Page 23

Chapter Twenty-Three

M y overnight bag is heavy in my sweaty palm as I exit the car, stepping carefully onto the curb in front of Emma and Mari’s apartment.

“Thank you!” I call with a wave at my driver before smiling grimly at the concierge holding the door open for me.

“Miss Mari already called down. You can head straight up, Miss Posie,” he tells me kindly, and I’m so thankful I don’t need to check-in. My nerves are completely shot, and I need to snuggle between my two besties to have any chance of getting myself under control. “Would you like some help with your bag?”

“You’re the best, Charlie,” I say gratefully. “It’s light, though, so I can carry it up.”

The elevator dings instantly, and I step in. Blessedly empty, the small space chugs quietly up to their floor, helping the tension in my shoulders to relax and my breathing to normalize. The elevator lurches to a stop, and I stumble out into Emma’s waiting arms. She scoops the bag from my fingers, then slings an arm over my shoulders, walking to the familiar apartment.

My favorite blanket is already on the couch, waiting. I don’t think I could live without these girls by my side. Mari comes into view, carrying a tray with three steaming mugs.

“You’re here! That was fast. I made hot chocolate,” she looks at me with concern, and tears flood my eyes.

“Come on! Puppy pile,” Emma prods, getting me moving. “Our favorite omega needs some serious cuddles.”

Emma tosses my bag aside, and I quickly toe off my shoes before padding over to the puffy cream couch and sliding into the middle. The girls crowd in beside me, and we pull the blanket up to our chins, getting as cozy as possible. With my fight-or-flight instincts in complete control, the closeness and pressure are just what I need to help find my center again.

We sit in a comfortable silence for a while, long enough to help my nervous system come back online. My heart rate slows, and I meld into the cushions, allowing the comfort of everything surrounding me to take hold. Blinking, I take in the space I love so much, wondering if I’ll ever get a chance to live here now.

Do you really want to?

Then again, Miller didn’t tell my brother about us—I was eavesdropping—and the lack of claim pushed my omega into a tailspin. He’s known this whole time and never said a word… Maybe he doesn’t want to move forward together. Even scent matches fail. It’s rare, but it happens.

“Sorry,” I mutter, watching the steam rise from the pretty mugs Mari brought over. I want some hot chocolate—badly—but I’m not ready to let go of the blanket yet.

“Never apologize for needing us,” Emma admonishes. “But we’re both dying to know what made you send the SOS. Is this about Alex?”

Alex?

I blink a few times, trying to understand what she means, then I remember—the awful date. It feels like that mess happened a lifetime ago. Yeah, he was a dick, but that’s nothing compared to finding out you have a scent match. Especially one who’s hidden it from you for seven years. The jumble of emotions rises again, churning in my gut.

“No,” I say, unsure of where to start. Lowering the blanket, I pull a cup of hot chocolate off the table. For a second, the rich chocolate and marshmallow tickles my nose before disappearing. What the fuck? I bring it to my lips and take a sip, letting the warm liquid sit in my mouth for a second. It might taste a little better than usual, but I can’t be certain—it’s definitely no churro cum.

Churro cum.

The thought makes me giggle. Omega biology is so damn weird.

“A laugh! I’ll take a laugh,” Mari jokes, squeezing my arm. “What’s going through that pretty brain of yours? ”

“Churro cum,” I howl, unable to hold it in a second longer. They both look at me with wild eyes, and it’s clear I’ve completely popped a funny fuse as I laugh until I shake. Emma slips the mug from my fingers, setting it down so it doesn’t slosh over us.

“I think she may be officially broken,” Mari mock-whispers while I gasp for air.

“Has she had some of this mythical jizz or….” Emma cackles when Mari shrugs.

“Miller. Has. Churro. Cum,” I choke out, still unable to stop the hysterical laughter long enough to explain.

Their mouths fall open, twin expressions of shock that mirror my internal musings. Yeah, that’s right—feel my surprise, friends. They both start talking at once, throwing so many questions my way that I can’t even attempt to answer them all. But eventually, I calm down enough to tell them everything from the world’s best driving lesson all the way to finding out that we’re scent-matched in the wee hours of this morning.

“I had just finished giving him a blow job when Owen showed up,” I share.

“Wait, he walked in, and you had his best friend’s dick in your mouth?” Emma demands.

“Why was he back so early?” Mari wonders.

“No, it was right after. And he didn’t see anything. He was downstairs dealing with his own crap. Apparently, some bitch was shitty to Niko, and he might leave their pack.” I frown, letting that sink in. Niko’s a big bear of a man with the gooiest center. He’s my favorite—I’ll need to reach out to him and check in. And beg him not to leave .

“Her loss. Niko’s awesome,” Mari hisses, angry on his behalf, and I can’t say I disagree.

“Agreed—but back to the matter at hand. So, Miller is probably your scent match and a pussy-licking god… so why are you here instead of with him?” Emma cuts through everything to get straight to the point.

My mouth pops open and then closes a few times as I search for how to explain. She drops her head on my shoulder, making it clear she isn’t mad that I hid from my problems here. The support and touch help more than anything, and I work up the courage to spill all my fears.

“I think she just needed a beat,” Mari jumps to defend me. “First blowjob. First time with a guy… that’s a lot of firsts all at once. And with Owen there, it’s not like they could figure anything out.”

