Page 53 of Accidentally Forever

Puma is leaning against the counter, arms crossed over his chest. Hawk and Lance are at the table, but they aren’t relaxed, muscles tight beneath their shirts, like they’re a single wrong move away from launching into action. Gray is pacing, back and forth, tension rolling off him in waves. Whatever they were talking about a second ago wasn’t good but I’m about to make it worse.

Hawk breaks the silence. “First off, neither one of you are going anywhere. Trouble, I know that look on your face. Whatever it is, we can figure it out. Second, tell me what the fuck just happened because we were pretty damn sure Sofie dragged you in there for a little fun and neither one of you smell like that.” There’s an edge to his words as he approaches us, all darkness and roughness that makes my belly flip. “Talk to me.”

“Weweregoing to have some fun but then an Officer Hale called and asked me to come to the station. He said he could come here but I think that would make everything worse.”

Puma’s jaw ticks, the muscle feathering beneath his skin. “And why exactly do they want you at the station?”

“They didn’t say,” I answer, voice even, steady. “Just mentioned the Ashford case and the gallery allegations.”

That’s all it takes. Lance mutters a sharp fuck, running both hands through his hair like he wants to rip it out. Hawk draws me and Sofie into his chest, his purr rumbling through us like he’s trying to protect us from the entire world. Gray is muttering something to Puma but from where I am, Puma is just watching. I’m waiting for him to push back, to say that we’re not going, to tell me that this fight isn’t mine.

I told him before that that’s not how this works.

“You’re not going alone. Listen to me, dove.” Puma steps up to me, slowly extracting me from Hawk. “You are too precious to be rushing off into this by yourself. This goes both ways, alright? One of us will drive behind you, make sure you’re okay and I’ll send Banks to the station.”

“So, don’t say anything till he gets there?”

Puma shakes his head, “Correct. He’ll help guide you through their questions but answer truthfully. We have nothing to hide.” He seems to catch the shock on my face. “Dove, you’re part of the family now which means those protections extend to you. You’ve got a lot in your corner, more than you probably know.” He gives me a quick kiss before turning to the others. “I’ll keep you updated. Don’t do anything fucking stupid while we’re gone.”

Sofie is still buried against Hawk’s chest, her surprised expression slowly turning to desire. Something that the twins pick up on at the same time. Hawk grins, hoisting Sofie up into his arms. “Can’t make any promises.”

The drive over is longer than I thought it would be and not the location I expected. It’s the small house just across the street fromAsh & Ivory, the interim station they sometimes populate when there’s too much chaos at the main station in the heart of the city. I feel like it’s on purpose this time. Still, I shrug it off and march up the steps, not daring to look back at Puma. He’s definitely not happy about these turn of events, his need to protect me very obvious. It’s both comforting and disconcerting all at once. An older gentleman is standing at the entrance, the Alpha throwing out his hand to me. “Banks.”

“Violet,” I offer.

“Nice to meet the one who’s got Puma rethinking things. Now, let’s get in there and figure out this bullshit, alright?” He gives me a warm smile and I decide that I already like this down-to-earth Alpha.

He guides me inside, an officer pointing toward a desk at the back. The little house is cold and uninviting—sterile walls in dull grays and washed-out blues, eerie lighting, an atmosphere designed to make people feel guilty before a single question is asked. It’s the kind of place where even the innocent second-guess themselves.

I weave my way through the desks and take a seat in front of the officer that has to be Hale. He’s a few sizes too large for his uniform but he’s also terrifying so I make a point to keep a soft smile on my face. Banks sits beside me, the perfect picture of elegance as he crosses one leg over the other. “Boys,” he muses.

The officer beside Hale grunts. “Violet, I’m not sure why you’d bring a lawyer with you. However, I want to know how you could afford him. His rate is nearly $2,500 an hour.” I try not to choke on that because what the fuck? I’m going to have Puma’s ass for sending this guy here. There’s no fucking way I’m going to be able to pay that. “Seems like he’s trained you well. Look, let’s get down to the questions so we can get you out of here. I heard your Omega was near heat.”

I’m not answering that. I don’t even need the lawyer to tell me that. Hale grimaces as if he’s pissed I’m not just over eager to answer his questions. But what did he expect?

“Excuse Hale, he was born in a dog house. I’m Officer Kane. Thank you for coming down to speak with us. There’s just a few questions and then hopefully you can help us understand about the art prints you helped sell. Sound good? Okay, so, you worked at Ash & Ivory for how long?”

“A few months. I only moved over to this side of Ansdale then.” My voice doesn’t waver. I’m hoping he doesn’t ask about the last gallery I worked at and why I no longer work there. He doesn’t need to know that Camila’s ex Alpha tried to scare her into being his pack Beta. And I’m definitely not going to recount the swoon worthy moment that Camila’s current Alpha stalked in all Alpha-like and pinned that bastard against the wall. Nope. I’m not saying shit.

Hale clears his throat, directing my attention back to him. “And in that time, you never once suspected you were selling fraudulent pieces?” There’s something pointed in the way he says it, like he’s waiting for me to flinch, waiting for me to second-guess myself.

I don’t blink. “No.”

“Even with the volume of pieces coming in and out, the high-profile clients, no authentication checks that struck you as odd?” He tilts his head, like he’s trying to catch a flicker of doubt in my expression.

Rolling my shoulders back, I shift slightly in my seat. “We had a process. And I wasn’t in charge of authentication—that was Xavier or his son. He hired me because I was pretty and I didn’t ask a lot of questions but that’s mostly because I don’t know much about art.” I have to take a minute to swallow back my flippant attitude, lest Hale and Kane think I’m annoyed.

“And where’s Xavier now?” Kane asks.

“No clue. He fired me the day after the showing.”

“But you were his assistant,” Hale presses, tapping his pen against his notepad. “You worked closely with him.”

I fight the urge to roll my eyes. “No, I was hisemployee.Very different. I wasn’t even allowed in his office. I memorized those little cards beneath the paintings and researched them in the database so I knew enough to talk about them when someone came in. I helped put up the frames sometimes but I was getting paid minimum wage.” That reminds me. He didn’t send me my last paycheck. Fuck.

Kane glares at me, his eyes darting to Banks and then back to me. “So you’re saying you were blindly selling paintings to people without knowing where they came from?”

My jaw tightens, a flicker of irritation slipping through. “I’m saying I trusted the process.”

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