Lorenzo shoved every paper off Austin’s desk. They floated around the room before settling on the wood floor. The ashtray hit the wall and once the tidal wave of rage had subsided, he took a deep breath.
Austin kept his cool. “You can pretend all you want that you have the power to make up all the rules, but you know what? Women are the ones in control. They decide how things will play out, and maybe that’s what pisses you off. You’re afraid she won’t think you’re good enough, and it’s no secret you can’t deal with rejection. No one disobeys Lorenzo Church. And damn if I don’t find it curious as hell that you picked out one of the most opinionated women on Earth to set your sights on. The one woman who would turn down a Packmaster with wealth and power, because that’s not what Ivy’s all about. She’s the antithesis of everything you’ve pursued in your life, and maybe that’s what scares that hell out of you.”
“Maybe it does,” Lorenzo admitted under his breath. He stepped back and paced the room. “But I’m not here to discuss Ivy. I’ve made an offer to give up my second-in-command as compensation for damages. It is the most valuable thing I can offer. William’s worth is more than land or money, and those would be easier to give over than a man I respect.”
Austin slowly rose to his feet and placed his fingertips on the desk. “Tell you what. If William accepts the conditions of moving in permanently, then I’ll accept. I can’t put a man like him in an omega position, so it’s only right he’s the next in line below Reno. I can see the leadership skills in him and he fits in. The girls just love him, and it would be a fair trade. Ivy will never recover from her injuries, so perhaps that reminder of his actions will keep his loyalty in check.”
“It’s settled then. We have a deal.”
Austin nodded. “Breakfast should be real interesting. You wanna stick around for that?”
Lorenzo shook his head, feeling a pang of loss at the idea of William leaving his pack. He’d always looked upon him as a brother. “I’ll talk with him and then I need to return to my pack. I’ll instruct him to speak privately with you before he makes his decision, and if he decides this doesn’t work for him, then have him leave before dusk. I can’t force the trade because he’s a man of free will, but my doors will remain closed to him.”
“You wouldn’t want him back?”
Hell, a man like William was hard to turn his back on, but it was a matter of principle. “This is the best way he can atone for his mistakes, and if he doesn’t agree, then I can’t have the respect I’d need to allow him to lead my pack.”
“Understood.” Austin walked around the desk and folded his arms. “I’ll be honest and say I won’t be surprised if I don’t hear from you anytime soon. Ivy may come across as a fragile thing, but she’s one of the strongest women I’ve met. That’s a woman who knows what she wants in life… and what she doesn’t. She’s not afraid to make sacrifices. If you come back for her, then you’ve got some big balls.” Austin patted him on the shoulder and chuckled. “Just be ready to be kicked in them.”
***
Lorenzo left Austin’s house in a somber mood. Morning had arisen, cloaked in a thin veil of fog. The temperature had warmed up enough that his long-sleeved shirt felt too warm.
He sat in his truck for a long time in that driveway. At one point, the little human girl came outside and stood on the porch blowing bubbles. Denver wandered out behind her and settled in a rocking chair. Lorenzo thought about his own pack and how different they were in comparison. Family meant more to Ivy than it did most people because it had been stripped from her arms.
She wasn’t a woman impressed by money or status. Lorenzo squeezed the steering wheel as pain lanced his heart. Never had he felt this way about anything or anyone. Jesus, there was so much he wanted from her, but he had nothing to offer—nothing that would matter to a woman like her. And for the first time in a long time, tears welled in his eyes. He had been so foolish. He’d spent his entire life trying to avoid repeating the mistakes of his uncle, and in turn, he had become the very man he resented. One who only cared about himself, his power, and public opinion—until Ivy came along. She’d blindsided him, and now he stumbled in a daze, uncertain of which was the right path to take.
His wolf growled from within when he slid his key into the ignition.
In the foggy wake of morning light, Lorenzo faced the glaring truth that Ivy deserved a better man than him.
Chapter 25
Lexi laughed so vivaciously that it morphed into something Austin fondly called her Beaker laugh. We were gathered in the living room around the television, watching a home video sent straight from Cognito.