Page 178 of Alphas Like Us

Today is July 13th, and I’m now twenty-three-years-old. If I contemplate that too hard, I’ll fall into some sort of philosophical stupor. So I try notto.

And I think there must be something else my uncle wants. Connor could’ve just yelledhappy birthdayacross the yacht deck like half my family already did. Which has been a good distraction. Seriously. Every time I start thinking about all the outside bullshit, someone else howlshappy birthday, Moffy!and tears me back to real life. To right here. Rightnow.

Connor squats so we’re more eye-level. “The lawyers just called me,” he says. “They’ve stopped most of the pictures from leaking. All that exists is the one photo, and that’ll be it.” His deep blue eyes soften with soothing powers. “I’m sosorry.”

The onephoto.

It was my full frontal. But in the one that’s been circulating, my crotch was blurred, and as far as I know, no one has been able to find the uncensoredimage.

I should be happy that the world hasn’t seen my dick. But really, I hate that a money-hungry company has tarnished one of the best weeks of mylife.

So no, I’m not reallyhappy.

But I also recognize I’m talking to a man that hadmuchworse happen to him. “Thanks for the help,” I tell my uncle. “I guess I should be glad it wasn’tworse.”

“A violation of privacy is a violation,” Uncle Connor says. “It doesn’t matter the severity. It’s okay to be upset, even in front ofme.”

When he was in his twenties, sex videos of him and his soon-to-be wife were illegally recorded and released. And Christ, I just can’t imagine that type of invasion. If Farrow and I had been filmed and that leaked, I’d bedevastated. It’s why our families are uneasy around porncompanies.

“I’m not upset, I’m pissed,” I tell Connor. “Like really goddamn pissed.” I run a hand through my wet hair. “But I don’t want to talk about it. I just…want to forgetit.”

Uncle Connor nods, understanding. “If you ever change your mind”—he rises to stand—“I’m alwayshere.”

I thank him again, and he walks off towards the saloon. Eighteen-year-old Tom and Eliot jump out from behind the mini bar, trying to scare him, and their dad just blinks at them.Unfazed.

I try to spot Farrow through the glass doors. But I don’t seehim.

Suddenly, water splashes behind me. Wetting mypaperback.

I feel his hands on my waist and his chin on my shoulder. His chest presses up against my back, and I try to restrain asmile.

But I fail as soon as he places a kiss on the side of my neck. “You’re tense, wolf scout,” he breathes, kneading my muscles with the heel of his palm.Goddamn.

My waist knocks into the pool wall, my blood hot. Craning my head over my shoulder, I catch the amusement in his eyes. His bleach-white hair looks darker wet, and beads of water roll down the light stubble on his jaw and inked wings on hisneck.

His barbell piercing rises at me with his brown brows. But his smile fades fast. “What’s wrong?” heasks.

“You andRowin.”

He cringes, but he doesn’t drop his hands. “Not my favorite phrase. Let’s actually remove it from yourlexicon.”

“You work together,” I remind him. “You’re going to be around him, and my trust level with strangers has about plummeted to negative-infinity.”

He nods slowly, and his hands work their magic on my traps, gentle on my bad shoulder. Whatever he’s doing feels too damngood.

I add, “You shouldn’t be around someone who’s made it clear they literally hate you. Not only is that a toxic work environment, but Christ, he could fucking hurt you.” I have more to say. So I abandon mypaperback.

And I turn around completely. Facing him now, his hands fall off my back and clutch my waist beneath thewater.

“I don’t trust him,” I continue while Farrow never breaks eye contact. “I know if I go to my parents and ask for him to be fired, it’s going to seem like I’m a jealous boyfriend. But after the villa, after you’ve beendoxxed, I can’t watch you share space with thatguy.”

Farrow waits for me to finish, still nonchalant. Like I just announced today’s forecast. “Done?”

I add one final thing, “But if you’re utterly against it, I’ll try not to do anything.” It’ll behard.

“Okay, working with Rowin is irritating at most,” Farrow says. “He’s not going to murder me and throw me overboard. Plus, I’m stronger thanhim.”

“Great,” I saydryly.