Page 199 of Alphas Like Us

“Can’t say the same,” I say easily. “And look, I don’t wish my old man ill will. It is what itis.”

He looks out at the blue sea before turning back to me. “I wanted to ask you something,Farrow.”

It hits me that he didn’t bring me out here to talk about my father. “Okay…” I could lie and say that I’m not nervous, but this is Maximoff Hale’s dad. A huge cog in his entire world. And this uncertainty isn’t that muchfun.

And then he asks, “Would you like your job back onsecurity?”

My pulse shoots to my throat. I must’ve heard him wrong. I shake my head. “I don’tfollow.”

“Your old job,” he reiterates. “Do you want itback?”

I let out a short laugh. “Okay, right.” I don’t even let myself get roped into the idea. But I find myself glancing back towards the three families and security. If I strain my ears, I can basically hear Donnelly rooting on the CobaltEmpire.

“I get that I’m a sarcastic bastard,” Lo says, pulling my attention back. “But I’mserious.”

I comb another hand through my hair, shaking my head only once. “I love being a concierge doctor to your family. I don’t want that tochange.”

“You can do both,” he says those words and it’s like someone has offered me something that makes no sense. Like golden eggs and fairytalebullshit.

“I can’t do both,” I say slowly. “That’s…”Impossible.It’s fucking impossible. But he’s looking at me like I’m the one who’swrong.

“Your Uncle Trip called me an hour ago,” Lo says, blocking sunlight with his palm. “He’s returning from his sabbatical. We’ll have more hands. You’ll always be on-call for the med team, and when there isn’t an emergency, you can be on Maximoff’s detail. Another bodyguard on SFO will fill in for you when you’re pulled away.” He tilts his head. “So there’s still the question if you want to be on security at all. You can sayno.”

What thehell…?

I’m processing…slowly. Security has been the missing piece. The gaping hole. And I didn’t want to ask for it back because I didn’t think I could. There’s no scenario in my head where anyone would allow me to split time between security andmedicine.

I accepted what I could not fucking change, and now he’s telling me I can haveboth.

He’s giving meboth?

I shake my head, overwhelmed. I turn my gaze away, my eyes welling. Choked up.He’s giving meboth.

“Why?” I ask him. “Why offer methis?”

I don’tunderstand.

Lo stares up at the sky again, and when his sharp-edged gaze falls to me, he says, “Because I was raised by a bad man who was also a bad father.” He pauses. “And despite whatever feelings I have about it, my son thinks I’mgood, and every day I try to prove him right.” He stares into me like he’s reaching into the bottom of a pool. “You want this. I think you do. And I want to give it toyou.”

I rub my mouth, trying to collect myself. “So I’llbe…”

“You’ll be his bodyguardagain.”

Truth. I never thought I’d hear those words. Because to me, it’s more than just a job. It’s so muchmore.

“Thank you,” I say, my eyesglassing.

His do, too. “Take care of my son,” he tellsme.

I make thatpromise.

And then he adds, “My son will take care ofyou.”

I rub my eyes and nod. Feeling those words well up inside ofme.

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MAXIMOFF HALE