Page 107 of In Control

There’s a faint knock on the door and when it creaks open, a pretty omega is standing there with a tray of coffee cups.

“Rosie!” Sophie cries, jumping up and rushing to her friend, dragging her into the room.

“Is everyone OK here?” Rosie asks, her eyes travelling anxiously over her friend before darting to me in the bed.

“We’re all fine,” I assure her. Rosie stands there with her arms full. “Are you going to introduce us, Soph?”

“Oh, yeah.” Sophia jolts into action, introducing us one at a time as Rosie hands out coffees. Rosie eyes us all with interest, her eyes lingering an especially long time on me.

“So you’re the arsehole professor then, are you?”

“Not anymore.” Sophia motions for Gabe to make room for Rosie and they sit in the chair together, arms linked. “All’s forgiven on account of him rescuing me from a madman.”

“Mayor Hollow?” Rosie asks.

Sophia nods.

“How do you know him, Soph?” Gabe asks gently, his hand resting on her shoulder.

“We dated for a short time a few years ago.” Rosie rests her head on her friend’s shoulder. Sophia’s eyes dart to mine. “My dad had vanished. I was feeling pretty lost. My dad was always the one who took care of everything, of all of us.” She fiddles with the pendant around her neck. “My mum was a mess and Justin was … He was a friend of my dad. He was there. He took care of things. He was nice to me, at first anyway.”

“You don’t need to talk about it, Sophia.”

“It was fun too. Flirting with this powerful man. But Justin,” she lets out a puff of air, “he always wanted more than I was willing to give. I ended it.”

“So he started harassing you.”

“Yes, but only those letters–”

“And the social media crap,” Gabe points out.

“Yes, that too. I never thought he’d pull something like this. I didn’t think he was this …”

“Crazy?”

“Love will make you do crazy things, I guess,” Sophia says.

“No,” I say so firmly, everyone stares at me, Rosie’s eyes widening with alarm, “That isn’t love. That’s infatuation. That’s control. He never loved you, just like Andrew never loved me.”

“Andrew?” Rosie whispers, confused.

“I’ll explain another time,” Sophia says.

“And the mayor?” Rosie asks.

“In a police cell where he’d better hope he stays,” Ro growls.

Rosie lifts her head and nods, and we all sit there in silence, sipping our coffees.

“Should I go … or …” Rosie asks. “Do you want me to drive you home? I could come and stay at your place tonight if you need company or–”

“Sophia can’t go home,” Gabe says.

“Why not?” Rosie asks, frowning and Sophia looks up at my omega.

“He trashed your apartment. I’m sorry, Soph. Ro and I cleared it up as best we could, but I don’t think you should stay there.”

Sophia’s hand flies to her mouth. “My cat!”

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