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He's twenty-six years old. But sometimes when I look at him, he's still that lonely kid I was determined to lift out of poverty with me.
Riggs and I are in the gym in the penthouse. Last I saw, Love was screeching at Walker and obsessively re-arranging the baby's room.
Walker was desperately trying to help, but he hasn't got the experience with Love to understand that she's independent and sometimes she needs breathing room to freak out on her own. She doesn't like anyone seeing her weak.
I'm the exception to that, or I'd like to think I am. I've put in four years proving she's my number one. That's why I'm sitting here like a fucking creep, watching Vince Riggs run on the treadmill.
His feet pound against the deck as he slowly paces himself down. I'm on the weight bench, trying to figure out how to open this conversation. We're both alphas, and I know he's not the type of alpha like Walker or Dexter. He's the type of apex alpha who doesn't like being told what to do. I can recognize it because I'm the same goddamn way.
Vince catches my eyes in the giant mirror and sighs. I wouldn't call us friends, but we've been working out together for months.
I've bided my time, waiting to see how things pan out. It's clear as hell that he's into Love. I'd go as far as to say he has feelings for her outside of lust. They've been with us the betterpart of two months and he doesn't date—he doesn't go out without us. The fucker spends all his spare time staring at Love with hearts in his eyes, but he hasn't made a move.
"What's the deal?" Vince asks, hopping off the treadmill and grabbing his towel. He wipes down as I chuckle. He's got me there.
"I had a conversation with Jude," I say. Normally I call him Walker, but I'm trying to break through that wall Vince seems to keep between himself and the rest of us. "He even joined me and Love the other night, but he watched more than anything."
"What?" Vince snorts, shaking his head. "I did not see that one coming."
I frown. I figured those two had talked about it. Maybe I'm majorly off base. I thought of them more as a package deal, but if Jude didn't mention it to Vince, then… Fuck, I'm generally very good at judging people and their intentions.
"Do you ever plan to make a move?" I ask, my jaw tight. "Or have a goddamn conversation with me?"
Vince's head falls back. He stares at the ceiling, shaking his head.
"Jesus fucking Christ," he grumbles, swiping a hand over his face. "You really want to do this right now?"
I nod. "It's gotta be said sometime. I'm not a big fan of putting shit off. I like to tackle things as they arise."
"Yeah." Vince scoffs. "That's why you're still letting Dexter play games with the woman you supposedly love?"
I'm on my feet and towering over him before either of us can blink. Not a whole lot pisses me off, but one thing I won't stand for is that. My hands slam into Vince's bare chest. He's still sweaty from his workout.
"You're going to want toneverspew that kind of bullshit again," I growl, fisting my hands at my sides. "Question anything you wantexcepthow I feel about Love."
Vince glares at me. "I don't know how you do it. I want to rip his fucking heart out every time I see her with a red face because he's been playing games."
I sigh. I'm right there with him. But I also have allegiance to Dexter, so I'm not as biased as he is.
"You think she hasn't hurt him in return?" I ask, crossing my arms over my chest. I've still got the irrational urge to put my fist through his face for that careless comment. But I'm also an adult, so I'll curb that desire for long enough to let him get it off his chest.
"Maybe, but you don't fuck around on a woman who might be carrying your baby," he hisses, then freezes.
"It's not a secret," I assure him. "It's not public knowledge, but everyone who knows us personally knows the deal."
"I've heard you all talk about it before," Vince says, staring at his feet. "I've got feelings for her. I want to take care of her, but I've never seen myself sharing."
"Have you ever had a threesome?" I ask, taking a seat on the bench of the machine I was on earlier.
Vince snorts, taking a seat on the rowing machine.
"Fuck no," he says, burying his face in his hands. "I didn't grow up in a pack. I've had a handful of long-term girlfriends, but I'm always traveling and working long hours…"
"I didn't grow up in a pack either," I say, trying to find some common ground.
"Both my parents are alphas. No brothers or sisters. It's always just been me. They shipped my ass away to military school when I wasn't even a teenager yet."
"My dad left my mom when he found his omega," I say, standing up and nodding at Vince. "Come on, let's get a beer. Anyway, we never saw him again."
