Page 102 of Pack Rivals, Part One

"Yes. You sound surprised. You want to go to college, right?"

"Eventually, yes."

"Then you're no airhead, Bea."

She grins. "You're right, I'm not. Although I still can't believe I fell for this stupid con to get me here."

"That wasn't because you were dumb. It's because you have a kind heart." I want her to stay. I want to wine and dine her this evening and slow dance with her and kiss her.

But she's asked me to take her home and I'm going to respect that wish. Especially after fucking up. "Let's take you home then. If you're sure it's what you want."

"It is."

Outside, the night has turned cool and I shrug off my jacket and hang it around her shoulders. She snuggles into the fabric taking little gulps of my scent as we wait for the concierge to grab the car. The others will be pissed I left. But the others can go to hell. I'm not giving up this moment with her. Not when she's almost drunk on my scent.

In the car, I let her flick through the music stations until she finds something she likes and nestles into her seat.

I like her in my car. I like her close by. I like talking to her.

I decide it's time to be honest and tell her.

"Bea," I say.

"Uh huh," she says, turning her head towards me.

"You know I'm crazy about you, right? Really damn crazy."

"Axel," she says, "we hardly know each other."

"You said that already."

"It's true!"

"So get to know me better. What do you want to know? Ask me anything."

She taps her fingers against her lips. "That is difficult, there's so much I want to ask you."

I smile to myself. Maybe she's not as disinterested as she claims to be. "Ask away. There are no restrictions. Ask me as many questions as you want."

"How did you become a pack? You, Nate and Connor."

"We met in high school. We've been friends for as long as I can remember. Nate, he was this crazy kid whose clothes didn't fit and who came to school without any lunch most days. He used to make me laugh with the stupid things he'd say. We probably looked freaking strange hanging out together." I chuckle. "I was this big football kid. He was this scrawny thing."

"He's not scrawny anymore," she says.

"No, he ended up pretty much living at my place. My mom was on a mission to fatten him up and then he just started to grow up and out."

"And Connor?"

"He was this new kid. Joined our school late. Quiet. Spent all his time reading. But we got talking once. It was raining and I was walking home. He stopped and offered me a lift. We realized we liked the same music, same books. None of my football friends read books. We became friends after that."

"You're a good man, Axel York," she says, and I flick my gaze from the road to look at her.

I don't know about that. Maybe I was back then, when I was a kid. Maybe I still am in some respects – my packmates, I'd do anything for them. But the rest of it. The deals? Our business? Her?

"There's no such thing as good and bad men, Bea. It's always more complicated than that."

"Maybe," she says. "So, football, huh?"

---