#Chapter 30: Fallout


    Abby


    “I can’t. I’m busy here. I’ve told you a million times that I’m going to help Abby as long as she needs


    me.”


    “Your pack needs you.”


    I bite my lip and force myself to breathe quietly. I need to be ready to dash away if they make a move


    toward the door. Hopefully, I hear them before it’s toote. Even with the risk, I can’t help but lean a


    little closer to hear his response.


    “Abby’s my priority.” My eyebrows fly up. No matter how many times he says it, it still shocks me.


    “And I trust Christian. He’s a great Beta, and I know he has everything under control. I’ve been


    checking in with him every night. If he really needed me, he’d let me know.”


    “Please, I’m desperate for you toe back to work.”


    Karl is silent for a moment, and I take a half step back, expecting him to fling open the door any


    moment. But he doesn’t. “Look, I’m not going to argue with you about this,” he finally says. “Unless


    there’s an emergency, I’m here to stay. Christian is more than capable.”


    I move back behind the counter when there’s another long silence. There’s no point in pushing it. I’ve


    heard all I needed to hear, anyway. Clearly, Karl wasn’t lying to me when he said he wanted to put me


    first for once. His secretary was practically begging for him toe back, and he still refused.


    Unfortunately, it clears nothing up for me. Why the sudden dedication to my work? Why stay here when


    he’s the top-dog somewhere else? It doesn’t make sense when Ipare him to the man I used to


    know.


    Is it possible he’s actually made a change, and that’s it not all for show?


    I know it’s foolish, but I can’t stop the sliver of hope from piercing my heart. What if he’s finally the man


    I remember? The man I married, before everything got so twisted up and broken. What if I can have my


    best friend back?


    Maybe it’s too good to be true, but hope is like a leech. Once it’stched on, it’s impossible to get off.


    Not without a little pain, at least.


    ——————


    Adam picks me up from work and drives us back to my apartment.


    Thest thing I want to do is hurt his feelings. It’s not like there’s an easy way to tell someone you don’t


    think there’s enough passion in your rtionship. What if he thinks I’m using him? Or saying that


    he’s bad in bed? Which he isn’t, he’s just not very spontaneous.


    “How was work today?” he asks, handing me a ss. I take a sip.


    “It was fine.”


    “And Karl? How’s he been doingtely?”


    I sigh and pull myself onto one of the kitchen stools.


    “I don’t even want to get into it,” I say, thinking about the intimate moment I almost shared with Karl. I


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    feel like I can still feel the sensation of his hand on mine, its warmth, the rough calluses on his palm.


    He loosens his tie. “That good, huh?”


    “Worse.” I take another sip of wine. Then another. I’m definitely in need of some liquid courage.


    “Somehow I’m not that surprised,” he says.


    He tops off my ss, then puts the empty bottle with the others. It’s crazy how much wine I go through


    now that he spends so much time here. He either brings over a bottle, or he’s asking to open one of


    mine. Not that I mind. He always brings expensive stuff, and it more than makes up for whatever


    bottles of mine he drinks.


    “Yeah, me neither.”


    For a moment there, I thought Karl really had changed. It seemed like things were getting better with


    Jack, but maybe he just finally bent Jack to his will. It’s hard to contradict him. He just has a knack for


    making people do whatever he wants. It’s incredibly frustrating.


    “I’m sure there’s just an adjustment period,” he offers.


    “That’s generous of you.”


    He shrugs. “I doubt being an Alpha has really prepared him for work as a subordinate.” “Are you


    standing up for him?”


    He snorts, shaking his head. “God, no.”


    “You seem very okay with him working for me,” I say.


    Maybe this is a good ce to start. I still can’t get over the feeling that he should care a lot more than


    he does. Karl isn’t one to beat around the bush. I’m sure he’s made his intentions very clear to Adam,


    and yet Adam doesn’t seem to care.


    He shrugs. “I trust you. He can do whatever he wants. Hell, he can work for you for an eternity. I don’t


    think that means you’re suddenly going to forgive him for everything and leave me. And I’m not going to


    tell you what to do.”


    “No?”


    “No. You’re a big girl, and it’s your business. I have no interest in trying to run things for you. If you


    need Karl there because you’re short staffed, then let him be there.”


    “That’s big of you.”


    He shrugs again. “I’m just not an insecure person.”


    “You have no reason to be.”


    He walks around the counter and kisses me on the cheek. “Come on,” he says, taking my hand. He


    leads me over to the couch and pulls me down beside him. I lean my head against his chest as he


    turns on the TV. He puts on some music, and jazz floats through the speakers.


    “I like this song,” I say.


    He squeezes my shoulder. “Me too.” I keep expecting him to lean down and kiss me, but he doesn’t.


    We just sit there together.


    I let my mind wander, finding myself back to thoughts of Karl. Maybe Adam’s on to something. He’s not


    insecure about our rtionship, or about himself, so he doesn''t need to be an egotistical ass all the


    time. Maybe that’s Karl’s problem. Or maybe he’s just wired that way. It’s hard to tell with him. If he has


    any insecurities, he’s not likely to admit them.


    Adam’s the opposite of Karl. I know if I have a problem, I can bring it up without him freaking out.


    “Adam?” I start, the hesitation clear in my voice.


    “Yeah?”


    “Do you ever feel like there’s not enough passion in our rtionship?”