The last thing Marcus wants to do is follow Charles up to his office for some alcohol-fueled private confrontation, but he has little choice. Gritting his teeth, he strides steadily behind Charles to the elevators in the foyer.They're silent on the way up to the office, and as they walk down the hallways to Charles's private rooms. It's not until they've shut the door and both taken seats at Charles's desk before Charles speaks."You need to concede your candidacy for Heir to your siste
By Sunday, Ty is finally recovered enough that I'm comfortable "discharging" him from the villa. It's a brilliant early morning in mid-June when I throw back his curtains and let sunlight stream into the room."Harrumph," Ty mumbles from a tangle of sheets. The weather outside is already warm, veering quickly to hot, but the villa's air conditioning system keeps the whole place pleasantly cool all day and night. Ty flings a pillow over his head and tries to burrow further into the bed."
Becki is in her room, which used to be Nicole's room. God, it took Paul long enough to finally give Becki this ensuite. She was in one of the guest bedrooms before, can you believe it? For years. Blah blah Nicole's childhood home, blah blah been her room since she was born, blah blah no reason to upend the whole household blah.It wasn't until Nicole graduated from high school that Paul saw the light and put Becki in the ensuite instead, shuttling Nicole down to a basement room where the bitch belonged from the start.
"Ev, can I talk to you?" Roger is standing in the doorway to my office, leaning against the frame and fiddling nervously with his suit jacket cuffs. He looks uncertain and upset, and I'm instantly on alert."Of course," I say, setting down my pen from where I'm making notes on the last physical I'd just given the Alpha that morning. I always like to hand write my notes and type them up later; it helps me remember more without having to check the files for every little detail."Do you wan
"And I don't know what to do to stop it, either!" I finish on a semi-hysterical note two hours later, having taken the rest of the afternoon off from work by pleading a bad headache.Kent extends an arm across the table to squeeze my free hand, the one that's not currently clutching my second glass of whisky like a lifeline. I lift it to my lips and down the rest of it in one, then raise it shakily toward the bar.Dave nods and walks over with the bottle, topping me up with a stiff doubl
Marcus waits at the table he booked in advance, twirling the stem of his wine glass through his long fingers as he does so. Liam is late, but Marcus isn't worried or bothered about it. Liam has been run off his feet even more than usual lately; he's earned quite a bit of leeway when it comes to punctuality.Marcus has chosen the same wine bar as his recent date with Lydia, and where he had the unpleasant run-in with the odious Becki. Honestly, can the woman not take a hint? It's getting ridiculous, the way she pops up at the most inopportune times to pester and flirt.
I'm at the Alpha's mansion bright and early the next day – a bit earlier than usual, in fact, because I want to review my notes before our physical. I wave to Roger on my way in the door, who gives me a cheerful but guarded wave back.He's still nervous, obviously, and I can't blame him. I haven't yet figured out what to do about Charles and Charis, but I'll need to think of something soon. Kent is looking into it, he says, which I appreciate. But we can't linger too long.I'm wondering if I'll need to step in and do something myself, if Kent can't come up with a plan in time. I hope not – I rely on Kent and the gang to keep me safe, at least for now. I don't want to piss him off, or betray him, or make him think I'm not on his side.I am on his side. I just have to be on Charis's side, too, because it seems like I'm the only one looking out for her. Charles's father has clearly lied to her about everything that's gone down, and Charles himself is now plotting her murder.My own famil
Marcus had come down to his father's office to ask for advice before meeting with his mother. He knew that Dr. Prism examined his father regularly at this time, and he wanted to ask both the Alpha and the doctor for the most up-to-date information on his father's health before he took his concerns to the Luna.He had expected a fight from Jeanette, but what he didn't expect was to hear her screaming like a fishwife so loudly that half the third floor could hear her. People's heads were poking out of offices and bedrooms, looking astonished and trying to eavesdrop without looking like they were eavesdropping."Back to business!" Marcus had snapped repeatedly at them as he hurried along to his father's office. "I'll sort this out."Now, standing in the doorway to his father's office, he takes in the scene before him. His father looks tireder than ever, gray-faced and a little worn as he listens to his mother shriek her fury. He sits straight-backed behind his desk, though, and still has