Chapter 18 Disgust

A penthouse.

Alpha Sebastian had bought one for his parents, then another as a wedding gift for Isabella. Now he was offering a third to Serena Winthrop.

In four years, he had never offered his wife so much as a key in her own name.

Eira gave a short, bitter laugh.

She had only come back for clothes. Five minutes, in and out.

Then she opened the bedroom door.

Serena’s floral scent hung in the air, sweet and stale.

Eira shoved open a window. When she turned back, something black beneath the bed caught her eye.

A scrap of lace.

Not hers.

Her stomach tightened. She pulled back the comforter.

Rumpled sheets. Serena’s scent. More than enough evidence.

Alpha Sebastian and Serena had slept together.

In her bed.

"Oh, God."

Nausea rushed up her throat. Eira barely reached the bathroom before she started retching over the sink.

It was not heartbreak.

It was disgust.

She rinsed her mouth, grabbed her bag, and left without the clothes she had come for. She could not stand another minute in that bedroom.

But the image followed her to Sterling Tower.

At her desk, she tried to drink some water. Black lace and twisted sheets flashed through her mind again.

Her stomach rolled.

She set the glass down and hurried to the executive restroom. Cold water. A locked door. Thirty seconds to get herself under control.

She gripped the sink and focused on breathing until the nausea passed.

Alpha Killian was always in before everyone else. He had seen her rush from her desk and followed a minute later.

He found Eira bent over the sink, still wearing yesterday’s clothes.

She lifted her head when he reached the doorway. Her face was pale. Her eyes were red.

Alpha Killian frowned.

Eira grabbed a paper towel and wiped her mouth. "Alpha Killian."

"Lila said you went home to change. "His eyes moved over her once. Same blouse. Same skirt.

"I ran out of time," Eira said.

"Did you?" Her gaze sharpened.

Alpha Killian leaned against the doorframe. "Or did you find something that killed the plan?"

He did not know the details. He did not need them.

Yesterday’s clothes. A trip home that lasted minutes. A husband he had seen leaving drunk with another woman.

The math was not hard.

Eira said nothing.

Something shifted in Alpha Killian’s face. He had meant to test the theory, not hit the nerve dead center.

"You don’t have to tell me," he said.

"I wasn’t planning to."

"Good."

The answer came out colder than he intended.

He straightened, then set a sealed bottle of water on the counter beside her.

"Take five minutes. If you’re still sick, you’re going home."

Eira stared at the bottle. "That an order?"

"Company policy."

--

By the time the office filled up, a paper bag was waiting on Eira’s desk.

She looked up as Miles passed.

"I didn’t order breakfast."

"I know." He nodded toward the bag. "Catering had an extra."

Inside was an egg sandwich, ginger tea, and a travel pack of antacids.

Eira checked the receipt. No name.

"Catering keeps antacids on hand?"

Miles adjusted his glasses. "Apparently we’re very committed to employee wellness."

His face gave nothing away.

Technically, he had placed the order. The instructions had come from Alpha Killian.

"Thanks," Eira said.

"Of course."

A few minutes later, Natalie Brooks and Kate Morgan arrived.

Natalie dropped her purse beside her desk and looked at Eira. "So? How bad was last night?"

"On a scale?"

"From free steak to three-hour hostage situation."

"Somewhere in the middle."

Kate laughed as she set down her coffee. "Sounds about right."

Natalie noticed the breakfast bag. "Good. You’re eating. Did anyone pressure you to drink?"

"One client tried."

"What happened?"

"Alpha Killian handled it."

Kate nodded. "Yeah, he’s good about that. You say no once, and the conversation’s over."

Natalie sat down carefully. "And seriously, thanks for covering for me. I barely made it home before that migraine knocked me flat."

"No problem."

"It was definitely a problem for me." Natalie opened her laptop. "You saved me from smiling through dinner while my brain tried to escape through my eye socket."

A laugh slipped out of Eira.

Natalie pointed at her. "There it is. I knew you could smile."

"Don’t get used to it."

"Too late."

The work itself was easy enough.

Calendars. Briefing packets. Last-minute travel changes. None of it came close to running a federal research team.

By late morning, Eira had cleared everything on her list and started reorganizing the next week’s schedule.

Kate glanced over from the next desk. "You know you don’t get extra credit for making the rest of us look slow, right?"

"I’ll keep that in mind."

"No, you won’t."

Natalie laughed without looking up from her laptop.

Before Eira could answer, Natalie’s phone buzzed. She checked the message and glanced toward Alpha Killian’s office.

A moment later, Miles stepped through the glass doors and handed her a black corporate card.

Natalie looked at it. "Seriously?"

"Approved wardrobe budget for the tech expo," Miles said. "This counts as paid work time. Stay under the limit and keep the receipts."

Kate was already reaching for her purse. "Finally. A company policy I can support."

Eira looked between them. "Wardrobe budget?"

"Sterling is hosting the expo next week," Natalie explained. "Executive staff will work the show floor and the evening mixer. Press, investors, cameras. The whole circus."

Kate slipped on her coat. "Translation: corporate doesn’t trust us to dress ourselves."

"I’m very grateful. I’m also buying shoes."

Eira glanced toward Alpha Killian’s office. He was focused on his laptop, as if the shopping trip had nothing to do with him.

Natalie followed her gaze. "You’re filling in on the executive team, so you’re included."

"I already have clothes."

"So did we," Kate said. "Then the company offered to buy better ones."

Natalie picked up her purse.

"Come on. We have an appointment."

Kate grinned. "Let’s go make the corporate card nervous."

The company driver dropped them at Stanford Shopping Center, where the trees were trimmed, the storefronts gleamed, and even the parking lot looked expensive.

A personal stylist was waiting inside Nordstrom with a rack of event clothes already pulled.

Eira had walked through these stores with Alpha Sebastian once. He had promised to bring her back after Hale Group closed its next major deal.

The deal had closed.

The promise had disappeared.

Natalie led them toward the fitting rooms while Kate got distracted by a window display and walked straight into someone.

"Watch where you’re going," a man snapped.

Eira stopped.

She knew that voice.

"It’s fine, Sebastian," Serena said, soft and polished. "It was an accident."

Kate stepped back. "Sorry. I wasn’t looking."

Then she recognized him from industry events.

"Alpha Hale?"

Alpha Sebastian’s irritation disappeared behind his public smile.

"Ms. Morgan. Good to see you."

Then his gaze moved past her and landed on Eira.

The smile froze.