Page 13 of Bound to the EMT

“I can’t guarantee that, since I don’t know what they consider embarrassing, but I’ll do my best.”

As he talks to the other person on his communicator, I pull my pants back up and gather the trash. Helpless, I look around the room, still not sure if my backpack is the best place to put it all. When he ends the call, he smiles at me and holds out his bag.

“I’ll take all that, if you want. Butt plug included. Can’t have the maids finding stuff, can we?”

Relief floods my system, making me sag against the bed. “You’ve helped me so much, but I don’t even know your name.”

“Branson. But my friends call me Ace.”

“Thank you, Mr. Branson.”

With a wink, he leans over and pulls a blood pressure cuff up my arm. “Pretty sure we can qualify as friends now. I don’t pleasure just anyone.”

Heat floods my face as I look away, a smile tugging at my lips. As the cuff tightens, he pulls out a piece of paper and scribbles some stuff on it. “Here. Next time you’re feeling adventurous, give me a call. I’d rather help you out before things get to an emergency state.”

“Oh,” I cry out. “I’m sorry, but I can’t socialize with people like you.” Even as I say it, I groan, wishing I’d been able to think of a better way.

“Someone like me?” He pulls back the paper and frowns. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Alphas,” I rapidly amend, praising myself for my quick thinking. “Mother won’t let me consort with Alphas.”

“I see.” His lips draw down into a frown, but he doesn’t push the issue.

“You know what I mean,” I plead with him, desperate to make him understand that this slighting is not all my fault.

“Yes,” he growls. “I know what you mean. I’ve dealt with enough rich people during the course of my life to be able to read between the lines.”

“Please,” I beg again. “You don’t understand.”

“Trust me. I do.”

“But my mother-”

He cuts me off with a wave of his hand and abruptly changes the subject. “If you ever get the bright idea to shove something into another one of your holes without knowing what you’re doing, don’t. I assure you, you don’t want to meet me like this again.”

My mouth dries as he goes about checking my vitals, acting as if we hadn’t just shared such an intimate moment. So stupid of me to open my mouth. But truly, what else can I do? There’s no way in heck mother would let me fraternize with him, even if he did save me in a way she’ll never know.

“Miss Astencourt,” a voice shrieks from my doorway.

Martha, one of the servants, rushes inside and makes her way to my bed. Thankfully, Branson already put all evidence of my indiscretion into the bag where she can’t see it.

“Easy, ma’am,” he chides, drawing the stethoscope away from my chest. “Miss Astencourt is fine. She just had a bit of a fainting spell.”

“But she’s all right,” she cries out, wringing her hands as she looks between him and me.

“Quite all right. Vitals are strong. Based on a quick scan, it shows her electrolytes are a bit low.” He pulls out another small device and peers at it, as if he actually did a proper examination. “Less stress and hydration are just what she needs.”

“Thank you, sir. I can assure you, she will get both.”

With a heavy sigh, Branson eases off of the bed and gives me a wink before packing the rest of his stuff up. “Hopefully I won’t have to make another visit like this again. Just rest tonight, drink plenty of fluids, and check in with your primary doctor if you still feel out of sorts tomorrow.”

My heart threatens to splinter as he eases himself through the door frame. As I look around the room, it hits me how everything is somehow still the same, but fundamentally different. If only I hadn’t allowed my classmates to pressure me. If only I was still the innocent, naïve omega I was just a few hours ago.

Now, I’ll never get that back. I’ll always know at least a fragment of what I’m missing. And honestly, that’s far more agonizing than I ever thought possible.