AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“A stalker,” Easton said, practically spitting out his words now. “Probably another rich socialite that can’t handle being told no.” His voice was still rough around the edges, and I could scent the bitterness clinging to him.
Easton was probably one of the most complicated people I’ve ever met. He was a loyal friend, a great protector, but he was stubborn as hell. He showed time and time again that his way was the only way.
We weren’t afraid to challenge him anymore, and he’d grown a lot because of it, but at the end of the day, he was still that alpha that had to take on too much as a child. The same one that helped us escape the hell that we’d all lived in.
We all grew up in the same neighborhood, a long road lined with dilapidated houses that should have probably been condemned a long time ago. We never had enough money or food, but the three of us managed to survive together.
Our parents would have never noticed if we hadn’t. They were all shit. Jordan’s mom had a new boyfriend every week, ones that never liked having another man in the house. He had a few broken bones before we managed to run.
Easton’s mom, on the outside, looked like a devoted single mother. At least at first. She had our families as friends, random men willing to protect her, but that also meant that she wouldsleep with them whenever they wanted. As she fell deeper into that hole, she wasn’t afraid to sell her body for more drugs.
My parents hated me for being born. I wasn’t an alpha or an omega that could have been useful to them. I was just a lowly beta, so they treated me like a servant. If I didn’t do something they liked, I paid the price for it.
The moment we were old enough, we all enlisted, hoping the military would save us from that hell. In some ways, it did. But in other ways… it broke us.
Easton may have just scared off our mate, but maybe it was for the best. She didn’t need men like us crashing into her life, especially if she was expecting perfection and money. Those were two things that we’d never have.
We had enough savings to take care of ourselves. We were secure, but we didn’t have an abundance. This would give us enough to be set for a bit, but it wouldn’t be enough to take care of her like she would want.
She was likely used to lavish things, expensive clothes, maids, the works. It would have never worked out between us.
Yet I couldn’t shake the look of fear in those green eyes when she opened the door. Even though her hair was only shoulder length, she tried to hide behind it more than once, peeking out behind it to watch us as we moved around her apartment.
Victoria was a cornered animal, afraid of something much bigger than herself.
And that right there was the reason I couldn’t just dismiss her.
Part of me felt terrible about crashing into her life. She clearly didn’t want us there. That fear and worry that clung to her, amped up anytime we got near.
She didn’t want us any more than Easton wanted her.
Fate was a bitch sometimes.
“So, we’re just all supposed to work alongside her, protect her, and pretend that everything’s fine? What happens at the end of thirty days? We just walk away from our scent match?”
“Damn straight we do,” Easton said.
Jordan let out a hum. It was neither agreement nor disagreement, instead just a simple acknowledgment that we’d spoken.
“A lot can happen in thirty days,” he finally offered, breaking the tense silence. “For now, we’re getting paid to make sure she’s safe. We watch these feeds, we listen, someone stays home or around her at all times. If she leaves, you follow.”
“She’s not going to take that lightly,” I pointed out. “She didn’t even want us in her apartment.”
“We all know I love a challenge,” Easton said, his wide smile anything but amused. He looked downright feral, and I made a mental note to keep her away from him as much as possible. Even if I knew we’d never work out, there was an innate need to protect her.
This was going to be complicated.
He was being purposely ignorant if he thought this was going to end well, that he was just going to be able to walk away from her when the contract was done.
We all fell into silence. I picked up my charcoal pencil and started sketching. It wasn’t until I was halfway done that I realized I was sketching her.
It felt more like an omen than anything. Her eyes were haunted as she stared up at me from the page.
Easton was on his phone. He let out a bitter laugh that broke through my trance before reading from whatever article he’d found online.
“Oh look, her father was just recognized for taking on another business venture, marking up their family’s wealth intoseveral million. See what I mean? Complete princess, pampered, and has never had to work hard for anything.”
We didn’t give him any kind of acknowledgment, so he continued on. Another shocked but unhinged laugh filling the air before he spoke his next point.
