9

Freya's POV

"Oh my god, Damien!" I said loudly, hurrying around the front counter and up to my brother. I jumped into his arms and he embraced me immediately. He was warm, the clean scent he always had washed over me. I felt my eyes swelling with tears and all the memories between us came flooding back. I pulled back and looked him over. He stood above me at six foot three, hair loc'd and braided back. He was in a nice suit and jacket, his eyes showing nothing but happiness. "I can't believe you're here!"

Damian let out a deep laugh.

"I know it's been a long time. But I heard through the grape vine you had your own business and thought I would stop by and finally see you." he said. I just continued to look him over.

"Where have you been, what have you been doing?" I asked. I wanted to keep asking questions but he just looked at me warmly.

"Well if you'll let me steal you away for a little bit, I can tell you everything." he said. I didn't think twice about it. I moved over to grab my coat and the keys to the store.

"Of course. Where were you thinking?" I asked as we walked to the door.

"We won't go far. Want to get coffee?" he asked. I nodded. I'd go anywhere he wanted.

"Sure!" I responded enthusiastically.

Next thing I knew, we were both sitting across from each other at Java's Coffee Shop. Damian ordered a peppermint hot chocolate and I ordered a white chocolate mocha. He paid for them.

"After I ran away from the Morgan's I got into more trouble," he said. The Morgan's were our foster parents, "Gangs, arson, violence you name it. Tried to go clean but it seemed the more I tried, the deeper the life sucked me in. Had multiple run ins with pigs. It seemed the more they saw my rap sheet, the more they were itching to find reasons to frame me and put me away. They got away with it too. Did five years for drug possession that I didn't even own… Never could trust a cop."

I winced at him. I knew my brother had a deep hatred for cops. When our home caught on fire and he called the cops no one ever came. Being a young child raised on the belief that 911 meant the good guys, I could imagine the betrayal he felt. Damien just shook his head some staring out the window before leaning back in his booth.

"But that's all behind me now. When I got out, I went to college for business, and now I own two night clubs and three men's clothing companies." he said with a prideful smile. Now I smiled big.

"Really any of them I would know?" I asked. He leaned forward grinning.

"The clubs are Zion and The Vybe." he said. My eyes popped now. Zion and The Vybe were very upscale clubs. Not many can get into them and they had many popular events and parties on the richer side of Chicago.

"Oh my god! That's so awesome!" I gushed. He even pulled out his phone and handed it to me showing me pictures of the clubs in construction and some pictures of Damien with very expensive people and a few celebrities.

"This is incredible. And the clothing shops?" I asked.

"Well they're still being built but they are called Limitless. They're stores for all shapes and sizes, genders the works. A place everyone can feel like themselves." he said. I looked at my brother in awe before nodding. He seemed happier, healthier too.

"I'm so happy you are well. Um… how's your personal life. Are you seeing anyone?" I asked. He grinned.

"If you're asking if I found my beta then yes I did. Her name's Eliana." he said. I let the name play over in my head a bit. It is a pretty name.

"How did you two meet?" I asked.

"We met while I was doing business in Colombia. She's a fashion designer. She's helping design my clothes for Limitless." he said. I nodded and listened to him talk. She seemed really nice. Honestly I didn't completely hear everything he said. I was just happy we were together in this moment. It had been so long and he seemed to constantly be in survival mode, meanwhile trying to always seem to have it all together for my sake.

"Well one day you'll get to meet her… Look Freya I'm sorry I never reached out to you, never thought to find you and see if you were doing okay. I was just in such a bad place that I knew I wasn't good for you- wasn't good for anyone." he said. I nodded slowly looking him over.

"I am just glad you are alive and happy and thriving. That's all I've ever wanted for you." I replied and he nodded.

"Same for you. The Morgan's were nice people, I knew you'd be okay with them. But enough about me what about you? You have your shop, I know you've always been interested in flowers. You have an alpha?" he asked. Now my heart was pounding hard and I felt like I swallowed my tongue. I couldn't say yes or else he'd want to know everything about Hank and right now I still did not know everything about Hank. But I knew one thing, if Damien knew he was a cop, who knows what could happen. I didn't want to lose my brother. I panicked and just shook my head.

"No. Not yet. I threw myself into my work immediately after college and just wanted to build my business up." I replied and he nodded.

"Oh well that's too bad. Any man would be lucky to have you as his beta. As long as he treats you right that's what matters." he said. His phone suddenly vibrated and he checked it before giving a gentle frown. "I'm sorry, Freya, but business calls and I have a few meetings to get to."

I nodded in understanding and we both stood up.

"I understand. Let's swap numbers or something so at least we can keep in touch and do this again." I replied. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a black wallet. He pulled out a white card then pulled out a neon card that had a black strip on the back of it.

