Maybe he really is feeling cooped up, but he keeps glancing at Apollo every few seconds. We’ve all been digging up everything we can on Scott. Turning over every stone, reaching out to contacts… Not a lot of talking has happened.
“Right, yeah. I know.” Beau nods.
“He’s been trying to work up the courage to talk to me,” Apollo grunts, eyes fixed on the computer screen.
Dream’s head snaps up, and she glares death daggers at the Alpha for the blunt call-out. Meanwhile, Beau’s cheeks turn pink, eyes wide as he glances between all of us.
“I…I just wanted to…uh," Beau trails off, a little bunny caught in the big bad Alpha’s trap.
“I was trying to give you time, waiting until you were ready, but I already know, Beau. You want to tell me that you’re sorry and that you tried to get me out.” Apollo shrugs, sighing when Beau doesn’t respond. “You were sixteen, just a kid. You let your guard down, allowed yourself to care about someone, and Scottjumped on the opportunity to exploit that. Maybe he kept me for so long so he could keep punishing you, but I got myself caught.”
“Still. I am sorry.” Beau sits up, looking into Apollo’s eyes as he speaks. “I couldn’t stop him, and I couldn’t get you out. I’ll always be sorry for that.”
Fuck.The pain and sincerity in his voice spear me in the heart.
“I’m sorry I got caught, and I’m sorry he used me to torture and control you for six years,” Apollo says right back, just as sincerely. “You suffered too. Both of us were victims of Scott’s cruelty.”
“So, do you forgive each other?” Dream’s sweet, sad voice is like a melody as she looks between the two men with tears filling her eyes.
“Nothing to forgive,” they say in unison. Beau smiles, shoulders relaxing. Even Apollo smiles in a way I’ve never seen, lighting up his handsome face.
Well, fuck me sideways.
“Can I just ask you one more thing?” Beau asks, waiting for Apollo’s nod before continuing. “There was a guard that I started paying about a year ago. An Alpha named Dexter. He was supposed to make things easier for you. Protect you when he could. He was a fucking bastard, but the only contact I’ve ever had there. Please, tell me he actually helped you?” Beau’s blue eyes lose some of their color when he says the Alpha’s name, and there’s desperation in his voice that makes me frown.
“Dexter?” Apollo repeats in a quiet voice, but the blank, cold tone sends a shiver of ice down my spine. “I called all of the guards there Alpha.”
My instincts flare to life, and I shift forward in my seat. Something is wrong.Very wrong.
Hudson steps back into the room, closing the balcony door behind him, before returning to his seat, letting out a sigh as hedoes. He looked more relaxed, right up until he sensed what I’m feeling right now.
“I gave him a phone for you. He was supposed to let you call me, but a few days later he ghosted me. At the time I didn’t know about the raid.” Beau licks his lips, leaning forward now too.He’s shaking. Fuck.“He had short red hair; he’s my height.” Beau’s voice trembles as he tries to keep calm.
When I glance at Apollo, he’s locked up like a statue. If he didn’t wear blockers, I know his scent would be a wildfire. His dominance is already raging.
“I never knew his name. Anyone’s name. They wanted it to be impossible to find them on the outside, but only one Alpha ever gave me a phone.” The vacant look in his eyes, plus the lack of emotion in his voice, sets off every alarm bell I have.
“Apollo,” Beau says in a desperate whisper, his eyes filling with fear that sets my heart rate racing. “What did Dexter do to you?”
“Nothing, Beau.” Apollo shakes his head, but he’s staring at a fixed spot across the room, not blinking.
Can he see the ghosts of his past reenacting his worst nightmares?
No one moves, unsure what to do or who to comfort—if they even want comfort.
What did Dexter do to them?
“No, tell me. Please,” Beau begs, tears falling from his eyes. “H-he was supposed to help you. I gave him everything he asked for. He promised to help you, Apollo. It took me so long to find someone, anyone.” Beau shoves the blanket off his lap and stands. He starts pacing the room again, pushing his hands through his hair. His scent is like a chemical bomb of pain and fear. Anger and hatred.
“Who is Dexter?” Hudson asks, frowning deeper than I’ve ever seen. He looks lost, like he’s not sure if he can or even should offer help.
“My contact inside Whitehill.” Beau shakes his head, pacing back and forth behind the couch. Dream watches him while nibbling her bottom lip, looking helpless. “I’d never met anyone else that worked there in all the years my father kept Apollo trapped, until Dexter.” The laugh that slips free from Beau is flat, lacking all humor as his eyes flash with a wild sort of anger.
“Beau, it’s okay. It’s going to be okay,” Dream murmurs, but it’s too late to calm him, even for Dream and her perfect scent. Beau’s lost in his head, his pain bleeding out of him like lava.
“I was so desperate! I was so stupid! He lied to me, didn’t he? He wasn’t helping you… Fuck, I should’ve known! It’s so obvious now. All the fucked-up shit he did to me! I was so fucking desperate, and he knew that. He knew he could make me do whatever he wanted, and I wouldn’t say no. He never wanted the money; he just wanted to destroy me. How could I be so fucking stupid?” Beau is crying now, full-body sobs so unbearable to witness.
“Help him, please,” Dream whispers, trying to keep her tears at bay. I put blockers on this morning. Something I have never regretted like I do right now.
