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Fuck. “I hate when you’re right.”

Bridget smiles. “It’s not about being right, Connor. It’s about reminding you of the reasons you’re here. You want to unlearn the mistakes from your previous marriage so they don’t affect your relationship with Daphne. You want to be a better alpha. Those are your words, correct?”

When I nod, she continues. “Sometimes, a good alpha is one who says no. Who puts the good of the pack before the good of their omega. They may be the center of the family, but they aren’t the entirety of it. If Daphne is as lovely as you say, she won’t push for things that would make your life uncomfortable or take more than you have. Moneyortime.”

My shoulders sag, the overwhelming feeling of not being enough weighing me down. “I just want to give her everything.”

“Start with you, Connor. That’s what she needs most.” Bridget stares at me, then laughs. “But I think you know that already.”

I know she’s right. That my brothers are too, but I don’t know how to do it. How can I ask Daphne to be ours without guaranteeing that we can give her whatever her heart desires? “What happens if things go back to the way they were with Shelby? Or if Moore refuses to listen?”

“If your client refuses to listen to the safeguards you’ve put in place to protect your staff’s mental health and your own by association, then it seems like he’s not a client you’d want to have. As for Daphne, you can’t control her actions. Only your own. So, what areyougoing to do to ensure things don’t get that bad again?”

We spend twenty minutes mapping out a plan and a list of my potential triggers. By the time we’re done, there’s only a few minutes left of the session and I’m ready to get the hell out of here.

“Before you go, let’s touch base on your omega. How is Daphne?”

“I’m not sure,” I admit, cringing. “Things with AJ have been a lot and I know if I go over there and she sees my phone go off a hundred times, she’ll get anxious. It’s easier to stay away than to stress her out.”

It sounds like bullshit. Maybe it is.

“Have you told her that?” Bridget asks.

“No, I just keep hoping it’ll settle down.”

“In your experience, does that happen often with this client?”

“No.”

“When did you last spend time with Daphne?” She holds a hand up when I immediately try to answer. “And I don’t mean an hour at dinner. I meanrealtime together.”

“The barbecue.”

Bridget doesn’t cringe, but she doesn’t need to. I already know it’s fucking awful. That was nearly two weeks ago and while it was a step forward in our relationship, there’s every chance I lost that momentum by being absent since.

That’s all I’m doing, going forward two steps and back ten. Is Daphne sitting at home, wondering if I even care because I’m never around for her? A few texts and a handful of presents isn’t enough.

“Do you want to spend time with this woman?” Bridget asks.

“I’d be with her all the time if I could, but things are complicated.”

“What’s more important to you right now, your omega or this client?”

“Daphne, obviously.” It’s a knee jerk reaction, but the second I say it, stress pummels me.

Bridget’s head cocks, locked onto something. “Care to try again?”

“Aren’t we almost done?” I don’t want to do this.

Felix shakes his head. The only interaction we’ve had this entire session. “You’re in luck. Our next appointment is running late, so you can finish.”

Oh, fuck him.He smirks like an absolute jackass.

Trying to explain the mess of feelings inside me is hard, but I try. “It’s not that AJ’s a higher priority, it’s just that I’m struggling to balance the two.”

“Seems to me like there shouldn’t be a balance,” Bridget says carefully. “You’ve said before that family comes above everything. Do you believe that Daphne’s included in that?”

“I wouldn’t be here if she didn’t matter as much as my brothers. More, even.”