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“You know you miss me.”
Devin paused, canting her chin as she looked at Beau from a short distance away. Already heading towards him, the dangerous safety of his presence, she’d admit it. There were feelings there too confused and muddled to be called anything close to love, but she cared for Beau, and she did miss him. Not just in her nest, what he could do to her body or what she witnessed Rey doing to him, but his easy company. At some point a wedge drove between them, and she wasn’t sure when exactly that was.
“I do,” she mumbled into the quiet before going to his outstretched hand, sliding hers across his wide palm.
The admission startled him for a moment. Long enough for him to grip her hand too tight before he remembered himself and gave her a soft tug into his side. Arm slung around her shoulders, he led Devin out into the night.
It took mere moments and thousands of hours both to get inside the club. Rey was handling business for Kahler, wouldn’t be back for quite some time, or so Beau told her. He was in charge of the club, yet again, and he would sit with her in the cramped business office while she worked. Jackson hovered outside the door, nervous and fidgety. He didn’t like going against Rey’s wishes, no matter how many times Beau told him he was co-owner and thus just as much in charge.
Beau hadn’t been the one to beat the hell out of him for no good reason.
Except the night went off without a hitch. Beau got her home in plenty of time to scrub away every last vestige of the wild flavors of the club before Rey returned. She’d spent the majority of her time righting the office, putting papers and folders back where they belonged and despairing of the shattered computer screen. She’d gotten things done, though. Beau promised to get everything fixed for her the next time.
Devin didn’t struggle when Rey forced her onto her back that night, though she still wouldn’t look at him.
Her chance to do it again came the very next night, more important work to be done on Kahler’s behalf. Within minutes of Rey leaving, Beau showed up at their door, urging her to hurry.
It seemed too good to be true, and ultimately it was. Two whole weeks they managed to sneak around behind his back before Rey made a visit to the club without warning. Catching Devin in the midst of tipping out the dancers, papers scattered all around her as she entered amounts into the computer rapid-fire on the new program she’d begged Beau to purchase and install.
Lost in the mire of everyday chaos, she didn’t notice him until the dancers scattered before all that Alpha rage. Glancing up, she swallowed back a cry of despair and met Rey’s eyes head on. Things had changed between them during all this time. She’d become far less despondent, though by no means excited about their mating. Devin still held a grudge against him, for his lies and betrayal, but she was too happy with her covert actions to remain so furious as to deny him.
Thinking he would see that at least, Devin cleared her throat and tipped her chin up in a small act of defiance. Beckoning the dancer she’d been dealing with forward again, she murmured a demand for the amounts once again.
Eyes never leaving Rey, she entered the total, but pride in her work wouldn’t let her not double check the amount and count out the crumpled bills the woman placed on the desk for the club’s share. Sliding the money into a bank deposit bag, she cleared her throat again and slid her gaze back to the rich umber fury waiting for her.
“Don’t be mad,” she whispered.
“Out,” Rey barked, sending the women scattering and out the door.
“Please, Daniel, listen to me.”
“How long, huh? How long have you beenlyingto me?”
“I didn’t lie! I-I just didn’t t-tell you.”
Face darkening, Rey rounded the desk to snatch her arm up in a cruel grip, hauling Devin to tip toe as he brought their faces close.
“You think there’s a difference,” he demanded on a dangerous growl.
“Tell me you haven’t noticed the difference, Daniel. Please, just tell me you haven’t seen a single change in the last two weeks, and I’ll stay the fuck home.” Devin sniffed hard though there were no tears. He wouldn’t be able to deny it, not with a clear conscience. She was eating better, sleeping well, and their mating had become easier if not eager on her part. If he claimed not to have seen that… She couldn’t fathom her response to such a lie.
“Rey, it was my idea,” Beau said in a rush as he slipped through the door. Closing it with care, he eased his way towards the desk. Making himself appear smaller, almost submissive as he approached the enraged Alpha and his mate. “Don’t blame her.”
“Oh, I blame you plenty,” Rey snapped. Shaking Devin by his implacable grip, he continued in a vicious snarl, “She should have known better than to follow along with you of all people.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Real hurt threaded Beau’s tone, his pride flayed for a breathless moment before he decided to take offense. Gone was the placating friend, and in his place yet another angry Alpha whose ego needed soothing. “I kept watch over her, made sure she was safe.”
“She was in here alone!”
“Jackson was right outside, and judging by his shiner, you saw him. She was just in here with the girls. You’re the one who insists the door stay closed when money is being dealt with, otherwise he would have had it open to keep watch.”
“She is my mate, not something for you to play around with because you think—”
“Oh, I’m well aware of that fact,” Beau hissed, closing the distance between them to get in Rey’s face. “You’ve made it abundantly clear I’m not good enough for either of you anymore.”
Devin gasped, trying to make herself smaller lest they remember she was there. She could only hope Rey released her before the tension broke and they attacked one another. As it was her shoulder screamed in pain as her weight wavered on the unsure footing of her tiptoes, the slick bottom of the heels refusing to gain firm purchase on the polished hardwood.
“Because I won’t let you use her—”
