Filthy rich werewolves novel Chapter 22

My father, stepmother, and Evelyn look at each other hesitantly.

My father is about to start pounding on the door, but my stepmother catches his hand. “Let it go.”

I watch from the window in the kitchen.

“Come, let us leave,” she says. “Perhaps the man was released from prison as well! There are all kinds of people in prison. Who knows why this man had been sentenced to jail? And Tony…he may be some lowlife convict like Grace…but that male has Alpha genes…”

Evelyn nods. "Come on, dad."

My father hesitates. Then says: ”Let’s wait… If Assistant Director Curtis holds Evelyn accountable in the future, then we'll think of other ways."

Such posturing!

He doesn't have the guts to come in and challenge Jay now.

“Convicts are not to be trusted,” my stepmother says. Meaning not just Jay, but me too.

It doesn’t come as a surprise, she was always cold to me.

Evelyn frowns. "Had the man just now … really been in prison? He looks unkempt but there is something familiar about him—”

“Enough.” It’s Jay. “Come away from the window, Sister. Don’t let them think that they have any power over you.”

He’s right.

“I’m sorry you had to see all of that,” I tell him. “It’s embarrassing.”

Jay shrugs.

"Thank you." If Jay had not come back, I would have been beaten by my father just now.

My eyes burn.

I’ve always been the outcast, the unwanted one.

Even as a victim these last years, they still don’t want to help me.

Only to use or hurt me.

"Don't thank me for the help, Sister. Isn't it what I should do?" He points at my ankle. Then scoops me back up into his arms as if I don’t weigh anything.

“Jay!”

He laughs and spins me then sets me gently back on the bed. ”It hasn't healed yet. I'll apply the arnica for you."

This man was ready to beat the shit out of my father. Now, he’s kneeling beside my bed, rubbing my foot and taking care of me.

“I feel like I’m in some kind of fairytale.”

He snorts and glances around the tiny apartment.

Alright, so that’s a stretch. “You know what I mean. My very own knight-in-shining-armor.”

Jay is quiet and his brows draw together. He tends to my ankle then wraps it carefully. The whole time, he doesn’t say a word. Then he finally stands and his eyes are bottomless and black when they meet mine.

“I’m no hero, Grace. Don’t ask me to be.”

I bite my lip.

I hate that he thinks of himself as anything less than the man I see in him. Because he is good and honest and true. He’s put himself in harm’s way for me twice now, and he asks nothing in return.

He treats me better than my own family.

“You’re a good man, Jay,” I say softly. “I won’t put you up on a pedestal or make you uncomfortable, but your actions speak for themselves. And you’ve always been honorable to me.”

He flinches and then his face goes blank. I’ve seen this look on him before. When he’s building up his own walls or has emotions that he doesn’t want me to see.

But I can’t let it go. Not yet anyway.

For those few interviews that were wolf-owned companies… it was having no pack affiliation. Turns out, no one wants to hire a rogue.

Being exiled from my pack, I couldn’t even approach any old friends or pack mates to see if they might hire me. They are banned from communicating with me.

“Jay, there’s a reason I pick up trash for a living. No one else will hire me.”

“Okay,” he says.

To what part?

As I wait for his reaction, for him to say something or judge me with his beautiful eyes, I feel as edgy as I did when I stood before the Pack Council awaiting their verdict.

“Okay,” he says again. Then he resumes lightly massaging my ankle.

"That... that's it?" I blink in surprise. "You don't mind?"

"Why should I mind?" he asks. "As you said, from now on, we only need to care about each other, and there is nothing else to care about."

My heart seems to swell in my chest.

My eyes fill with tears.

I’m not sad. I’m not quite happy. I’m just overwhelmed with emotion.

I’ve lost everything, and yet, here, with a total stranger, I’ve found acceptance.

How ironic that my family—who should’ve loved me unconditionally—were completely incapable of this.

"Jay, I am so lucky to have met you."

Something dark flashes in his eyes, but it’s gone in an instant.