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“Did I say that?” Rhett smooths his hand down the polished rail. “But my pack ain’t a safe place for one. And I like how I’ve organized my life.”

“Then why are you doing…?” I gesture around myself helplessly.

My heart is beating too fast.

My mouth is dry.

Rhett drops the tool into his pocket, giving the rail another firm shove to check that it is firm.

Satisfied, he rubs his hands together. “Well, right now, I’m sorting out the jobs that need it around here. Then I’m going to make sure that you survive your heat.”

I stand up, sharply. “But why? You’re fucking loaded. You could live like Devlin does. But instead, you work yourself half to death keeping the Fire Department open and volunteering as the Fire Chief. Then your Alphas work as a paramedic and game warden.”

Rhett’s expression falls.

I don’t like the way he is watching me warily.

“Sorry, darlin’, are we meant to be flying on our private jet every weekend, blowing money in some Dallas VIP booth with Omega oil heiresses, and drinking thousand-dollar whiskey?”

I quirk my brow. “Specific.”

“I do enjoy thousand-dollar whiskey.” The look in Rhett’s eyes is wicked, as he stalks toward me. I back up until he is pressing me against the wall. “Is that what you think of us?”

I hurriedly shake my head, as he cages me on the step.

He leans closer.

Rhett’s dominant pheromones wash over me, and I shiver.

I am frozen.

Except, I realize that I don’t want to escape.

I want to be caught.

I need more for Rhett to want to catch me.

“You don’t know us,” Rhett whispers, and his breath gusts against my lips.

“But I want to.”

Rhett studies me intently.

I squirm, feeling taken apart.

Stripped bare.

“Maybe you do.” Rhett leans even closer. “Then learn to judge us on our actions and not our names or our pasts. Our careers are damn important to us. Ain’t this place your dream?”

I nod.

Rhett pushes a strand of hair behind my ear, and I struggle not to turn into his touch.

Every nerve in my body has been set alight, and he’s not even touching me.

He smirks.

The Alphahole knows what he is doing to me.