Chapter 18 18
Roman's Pov
After we arrived home, I shut the library door behind me and crossed the room until I reached the sitting area where Cole had made himself comfortable with a glass of whiskey.
A muscle ticked in my jaw.
If we didn’t have such a long history together, and if I didn’t owe him for the favor he did me, his head would already be shattered on the bar cart near him. Not only for helping himself to my liquor, but for his little show in the lobby.
I didn’t like people touching what was mine.
“Lighten that scowl, Alpha Roman,” Cole took a lazy sip of his drink.
“Otherwise, it’ll freeze that way, and women won’t like your face as much anymore.”
My cold smile told him how little I cared. “Perhaps if you took your own advice, you would be with your own mate by now.”
Satisfaction filled my chest at his narrowed eyes. If Maisie was my weakness, Leanne was his. I wasn’t interested in the ins and outs of their relationship, but it wasn't a secret in the Rogue Pack that my Beta had issues with his mate.
“Screw you,” he hissed in a clipped voice. All humour vanished, bringing back the unsmiling asshole I was used to dealing with. “But I didn’t come here to discuss my love life, so let’s get to the real issue at hand. Xavier is onto us.”
“Onto us?” I walked to the bar and poured myself a drink. Cole, that bastard, hadn’t recapped the bottle of my finest whiskey. “What do you mean?”
I wasn't terrified but I was rather amused. Xavier wasn't smart enough to detect my true identity. If he were, he would've known that I was not a regular secretary but the Alpha of the Northern Rogues.
“I bet you're thinking he's too dumb to discover our secret.” Cole snickered softly.
“So?” I gave a careless shrug. “So what is it?” I settled on the seat opposite his.
He examined me over the top of his glass before bringing it back to his lips. “Well, he's not onto you but Maisie.”
My vision turned red immediately. “What?!”
“Your shadow reported that he saw the man creeping around the bar and even followed you both home,” he added. “His motives aren't clear at the moment but I believe he has taken a liken to her.”
“The man doesn't beat the rumours that he's a man-whore,” I snorted in disgust. “Thank fuck Maisie was wearing her disguise. Otherwise who knows what would've happened.”
“We'll have to keep an eye out for him. We'll beef up security and…”
I stopped him right there. “No. It'll look suspicious. What would he think if he sees an ordinary secretary being guarded? It'll set off the wrong alarms. I have a better idea.”
Cole grinned and I was nearly tempted to break his face. I knew what he was thinking. I always did.
“I'll move in with Maisie,” I sipped my drink slowly. “Xavier had already seen us at her apartment. Telling her to move into my mansion will wave more red flags so I'll move in with her. For security reasons, of course.”
“Of course. Just for security reasons and nothing else,” Cole wiggled his brows. “Will you be comfortable living with her though?”
I shot him a glare and he made an impatient noise but he was smart enough not to press further.
“Fine but how do we deal with Xavier for following you both home?” He asked again, cracking his knuckles.
He might not look it but Cole was one of the strongest wolves in my pack. The last time another wolf dared attack me, the poor guy ended up in the ICU with four missing fingers, a mangled face, and crushed ribs.
As much as I loved the idea of seeing Xavier in the hospital, I needed him healthy for now.
“No. We need him healthy.” I said then dropped my glass on the table. “But that doesn't mean I won't teach him a lesson.”
Cole grinned. He knew what I would do without me needing to tell him what it was. That's why he's my Beta and beat friend.
“Got it, boss,” he said in a playful tone. “Jeez, I wonder how you work with that guy everyday.”
By “that guy”, he meant Xavier.
“I’ll go blind from looking at that monstrosity every day.” I scoffed.
“Damn.” Cole hollered with laughter and I ignored him.
In the absence of conversation, my mind drifted toward a certain blonde. My thoughts always went back to her.
The memory of her walking into the conference room, her smile so thin but bright enough to lighten my day, and her eyes shining like diamonds, lingered in my brain. Despite the disguise she put on, she still radiated the warmth I'd been attracted to years ago. If anything, she was like a ray of sunshine peeking out after a storm.
I shouldn’t have suggested moving into her apartment but a selfish part of me wanted to keep her as near as possible even though I would never admit it out loud.
Living in the same apartment as her would be the worst kind of distraction, and I had no one except myself to blame.
Twin flames of resentment and frustration burned in my chest. I was weak for Maisie Williams, and I hated it.
I pulled out my phone and entered the code for my encrypted mobile network. It was as versatile as any laptop I had.
My frustration needed an outlet, and today, Xavier was the lucky target. I couldn’t think of anyone more deserving.
I pulled up a list of his devices. Phones, computers, and even all their associated accounts.
It took me less than five minutes to find what I was looking for— evidence of his embezzlement and past illicit business transactions. Then I sent them to key media outlets, because why not?
Then, just because Xavier's face annoyed me, I swapped his most valuable stocks for junk ones and donated a significant chunk of his cash to The Aria Williams Foundation.
I could feel the tension roll off my shoulders. This was better than kickboxing.
I pocketed my phone right as Cole reentered the library.
“Gavin and I are having a meeting later.” He grabbed his jacket from the back of the couch, a grin plastered on his face.
Gavin was Xavier's Beta and one of the most loose-tongued motherfuckers I'd ever seen in my life. Cole met him one day and cooked up fake stories about being a mistreated Gamma and Gavin bought his story, spilling private stories about Xavier and how he'd been treating everyone in the PackHouse. They were making this revenge much easier than I thought.
“Sure.” I said as I walked him to the front door.
Cole stuffed his hands in his jacket pocket. “Have you figured how you'll tell Maisie about your … living arrangements?”
I slammed the door in his face and heard him curse.
Cole was my Beta and an old friend but sometimes he can be an asshole.
I straightened my shirtsleeves and returned to the library, where I sank in my seat and looked at my phone.
I waited for one whole minute before I dialed the number of the woman who seemed to live rent-free in my head.
My obsession over her was a puzzle I couldn't figure out. The sooner I got my revenge and we parted ways, the sooner I could put it behind me once and for all.