I nod my head in agreement. She makes a valid point, though it’s not the full reason why I fled. Insecurity bubbles to the surface.

“He’s known forever and kept it from me, Em. With my anosmia, what if he was hoping I would never know?” Vulnerability makes my voice tremble. “I’m not exactly a prize. Miller could have any girl he wants. He’s handsome, famous, rich, and the most intense Alpha I’ve ever met. I’m just a clumsy, frumpy, puffy embarrassment.”

“No, sorry. I reject that. Try again,” Emma snaps. “You’re amazing. And he’s never seemed to want anyone. There are no pictures anywhere of him with a woman. Every charity gala, he’s gone solo. He didn’t even do it to quiet the tabloids when they were calling him out for his lack of love life. ”

Her statement makes so many things click into place. He’s never brought a girl around. Never dated. Hell, even the comments about this being the first time he went down on someone or had his dick sucked.

Wait. Has he been celibate waiting for ME all this time?

“Why the hell would he wait so long to tell me?” I ask.

“A billion reasons, Posie. His best friend is your brother. He’s known you since you were a kid. Your parents are like a second family to him,” Mari lists, ticking off fingers as she goes.

“Not to mention, he may not have known how to convince you he was telling the truth. You can’t smell him, and he couldn’t know that taste would work the same way. Plus, even if he did, what could he do—whip out his dick and force it into your mouth? Feed you cum on a spoon?” Emma points out, making entirely too much sense.

“Fuck. Shit. You’re right. And I just ran away,” I whimper, pressing the heel of my hands into my chest, where a steady ache is starting. A headache blossoms, hammering in my temples. “What if he’s mad at me now? What if he thinks I’m more trouble than I’m worth?”

Mari gets up from the couch, and I glance over to see what she’s doing. Her pink-tipped hair floats around her as she bends over, grabs the handles of my bag, and sashays back to the couch to dump it on my lap. Chewing on my lip, I stare at the bag quizzically.

“You’re spiraling, Posie. If the man’s waited for you for seven years, I’m pretty sure he hasn’t just given up because you left the house,” Mari says with her hands on her hips. She’s such a wise soul .

“Plus, you sucked his dick this morning, so that earns you a whole lot of goodwill,” Emma jokes, bumping me with her shoulder. “Just send Mr. Churro Cum a message.”

With a dismissive snort, I comply, searching my bag until I feel the familiar, rectangular shape of my phone against the soft fabric. My fingers clasp the cool metal, gripping it like a lifeline. The screen lights up as soon as it slides out of the bag, letting me know I have a few missed messages. Holding it up to my face, I bring the phone to life and click on my texts, checking the easiest first.

My parents have sent a picture of them all smiling on a sunny beach as proof of life. Owen has sent one demanding I check in and be home by dinnertime. Quivering, I press Miller’s name, my stomach bottoming out as dread swamps me. I hope his messages won’t be as bad as I fear.

Miller

It’s Owen, Crimson, and Damien. Apparently, Jazzy was shitty.

Want me to bring you up some coffee?

How about something to eat?

The ones from this morning are benign enough. Nothing major, and for a moment I wonder if he still thinks I’m in the house. But the next text makes me pull up short and causes slick to gather between my thighs.

Miller

Oh, sweet Puff, you can run. I love a good chase.

The words should scare me, but all they do is make me feel warm and fuzzy inside, like nothing I can do will make him leave. It’s such a switch from thinking he hated me. None of this feels real, but life’s too short to run from the things that matter. Everything can change in an instant.

Me

I don’t want to run anymore.

Miller

Good. I’m outside.

A thrill runs down my spine. How does he know where I am? The thought flits through my head, but honestly, right now, I don’t care. All my instincts scream for me to go to him. To run out that door and charge down the stairs before propelling myself into his arms and never leaving.

“H-he said he’s waiting outside.” Emma bounces up to look out the window. She flicks back the curtains and stares at the street with squinted eyes.

“What kind of car does he drive?” she asks as I join her at the window.

“That one.” I point at his SUV, trying hard not to blush when I remember what we did in it. She flings an arm around me, dropping her forehead to mine, and I take a deep breath, wishing I could scent her. I know it would help calm my nerves.

“Then, what are you waiting for?” she whispers, spinning me around and releasing me. “Go get that boy.”

A palm cracks against my ass, and I jump. Mari laughs at Emma’s antics, handing me my bag .

“Go punch that V-card. We’ll be waiting for updates,” she chirps, passing the heavy duffel over. “And remember, if you need us, no Alpha on earth will keep us away.”

Swallowing hard, I square my shoulders and grip my bag until my knuckles hurt. My stomach flips as if I’m spiraling from a ledge and hoping it’s not a crash landing. The door looms ahead of me, and my hand trembles as I reach forward to turn the knob. Twisting my head, I glance back with a nervous smile and give them a wave, unable to speak around the lump in my throat.

“Bye. We love you. Have fun. And don’t forget about the fair!” Emma blows me a kiss.

“Isn’t that a few weeks away?” I ask.

“Yeah. But just in case you don’t come up for air…” I roll my eyes with a snort. I’m not sure we’ll be having sex today, or tomorrow, or ever. My pussy clenches.

Who am I kidding?