Page 47 of Perfect Alpha

Bobby:Turn your GPS on. I’ll come to get you, and we’ll head back to New Jersey. Home game means no bullshit curfew tonight, so I’ll take you out somewhere private and you can get shitfaced.

Bobby remains in peak physical condition year-round, and there’s no room for splurges during the regular season. He’s a good friend for offering to watch me drown my sorrows, but being in public isn’t what I want.

Only the twins know the truth about where I am. When Bobby picks me up, he will either bust my balls or be sympathetic with pity in his eyes.

I can’t decide which would be worse.

Cade:I can’t go out tonight. I’ll come, but we’re hiding out at your place.

Bobby:Deal. On my way.

Chapter 18

Victory

Myeyesopenmid-lukewarmkiss as currents of awareness that have nothing to do with Vince suddenly shoot through my body. The familiar silhouette of Cade is retreating in the opposite direction of my apartment, but that’s impossible.

Cade hates the city and has no reason to come here. With everything he does for Hannah and their dad, it seems unlikely he’d be able to swing a trip even if he wanted to visit. And why would he? Bobby lives in New Jersey, so what the hell could he be doing here?

Vince and I part, promising to find another time to hang out soon besides kickboxing class tomorrow morning. I barely refrain from running up the stairs to my apartment rather than waiting for the clunky, old service elevator.

But I don’t want Vince to think I’m insane, and he’s waiting for me to get safely upstairs. Impatience makes me bounce from foot to foot, and I give him a final wave before getting into the elevator and pressing five repeatedly, even though it won’t make any difference.

It’s late, but Hannah will be on her way home from work. She answers right away, and the tinny Bluetooth speaker distorts her voice and makes her sound impossibly far away.

Like everything else about this night, the distance makes my heart ache.

“Hey, Victory, what’s up?” Only Hannah could sound so happy after taking care of a toddler and an ailing parent all day, followed by a long, thankless shift serving drunks who hit on her all night.

“Where’s Cade?” I demand without preamble.

“I… what?”

“Where… is… your… brother?” I repeat, slowly enunciating each word. It’s taking her way longer than is reasonable to catch up on the conversational trajectory. “Is he in New York City right now?”

“Why on earth would Cade be in New York City?” Hannah asks, flabbergasted.

“Stop answering my questions with more questions!”

“Okay, crazy person,” she replies with a laugh. “My brother is spending the weekend with a woman. I forget who, to be perfectly honest. All I know is that Gavin is watching my son, and he’s probably hosting an orgy, while I pray Aidan doesn’t wake up and get traumatized for the rest of his God-given life.”

“Ew,” I groan.

“Right?”

Typical of Cade to neglect his uncle duties to get laid. But as soon as the thought materializes, I know it’s unfair. It’s just the burning waves of jealousy coursing through my system throwing me off-balance and making me uncharitable.

I suddenly wish like hell I had brought Vince upstairs and just done… well, him.

It’s time to stop swimming in guilt for cheating on Cade when we aren’t even together. He clearly doesn’t have the same hesitations.

“Okay, Hannah, I should get to bed. I have an early kickboxing class tomorrow.”

“Aidan has been talking non-stop about–”

“Don’t worry,” I interject. “I picked up the costume tonight before my date with Vince.”

“Finally! Tell me everything,” Hannah demands, and I give her all the details about my evening. She listens patiently, and then asks, “Do you like him?”

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