Page 49 of Thorns That Bloom (Venusverse #3)

Gail Reid, Theo’s sister, was one of the assistants and marketers.

The moment I saw her picture, I instantly remembered Theo saying his parents had twins.

She looked the part in her headshot. Actually, she looked pretty much like a feminine version of Theo.

Down to that charming smile and bright eyes.

The longer I sat in bed, trying to think about anything and everything besides the dark topics that would bring me down and let me spiral, the more did the instances of Theo talking about his sister jump out at me.

Especially the fact of how few of them there were.

And how he’s always talked about her in the past tense, as if she weren’t a part of his life anymore.

I thought about texting him and asking about it, but decided not to.

Last night, after what Brandon did, I was way too vulnerable and shaken.

I wanted Theo with me, but there was something about taking that gun in my hands that made me feel like I should get through the night alone.

After all, I’ve done that since before Theo came along.

In a weird way, I got it into my head that I shouldn’t rely on him too much.

Shouldn’t let myself get soft like that.

Still, I missed him so much. I missed him when I was falling asleep, alone and without his warm touch, without his hand on my belly, and I miss him now, sitting in this waiting room.

At least we’re meeting after this.

Then I might be able to ask him why he’s been so nervous about the possibility of coming here with me and about what happened between him and his sister.

“Mr. Snyder?”

I blink and look up. The very same blonde from the picture stands in the hall a few feet away, smiling at me. I get up as quickly as my current state allows and go to her. Awkwardly, I squeeze the box under my arm to shake her hand.

“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Gail. We talked on the phone.”

“Yes. Nice to see you.”

There’s this timbre to her voice that tells me she works with victims. Or survivors, as they put it on their website. Light, soft, and gentle. She sounds a bit like Dr. Stewart, who will need a whole lot of space in her notebook to scribble down what happened the next time I see her.

Gail shakes my hand and motions for me to go into the closest room.

“I wanted to say, in person, how outraged I am about what transpired yesterday. I’m glad you’re here, and let me assure you that we’ll do whatever we can to help. That man had no right to do what he did, and you’re incredibly brave for protecting yourself.”

A little uneasy about all the praise, I sit down with a faint smile.

I told her what had happened when we spoke on the phone, and that I’d pointed the gun at him. Felt like I might as well put it all out there. If we’re going for Brandon, he might retaliate for that. I didn’t want anyone to be blindsided.

Gail focused on the box, her brows arching with interest. “I see you brought all the legal paperwork. Wonderful. May I?” After I nod, she reaches for it and starts going through the countless forms and nonsense I barely comprehend. I’m not sure even my legal aid did.

“I hope it helps.”

“Oh, it most definitely will.”

“All I care about is stopping him from being able to be in my life, or the baby’s,” I say with my hand on my stomach.

She flashes me an understanding, empathetic frown and pulls out a few of the papers, looking extremely focused.

“Of course. That is our priority. I can already tell you that Miss Ridley has pulled some strings and will be submitting an order first thing tomorrow morning,” Gail assures me confidently.

Impressed by the proaction, I raise my brows. “Oh. Wow.”

“The fact that those monsters still have their jobs and their freedom is proof enough that you didn’t get your justice, Sam. May I call you Sam?”

“Sure, yeah.”

“Thank you. Like I said, we will need to fully understand the case you went through and the settlement, but I can tell you that if we find any holes, any way to get this out there again, we will push to reopen the settlement and pressure for criminal charges, and we will get what’s coming to those abhorrent excuses for human beings.

Their wealth or social position won’t protect them this time, I promise you that. ”

She speaks with such burning passion. Perhaps a little too hot.

“Nothing that happened was your fault, Sam,” she says, her hands paused where they were flipping through the paperwork, and she fixes her firm gaze on me.

“Nothing. Alphas love shirking the responsibility for their own violence. They’ve even put laws about it in place to protect themselves.

They like using ROPID, the Rapid Onset Pheromone-Induced Delirium, as a smart little excuse, but it isn’t bulletproof.

What makes us so optimistic about your case is the fact that there are different laws in different counties and states.

Things are still pretty grim in terms of omega rights where you used to live and where the crime took place.

Here, though…you have much better chances. ”

“Does that mean you can at least go harder after Brandon for coming all this way to…”

“To stalk and distress and threaten you? Oh, yes! Absolutely!”

I nod with a quiet exhale. “Good. That is…good to hear.”

“There are many other ways to go after these alphas. Even if the law were not to go entirely in our favor—and that is a big if, because we believe it will—his position, the position of all the perpetrators, does.”

“How so?” I frown, confused. It has only made things worse for me so far.

Gail smiles in an almost sinister way that makes me glad she’s on my side.

“With high social standing and wealth come power and influence, yes, but also responsibilities. For people like them, and especially for alphas and their fragile egos, the public opinion carries much, much bigger weight than for you or me. Believe me when I say that a smeared image, negative public perception, and bad publicity are all as sharp of weapons as the courts can be. If not worse, in some cases.”

A small part of me revels in the warmth coming from the inferno of her righteous indignation. The same part of me that loved pointing a gun in Brandon’s face and seeing his eyes fill with fear.

Another part of me worries without really knowing why.

We spend about thirty minutes going through some clarifying questions as Gail sifts through my files.

She hums and nods and cocks her brows here and there.

Nothing makes me feel like there might be trouble by the time she’s done.

If anything, I am confident in her skills and the outcome she promises.

By the time we’re done, she mentions nothing about Theo at all.

I’m not sure if it’s only her professionalism, trying to keep what got me this emergency session in the first place aside, or something deeper, and I’m too worried to ask.

One thing is clear: Gail despises alphas, and she despises all of them as a collective.

I give her a brief hug as a goodbye, and while I leave the building lighter—feeling hopeful about the future and a little less scared—for some reason, my heart aches.