Page 77 of Ondine: Vol. 2

“You.”

“Yes, I’m the one who did it.”

Maybe I’m crazy. Or misguided. Or in shock. But I keep thinking about Arnie’s comb. I can replace my keyboard. My furniture wasn’t great, but there were some side tables I splurged on. My laptop was there. What else? God…practically nothing.

I left his comb there because I thought I’d be able to go back.

I don’t want to cry, but I can’t seem to get angry enough to not cry. I look at Arnie and my face breaks.

“Your comb was there,” I bleat like a goddamned idiot.

There’s this weird moment where I realize I have the enraptured attention of five gigantic men.

That’s a lot.

My nest is on the table and I make a grab for it. Freddie looks shocked by it.

It’s only two things. It needs my comb. It needs that cap Sabbies plopped on my head this morning. It needs so much more.

Freddie’s hand goes to his necklace. He can feel my heart beat erratically through the bond, I know it.

Sabbies rushes out the side door.

“You burnt down my house?” I have to just look at the floor. I can’t look at anything else. Anyone else.

“It was contained to just your place,” Jake says softly. “No one else was affected except some smoke. Not too bad. Sebastian set it up as an electrical wire start at the thermostat. So it was an accident. I talked to the police.” He takes a deep breath. “I didn’t want to let you have that option anymore.” Jake doesn’t sound one bit remorseful and yet that alone makes me think he may be.

“You didn’t want to see if I’d choose you?”

“What?”

“You didn’t think I’d choose you.”

“I wasn’t going to take that risk.”

“You thought it was a risk? That the chances were low?”

He doesn’t answer me.

Sebastian comes in through the door, looking like he has something to say. I wipe the tears from my face and give him a look that saysspit it out.

He takes a quick breath and then comes over to me. He has to walk around the kitchen table, and Freddie has to move out of the way. He presents me with something in his hand.

In his hand is a tortoiseshell comb. My heart skips a beat.

He pushes it toward me, and I reach out and take it from him.

“I have some of your things, Ondine. They’re in my truck. I’m sorry that I did that to you. I know how much you liked yourplace. If I’m being honest I agreed with Jake. I didn’t want you to leave us.”

I’m not listening. I’m wrapping the comb into my nest. The tail ends of the silver tie keeps the comb securely to the book. I sigh and Freddie slumps down in relief, feeling my small reprieve.

Unfortunately for me, my omega heart has already set its course right to the Meier Pack. So their idiotic behaviors aren’t deal breakers. The omega side of me is preening at the idea of them being so obsessed with me staying they’d burn my apartment to a crisp.

Omegas are absolutely silly.

What will Arnie think of me being ok with this? I turn to him, worried. But Freddie feels it and steps in for me.

“Ondine is worried about you. Who are you?” Freddie asks.