Page 68 of Alphas Like Us

It’s notFarrow.

He’s dead asleep turned towards me, barely stirring beneath the comforter. I try my best not to wake him. Farrow needs shuteye more thananyone.

His inked arm splays over my lower abs. I didn’t realize how badly I’d want to lie on my side untiltonight.

I crave to just turn into his hardchest.

But here I am, stuck on my back. If anything, it makes me want to speed through physical therapy that muchfaster.

“You can’t go on Sunday anymore?” Sulli mutters more loudly than she realizes. As much as I wished for bionic hearing as a kid, I don’t have thatsuperpower.

I strain my ears to catch thereply.

“Sorry,” Jack whispers, sounding reallyapologetic.

My mind swerves onto one track:Jack Highland is awake while my little cousin is awake and everyone else isasleep.

I have no clue what that means. So I prop myself on my usable elbow and peer over Farrow tosee…

My brows scrunch.Akarais awake too. Both guys lounge on the same air mattress, leaning on the brick wall. Right in between them, Sullivan slumps on a donut-shaped pillow and twists her frayed stringanklet.

“Oh hey, you don’t need to fucking apologize,” my cousin whispers not as softly. “It’s alright.” Even in the dark attic, she looks noticeablybummed.

“Rain check?” Jack whispers. “I should be free next Sunday. We can go swimmingthen.”

“Yeah,” she nods, scooting up more against the wall. “That’dwork.”

Akara is playing with her chocolate brown hair, and he coils a long strand over his upper lip in a fakemustache.

Sulli cracks a smile and shoves hischest.

I used to overthink their dynamic because in my personal experience with Farrow,teasingequalsaffection.But that can’t always be thecase.

Right?

Now I’m being paranoid, but for Sulli’s sake, Ican’tHulk-Smash anything that makes her happy. I won’t. And her friendship with her bodyguard is pretty muchcenterfold.

Akara laughs lightly and whispers to Jack, “She thinks she’s a mermaid. You know, no swimming for one week means her legs growback.”

“Hey, there is some fucking logic in the mermaid debate,” Sulli tells Akara. “I love water. Mermaids love water. Therefore I am a fuckingmermaid.”

Akara ties a piece of her hair in a slipknot. “Sharks also lovewater.”

“They do,” Jack agrees. “And eels. Stingrays.Manatees.”

“Salmon,” Akara whispers. “Walruses—”

“Hey, maybe I’m a fucking walrus then,” Sulli jokes in another loud whisper. “I couldalsobe a mermaidtoo.”

Akara loosens the knot in her hair and gives her a look. “You’re not a walrus,Sul.”

My elbow already aches from the crash, and being propped up this long isn’t that easy. But I strain my muscles for anothersecond.

Sulli smiles softly. “Want to go swimming this Sunday, Kits? Just at the Halepool.”

Akara winces a bit and scratches the back of his head. “I, um…” He glances atJack.

Jack is staring at the Omega lead like they’re in on something that she’s not a part of. I can’t help but fuckingglare.They haven’t noticed me yet. Probably not able to see me well since it’s dark and Farrow conceals most of mybuild.