“Didn’t you guys ride together?” I ask before my brain registers what my mouth is doing.
“Simon!” Vic hisses at me.
“Oh, shit, I’m sorry, I didn’t think,” I try to apologize to Josie.
“It’s fine, uh, I’m sure I can call a ride share,” she stumbles over her words.
Henry growls, “Absolutely not, I’ll take you home.”
The first tear escapes her eye as she nods. Henry helps her stand and looks at Vic, one eyebrow raised in question. Vic nods, and I sit there with him, somewhat dumbfounded at what justhappened. We had a great time earlier this evening, but now I’m sitting here feeling unsettled and upset with Vic. Josie’s run off crying, and Jesse just left everyone at the table.
“What the hell just happened?” I ask Vic.
“What just happened is that you and Jesse just about broke Josie’s heart while Henry and I sat and watched.” Vic’s hand is now over his face, shoulders hunched.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper.
Vic sighs before sitting upright and looking over to me. We look at each other for a moment, neither of us sure how to move forward.
“It’s not your fault, man, she wanted honesty, and that’s what you gave her. I think… I think you need to do some deep soul searching, though. This group would make a Pack that’s incredibly different from the one that hurt you. Don’t sell us short because of some other assholes,” Vic pleads with me.
I nod and reach out to grab his hand.
“I’ll do my best,” I tell him, “I don’t want to let youorJosie down.”
Vic flags the waiter to grab our group’s tab and pays what Jesse’s money didn’t cover. We walk to the car together and drive home with only the radio for noise, playing low in the background. When we’re home and ready for bed, I move to sleep in the extra room we have before Vic stops me.
“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” he asks.
I gesture over my shoulder with my thumb, “To sleep.”
“Our bed isn’t in there.”
“Oh, you’re not kicking me out?” I ask, a bit surprised.
Vic’s eyes soften, “No, Si, we had a rough evening, that’s all. We still belong to each other. It takes more than this to break us.”
I walk across the hall and pull him into me, needing to feel him anchoring me to the present. My insecurities swim in mystomach, reminding me that I’m not good enough, not clever enough, just not enough.
“Thank you,” I tell him.
Vic pulls back and places his hands on either side of my face, “I love you. Nothing will change that.”
twenty-two
HENRY
Ithink it’s safe to say that our Pack outing ended in disaster. It’s been a few days, and while we still have a group chat with the guys, it’s been quieter than usual. Vic and I are the only ones chatting, and at this point, I’m ready to start a thread with just the two of us. My heart is still feeling sad and sore from the group talk where I drove Josie home. She was so heartbroken that my own heart got sad. She told me that what they said wasn’t a surprise, but it still made her sad to hear.
When we got to her condo, Jesse’s car wasn’t in his driveway, and I could see the disappointment in her body language. So, as the chivalrous Alpha I am, I offered her snuggles. She accepted, and I spent the evening snuggling with her until she fell asleep. It was one of my happiest moments, and I’ll be treasuring it in my heart. Now, though, Vic and I are trying to wade through the aftermath. I grab my phone from where it’s sitting next to me on the couch and pull up a new thread with Vic.
Me
You busy?
Vic
Nah, done with work, Si’s still workin. What’s up?
