Page 17 of Perfect Alpha

“Standing invitation,” Bobby agrees.

“Shockingly, and I still can’t believe it myself, I’m here to see Cade,” Victory says.

Britt snuggles even closer to me while my heart hammers like a drumbeat and threatens to crack my sternum. It takes everything I have to resist the urge to push Britt away.

“What’s up, baby?” Is my voice shaking? It can’t be.

Victory rolls her eyes. “I’m not your baby. I’m not your anything. Here.”

She passes my wallet, and I purposely rest my fingers on hers, gently stroking her hand until she looks at me, indecipherable emotion blazing in her eyes.

“Thanks. I didn’t realize I left it at home.” This is a completely unnecessary statement that could be attributed to Captain Obvious, but I don’t want her to leave.

“I know,” Victory acknowledges, staring at me like I’ve lost my mind. “Hannah asked me to run in and give it to you. We didn’t want Aidan to have a front-row view of… Whatever it is you’re doing here.”

When she gestures at the girls surrounding me, I have to look away as I quickly blink the burning from my eyes. This isn’t how I planned my life to play out.

Ourlife.

“Victory.” My tone is intimate and pleading, but she won’t look at me.

She holds up a hand. “Don’t.”

“You can go now,” Britt suggests, smiling sweetly. “In case you didn’t notice, Cade and I are trying to have a date. So fuck off.”

Victory runs her tongue across her teeth, and her hands clench at her sides. She’s always been more fight than flight, especially with Britt.

“I see your game plan is still marrying any guy in town who will let you into his bed for the night,” Victory replies. “Don’t any of you vapid airheads realize that the girls they fuck and discard aren’t the ones they’re going to make their wives?”

Victory’s face flushes and my lips twitch because, damn, she looks sexy angry. “You can have him,” she continues. “I was doneyearsago.” She spins on her heel and strides quickly toward the front door without another word.

“Ohhhhhh shit,” Bobby laughs, slow clapping like the obnoxious prick he is. “Goddamn, that was good. Where’s the popcorn?”

“What does vapid even mean?” Amber asks, and I’m ready to go home.

Alone.

Gavin meets my eyes and mouths, “go,” which immediately launches me to my feet, stumbling over Britt to chase after the only woman I’ve ever loved.

Right before Victory is about to escape onto the street, my hand instinctively finds her hip. She whirls around with fire in her eyes.

“Don’t touch me,” she hisses. “You havenoright.”

“Thanks for bringing my wallet.” I don’t drop my hand and she doesn’t move away. Progress. I’ll take it.

“You’re welcome. Now you can pay for yourdate.”

I give her a slow grin to hide the anxiety clenching my chest like an overused stress ball. “It’s not a date and you know it.”

Hanging out with Britt is the path of least resistance. When life is so unbearably heavy, you need some easy things that don’t require conscious thought.

“Hannah and Aidan are waiting for me.” She doesn’t turn to leave, and I figure that must be another good sign.

“What about me?” I ask.

The fight goes out of her with a long exhale as she deflates. I take the opportunity to pull her into a hug that instantly soothes all the sore places inside me.

She loops her arms around my neck, and finally having her body pressed flush to mine again has me biting back a groan.

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