Page 30

Ellie

I woke from our nap alone, flustered when I realized I wasn’t in my bed and forgetting what had happened for a moment. Right, I’d caved and gone to grovel to Ha-joon.

I wasn’t even sure I’d gotten to the groveling part, but a blow job was a good start.

I’d been so out of line on Friday and just pushing him away while…

I was a jerk. I hadn’t meant to be, but Renee, Joyce, and even Carla had helped me see that I could ask for what I needed from him instead of just running from him.

But to run from him if he didn’t agree to my basic needs and played games with me. Also, to talk to them more because they had all known about Tommy even if I hadn’t told them and it was ridiculous not to open up at least that much with them.

That was fair. I even admitted to Joyce I would be offended if she had a lover and hadn’t confided that in me. I saw some hurt in her eyes heal.

Yeah, I’d been a bad friend when she was my best friend. I promised to talk to her more and even give her too many details that she would yell at me for. That had made her laugh and fix the wound for sure.

I slid on Ha-joon’s shirt and went to look for him. I found him in the kitchen with his laptop. He was scrolling through something. I wasn’t sure I should interrupt him, but then suddenly I was between his legs and his arm snaked around my waist.

“You were sleeping so soundly that I didn’t want to wake you, and something was just itching at my mind,” he murmured as he kissed along my neck.

“It’s fine,” I promised. More than even. Getting to walk up to him shirtless and focused was… Ha-joon was hot. Honestly, he was the sexiest man I’d ever been with and he didn’t even try. It was frustrating at the same time it made me weak in the knees when he focused on me.

And I wasn’t a woman who normally got weak in the knees.

I wasn’t trying to snoop, more glanced to ask if it was something I could help with or for work. But then I saw my name and flinched. “What is this?”

“Our contract,” he muttered. “We both have been so fucked over and—yours was recent, but mine showing back up has me—”

“ Mandy is the bitch who abused you?” I growled, my fangs itching to come out and slash her throat.

“Professionally, I shouldn’t tell you that, but honestly having her around might break me,” he muttered.

“And I just—something is going on. I’ve barely talked to her and now she’s acting like this?

And telling people bullshit about her being my first love.

First crush, but—can she be my first love when she tore at me and said she never loved me? ”

I felt very, very small. I moved to sit on his thigh—which he liked from the way he pulled me closer.

I turned his face to mine and gave him a lingering kiss.

“She won’t ever work for ASH, my Alpha.” I nodded when he tried to argue.

“I have sole discretion . Trust me because I trust you. If you are getting bad vibes—we have enough problems. I won’t hire her. ”

I wasn’t going to go on that I’d felt the same from her and I was waiting on her background check and investigation, but I saw all the guilt in his aura.

I told him the truth then and I got a weird vibe from her—so did Alan when he met her.

We just didn’t know what was going on and we put in some calls.

“I should call Mum,” he muttered. “She would be able to get the info, but she’d worry that I was involved with her again.”

“Tell her the truth.” I cleared my throat when he did a double take. “I didn’t mean about us. I meant that she showed up and is starting trouble and we’re both worried. Your mom’s smart.”

“Yeah, okay, right, right.” He chuckled and scrolled along the document before tapping the screen.

Neither party will disclose their personal relationship professionally unless both agree and the relationship moves past Alpha fling designation.

Fair. More than fair, and I was glad we were on the same page about that.

I said as much but then winced. “I told Joyce, Renee, and Carla.” I huffed when he looked at me with shock.

“Well, Carla told me to gobble you up already and stop acting like a jealous wench and have some faith in a wolf. But they know. I mean they know I was struggling and—”

He gave me a soft kiss and cupped my face. “You care enough about me to need insight. That’s what I’m hearing and I feel reassured. Don’t be embarrassed.”

“Thank you for making this easy on me,” I said, genuinely meaning it. It was really nice that he actually said that and helped me. I chuckled. “Joyce is right and you’re all of the green flags.”

He snorted. “I want to fuck you in the cafeteria and make it clear that you belong to me. So no, not all of the green flags with my jealousy. This is to keep me in line too.”

Okayyyyyyy thennnnn. Wow.

I was touched by the effort he was putting in and decided to reciprocate. There was one thing that he’d mentioned several times that clearly bothered him. I scrolled to the bottom of the document and added something.

