“No, you don’t,” Ben ground out.
“But in our line of business, we see people with good intentions who do bad things, all the time. Start as you mean to go along,” she said. “A mental health professional can help you navigate what is a complex situation, because, let me assure you, this is one. I’ve been with Lily through this whole process. I’ve seen what she’s gone through, and you can’t just march in here and start creating chaos due to your ‘instincts’.”
My best friend settled back in her chair, arms firmly crossed, and Leo eyed her for a second before adding to the conversation.
“I think that’s definitely a smart thing to consider, paid for by the alpha pack, of course.”
“Sign me up,” Ben said, sagging in his chair. “Put whatever you want on a piece of paper and I’ll sign it. Whatever hoops I have to jump through, whatever needs to be done, I’ll do it.”
“Well, that’s an excellent attitude to take,” Leo said, obviously warming to the conversation. “Now, let’s look at several mandated sessions with a psychologist to ascertain fitness to interact with the child before the first supervised meeting.”
“That won’t work,” I said, my chin coming to rest on my hand. “Evie has been placated by Sophie’s mum spoiling her ridiculously today, but that won’t last for long. She’s like a dog with a bone with anything that captures her attention, and I’m guessing she feels the same way about Ben as he does her.”
I blinked, feeling the tears coming, then watched one, then two fall to the desktop.
“It’ll need to be tomorrow for sure, or I’ll need to take her to the rage rooms for the day, and, even then, I’m not sure that would hold her.” When I glanced up, Leo looked mildly horrified, as people often did when faced with the reality that was my child. “She’ll need to make contact with Ben sooner rather than later.”
“I can do that,” the big alpha replied hurriedly. “When and wherever you want. You just let me know.”
“Supervised by her mother at all times,” Leo said, scribbling something quickly.
“And me,” Sophie said flatly. “I’ll bring mace, a taser. I’ll even find a goddamned gun if that’s what it takes to keep you in line. Evie is my niece in every way that matters, and no one will fuck with her, not on my watch.”
“I’m going to scratch that last part,” Leo said, shooting her a meaningful look. “And I seriously advise you to retract that statement.”
“Retracted,” she replied.
“You got it,” Ben said. “I’ll be the only one coming. We’ll go somewhere public, so there’s plenty of witnesses. Maybe near a police station, to help you feel more at ease.”
Sophie nodded slowly and then turned to me.
“What do you think, Lils?”
“We’ll take her to the beach,” I said, with a nod.
Chapter 15
"Can I have a moment with Lily?” Ben asked, his words striking a bolt of fear into me.
“I need to type this document up,” Leo said, “so, if Lily is in agreement?”
“Lils?” Sophie’s gaze, the tension in her body making it clear she would stay, stare the alpha down. Anything to stop him from getting to me, if that’s what I wanted.
But I had no reason for that, did I? Because Ben couldn’t scare me, not unless I cared in some way. Problem was, right now it’d become terribly clear that I did care. It was like nothing had fucking changed. His blond hair was longer now, somewhat unkempt, but that just made my fingers twitch to smooth it. My eyes followed the line of his forearms as they rested on the table, seeing how much thicker they were, the muscle looking more pronounced. But if I just wanted hot blond alpha candy, I only needed to put an order in on Howlr, right? I didn’t need Ben.
My body, my heart, they had other ideas.
What had gone on between us before had been hot and sweet, and that had made it hard to say goodbye: why would we turn our backs on that kind of chemistry, if we had a choice? But now? Now he looked destroyed by everything that had happened and it was hard not to see all that desperate need for my daughter as something that also included me. But I smiled politely to Leo, yet again deeply ashamed about what I was forced to endure in front of people who were near strangers to me, and said, “I’ll be fine. Just give us a few minutes, Soph.”
She got to her feet, stiff-backed and frowning, obviously not wanting to do this at all.
“I’ll be up the hall,” she said to me. “Just gimme a yell if you need me.”
But after she turned and left, a dense, almost impenetrable silence fell over the room. I forced my head up, a polite smile on my face, ready to have a civil conversation, when he jerked himself to his feet, came around the table and slammed down in the seat next to me, turning to face me.
“Lily…”
He growled my name with all the violence and intensity I’d fantasised about, which just made this experience all the more alienating. Men didn’t growl for me, not unless I was naked and they were…