Serena was my alpha, Vinny just so happened to be the one who got me pregnant.
Benji made a sound somewhere between a gasp and a delighted wheeze.
“Muñequita,” he whispered, “you’re gonna give him an aneurysm.”
Vinny’s body went rigid.
“Violet,” he said again, I could tell he was trying, and failing, to keep his cool. “Iamgoing to that appointment.”
No.I showed him my phone again.
“You really think,” he growled, “I’m gonna let some random alpha show up here and take you somewhere alone when you’re pregnant with my kid?”
I lifted the phone.He’s not random. He’s my brother.
If anything, Vinny was the random alpha.
“I swear to fucking God, Violet,” he growled. “If you don’t call your brother and tell him not to come, I’m breaking that fucking phone.”
My heart thudded once and for a second the dining room blurred like I’d fallen back into my nightmare.
That wasn’t real, and Vinny wasn’t Logan. One bad alpha was worth a good pack, at least, that’s what I told myself.
My fingers tightened around my phone as Vinny somehow leaned in closer. The smell of coffee and cinnamon flooded my nose, and while my instincts told me to climb that man like a tree, my pride kept me rational.
“You are pregnant,” he bit out, “withmychild. You don’t go anywhere without me.”
My fingers shook as I typed:You don’t own me.
Benji choked on air. “Muñequita, maybe tone it down—”
Vinny pressed a finger to his lips.
“Say that again,” he rasped. “I fucking dare you.”
I held the phone up so he could read my message loud and clear.You don’t own me.
Vinny’s hazel eyes bounced around the phone as his tongue pressed against his cheek. After a beat, he straightened his back, smoothed his shirt, and plucked the phone from my hand.
He tapped the phone against his palm once twice then tucked it into his back pocket.
“Okay,” he said softly. “I’m not paying for a phone for you to undermine me with it.”
I used sign language to call him poor.
He looked to Benji for a translation. Benji’s scruffy blond hair swayed as he shook his head no and Vinny patted him twice on the shoulder.
“So, I’m gonna take it that you insulted me, which isfine.” Vinny stopped to roll his eyes, and I sank further back in my chair. “Will your brother be here soon?”
I nodded.
For a second, it looked like Vinny was going to snap at me, then his forehead creased.
“Good,” he shrugged, sounding far too calm. “You can go with him.”
I cocked my head, because I was going with Reed no matter what Vinny said.
“But, I need you to understand something,” he continued. “This conversation isn’t finished. Not even close.”
