next few hours, I’m just Cade again, and it feels so goddamn good.

But I can’t push Victory from my mind. The one thing that would make life tolerable again is also the thing that’s just out of my reach – making her mine again for good.

Chapter 32

Cade

Whenthewomaninquestion reappears with cheesecake, we welcome her with open arms. I glare menacingly at Bobby, who pulls Victory onto his lap.

“Want to feed me dessert, baby girl?” he asks. “It’s fun to make Cade mad, isn’t it?”

Victory nods. “It’s one of my favorite pastimes,” she agrees. “You know what wouldreallyget to him?” Her eyes are sparkling when she meets my stoic mask. “You could eat cheesecake off my stomach.”

“Dessert body shots,” Gavin muses. “You might have something there.”

“Okay, that’s just about enough,” I snap, rising to my feet and roughly grabbing Victory from Bobby’s greedy hands to pull her ontomylap where she belongs.

“Hey, man, we can only wait so long for you to make a move before we sweep in.” Gavin shrugs. “Those are the breaks, I’m afraid.”

“Want to hang out in the hot tub, Victory?” Bobby asks. It’s freezing outside, and there’s nothing like submerging in steaming hot water under a star-filled Montana sky. “My back is killing me, and I don’t have anyone to massage me.”

“I’ll give you a back rub, Bobby,” Victory purrs, and I growl, squeezing and tickling her sides until she giggles.

“You’ll do nothing of the sort,” I whisper hotly. Then, louder, “You have an entire staff of people to rub you down and do whatever else you want, Bobby.”

“I don’t have minions, and I’m soreeverywhere,” Gavin complains. “Can you give me an everything rub, Victory?”

---