Guest will only leave the bed to use the washroom or eat/drink. Otherwise, they will not leave the bed without immediately finding condo owner and getting permission/acknowledgment before leaving. Offending party will submit to any punishment other party decides without objection.

“That’s much nicer than I put it, and I want to be in your bed too,” he mumbled. “Cover your eyes. I’ll delete mine.”

I chuckled and did as he asked, guessing it was something less flattering like he would spank me if I snuck out of his bed.

He told me when I could open and started at the top of the document so I could read it. It was all fine… Even the spicy parts. I glanced at him a few times to see if he was serious, but he simply smirked and had challenge in his eyes like he dared me to argue.

I didn’t. I did adjust some of the wording so I had better outs if I felt uncomfortable. He was fine with that.

Ellie Reed agrees to accept any gifts given as long as they do not exceed social norms.

I cleared my throat and changed it.

Both parties agree to accept any gifts as long as they do not exceed reasonable monetary amounts or other circumstances of discomfort.

“Fair,” he excepted. “Yeah, okay fair.”

“Speaking of gifts,” I hedged. “We need to run up to my condo. I planned that part for after you agreed to help me but yeah, I already have a gift for you.”

He frowned and focused fully on me. “Help you with what?”

I chuckled. “I wasn’t giving you a line earlier. I did come to ask you something.” I hurried up when something bad filled his eyes. “Yes, I wanted to talk about us too, but you were mostly naked and wet and I got distracted. But I wasn’t lying.”

He let out a slow breath and easily stood with me, setting me on the counter and moving between my legs. “Fine, I’m so hot you can’t deny me. I like that. We’ll think about the contract the next couple of days and finalize it, but you will sign it.”

“Yes, my Alpha,” I purred, seeing the worry in his eyes. I ran my hands over his toned and muscular chest. Fuck, he was perfect. Every inch of his skin was pulled over glorious muscles and just—

“Ellie?” he asked, studying me when I met his gaze. Then he chuckled. “Wait, I want you too.” He gave me a quick kiss. “Tell me what’s going on so I can have you again. Yes, I’ll help you with anything.”

I cleared my throat and moved my hands to his chest to give us a bit of space, but then he angled his body and my hands slid down to his abs. His perfectly toned and amazing abs that I just wanted to lick.

It took me another moment to shake myself out of my lust, but then I let him go and met his gaze.

“I know I got snippy about you bringing him up, but I have to.” I sighed when he flinched, pushing my hair out of my face.

“I want to go to Tommy’s coven leader. I have the proof that he’s done that to my vehicle before and—it’s not getting better. ”

“What happened yesterday, love?” he worried, rubbing his hand over my thigh.

“He was there waiting and it got ugly,” I muttered.

“I threatened to pull the camera from the garage as proof and he gave me a look that I was stupid and he knew better than to leave evidence. He’s acting…

” I sighed and shook my head. “I just don’t know what else to do.

I can just fire him, but I’m pushing everyone to follow the HR rules and said—”

“He’s stalking you, Ellie,” Ha-joon whispered. “It’s to the point that he’s trying to make you seem crazy. This isn’t normal or okay. What do you need from me?”

“Just like that?” I searched his pretty blue eyes, hopeful when I saw determination.

“Just like that,” he promised me. Then he seemed to connect the dots. “You want me as a witness. He’s threatened me for going near you and—I get it.”

“Yes, I think I need a witness so this isn’t just he said, she said,” I said quietly. “It wasn’t like we were public, but you heard his blowup—I cannot believe he thought I would just mate him later and he knew I had money like that.”

He sighed. “He’s a fancy fucking surgeon.

He’s not hurting for money either. I heard what the trauma surgeons make and—this is about his pride and narcissism.

This is about the long game. He sees it as having put so much effort and investment into you, and instead of it paying out, it was denied him. ”

I blinked at him. “You’re speaking from experience.”

He nodded. “Mandy basically told me I had no right to break up with her after all the time and effort she’d put in me. Like I was stock or property. I wasn’t a person. It was…”

“Yeah, painful,” I whispered. “I’m sorry you went through that. How long ago?”

“I was an intern,” he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. “So like twenty—twenty-five years ago?”

I let out a whistle. “What a pup.” I chuckled when he tickled me. “I’m a dirty old woman.” I nodded that I wasn’t kidding. “Three hundred and forty-five a few months ago.”