Page 39 of Coco and the Misfits (The Candyverse #4)
ATTICUS
T he Book Café. I’ve never been here before, but it looks very cozy.
I enjoy books and coffee. What’s there not to like? I can see why Coco enjoys hanging out here. I venture deeper, past the tables and chairs, noting the bookshelves and leather armchairs on my way to the bar.
A slender, dark-haired male omega looks up, eyes widening when he sees me.
“You’re Sawyer,” I say. “Coco’s friend.”
“Who’s asking?”
“I’m Atticus Ford.” I extend my hand and he shakes it. A strong, firm grip for an omega.
“Pleasure. What can I do for you?”
“I need to ask about Coco. How is she? Is she okay?”
A suspicious glint enters his gaze. “Why don’t you ask her?”
“She won’t reply to our messages.”
And I can’t stand it anymore. I find myself under her window at least twice per day, hoping for a sign of life, like a lovestruck fool. Ryder and Zach often join me.
This is crazy. I don’t like it. I don’t like feeling so out of control, obsessed, needy, unable to stop thinking about someone, about to overturn all my plans and resolutions for this pink-haired girl who’s somehow wormed her way into my heart.
He frowns. “Are you… Are you one of the guys who saved her?”
I shrug. “Yeah.”
“One of the guys who broke her heart, too.”
I wince. “She told you about that.”
“Oh, yeah. In great detail.”
“Damn.” I shove a hand through my hair. “Be that as it may, I need your help.”
“With what? Breaking her heart again?”
“The opposite. Regaining her trust.”
“Is it her trust you want, or her heart, broken as it is?”
“I want her heart,” I say truthfully and his eyes light up.
“For real?”
“For real,” I admit. “I never thought I’d be able to love again, but here I am.” I spread my hands. “Asking for your help to get her back.”
“That will be… more complicated than you think.”
“ Fuck. Why?”
“Look,” he says, “I bet you’re a great guy. A great alpha. And if you grovel enough, she may return to you. But I have to look out for her interests, right? As her friend.”
“Interests? Why wouldn’t she?—?”
“Coco is a sweet girl.”
“The sweetest,” I breathe.
“Right. And she keeps telling herself to aim lower, that she deserves less than what she desires.”
“What the fuck,” I growl. “Why would she tell herself that?”
“That’s her story to tell. Anyway, you are a lone wolf, right? Or do you have a pack? Do you want to have a pack?”
I shake my head. “No.”
“Well, that sucks because Coco… she’s an omega in every way that counts and she wants, no, she needs a pack. She thrives in a group. Can you give her what she needs?”
And that is the question of the day.
Can I?
Am I able to? Willing to change my mind, my decades-long resolve not to live in a pack? Can I form a pack for her? Will that make her happy?
Make all of us happy?
Her friend nods at me, and I nod back. He’s done his part. Time for me to do mine.
* * *
“A pack.” Ryder rubs a tattooed hand over his face. “Whatever.”
“Are you opposed to the idea?” Zach asks him.
“Why, aren’t you?”
“I… thought I was. But lately I’m realizing that I’m ready for a pack. A family. Especially if it involves Coco. And you guys… You aren’t that bad.”
“High praise,” I mutter.
“Shouldn’t we get straight with her and just tell her what we want?” Zach asks. “I mean, if I’m right, we all want the same thing, right?” He glances at me. “I barely know you two. We haven’t hung out together except below her apartment…”
Ryder nods. “While saving her from thugs…”
“And taking care of her,” I say. “We have come together in all the ways that matter. But yeah, we haven’t lived together.”
“I’m not into guys,” Ryder grumbles. “Like, not seriously. I don’t mind screwing around, but I just want… her.”
“Same,” Zach admits. “Like, I don’t mind getting naked with you guys?—”
Ryder barks out a laugh.
“—but that’s as far as I want to go.” Zach licks his lips. “For now, at least.”
“Fair enough.” I scratch my beard. I don’t think I’ve ever been more unkempt in my life. My beard needs trimming, my clothes are wrinkled, and I haven’t paid attention to a single business meeting I’ve attended in the past week. “Do we have to fuck to be a pack?”
