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Chapter Twelve

Emerson

I t felt wrong leaving Trystan to come into the office today, like a piece of me was missing. Each time I saw him, the urge to hold on to him grew stronger. It was supposed to be easy. After all, it was in our nature.

Instead, I pissed him off. All I wanted to do was to keep him safe, hold him in my arms, and breathe in that wild vetiver scent while his curls tickled my nose.

He’d been opening up to me, showing me the sides of him he’d kept hidden from everyone for years.

But he was so entrenched in the lawless world he grew up in.

Did he even know how to let someone help?

Did he even want to get out of it?

Luckily for me, Trystan made one crucial error during our conversation.

I wasn’t sure he’d realised he said it. Maybe part of him was unconsciously trusting of me, or it was an error in the heat of the moment.

Regardless, I fully intend to exploit that mistake for everything it was worth, whether he liked it or not.

Roman.

It wasn’t much to go on, but there was no mistaking the fear in Trystan’s eyes when he said that name.

Tension had immediately coiled in my chest, my alpha screaming at me to get more information, but I knew pushing my omega at that point would’ve only made things worse.

Better he not realise what little information he gave me, than close off completely.

At least I had a chance now.

“Hey, are you done working on that diary thing yet?” Harris asked, barging into my office with a panicked Pearl trailing behind him.

I waved to her to say it was okay. It wasn’t, but it also wasn’t her fault that my friend had the audacity of a cat that insisted on staring you down while you were on the toilet. Times like this, I really missed my home office.

Closing my laptop, I leaned back in my chair. “No, I’m still working on it. Had a few things come up that’ve extended the timeline.” A robbery. Two of them, actually. “Why do you ask?”

Harris shrugged, looking over my bookcase of pending cases. “Just curious if you’d found anything or not. Rhodes said it was a longshot finding any new information, right?”

“When did you become such a pessimist?”

“Since it started taking up all of your time and keeping you out of the courtroom.” He rolled his eyes. “You should delegate some of the evidence research so you can spend more time doing the work that matters.”

“And who do you suggest I delegate to?” I asked, wondering where this was going. He usually called my need to personally review evidence a waste of time. “This sort of thing is above Pearl’s remit.”

Harris scratched the back of his neck. “I mean, I’ve got my own cases, but I could help the big dogs out once in a while. I’ve read up on the Fisher case, so I know what to look for.”

This was a first for Harris. True, he worked hard, but I’d never seen him seek additional responsibilities or offer his help on tasks he didn’t deem a priority.

Before I could politely decline, the intercom buzzed on my desk, and Pearl’s voice filtered through. “Ms Watson is here to speak with you. She says it’s urgent.”

Harris jumped at Pearl’s words, immediately heading for the door. “Better get going. Don’t want the boss lady to catch me slacking. Let me know about looking at the diary! I’ve got time!”

The door opened, revealing Norah leaning against the doorframe with arms folded across her chest. “What was that, Harris? I have plenty of cases waiting if you’re looking for work.”

I laughed from my desk. “Stop torturing him, Norah. He was trying to be helpful.”

“Well, that makes a change.” She narrowed her dark eyes as Harris edged past her, shutting the door behind her as soon as he was barely over the threshold. “Still don’t know why Frankie hired him.”

“You’re too hard on him.”

“And you’re not my boss.” Norah shook her head.

“I’ve given him plenty of chances. Something about him doesn’t sit right with me.

Anyway, that’s not what I’m here to talk about.

My stolen tech case is falling apart, and I need some good news.

Please tell me you’re getting somewhere with this diary. ”

I stood from my desk, motioning to the sofa against the wall. “I’m getting through it. What’s wrong with the tech case?”

Norah groaned, flopping back on my sofa and covering her face with one arm.

“There’s no evidence. Police say there’s no one at the company willing to talk, and they can’t get a warrant without something more to go on.

Right now, it’s my client’s word against theirs, and the police aren’t willing to ‘waste resources on her’. Actual quote.”

Taking a seat beside her, I asked, “Is there anyone else you can get to look into it?”

“I’ve asked everyone I can, and they all said the same thing: not enough grounds for a warrant.

” She pulled her hair out of the chignon she wore for in-person meetings and sighed in relief, then relaxed back into the sofa and forced a smile.

“I came here for some joy, Emerson. Tell me about your omega. How are things going? Have you claimed him yet?”

“No, not yet.” I slouched back, already exhausted by the memory of this morning. “Things are tense. There’s an ongoing issue with his job.”

She smiled sadly. “I take it you don’t approve of whatever he does.”

“Understatement of the century.” I chuckled.

“Ugh, he’s not another lawyer, is he? I’m convinced we’re the worst people to live with.

Oh, no, wait! A P.I.?” She gasped, slapping the sofa in a fit of either rage or excitement.

It was hard to tell. “I dated one of those nosy pricks before marrying Frankie! He was constantly sneaking around, the suspicious arse. And that was when he could be bothered to come home.”

This must have been before I met her. Norah and her husband—the other partner at our firm—only married three years ago, but they’d been together as long as I’d known them. It was rare to see a pair of alphas as compatible as they were.

Norah took a breath from her tirade. “Oh, I’m sorry.

I didn’t mean to make this about me.” Scooching closer, she took my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

It wasn’t a romantic gesture, merely familiar.

She was the closest person I could call family without hours of travelling.

“Look, it’s never easy when the alpha in you makes the choices but have faith in your instincts.

They led you to your omega. You’ll figure it out together. ”

“Thank you, Norah. Honestly, I’m surprised you and Frankie haven’t found a suitable omega.”

“We’ve stopped looking,” she admitted, laughing as I gaped at her. “Don’t look so shocked. Our alpha marriage works for us.”

I held up my hands, quickly snapping myself out of my surprise. “Sorry, sorry. I’ve just never known either of you to give up on anything.”

“It’s not giving up. We’re just happy appreciating what we have.

” Norah smiled widely, and I immediately believed every word she said.

She seemed genuinely happy in her marriage.

It gave me hope that even unconventional arrangements could work out.

“That said, if we happen to magically stumble upon the perfect omega, willing to take on us both, I’d take the plunge in a heartbeat. ”

I grinned, unable to resist asking, “Even if they were a P.I.?”

Laughter bubbled out of her. “Yep, even then. And I know Frankie would say the same.”

Norah’s casual confidence eased the tension in my chest. She was right.

I needed to trust my instincts with Trystan.

He may be too deep into his situation with Roman to find a way out alone, but I could clearly see a future with him.

There were ways he could use his unique skills where he wouldn’t end up in jail.

Trystan was smart, stealthy, and fiercely determined—traits that made him irresistible to me while also driving me completely insane.

We would make our match work. I just had to convince him to try.

As I tapped my fingers on the arm of the sofa, an idea struck me. Grinning at my friend, I asked, “Could you excuse me while I make a call? I have an idea that could help your tech case.”

Once I was alone again, I dialled the newest number in my phone.

Come on. Pick up…

Just as I was ready to record a voicemail, Trystan’s voice grumbled through the speaker, “Emerson? When did you add your number to my phone?”

Oops. Probably should’ve told him that earlier. “While you were in the shower. But that’s not important right now.”

He groaned but didn’t hang up. I wasn’t sure whether it was instinct or curiosity keeping him on the line, but I was grateful either way. “You better not be calling for phone sex or something after this morning.”

“Actually, Mr Wells, I’m calling strictly on business.”