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I have to bite back a moan at the feeling, and Dominic groans himself.
“You’re killing us,” he says. “How are we supposed to work like this?”
“Um… oops?”
“Oops, she says.” Xavier shakes his head. “You’re lucky you’re so beautiful.”
I laugh, feeling lighter. Even if Tristan pulling away hurts me, at least Xavier and Dominic don’t seem willing to let the connection we made during my heat die off so easily. They still want me, openly, and that feels good.
There’s a lot to get caught up on at the office for me, and I spend some time before lunch clearing out my inbox from everything that piled up while I was away. There are files to sort and copies to make, and I move through the backlog with a smile on my face, still feeling happy about how everything has been going today.
At one point, a woman I don’t recognize comes over to me. She’s shorter than I am, also curvy, with dark hair and glasses. Her smile is bright as she sticks her hand out. “Hi, you must be Penelope Dalton,” she says cheerfully.
“That’s me,” I tell her. “Sorry, who are you?”
“I’m Amelia,” she says. “The new executive assistant.”
I remember someone mentioning they had found someone to replace Sienna during the meeting, so this must be her. It’s funny how different she is from her predecessor. Where Sienna was all attitude and legs, Amelia is short and curvy and kind. Her smile is warm, and she seems genuinely happy to meet me.
“It’s nice to meet you,” I tell her, shaking her hand.
“You too,” Amelia says. “I’ve heard a lot about you, so I was excited for you to come back so I could introduce myself.”
We spend a bit of time chatting before going back to our duties, and I feel a stab of vindictive pleasure that Sienna was replaced with someone so nice and bright. It serves her right for being so mean to everyone all the time.
The work day passes quickly, and when we all gather in the lobby to wait for the car, Xavier casually puts an arm around my shoulders. “There’s a little errand we have to run before we head home,” he says.
“Okay,” I agree easily. “What kind of errand?”
“You’ll see,” he replies with a wink. “I think you’ll like it.”
I glance between the three of them, trying to figure out what it is they have planned, but no one gives anything away. So I just shrug internally and let them usher me into the car.
Jonas takes us down a very familiar street, and then pulls into a parking spot right in front of my old bakery. My heart clenches in my chest, and I swallow hard.
“What… what are we doing here?” I ask.
“You’ll see,” Dominic says, echoing Xavier from earlier.
We walk into the storefront, and it hurts to see it so gutted. It’s nothing like it was when I was renting it. The building manager, the man who raised my rent time and time again, is there, looking as unbothered and unrepentant as ever.
His eyes slide right over me, looking to the three Alphas who are with me.
“Mr. Blackwell, Mr. Sterling, Mr. Harrington,” he says, offering his hand out for one or all of them to shake. “I was surprised to get your call.”
They called him? For what?
“I imagine you were,” Dominic says, taking control of the conversation. “But we had a bone to pick with you and didn’t want to handle it over the phone. Thanks for agreeing to meet us.” His voice is chilly, and it’s the least sincere thanks I’ve ever heard.
The manager’s eyes dart between the three of them, standing tall and imposing. “A bone to pick? With me?”
“Do you recognize her?” Xavier asks, indicating me.
He looks at me. “Did I rent property to you?”
“Yes,” I say, feeling anger and annoyance in equal measure. “This property, to be exact.”
“Oh. And you want to renew your lease?” His eyes flicker between all of us now.