"Good." Harmony's voice is firm. Her scent spikes with approval, bright and clean like rain on pavement. "You shouldn't have to stay quiet to make them comfortable."
"That's what I said." I look at both of them. "Rosa's article has three other women coming forward. If I take the money and disappear, what does that tell them?"
"That silence can be bought." Stacey sets down her fork. "Which is exactly what they want everyone to think."
"Not happening." I take a bite of pancake. "I'm not staying quiet. I'm not making this easier for them."
"Good girl." Stacey grins. "Now, about tonight. Are we going to that Irish pub? Because I have been practicing my pool game and I am ready to take more of your pack's money."
Nacho raises an eyebrow. "You want to hustle us again."
"I prefer 'engage in friendly competition.'" She examines her nails. "But yes. Tonight. Pool table. My cue stick versus your fragile male egos."
"Sixty dollars," Carlos mutters.
"Seventy if you count the drinks I made you buy," Stacey adds cheerfully.
"I'm in." Pedro actually smiles. "Someone needs to defend our honor."
"You have no honor." But Nacho's mouth twitches. "She destroyed all four of us last time."
"Because I'm good." Stacey stands and starts clearing plates. "So? Tonight? Please say yes. Harmony needs to get out of her head, I need to win money, and you all need to lose gracefully."
"We're terrible at losing gracefully," Sergio says.
"I know. That's half the fun." She grins at him.
I look at Harmony. Her scent is calm now, sweet chamomile and rain without the bitter edge. "You up for it?"
"Actually, yes." She smiles, and this time it reaches her eyes. "I could use the distraction."
"Done." Carlos finishes loading the dishwasher. "Stacey and Harmony, you're in my room upstairs. Second door on the left. Make yourselves comfortable."
Last time they were in Sergio’s room. They head upstairs then Carlos carries up their bags, Stacey already talking about thread counts and pillow quality.
Sergio pulls me against his side. "Your friends are good."
"They drove six hours because Harmony was stressed and Stacey wanted to make sure I was okay after the settlement letter." I lean into him. "Yeah. They're good."
"So tonight we're getting hustled at pool."
"Looks like it."
He kisses the top of my head. "Worth it to see you smile."
And tonight, we'll go to the pub. Stacey will destroy my alphas at pool while Harmony and I sit at the bar and laugh. The Morrisons will stay in their world of lawyers and settlements and damage control.
And I'll stay in mine.
This one. Right here.
With my pack and my friends and my shredded letter in the trash.
This is everything.
39
JESSICA
