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“I also gave you chocolate muffins for a little celebration. On the house, of course.”

“Fuck no,” I smiled, and dropped my arm from Mackenzie’s waist to pull out my wallet and a crisp $100 bill. Clara didn’t protest.

Mackenzie grabbed the drinks, leaving pastries for me. I guided her toward the door, but stopped short before opening it.

“Shit, I almost forgot,” I said, flipping my wallet back open and thumbing through the contents.

“What?”

“The loyalty card.” I fished it out and headed back to the register to get the right number of stamps. I handed it to the kid at the register. “Do you mind? We got four drinks.”

On the street, Mackenzie snorted out a laugh.

“What?”

“Justice, you have enough money to buy the whole place, and you’re concerned about earning a free coffee.”

I turned the card in my hands and looked deep into her eyes. Things like this, the loyalty card, my rock climbing gear, mybedroom lights, I never really examined them openly. Shit, I barely could acknowledge they existed, let alone were problems. But Mackenzie made those character flaws less dangerous. She made it safe to say out loud.

“I… uh… when things are unfinished, incomplete, it makes me anxious. I know it’s irrational. It’s a silly card, a marketing gimmick, but it will linger in the back of my mind if I leave it undone.”

Her face transformed. There was no pity or ridicule, but I couldn’t quite place the emotion. It was like she found something new to love.

“And,” I continued, feeling extra bold, “Perc was like a second home when I was in college. I lived off of the free coffees back before I had money. Now,” I shrugged, “I get the free coffee, but triple tip. It feels like I’m balancing the scales.”

“I fucking love you,” she said, going up on tiptoes to kiss me.

I hated public displays of affection, but my omega could kiss me anytime, any place if it always felt like this. She grabbed my wrist and pulled it over her shoulder as we made our way back to the penthouse.

I didn’t stifle my smile. It was pure alpha ego. I wanted people to see us now. To see how fucking lucky I was to have this gorgeous woman under my fingers.

“So, how do I hire a CEO but more importantly, how do I tell Aria?”

“How about we enjoy our pastries before draw up that battle plan?”

“Deal,” she said, slipping her arm about my waist.

I practically died.

JUSTICE

I groaned and stretched my arms out. They didn’t even skim the edges of the bed. It was really the only thing I had wanted when I moved in here. One fucking huge bed. Not on the floor, no walls closing in, just endless space.

I reached for the remote and toggled to a soft blue glow. Even after all these years of having the specialty lighting installed, it still made my inner 12-year-old giddy because it felt like I was living inside a video game. The blue bathed the room in calm, pushing back the darkness that sometimes crept in around the edges of my mind. I stretched again, pulling the blankets up to my chin, savoring the weight of the expensive down.

My door clicked open softly. I sat bolt upright in the bed, panic drenching me, making me nauseous. It was familiar and dreadful.

“Mackenzie,” I whispered, relief instantly flooding my system when I recognized her silhouette.

She shut the door behind her, but for a second she was backlit and magnificent and very naked. Her curves made my mouthwater, a primal part of my brain lighting up with need and possession.Mine. My omega.Flashing like red lights.

“Are you all right?” I said in a rush, scanning her for any sign of distress.

“Can I?” She tugged at the corner of my down comforter, her voice small and uncertain in a way that made my chest ache.

I tore it back and shifted over, making space for her, the mattress dipping slightly under her weight. “Is Theo okay?” I asked, my protective instincts immediately kicking in.

“Yep,” she said softly, lying next to me.