29

Aspen

I hadn't counted on Jesse keeping documents and knowing the details behind every nefarious act the show committed, but there was something to be said for the stylist/client situationship. He was getting written into my will. If it wasn't for his eyewitness testimony, the show would've continued to drag this out and we'd have ended up in court.

I'd had enough of the cameras and circus for one lifetime. Sitting at the settlement table as they came to a decision was fine by me. Honestly, I hadn't expected anything from the show, but Ranger insisted we make them pay for what they did. It was the only way to hurt them… legally.

I still think we should just kill them.

"This offer is a joke." The McCaw legal team was led by a woman with a tongue as sharp as her claws. "We're not walking away with less than two. You've got emotional damage covered, but what about profit in excess earned from the exploitation of my clients on the show? Come back with something worth our time."

They did.

Holy Goddess, it was a lot of money.

*

Two-point-five million dollars.

I didn't know how these people could just throw around sums this big like it was nothing. Like it wasn't life-changing. That amount of money could feed so many people. It could buy a new house. Outright. And a new car. And….

"You're a millionaire now, Mrs. McCaw," Ranger teased as he slid his reflective sunglasses over his eyes. He was wearing his black silk dress shirt and slacks, looking like a treat as he held out his elbow. "What are you going to do with the money?"

Sex toys and fluffy pillows.

Seriously?

What? The heat's coming again in a few months. I want to be prepared.

I chewed the inside of my cheek, thinking of what I wanted to do, as I rested my hand in the crook of Ranger's arm. We were matching in black, but I wore a polyester knit romper under a cropped business jacket with my hair pulled back. Courtesy of Jesse. He wouldn't let me step foot in front of the cameras without his finishing touches.

Reporters stood on the steps outside of the courthouse and flashes went off as they called out our names. Ranger's lawyers flanked us on either side as we hurried down the steps.

I hesitated before we slid into the waiting limousines. "All of these lawyers are on your payroll?"

Ranger grinned as he pulled me close, letting the cameras get their photos in of us posed together after the win. I hadn't thought he liked the attention, but he seemed to want to be recorded with me.

"When you've seen what I've seen and done what I've done, it pays to be surrounded by the best." He bent down, grazing his lips against the side of my neck where his mating mark was on display. "Why? Do you want to get into some trouble?"

"Actually…" I grabbed his hand, dragging him inside the limousine so we could play behind the tinted windows. "I was wondering how much it would cost me to get someone else out of trouble."

*

The desert wind was angry. Dust devils whipped through the distant fields and tumbleweeds blew across the asphalt of the parking lot. It was so much drier than I remembered. I hadn't been back in almost a year. It didn't feel like home anymore though. I'm not sure that it ever did. But now it was like a photograph or a feeling of déjà vu, some dream I could shake off the memory of and return to my real life.

"We won't be seeing you around anymore." Trenton–or should I say Alpha Trenton Nuva–leaned against the side of my car as we waited in the parking lot of Holton Penitentiary for the fence gates to open.

I want to hurry and get out of here.

It was strange to be standing in this town, stranger still to be standing next to Trenton feeling nothing. We had no pack connection. I held no more frustration or anger. No love lost. Just two ships passing each other by in this crazy journey of life.

"You wouldn't catch me here dead." I laughed as I checked the time on my new phone. "But for what it's worth, I hope you and Stefanie are happy."

Mazel tov. My wolf sighed.

Trenton twisted the gold ring on his finger. Not all shifters were into traditional human marriage vows–I hadn't wanted them with Ranger–but Stef was always over the top. I'm sure she'd gone all out.

"I think I would've always chosen her." Apparently taking control of the pack from his father had turned Trenton into a talker. "Don't get me wrong, my wolf had a hard-on for your wolf, but I'm pretty sure I know why now."

"And why is that?" I was still killing time, waiting for those gates to open so we could leave. Might as well hear him out.

Or we could not.

"We were young and dumb and confused, thinking that being Alpha meant ruling everyone and you were the outlier challenging that notion." Trenton shoved his hands into his pockets. "But deep down, he knew something was wrong with the way you were treated. He'd have kept chasing your wolf until he was sure you'd be okay."

Awe. That's sweet.

"I'm more than okay." I was grateful for my dark sunglasses that hid the tears in my eyes. Since when had Trenton gotten so eloquent with words?

"Are you sure about that?" Ranger's dark voice was a sexy intrusion as always. "Because Alpha or not, if this prick is bothering you–"

"Hush," I silenced my mate.

The gated fence slid open.

"Thank you, Mating Season. Thank you, McCaws," Clara Klevean was screaming at the guards. "And thank the Goddess, bitches!"

"I'll leave you to it." Trenton tilted his ballcap in my direction before he walked away.

"Aspen! I'm free!" Clara's high-pitched squeal almost blew my eardrums as she came flying across the parking lot with coyote-shifter-speed.

Brace yourself. Incoming. I caught Clara in my arms, barely keeping us both upright.

"And you're rich!" Clara laughed as she cried, wiping tears and snot from her face as our hair whipped around us in the dry desert wind.

My eyes were watering and my heart was so full it was close to exploding. I gathered my hair back behind my head so I could look at her. "I'm rich and you're free." Goddess, that was mind blowing to say. I wasn't sure if I'd ever be used to it.

"We're both free." Clara linked her arm through mine, turning to face my cherry red GTO convertible with the top down. "Is this our ride?"

My baby stuck out like a sore thumb, surrounded by sleek sedans with their blacked-out windows.

"This is us." I gave her an extra hair tie from my wrist.

Clara frowned as she looked at the other vehicles. "I thought you said this was going to be a girl's road trip."

"Just pretend they aren't here like I do." I waved my hand dismissively at the sedans sitting idle in the prison parking lot.

Clara quickly braided back her hair as she peeked into the windshields. "Which one is Ranger?"

The driver side window of the closest vehicle rolled down. Ranger sat with his tablet pressed against the steering wheel and his phone on Bluetooth as he handled pack business from vacation. I hadn't even bothered arguing when he insisted on escorting. His beast got a little anxious when I was away too long.

I do too.

That's called co-dependency.

It's called love.

We were working on our mutual red flags.

"Not too fast." Ranger gave me a wink that made my tummy swoop in delight.

"I heard you the first time." I blew him a kiss as I climbed behind the wheel.

Clara pulled her eyes away from my mate and drooled over my GTO instead. The red paint caught the setting desert sun, looking extra gorgeous today.

"Damn girl." Clara slid onto the passenger seat, tossing her meager bag of belongings in the back. "So how does it feel to be living every woman's dream?"

"Honestly? I'm still waiting to wake up, but I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts." I shifted into drive, checking my rearview mirror. I couldn't wait to put Nuva Territory behind us where it belonged. And maybe play with my Alpha while I was at it. "Make sure to put your seatbelt on. I have some limits I want to test out."