Page 15 of Coco and the Misfits (The Candyverse #4)

COCO

I make it home, lock the door and… make myself a tea. I’m proud to report I haven’t barricaded myself behind the sofa, nor have I called June or Sawyer to come to my rescue this time.

I’m getting over this episode. Everything is fine.

That kiss, though… That alpha.

Ryder. Gah. So hot.

My panicked brain wants to hide under the covers, and my body wants to drag him down with me. Get sweaty with him.

Am I losing my mind?

That was a bad idea, wasn’t it? Kissing him. Having his hands on my face, his taste on my lips.

God…

The kitchen table is vibrating. Did I forget my vibrator here somewhere? Nah, I haven’t used it in a while. It must have dried up, like my pussy.

Then what… Oh, the phone . My phone is ringing.

I check it, and it’s Mom. Her grinning pic flashes at me and I swallow hard.

Should I reply? I’m not sure I want to talk, yet I’d like to hear her voice, and generally she wouldn’t push me much over the phone.

Today, though… Looks like I chose a bad day to answer the phone.

“Darling!” Her chirpy voice screeches through the speaker. “Haven’t talked in ages! How are you doing?”

“Hey, Mom. Good. I’m… good.”

Instantly, her tone changes. “What’s wrong?”

Damn that motherly intuition.

“Nothing. Promise. Slept badly, that’s all.”

“Are you taking your vitamins? And doing exercise? Oh, honey, you know you need to exercise and stop eating sweets. You’re a beta. How come you dislike moving so much?”

“Mom…” I roll my eyes. “Not that again.”

“It’s not healthy, baby girl. Accepting what you are is freeing.”

“Only if you fit in that mold. If it feels like a too-small dress, why should you wear it?”

“It’s your designation, Coco.” Her voice hardens. “Not a dress. It’s a permanent state.”

“Exactly my point. Why permanently wear a suit that won’t fit?”

“Join the gym. Then it will.” She laughs. “Right?”

God… She thinks it’s funny.

“And when will you find a mate and give me some chubby grandchildren?” she whines. “I saw a gorgeous beta the other day, and it turns out he’s our neighbor’s son. Beta, or delta, I don’t recall. It doesn’t matter. I got his number for you.”

Oh no…

My mom is a very energetic beta. The complete opposite of me. Where she runs, I walk. Where she jumps, I slow down. She’s the sports princess. I’m the sofa queen. Don’t I deserve to be on my sofa with men bringing me platters of finger food and cocktails? I ask you.

Find a pack, settle down…

“Coco? Are you there? Are you writing his number down?”

“No, Mom. Unless I find a pack of alphas who adore me, growly alphas who will have me as their queen, I won’t settle for anything less.”

“Oh God, you’re headstrong.” Mom sighs. “Who did you take after?”

“You. I’m your improved sequel.”

She laughs. “Baby. I’m glad you know your worth. I’m sure you will find those alphas.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

“If only you accepted your designation?—”

“Mom, just quit already. I’m not having the best day, okay? Bye, gotta go.”

“Coco—”

I hang up and sigh. She’s a great mom, but she believes I’m being childish and difficult when it comes to my designation.

How can I convince her that this really matters to me? How can I spend my life forced into a pair of shoes that don’t fit me, into a role I can’t play? I’d be unhappy.

And are you happy now?

I’ll get there, just you watch. One day at a time. Waiting for a heat to come on and prove me right has wrecked my nerves, but I’m not giving up hope.

I’m not a quitter.

And yet when a knock comes on my door, I scream like a little girl.

Dammit.

* * *

“Zach?” I stare at him as the echoes of my scream bounce around the stairwell. “Is that you?”

“Hi.” He tilts his head to the side and gives me a crooked smile. Whoa, dimple alert! I’m staring at him with hearts in my eyes when he places a hand on the door and pushes. “May I come in?”

“What? Oh, of course. Yeah.” I step back and he brushes by me, then hesitates. Turns his head to gaze down at me, a brief frown marring his brow.

