Page 34 of Toxic Revenge: Part Two

“I’m so sorry, princess. I never should have lost control of myself like I did at the hospital. I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but West is right. I need to apologize.”

My tears fell, the dam breaking. Rushing back over to the bed, I threw myself on top of Conrad hard enough that he grunted in pain. I laid on top of him and buried my face against his chest, sobbing. His arms wrapped around me like they had so many times before, giving me all the comfort in the world.

“You idiot,” I said between sniffles. “I thought you didn’t want me anymore.”

“What?” He sounded horrified.

“Because of the bond with Benjamin. I thought... You stopped touching me after you learned about that.”

“Fuck, I would never reject you. I just don’t deserve you, princess. I’m the reason you were out somewhere he could get to you—that happened because of me.”

Of course he would blame himself.

It wasn’t his fault at all.

I had no doubt in my mind that if Benjamin hadn’t found me then, he would have found me another time. My scent match had a plan far bigger than any of us had assumed. We hadn’t been expecting how malicious he truly was, so I wouldn’t have been prepared whether he came for me that night or in three months.

“It happened because of him,” I insisted. “Not you.”

And maybe it also happened a little bit because of me, but I knew if I said that aloud they would deny it was at all my fault.

“But I?—”

“You were drugged. That makes it even less your fault.”

He stayed silent, running out of excuses. He would come up with more, just like West would. Mercer seemed to be the only one who wasn’t blaming himself for something happening to me, and I was sure there was something negative going on in his head that he hadn’t exposed yet.

We were quite the group, it seemed.

“I think it’s time for you to shut up and cuddle me. Isn’t the omega always supposed to be right, anyway?” I complained.

He chuckled, hesitantly tightening his grip on me. “I hate to say I’ll disagree with you when I think you’re wrong, but… I will.”

“Well, I’ll convince you eventually that you aren’t to blame, because it’s the truth.”

His lips landed on the top of my head, and I knew I had him back—for now, at least.

Hopefully, forever.

A loud knock on the door broke through my peals of laughter. I’d slept so much recently I hadn’t been tired, and Conrad hadn’t seemed keen to close his eyes either.

So instead of sleeping, we’d helped Conrad back to my nesting room. It was far more comfortable than his makeshift hospital room, with scent marked pillows and blankets that made it perfect for pack cuddles. And a great venue for the guys to share funny stories of their motorcycle club with me.

At each other’s expense, of course.

West and Conrad were on the receiving end of most of my laughter. Mercer had kept his nose clean and eyes on the prize, so they didn’t have much to say about him.

Whoever it was knocked again as I was catching my breath.

“Who is it?” West demanded, getting up from the bed.

“Lavinia. This is a necessary interruption, I’m afraid.”

“Necessary how?”

“Our fathers have arrived. They want to meet you and check on Talia.”

I sat straight up, my good mood immediately darkening. It wasn’t that I wasn’t happy my fathers had come. I was, and it would have been out of character for them tonotcome sweeping in at the first sign of my distress.