Page 61 of Perfect Alpha

Maybe Bobby isn’t such a prick after all.

There are no other cars on the old dirt road, and we’re getting deep into the backwoods. It’s like we’re the only two people left in the world. Having Victory all to myself is my favorite thing ever regardless of what we’re doing.

Countless times in our relationship, a teasing Victory would glance over and give me the look that let me know I was about to getverylucky before giving me head in the car. Yeah, I definitely should have let her suck me off when she was all but begging to do it.

When she looks at me this time, there’s a familiar glint in her eyes that tells me she knows exactly what I’m thinking and craving. She gives me a sad smile and traces circles on the back of my hand that’s still resting on her leg.

“We had some good times.” Her voice is full of disappointment, and I hope she only regrets the end, not that she gave so much of herself to me.

“We did,” I agree roughly.

She shifts away to look out the window, pulling her leg out of my reach.

Thinking this trip down memory lane may not have my desired consequences, I let out a long breath, about to confess why I wanted to be alone with her.

It’s been such a long time coming, and the turmoil in my chest is impossible to live with anymore. I need her back in my life at any cost, so she’ll just have to dump this Vince asshole.

When I glance down at the flashing light on the dash, I curse.

“What?” Victory asks absently.

“We’re, uh… The low fuel light just came on.”

Chapter 23

Cade

Shit.

Bonus time with Victory is always welcome, but being stranded with limited supplies was definitely not the plan.

“What?” she exclaims. “Cade! We’re in the middle of nowhere, and it’s so late!”

“I’m aware,” I reply tightly.

“Can you call someone to bring us gas? I can’t miss that plane.”

“We can just change the flight again. You’ll still make it to the conference if you leave tomorrow morning.”

“I didn’t want to change it in the first place,” Victory reminds me. “This whole long way around route was your idea, not mine. This conference is a big step for me, and you aren’t worth putting my career in jeopardy.”

Heat rises in my chest because what she just said is exactly what I’ve always worried was the truth. “Sure, I’ll call Gavin.” About to pull over and make the call anyway, the truck sputters. “Fuck.”

People drive where they look, and they’re often distracted by shiny things. I guide the truck off the road to avoid any potential issues and take my cell phone out of the console.

But there’s no signal.

When I tell Victory, she fails to find the humor. She tries to make a call from her phone, but based on the colorful litany of curses coming out of her pretty mouth, I assume she doesn’t have signal either.

“You did this on purpose!” she accuses.

“I didnot.” It’s a pretty decent plan since she can’t escape having a conversation with me now, but I can’t take credit for it. “Look, I’m sorry, okay? I have a lot on my mind.” My shoulders slump as defeat and exhaustion echo in my chest.

“What are we going to do?” she asks softly.

Victory has never enjoyed being in the woods at night. She did it with me because she loved me, trusted me, and is brave as hell. But I always held her tight in the tent, kept a gun beside me, and as soon as the sun set, went outside with her any time she needed to pee.

“I have a pop-up tent, so we can sleep in the truck bed. I’ll hike up a hill and call Hannah first thing in the morning. She’ll be awake with Aidan anyway, and I have a jerry can of gas in the garage. You’ll make it on an early plane, I promise, and I’ll pay the airline fees.”

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