…Farrowslips into the office.
What.
I rub my eyes to ensure that I’m absolutely, entirely 100%notfantasizing and haven’t tapped into some secret superpower. Obtaining a magical ability to conjure a newly-minted boyfriend sounds more fucking believable right now.
Farrow zips up his leather jacket, a piece of his bleach-white hair brushing his dark eyelashes. His casual confidence is fucking hot, but this can’t be a fantasy. Because he’s not even looking at me.
He only acknowledges Connor. “Alpha asked me to check the street view from your office. Price said he sent you a text.”
Connor has his phone cupped in his hand. “I saw. Do what you need to.” Wait.
He’s staying?My mouth falls fraction by fraction.
“Thanks,” Farrow says, his eyes flitting to me for a brief second. I barely catch his lips lifting before he faces the windows and surveys the street below.
One-hundred-million-percent in earshot.
My dad pops open a Lightning Bolt! energy drink and lightly elbows my side. “Why do you want to know which lube is better?”No.
No
No.
Fuck.
17
MAXIMOFF HALE
I’m an upright statue.Solidified.
I hoped my earlier question would be forgotten ordie. No one ever censors themselves in front of security. I usually wouldn’t care either, but this is the very,verybeginning of whatever is going on between us.
I don’t need Farrow to know that I just asked my dad and two uncles about lube. A conversation that I hadwithFarrow—and I can’t backtrack without appearing suspicious.
I have to barrel forward.
“A friend told me that silicone-based is better. I was curious what you guys thought.” I stomp down the urge to glance at Farrow. I’m not about to let my dad or uncles see that I correlatelubewith my bodyguard.
But I imagine his stretched smile and hearing him say,so pure.
My neck scorches. A first-time customer to Mortified-R-Us.
My dad’s brows pinch. “What friend?”
I have friends that are employees and then I have family. I don’t trust anyone else, and my dad is aware. I say the only possibility. “Janie.”
Connor stares straight through me, his fingers to his jaw. “I’m certain my daughter knows that silicone degrades silicone.” He means silicone lube destroyssex toys.
“She has an Asshole With Benefits,” I remind them. “Nate.”
“We know,” they all say, not the biggest fans of Nate either. But they’ve never met him.
I’m the only one who meets the AWBs.
Tabloids post photos of Jane out at nightclubs with the same person. Nate is the fourth and current AWB. They also have photos of those same guys with other girls. Media and fans hesitate to call them “boyfriends” because they’re not.
AWB #1 & #2 wanted his fifteen minutes of fame.
