Page 14 of The Gift
“I’ll walk you out,” I suggest, say, ask. Yep, I’m a blubbering idiot right now and Koda kind of reinforces the fact by saying nothing, shaking his head slowly at me.
“There’s no need. Look, everything is fine from my end. I’ve got a great team; we have an incredible story, and by the sounds of it, you guys are the best at what you do.”
“We are that. Usually, a bit more professional too,” Ashton says, his voice terse.
I groan.
“We definitely don’t hide shit from each other,” Koda says without looking at me, but she smirks.
“Like I said to Henley in the corridor, Reno and I are adults. And I guess the only thing that was a little creepy was the fact he never told me who he was, but at the same time, we weren’t doing a whole lot of talking.”
“So, what exactly were you up to?” Ashton fucking smirks at her, flirting, I think.
“Your boy can give you a run down, if you need,” she says, her voice dropping to a husky level as she responds.
“He does not need a run down,” I snap, making everyone laugh.
“I’d have to agree with you there. Anyway, like I said we’re going to be working together so I really hope it’s not going to be weird. If he represents you, I have to say I’m already team track-a-pack.” She fucking winks at us when she says it.
“Pack Bailey,” Henley corrects her, a little too surly.
“I’m already team Bailey”—she flicks her hand around her head, smiling—“and team Bailey Bailey sounds weird. And if I say Bailey Pack, well I think the team are going to get all confused about who we are, and what you do.”
“Formally…” Henley starts.
“Alpha, I do know how to speak properly when I am in the presence of greatness. You guys sort out what you want us to call you when we’re on the road. But I’m hoping we go with first names. I’ve found it easiest.”
And when she stands up from where she was, I definitely don’t miss how the three of them follow the lines of her legs to her waiting eyes. She goes to say something again, well, I think she does.
“Everyone ready to start? Bailey, you staying or going? I’m closing the door,” Carmen says, interrupting us as she takes her seat at the top of the table.
“Going! You guys don’t need me.” She laughs over her shoulder and there’s a chorus of people giving her crap, but it’s all good hearted.
“She needs to be here.” Henley silences everyone with his abruptness, stopping the light-hearted mood in an instant. Bailey slows and looks over her shoulder, a mar of interest on her face.
“Cameras off,” someone from the back yells, and the camera guys comply in an instant.
“No. Bailey is her own woman. Trust me when I say she shows up whenever we need, and she’s incredible at her job, but it’s best to try not to contain her,” the guy I saw earlier in the hall with her and Henley answers, almost defensively. But better still is the way the team looks at us, glaring almost, laying down the law apparently.
“I appreciate that,” Henley replies, swiping a hand down his face. Which he probably needed to; he was overly demanding. When he looks back at the expectant crowd, he’s tamer. His eyes dart to her. “I’d appreciate if I could have five minutes of your time. I think I’d like everyone on the team to be present to go over the dynamics again. The reality is, how we as a group interact with an omega in the first instance is absolutely necessary to be discussed.”
“How so?” Carmen asks, leaning back on her chair. Her posture and body language are not at the same entitled level of an alpha, but she’s no withering violet. Carmen is one of those people whose beta designation is almost second fiddle to her personality and her drive, it clouds her senses in a lot of ways and she misses things that she should see.
“We have provided you with a document, which I’m sure Exposé has distributed. But I find that words can have different meaning, or they provide more clarity when said by someone with first-hand experience.”
“That’s quite a conceited approach, Alpha Henley,” Carmen smarts back. Raising her eyebrows up in challenge, daring him to contradict her statement.
“Carmen, I need to go soon, so lock down your—” Bailey waves her hand around with a growing smile on her face. “Whatever is going on here, and let them give us the rundown. Okay?”
The whole table responds, it’s like a calming wave of ease rolls and soothes the rising tension.
Bailey leans back against the wall near the exit and waits. Though I’m not sure she’s waiting for Henley to start or for the opportunity to leave.
Bailey
It’s not because I’m being difficult that I elect to prop up the wall instead of drawing up a chair, it is more to do with being in a good place to escape when the time comes. And it will.
Pack Henley, because there is no way I am referring to the pack accompanying us as anything but, have a very valid point. The team does need to understand the power exchanges that can happen between alphas and omegas. It does take more than the insta wham-bam-thankyou-ma’am they portray in fated mates books. A look doesn’t cut it in our world. Be great if it did, but fantasy is one thing, living in this world is another.
