Page 11 of Coco and the Misfits (The Candyverse #4)

COCO

I ’m feeling suspiciously relaxed. What have I forgotten? Work? Cleaning? Did I leave the oven on?

Mm... I roll onto my back and yawn, stretching my arms over my head, and discover I’m on my sofa. The TV is playing on low and dawn is breaking outside.

Then I remember what happened at the bar and a chill wracks me. I sit up, instantly on alert, and try to remember. Did I lock my door after June left? Are my windows closed?

Was that strange noise I just heard the sound of someone breaking in?

My heart instantly goes on overdrive, slamming about inside my ribcage, trying to escape. My breath is short, and cold sweat runs down my temples. I feel sick.

I feel terrified.

In the past—that is, until yesterday—I would have gotten up to investigate, telling myself it’s only my imagination anyway.

Now I’m convinced it’s real and that I’m about to be carried away and killed.

So I drop off the sofa to the floor and scoot behind it, trembling, my phone clenched in my hand.

And I call Sawyer.

Don’t ask why, I don’t know. We’re friends, but the sort that talk once in a while and laugh together, the sort that talk about books and rarely do anything together.

He answers on the third ring, his voice smoky with sleep. “Hello?”

“Sawyer? It’s me, Coco.”

“Hey, Coco... What’s up?”

“Sawyer, could you come over? I mean, you, and your pack, or anyone.”

His voice sharpens. “Calm down, girl, what... what time is it? Wait... It’s four in the morning. What the hell is going on?”

“Shit. I’m sorry.” Remorse floods me. “I thought I heard someone trying to break in and?—”

“What? Are you sure?”

“No, of course not! I just… I don’t want to go check.”

A pause. Then he says, “Stay put. Where are you?”

“Behind my sofa. I mean, at home. It’s just that, at the bar two nights ago, two guys tried to kidnap me and I’m so damn scared and?—”

“What the fuck. Are you serious?”

“Yes! Ask Gigi or June or Ruby if you don’t believe me, I’m home alone, I never hated that, but I?—”

“We’re coming.”

* * *

“Coco, it’s me!” His voice booms from outside my apartment. “It’s Sawyer!”

I pull the bolt and unlock the door, leaving the chain on so I can peek outside. It’s kinda dark but I can make out a group of people standing on the landing.

I blink and gape.

Sawyer’s entire pack is here.

God.

“I’m so sorry, Sawyer,” I whisper, opening the door wide. “I know it’s too early.”

“Kindly shut up and come give us a hug while the guys check your apartment, yeah?”

I let them in and allow Sawyer wrap me up in his slender but surprisingly strong arms. He’s a pretty omega who manages to turn many clichés about omegas on their head since he owns and runs his own cafe and generally tends to lead his pack despite there being two alphas, a beta, and a very determined delta.

Said delta, Brinlee, joins in the hug with a little squeal. “Hi, Coco! We’re here now.”

God, they have no idea how much I appreciate it, though their tight hug seems to indicate they do. They’ve been through some hairy situations themselves, so I think they understand.

The two bulky alphas of their pack, Archer and Kyrian, together with their beta, Roman, bustle through my tiny apartment, checking the windows and every nook and cranny.

It’s kinda funny. If anybody has broken in without me noticing, would they be hiding under my bed?

Now that is a chilling thought...

“All clear,” Roman says as we all gather in my small living room. “We didn’t see anyone outside, either.”

“Shit. I honestly thought I’d heard something. Sorry, guys.” I pull back from Sawyer and Brinlee. “I brought you here for nothing.”

“Don’t apologize. I’m glad you came to us,” Sawyer says with a smile. “You can always call anytime you need help.”

Aww.

“Why don’t you come stay with us and tell me more about what happened?” he goes on. “It’s not safe for you here.”

“No, I’ll be fine. Thank you.”

“Think on it. Sleep on it.” He nods at me. “We’d love to have you over, right, guys?”

They all hum in agreement, forming a wall around me, and I want to take their offer. Let them hide me, coddle me, and protect me.

But I can’t impose like that. They are too kind, but they are a pack. They need their space, their time together. I’d be in the way.

“I’ll call June down in a bit to stay with me,” I whisper. “I’ll be fine. It was all in my head, after all.”

“What happened exactly?” Sawyer sighs when I shake my head. “You know I’ll get the truth out of one of the girls anyway.”

“I know.” I give him a tiny smile. “Again, thank you all for coming. It means a lot to me.”

“Always, my friend. Always.”

I have the best friends a girl could ever wish for.

Then what is this hole in my life I don’t know how to fill?

* * *

After this disaster, I’m more determined than ever to reclaim my life. I know, it’s only been two days. Come on, Coco, don’t be so melodramatic.

It feels like ages, though, and the fear has hollowed me up inside.

Or maybe I need more cake?

Whatever the cause, I’m getting out of here today and resuming normal operations. I need to find a job and buy groceries. Normal, routine stuff.

Mainly, I need to stop being afraid.

In the light of day, it seems easy.

Well, easier .

My main concern should be finding work before my meager savings run out—and before I have to call my parents and beg for help. I haven’t asked for help in years. It guts me to come so close to asking now.

I march through the familiar streets of my neighborhood, pondering this. Not all is lost yet, I tell myself. I’ll do the rounds, ask if anyone needs paid help.

Mom says I’m kinda lost because I keep insisting my official designation is wrong, I never managed to study, never managed to keep a steady job.

