Page 8 of Angel Boy (Pack It In #2)

Angel

I'm actually ecstatic that the first half of my day has sped by without any major disasters.

The photoshoot went smoothly. Everyone was mostly nice and considerate, whispering among themselves about how "lucky" I am to have found my perfect match and how amazing it must be to spend my upcoming heat with Ryker.

I just brush off their comments with small smiles, staying close to Xavier and letting his steady presence keep me grounded. The heat blockers are doing their job well enough that I can function, even if everything still feels like I'm moving through thick honey.

But now we're sitting just outside the headquarters, staring at the imposing glass building where I'm supposed to attend this fundraiser meeting.

I can see Ryker's sleek black car parked a few spaces over, which means he's already inside.

Probably been here for hours, doing important Alpha business while I've been playing dress-up for the cameras.

I take a deep breath, hyping myself up for what's probably going to be another performance. Another chance to play the perfect Omega while board members evaluate whether I'm good enough for their golden boy CEO.

"Alright," I mutter, checking my reflection in Xavier's phone screen. "Let's get this over with."

We head inside, Xavier just behind me like always, his presence a comfort I'm probably too dependent on. I'm a few feet away from the boardroom when Carter intercepts us in the hallway.

"Hey, pretty boy," he says with that manager smile that never quite reaches his eyes. "Have a seat over in Ryker's office."

I blink, my nose scrunching up in confusion. "I'm supposed to be in the meeting."

"Well..." Carter glances at Xavier, then back at me, discomfort lingering in his expression. "Change of plans."

Xavier is silent behind me, but I can practically feel the confusion and anger radiating off him. Something's wrong. “What's going on?" I ask, that familiar knot of anxiety starting to form in my stomach.

"You're here for support, not really to be part of the talks," Carter says, not quite meeting my eyes. "Ryker suggested that you wait in here so that the board members can see you when he gets out."

"I've always been part of the talks, though." I’ve always been able to give my two cents to the conversation to ensure that everything goes smoothly. The board members have always been receptive to what I have to offer. There’s literally no reason for me not to be in that room, unless, of course, Ryker just wants to be an ass and pull a power move.

Carter just shrugs, gesturing to the office across the hall. "I don't make the rules, pretty boy. Just sit tight. I think Ryker said the candies are in the right-hand drawer. Call me when you're done here because you've got a dinner meeting at eight."

And just like that, he's gone, leaving me standing in the hallway like a discarded toy.

“This is fucking bullshit,” I mutter, ignoring one of the employees who turned down the hallway just in time to see all of that.

I stomp over to Ryker's pristine desk, anger overriding the heat-induced haze that's been clouding my thoughts all day.

I rip open the right-hand drawer with more force than necessary, and there they are—a neat little pile of those fucking mango candies.

"We're going home," I announce, slamming the drawer shut.

Xavier chuckles behind me. "He got the mango ones, didn't he?"

"I don't understand why it's so hard to get one thing right," I force out through gritted teeth, my voice cracking slightly.

"One fucking thing, Xavier. I hate mango.

I've always hated mango. But he buys me mango candies like it's some grand romantic gesture, and I'm supposed to be grateful because hey, at least he remembered I like candy, right? "

Xavier’s chuckles continue as I head back down the hallway, not stopping until I’m back outside, my phone already out and ready to call a car.

Tears blur my vision, my fingers trembling so badly I can barely hold the phone steady.

Xavier notices and gently slides it from my hands, making the call himself before handing it back to me.

We don’t have to wait long, but it feels like an eternity, Xavier helping me into the backseat.

Silence filters between us as I curl up in the corner, making myself as small as possible while Xavier gives the driver my address.

The city blurs past the windows as the driver speeds down the street, but I'm not really seeing any of it.

"Is this a hot wings night or a tub of ice cream kind of night?" Xavier asks softly.

I don't answer because I don't trust my voice not to crack completely.

"Roger that," he says with gentle understanding. "It's a both kind of night."

We make it back to the penthouse in continued silence, Xavier putting in an order to the deli across the street from my place the moment we get inside. He knows my order by heart, knows exactly what I need even when I can't articulate it myself.

I shed my clothes piece by piece, letting them fall where they may before wrapping myself in the softest blanket I can find. The cotton feels good against my overheated skin, and I sink onto the couch feeling like I might finally be able to breathe again.

Xavier appears with a tub of mint chocolate chip ice cream and a spoon, setting it in my hands without comment. The cold feels good against my palms, grounding me in the moment instead of letting my mind spiral.

"Food should be here in fifteen minutes," he says, settling into the chair across from me instead of on the couch. Always maintaining that careful distance, always being professional even when I'm falling apart. God, I just wish he would come closer.

A shiver runs down my spine, and I shake a little, Xavier sitting forward. "Let me go get some more blankets."

"I'm not cold, Xavier. I'm okay."

But I'm not okay, and we both know it. I sit up and then stand, looking around like I might find something to soothe the growing anxiety in my chest.

"What do you need?" Xavier asks, already moving like he's ready to fetch whatever I ask for. "I'll go get it."

I look up at him, the tears building behind my eyes, threatening to spill over. He's so beautiful, so solid and real and everything I want but can't have.

"Can you hold me?" The words slip out before I can stop them, a broken, desperate sound following as I realize what I said. "I don't need anything else. I won't ask you for anything else. I just... please?"

Xavier's face crumbles as he runs a hand over his face. "Sweetheart, ask me for anything else."

A tear runs down my cheek and then another until it’s just a steady stream, my fingers tightening in the blanket around me.

I’m not sure why it hurts even more than when Ryker rejects me, but it does.

And I hate that I can’t control my own fragile emotions in this state, that I need Xavier more than anything else, even more than I need the ice cream or the wings or my nest.

Xavier only hesitates for a moment before giving in, the purr erupting from him giving me immediate relief. I sag against his chest as his arms come around me, his tension melting away. He sits back onto the couch and pulls me into his lap, his lips pressed against my head.

The tears come faster now, the frustration and loneliness I’ve been feeling all day seeping out.

"I've got you, babe," he murmurs against my hair, his voice rough with emotion. "You'll be okay, I promise."

And for the first time in months, wrapped in Xavier's arms with his heartbeat steady beneath my ear, I almost believe him.