Then he walks inside and I close the door. I’m so distracted, I almost forget to lock it.

My new normal. Locking and bolting every door and window. My heart jumping at every little noise.

I turn and watch him walk through my apartment, stopping at the sofa. It’s a good-sized sofa but it suddenly looks tiny beside him.

Everything looks tiny beside these hulking alphas, and my silly heart goes pitty-patter when I’m near them, happy as a bug in a rug, basking in the shadow of their muscular bodies.

My gaze moves from his sneakers up his denim-clad legs, his muscular thighs straining the fabric, further up to his flat stomach and broad chest barely covered in a tight white T-shirt, and those biceps…

Lord, have mercy.

I want them flexing around me, I want those thick muscles in his thighs bunching as he pounds into me, I want?—

“Coco.” I finally look up to meet his blue eyes and find him glaring. “We need to talk.”

“We do?”

I was thinking about knocking him out and crawling on top of him to explore his body, but okay.

“I talked to Atticus,” he says.

“To Atticus?” Great, now I’m a parrot. “I mean, why?”

“You wouldn’t tell me what happened. Gigi either. I had to know.”

I make a mental note to buy Gigi some chocolate in thanks for her steadfastness. But Atticus… “What did he say?”

“He told me about the two assholes who tried to kidnap you.”

I wince. “Yeah, well, they didn’t succeed. So…”

“You need to learn how to defend yourself.” His jaw clenches. “Let me teach you. Please.”

“Um, okay, but?—”

“I’ll give you private lessons.”

I blink. “Really?”

“Yeah, really! Fuck, Coco, this is serious. I’ll train you to kick the ass of any guy who tries to touch you against your will, I swear to God.”

“Okay, um.” I lick my dry lips. He looks so angry. I’ve never seen Zach angry before. He was cute before. Now he’s hot. “Shall I come to the gym in the evening, then, to?—?”

“No, I’ll come to you.”

“You will? But?—”

“Until those two assholes are caught and put behind bars, you shouldn’t be on the street alone.”

“But they’ll never get caught!” I protest. “They didn’t even manage to kidnap me. They?—”

He turns and throws a punch at the wall. Then another. “Those motherfuckers. I’ll string them up by the balls.”

“Whoa, Zach.” I approach him cautiously. I’ve never seen him act so violently before. “Calm down.”

“I’ll find them and break their arms, and then their legs.”

“Oh no. No violence, okay? Promise me.”

“I can’t fucking promise you that. You’re in danger, and though Atticus said he’ll check if they were caught on camera, I’m not taking any risks.” He turns toward me, a snarl on his handsome face. “This Atticus,” he growls. “Did he touch you? Do I have to bust his balls?”

Okay, enough of this. I like growly alphas, but he’s not hurting Atticus over me.

“Hold your proverbial horses, Zach.” I inject coolness into my voice. “Atticus protected me and brought me home, then he stayed as my bodyguard that night. Any touching was initiated by me.”

His eyes flash. “You fucked him?”

“Hey. I may be crass sometimes, but mind your mouth, and it’s also none of your business.”

Instantly, his gaze shutters, ice filling it. “I see. You’re right, of course.”

And I instantly regret what I said. Well, the way I said it, at least. “Look, Zach?—”

“I’ll come by in the evening. If that suits you. For the self-defense lesson.”

“Right. Yeah. That’d be great. But you?—”

“Around eight. I’ll call when I’m at the door. See you tonight, Coco.”

“... See ya,” I whisper as he gives me one last searching look, some of the ice in his eyes thawing.

Then he crosses the living room in three thunderous strides, unbolting and unlocking my door, and stepping out.

Is he jealous of Atticus?

Lots of jealousy going around these days. What’s going on? First June, now Zach? I know I’m hot property, but come on. And what is this about Zach wanting to give me private lessons? Not that it’s a bad idea, but why is he so involved and present all of a sudden?

What changed?