Is she right?

I’m not giving up on my little nest yet, my apartment that means so much to me. It’s a place where I can be myself one hundred percent, where I don’t have to justify my preferences and needs.

Not giving up on my independence yet, either. My parents are good people but they do tend to pressure me to “stop playing pretend” (their words), choose a nice beta boy and start a family.

Not a pack. Not a nest. Not what I need.

So here I am, hunting work and stability.

The initial plan was to visit my usual haunts. The gym, for instance. Zayne, Gigi’s top alpha, works there as a senior trainer. I’ll ask him if he has any job for me. I’m not picky. I’d do anything from cleaning to answering phones or babysitting. It’s jobs I’ve done before. I have the experience.

The gym entrance is dim and elegant, and the long reception desk is manned by a redhead. She looks like an omega. Her smile is sweet.

“Hi. May I help you?” she asks, then her smile widens. “Oh, it’s you.”

Me, the hunk hunter. I have haunted this place for a while now. They know me here.

“Hi.” I wiggle my fingers. “Is Zayne in?”

“He’s… yeah, he’s in. Let me check if he’s teaching. I think he is…”

I wait, drumming my fingers on the desk’s polished granite as she clicks away on her computer.

Then a flash of gold catches my attention and I turn, coming face-to-face—or rather, face-to-chest—with Zach.

God, he’s hot…

“Coco?” He grins. “Did you come for our class as promised?”

“Our class? Oh. Oh no.” I shake my head. “I was actually looking for your dad.”

“My dad?” His blue eyes narrow. “What for?”

“I’m… in between jobs. I was wondering if he had anything in mind.”

His expression doesn’t change. “He’s teaching right now.”

“So I’m told.” I glance at the receptionist, who nods. “Yep.”

“I’ll ask him on your behalf later.” He lifts his little finger and winks. “Pinky swear.”

That has me grinning. “Thanks.”

“So… my class. You said you were interested. I’ve been waiting for you.”

“You have?” I snort. “Gimme a break. Our conversation was only a couple of days ago.”

“Not dying to see my face every evening. I get it.”

I open my mouth. Close it. God, he’s so pretty. I want to wrap my legs around his trim hips and fuse our lips together. Can’t he read my face? Is he teasing me?

“Speechless. I see.” Zach sighs. “I never get a break with girls like you.”

Wait… what? Was June right? Is he interested in me?

“Zach,” I start, “it’s not like that.”

“No? Okay then!” The grin returns. “Shall we go for drinks?”

But I shake my head because… “I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t feel like it.”

He looks adorably baffled. “I thought you said…”

“The other night, at the Alpha Bet…” I want to tell him but my mouth won’t cooperate. I grimace.

“Say no more. You did something you regret and I feel that.” He lifts both hands. “That night I got drunk and ended up with a tattoo.”

Now that gets my attention. Did I mention I love tall, muscular alphas? Well, ink and piercings are hot, too. “You did? Show me.”

Let me confess right here and now that I didn’t expect him to grab the back of his neck and pull the T-shirt right off him. Just my luck that the tattoo is on his chest, right? His glorious, muscular chest, his eight-pack, miles of golden skin stretched over hard muscle honed to perfection.

Oh boy…

I may be traumatized by what happened the other night but I’m not made of stone.

Whereas this man’s chest looks as if it were hewn from rock. Marble. Or maybe granite. Something hard and polished.

He’s saying something. His mouth is moving, so he must be saying something, right?

“What?” I ask with immense intelligence and eloquence.

“I said, what do you think of it?”

Muscular. Powerful. Lickable, definitely. A work of art. Hot as hell. Is that what he’s asking?

“The tattoo,” he clarifies.

“Oh… right. The tattoo.” I lean in to take a closer look at the smudge on one of his hard-rock pecs. “Is that… a bird?”

“A phoenix. Ryder said it suits me.” He laughs, a low, delicious sound. “ Suits me. I have almost no memory from that night, except…”

“Except?” My mind is caught on that name, Ryder. June was right. A tattoo artist.

“Except seeing you,” he says more softly. He lifts a hand to my face, to stroke the side of my mouth, and I flinch.

I honest-to-God flinch before my mind fully engages with the gesture, flashing me back to those two guys grabbing me and gagging me and?—

“Coco?”

“It’s fine, I’m fine. I should get going.” I’m backtracking as I speak, not sure what I’m saying. “It’s late. Got things… to do.”

“ Coco .”

“Thanks for… whatever. See you. Bye.”

He follows me as I inch toward the exit. “What happened, Coco?”

“Nothing.”

“Something spooked you.”

“Nothing, Zach.”

“Ezra told me… he told me that the bar owner took you home that night. Why?”

“Why not?” I’m almost out. The cool air from the opening door clears my head a little. “I’m free to hitch rides with whomever I want.”

“Dammit, Coco.”

Hysterical laughter bubbles up my throat. “What did you think happened?” His brows pull together and I can almost read his mind. “That he fucked me afterward as payment for the ride?”

“Fuck, I’d never say anything like that.”

“But you thought it.”

“No, dammit. Don’t put words in my mouth. I only meant, be careful. Every alpha in town wants a bite out of you, or didn’t you notice?”

What is he talking about? I’m the one alpha-hunting, not the other way around. But I’m already bolting out of the gym and through the streets, and what the hell is wrong with me?