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Vivienne

“I can’t believe you got all of these built so quickly,” I say to Fox as I put my books up on the shelves. One whole wall now has gorgeous bookshelves waiting to be filled. What I find absolutely phenomenal is they have the same color as the bedroom suite, a light gray that looks distressed.

“Prospects, babe,” he replies, grinning at me from his position on the bed. He brought my countless bags, and maybe even a few boxes, of books to our den and has let me ramble incessantly about how much fun I had.

The whole experience was out of this world and even the overt threat of Carter showing up ended up being just a blip on my radar by the time Fox and his brothers returned, we went to eat with several authors and quite a few readers. I didn’t ask what happened to him and don’t really care since Fox told me it had been handled.

“Does it make me a bad person that I don’t care what went on with Carter?” I ask as I open another bag then start shelving the books in series order.

“Babe, no matter how you feel about the situation, remember that your feelings are valid. Carter put you through hell, Vivi, mentally if nothing else. Now, you’re safe and secure, you’ve got an awesome mate, and a huge extended family at your back. Plus, your dad and your best friend are here.”

“Awesome mate, huh?” I tease, abandoning my current box and crawling up the bed so I’m sprawled across him.

“That was your takeaway from all I just said?” he asks, kissing me.

Once I’m able to breathe again, I say, “Well, yeah. Because you are awesome, Fox. Do you remember how Angie reacted when she first met you? It’s because when we were little, I told her what I wanted in a mate, down to hair color and everything.”

He reaches for me, and I sink into the depth of his arms. “How about I show you just how much you mean to me?”

“I’m surprisingly down with that, handsome,” I murmur against his lips. “Have I told you how much I love our life?”

“You show me every single day, Vivi,” he replies.

“Sometimes, it’s nice to hear the words. I love you, Fox,” I tell him.

“I love you too, Vivi.”

Fox

“Pres, I don’t know what I’m gonna do,” Popeye tells me, groaning in frustration. “She knows she’s my mate, I know she’s my mate. Hell, our fucking wolves know we’re mates. Yet, she avoids me at every turn. What the fuck am I supposed to do with that?”

We’re in my office, which I only have so I can deal with the bullshit paperwork for our businesses. Ledger handles the money shit, but I go through all the worksheets so they can be filed for our accountant. Like I said, it’s bullshit stuff. Still, I know Popeye’s hurting at Angie’s refusal to even talk to him.

If she’s in the common room visiting Vivi, Tressa, and Nini and Popeye walks in, she makes an excuse to go back to Vivi’s old apartment. I know Vivi said she has a helluva story, but since it’s Angie’s to tell, I really don’t know how to direct my brother. His anguish is palpable, and I can sense his wolf is in distress as well.

“What do you think about maybe going nomad for a bit? You’ll still handle your club responsibilities, but you can handle those via email and texts as long as you’ve got your laptop, right? Maybe when you return, Angie will be more amenable to discussing her past with you. I know it was chaotic as fuck before she and Warren fled to Zephyr Hills.”

He takes in a shuddering breath then slowly lets it out while nodding. “That might be for the best, Pres. Because I feel like I’m banging my head against a steel wall at this point.”

“Go, Brother. Just keep in touch, okay?”

Angie

I know he’s my mate, but if he knew about my past, he’d run as far and as fast as possible. No one should ever want someone like me, someone who’s beyond less than. In fact, I should have never been according to some in my past. I hide that shit from Vivi, but I know she’s aware of some of the shit I’ve been through.

Still, even though I know Popeye’s my fated mate, he deserves someone without the flaws that are so embedded in me, I’m virtually a waste of space.

Yet, when I see him leaving the clubhouse parking lot, a huge duffel bag strapped to the back of his bike, my heart cries out and my wolf starts shredding my chest. Still, he deserves more, much much more, than me. I just need to get him to realize that fact.

The end for now…Angie and Popeye’s story will come out later in 2025 in The Nomad