Lily nods and Logan slides in behind her, kissing the soft curve of her neck. “Badass, babe,” he murmurs, pulling her tight and I don’t think anyone in the room would disagree.
We spend the next morning having a lazy breakfast, then take the horses out for a ride around the lake. Lily and Leo are clearly in their element on horseback, and even though Otley warned me, I’m still surprised by how deeply they’ve wormed their way into Zander’s cranky old heart. Moondance and Tomorrow’s Roses act like they’ve been part of the ranch all their lives, and the joy on Leo and Lily’s faces is enough to make me grateful for all the years I spent mucking out Zander’s stalls.
“You did good, old man,” I tell him as we leave the stables, Lily, Leo and Tristan racing each other up the hill. “Thanks for taking care of them.”
It’s obvious I mean more than just the horses, and Zander grunts. “They’re easy to help. No whining or complaints, and they love horses almost as much as you.”
I grin, because a fair chunk of my happiest memories involves a horsey interaction with this grump at my side. “Well, I appreciate it. And about that other side project…”
He slaps his hat on his thigh, his gaze boring into mine. “It’s all in hand. You just need to make sure it’s what she wants, and not just a way of keeping them close.”
I wince, but there’s no censure in his tone, just the usual voice of reason.
The truth is, I want to give Lily and Leo the world; I’m just not sure that the life I have to offer is really a gift.
Although, Ot has some good news to share as we grill steaks for dinner. Roberta Jacobs, a former host forBreaking America, has agreed to do the interview and will fly in from New York tomorrow. She retired from investigative journalism a few years ago, but was a trailblazer in the industry, and had a reputation as being firm but fair. I gave her one of my first exclusives when my career was just starting out, and even though there were rumors of Mom’s illness, she never pushed the interview into uncomfortable territory.
Lily is a little nervous as we wait for her in the living room after breakfast. Tristan is keeping Leo busy playing video games in his room, but now I wonder if she’s having second thoughts. “Everything okay?”
“I’m just such a huge fan of Roberta’s,” she murmurs, squeezing her knees. She’s wearing a white, lace-trimmed top that makes her skin glow, and I’m having a hard time keeping my hands to myself as we sit on the sofa, the morning light spilling over her from the floor-to-ceiling windows. “She did that piece on omegas in the care system and uncovered all those corrupt orphanages.”
I grin at the hero worship in her voice. “Yeah, she’s good at getting to the truth. If at any stage it gets too much…”
“We’ll stop the interview.” She nods, her back straight and her chin up. “I’m not afraid to make my feelings on our privacy plain, even to Roberta Jacobs.”
My grin grows. Logan already warned me about Lily’s momma bear mode, so I know that the reporter will have to watch her step. Lily was very clear about what she’s prepared to discuss, and Otley and Logan are sitting at a nearby table, ready to jump in if Roberta doesn’t play by the rules.
But the reporter is a legend in her field for a reason, and she arrives right on time, with only a legal pad and a pen for company. No camera crew or assistant with a sneaky cell phone, as she’s already agreed to liaise with Tristan for the pictures to go with the story.
“It’s such a pleasure to meet you, Lily,” she says as she settles into an armchair opposite us, her crisp beta scent barely stirring the air. “And Ellis. It’s great to see you again, even if the circumstances aren’t the best.”
I nod, but Lily said she wants to do most of the talking, so I settle back as she clears her throat. She doesn’t have notes, but I can tell she’s given the interview a lot of thought, because she starts in a slow, careful way. “I’m a private person, Ms. Jacobs. My life hasn’t always been easy, but it’s been mine. The stories I’ve heard in the media about who we are and what we’ve done aren’t real. Anyone who knows us would know that.”
Roberta nods, but I can see she wants more. “But that’s the issue, isn’t it? Ellis is a major star, arguably the most successful actor of his generation. Everyone has seen his movies and has their own perception of who he is. Now they hear that he’s a father, and an absentee one, who only recently reconnected with you and your son. You can understand why people might be struggling with this new narrative.”
“Just because his job is public, doesn’t mean his personal life is up for grabs.” Lily takes a deep breath, but she meets Roberta’s eye with her chin up. “Our life isn’t a Hollywood movie, but if we accept that it’s now out in the public domain, we want to make a few things very clear. Ellis knew nothing about Leo until very recently. Forces outside our control kept us apart and stole years from us as a family. This was done without our knowledge, but as soon as it came to light, Ellis, Otley, and Tristan did everything they could to make it right.”
Roberta could smell a conspiracy in a day care center, so I’m not surprised her nose twitches. “Can you tell me more about those outside forces?”
“My uncle,” I tell her at Lily’s nod, since I have no qualms about throwing him under the bus. “Nathan Crest. He knew how Otley and I felt about Lily and he didn’t want it to get in the way of my career. He lied, cheated me out of years with them, and I’ll never forgive him for that.”
“And Tahlia Durant? She was his protégé as well as being your agent, wasn’t she?” I nod and her eyebrows rise. “Was she also complicit?”
I spread my hands, not about to cover for anyone who has hurt my family. “Well, she’s my ex-agent now, so draw your own conclusions.”
Roberta nods and makes a note on her pad, before turning to look at Otley. “You’re scent matches,” she says, since this was part of the information he confirmed over the phone, “and yet you both have other mates.”
Otley just stares at her, so Lily steps in. “Life doesn’t stand still. And I’m very grateful for that, because it means that biology is only one factor in our equation. We have met, fallen in love with, and mated good people.” She casts a glance in the direction of Logan, whose eyes soften, even while he holds himself like he’s about to launch into battle. A slight smile touches her lipsas she adds, “They are the family we all choose, and will keep on choosing, every day.”
“I agree that choice is as important as biology, when it comes to your mates,” Roberta says, her face carefully blank. “So how would you respond to the rumors that you used your heat to lure Ellis and Otley into your hotel suite? Do you consider that consent?”
Lily’s face hardens, and I can tell from the vein throbbing in Otley’s skull that he’s about to implode, so I lean forward, capturing Roberta’s attention. “There were no accelerants. It wasn’t a trap. That was a vicious rumor invented by my uncle – and now leaked to the press by my ex-agent - to ensure that the only thing in my life was my career. And in terms of consent, Otley and I approached Lily, because there was no force on earth that could stop us. Even without exchanging a word, I was one hundred percent certain that our paths were meant to cross, and that our lives were going to change for the better.”
Roberta’s face softens an inch, but I can tell she’s not done. “I can see that you’re all very protective of each other. And it’s understandable that you’re trying to protect Leo as well, but at the end of the day, he’s Ellis Castle’s son. Even if he sees your other mates as father figures, the world is only interested in his biological connection to Ellis…”
Lily scowls as she opens her mouth, but a sharp voice cuts through the tense air. “Really, Roberta. I think old age is turning your brain to slop.”
“Catherine!” Roberta scrambles to her feet, her legendary poise lost for a moment as she gapes at my mom. “I didn’t know you were here…”
