Free His Needs: Billionaire Alpha by Ali Parker

need a relationship with that much baggage already attached to it. For shit's sake. What does Kent say about this? He's fine with it?"
    "Yes." Damon wiped his mouth and picked up his phone from the table. "I gotta get going. The flight’s taking off in forty-five minutes. I just wanted to-"
    "I'm sorry if I upset you, but you know I shoot straight. There are very few guys who I still invest my time in, but you're one of them."
    Damon stood and nodded, forcing himself not to react with anything but gratitude. "Of course. I'm good, though I disagree with your advice this time. Bethany is the woman I'm going to spend my life with. We just have to get over these hurdles. We can do it."
    Charles extended his hand, but didn't get up. "You trying to convince me, or yourself, son?"
    "Only you, old friend. I have no doubt."
    “Right… tell someone else that lie.”

Chapter 10
    Bethany
     
     
    "He didn't do it on purpose." Matt wrapped an arm around Bethany's shoulders as they walked down the long terminal to the baggage claim. Somehow Matt couldn't fit everything in a carry on, so she hadn't even tried. He was being a bit of a diva, which opened the door for her to follow suit.
    "No? He told me to be at his house last night at ten, and I fell asleep like I have for the last few nights, sitting on my coach, completely exhausted. I didn't even mean to not go over there." She huffed and stopped beside the turn-style as bags started to drop from the large opening at the other end.
    "It's going to be fine, Sis. Stop worrying, okay?" He pressed his shoulder to hers and moved up to get their bags when they showed up.
    "You're right." She popped the handle on her bag and followed behind him as a feeling of trepidation tried to pull her back down. "I need a drink."
    "Well, let's get to the hotel and then we can unpack and grab something to drink while we wait for Damon."
    "Sounds good." She rubbed his back as they stopped beside a stretch limo, the guy waving around a sign for McKenzie and Bryant on it. "You nervous about the showing tonight?"
    "Not really. It will happen, or it won't." Matt moved to the back of the car and shook hands with the driver while Bethany glanced around. It was beautiful and the air was clean. There was something to be said about getting away from Texas humidity in late summer.
    "See something you like?" Matt turned to look across the horizon.
    "Just glad to get away with you." She got in and buckled up before laying back and letting out a long sigh. She pulled her phone from her purse and decided she was done being the difficult one. Texting Damon even when it was the last thing she wanted to do seemed most appropriate.
     
    Bethany: Sad to see that you missed the flight. I hope everything is okay. I miss you something horrible.
    Damon: I'm boarding now. I'll be there just before we need to leave. I had breakfast with an old mentor from college, so it wasn't a total waste. I missed you last night. To say I wasn't upset would be a fucking lie, but I assume you had a reason for standing me up.
     
    "We never agreed." She clenched her teeth as Matt turned to face her.
    "Hmm?"
    "Nothing." She let out a slow sigh and let go of the rising emotion inside of her. Were all relationships so fucking intense? She couldn't remember really dating much, so not having a comparison, she had to assume they were.
     
    Bethany: I was so tired that I fell asleep with a bowl of soup on my lap on the couch back at my apartment. It was ugly.
    Damon: Ha. That's not good. You need to look at your schedule and see what's going to go. I'm not an option. You're stuck, baby.
     
    Warmth filled her as tears blurred her vision.
     
    Bethany: Hurry up and get to Seattle. I need you. I feel like we're being pulled apart before we even start.
    Damon: We're not. We just have a lot going on. It's going to be fine. We just need to figure out how to communicate better. We'll work on it this weekend. Keep Matt in a good frame of mind and I'll come