Zach grunts. “An official pack requires at least one alpha and one omega.”
“Then we’re set,” I say. “She’s an omega, and we’re alphas. If those are all the requirements…”
“But would it work? For her? For us?”
“This is stupid,” Ryder says. “I can’t be in a pack. I can’t be with anyone.”
“And why not?” I really want to know why he thinks that when it has always been my line.
“None of your business,” Ryder grunts.
“We’re in this together, asshole,” I remind him. “For her.”
“It doesn’t matter,” he whispers. “I’m not good for anyone.”
“That’s bullshit,” Zach says. “Did you commit a crime? Come out and say it now. We need to know.”
“Crime? No.” Ryder shakes his dark head. “But I’m bad luck. I destroy people’s lives.”
“Not good enough,” I say. “I rather think of you as our good luck charm, if you want to know. Anyone else who wants to object?”
“I don’t think I’m good mate material,” Zach admits. “I always thought I’d end up alone. My parents stayed together because of me for a long time and it was hell.”
“Boy,” I say, “objection overruled. If we aren’t good enough for her, well then, we should try harder to be the men she deserves. Agreed?”
Ryder’s brows go up. “Yes, top alpha.”
Zach whistles. “Damn. Was that an alpha purr I heard?”
“Yeah, you can practice it in the mirror later,” I shoot back. “Now we have work to do.”
“Are we really doing this?” Zach asks.
Ryder frowns. “Told you, it’s a bad idea. You two go ahead. I’m out.”
“Dammit, Ryder…” I mutter. “You’re a pain in my ass.”
“How about this: I’ll go to her first, talk to her on my own.” Ryder’s gaze jumps from Zach to me and back. “She needs to know who I am before I enter any partnership with you.”
“But not to us? You won’t tell us?”
“She’s our center, the only reason we’re coming together,” he explains. “If she doesn’t want me, if she rightly decides it’s too much, then like I said… I’m out, and you two can try your luck.”
“Fair enough,” Zach says, though he’s giving Ryder an intense look. “It’s your choice.”
“Damn right it is,” Ryder says and nods at me. “Gentlemen, it’s been a pleasure.”
“I hope you’ll join us soon,” I say.
“It depends on her.”
Zach sighs. “He’s right, you know, Ace.”
“Is he? About what?”
“We can’t scare her off. We can start by courting her separately. Talk to her separately at first. Apologize. Tell her why we did what we did and what we would like. And then present the idea of a pack.”
I grunt. “But if she wants a pack?—”
“She likes us, man, or she wouldn’t have gotten tangled up in our lives. She can’t hide it. You and Ryder called it from the start, telling me Coco wants a pack. And what omega wouldn’t? But I need to make sure she still wants to be with all of us. Any of us.”
Ryder is quiet, watching us.
“Let’s say she chooses me,” I say, “then I ask her out? Is that the plan?”
“You don’t think it’s a good idea?” Zach asks.
“No, you’re both right,” I decide after some thinking. “It’s time we opened up, told her everything, and let her decide. I’m serious about her, just so you two know.”
“I’m seriously in love,” Zach says, cheeks flushing.
“She’s the only girl I’ve ever considered staying with,” Ryder admits softly. “So I guess you could say I’m all in. Just… let me go first.”
“So you can ruin all our chances?” Zach growls.
“So that I’m out of the way, you idiot.”
“Have you thought that maybe we don’t want you out of the way?” Zach glares at him.
The stunned look on Ryder’s face is priceless.
I chuckle. “Zach is right, you know.” Before Ryder opens his mouth to object some more, I lift my hands. “Fine. You go first. Let’s do this.”
I won’t deny I’m skeptical it will work. She’s so furious with us, and with good reason. Convincing her to talk to each one of us while we reluctantly organize ourselves as a pack… I’ve never taken on a more ambitious project in my fucking life, but I’m nothing if not driven.
I know she’s not business . She’s not a project, but getting her to at least consider us… hell, yeah. I’m pulling all the stops.
The least we can do is give ourselves a chance to be happy.