"Here take these. The white card is my business card and has my information and the addresses to my business on them. The neon card is a VIP card to Zion and The Vybe. They have my signature on them. When the bouncer scans the VIP card you'll have VIP access to everything in my club. Don't lose it." he said and I admired the cards for a moment. The business card had beautiful black writing on them and the VIP card was dim but I had my suspicions when it got dark it would light up. I looked from the cards and up at my brother to see him smiling warmly down at me. I returned it.

"It was really great to see you." I said before we both embraced each other. He gave me a nice tight hug that made me feel protected.

"Same here little sister." he replied giving the side of my head a light kiss before we pulled back. We made our way out the door and started to separate.

"Hey you text me so I have your number!" Damien said loudly as we went our separate ways.

"I will!" I called out. And I did once I got in my car. My body was filled with happiness, so much I hadn't really been thinking of anything all day. Even as I got back to the shop and continued business I had been in a great mood. I hadn't seen my brother in so long. So to see him now happy and well, made me start crying. I checked my phone a few times throughout the day and noticed Hank hadn't really sent me a text. He must have been busy. I thought about texting him and telling him what happened, but I felt it was better to tell him in person. The shop didn't get too busy but I had to do both my and Sadie's job. I watered the flowers, checked a few customers out, did inventory and placed a few orders. I was happy this place wasn't closed down for a long time. Nothing here was damaged from the robbery, so I saw no reason to keep this place closed. When I had a moment, I messaged Sadie checking in on her and then I messaged Hank just to tell him that I hoped he was having a good day.

Once the day was over, I locked everything up and headed back to Hank's place. I mentally patted myself on the back for being able to remember where his home was in his large neighborhood. Hank's car was in his driveway already. I parked beside his car, got out and went inside. It was quiet inside and everything felt so still. I closed the door slowly.

"Hank?" I called out.

"In the dining room." I heard him answer and I walked over toward the dining room and saw him sitting at the table, fingers curled together, eyes and body tight. He looked at me seriously and now I was worried.

"What's wrong something about the case?" I asked stepping further inside and he looked down at the table for a moment. Now I could see the anger aimed toward the wooden furniture.

"We haven't known each other long… but in the time we had known each other, did I so something- say something to completely ruin us?" he asked lowly, carefully. I blinked rapidly confused at what he meant.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"It's a simple question: Did I do something to make you feel I wasn't worthy enough of being your alpha?" he asked finally looking up at me, the anger in his eyes melting away and looking at me with sadness and pain. What on earth was going on? I kept my feet planted in the spot behind the table across from him.

"You haven't done anything- Hank what is going on?" I asked. Now he did look at me with a flash of anger as he stood up.

"I was planning to head to your job today to take you out for coffee when I saw you already out with another man." he said almost with disgust and now I gave a sigh of relief, my entire face showing such.

"Oh Hank-"

"So you admit it." he cut me off. I nodded silently and he looked even more destroyed.

"Hank I can explain-"

"I don't want to hear it… We aren't even a pair for a week and already you're out with other men!" he snapped before shaking his head and looking away for a moment a look of darkness spreading over his face. "He an old boyfriend or something?" I was mildly tensed now, that look on his face felt dangerous to me.

"No." I replied calmly which made him wince.

"Is it because he's younger?" he asked lowly. I shook my head again.

"No." I responded.

"It is because I'm a cop?" he interrogated and I shook my head again. I could see his body tightening as he holds all his emotions in. "Is it because I'm white?" This time I could hear the brokenness in his tone and I felt my entire body melt in sadness for him. I hardly knew him, yet I was hurrying around the table now and moving up to him to take his hands. They were stiff in my hold as he just looked away as if he were unable to look at me.

"Hank the man you saw me with today was my brother, Damien." I replied and I watched as the color came back into his face. He looked at me now.

"Your brother?" he asked and I nodded. Now I could see the wheels turning in his eyes before he closed them and sighed heavily.

"Of course. You said you two lost touch years ago." he explained and I nodded and he shook his head and turned to me taking my face in his hands. "I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions so quickly, Freya." I gently took his hands off my face, which I could see worried him, but I held them in my own instead.

"It's okay. I was planning to tell you when I got home. I didn't feel it was something to text about. Look I know we still have a lot to learn about each other, but I need you to trust me."

He nodded slowly looking at me with soft warm eyes.

"I do." he said softly.

Seeing how his emotions were able to switch up so quickly with every word I said made me feel it was a red flag, but I knew that every alpha was like this when it came to their betas and other men. I nodded and took a step back.

"Good. I'm going to take a shower and get cleaned up." I said. He nodded and slowly released me. We both knew there was some mild tension between us now, but with some space I felt things would calm down.