AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Who are the actual professionals, then?”
“The people on the ground level,” Tai chimes in as if he’s not shaken about how these two interact with each other. “The people doing the actual work.”
Kaz and Tai square off, but before they can get into their favorite argument in front of her, I step in. “You said your parents are here? How are they settling in?”
Maddie’s face lights up, and my packmates graciously dismount their high horses while she talks about her family. “They’re so excited. My little brother thinks he’s a prince now, and my dad can’t wait to get lost in the gardens. If a dark-haired preschooler finds you out on the grounds at some point and starts following you around, that’ll be Kevin. Just send him home, but be nice about it or I’ll tell him where you sleep.”
“What’ll he do if you tell him where we sleep?”
She smiles. “Crawl into bed with you regardless of who’s already in there. He’s fond of pretending to be a starfish in his sleep, and we’ve been working on his pranking skills.”
“Warning received.” I touch my hand to my heart and sit down as the server brings in our food. “What about your mum? Does she like her new house?”
Some of the light fades from Maddie’s eyes, and her smile loses a megawatt or five. “She loves it, but she’s more concerned about my happiness.”
Tai’s hand twitches like he’s about to take hers, but then he sees Kaz watching him and rolls his eyes instead. “It’s good that she cares about your happiness, isn’t it? Sure beats parents who want to control everything regardless of how we feel.”
Kaz’s jaw tics. “Some people don’t have the luxury of believing the world runs on sunshine and love.”
When red streaks creep up Tai’s neck, I pick up the tequila and fill the glasses. “Shots!” I announce, immediately dispelling the negative energy in that way only I can. Well, with Señor Tequila’s help.
Kaz jerks his head in a nod, but then his phone chimes and he curses when he checks it. “My mother is requesting an audience.”
“Right now?” Tai scowls, and I know he suspects her Royal Bitchiness is pulling Kaz away from dinner because she knows exactly who she’s pulling him away from.
“Yes. Right now.” Kaz gives Maddie an apologetic smile. Once again, he surprises me when he goes over to her and drops a chaste kiss on top of her head. “I’m sorry. I have to go, but we’ll talk soon? Thanks for the freckles.”
The smile she gives him in turn is equally fond and genuine. “You’re welcome.”
He chuckles, then reaches out and brushes his knuckles across one of her cheeks. “I’ll text you later.”
“Okay.”
When he turns around and strides out, I stare after him for a beat before snapping my gaze to hers. “The fuck was that?”
Confusion darkens her eyes as she frowns at me. “What was what?”
“That.” I incline my head toward the door. “With you and Kaz. Did that really just happen?”
Tai chuckles. “It happened all right. Now that Captain Spoilsport is gone, what is that promise you said you had to keep?”
“Oh, that.” I glance at her. “Maddie said my mouth was going to get me in trouble, and I told her I’d rather use it to get her off.”
He groans, but then he turns to her as well. “You didn’t tell him to go fuck himself?”
As her eyes dart between us, she seems to realize what we want. When her gaze settles on Tai’s, she smiles a little. “Why would I do that?”
His jaw slackens as he scrubs a hand over his face. “Here we go again.”
She laughs. “You could sound more enthusiastic about it.”
Peeking at her between his fingers, he hesitates for a beat before he places one hand in mine and the other in hers. “Trust me, I’m really fucking enthusiastic about it, and I’ll prove it to you in a minute, but we promised it would only be that one time.”
“We did,” she murmurs her agreement, lifting their joined hands to her mouth and brushing a kiss to his knuckles. “Neither of us wanted it to stay that way, though.”
“We didn’t,” he says, getting up and releasing my hand to wrap her up in his arms. She rests her head against his chest, and her eyes close as she listens to what I know from experience is the very steady beat of his heart. While she does, he cradles her against him, stroking her hair and murmuring to her. “I don’t know what it is about you, Maddie, but I can’t stay away.”
“We don’t do this with any of the other Omegas,” I say as I move in behind her, cautiously sliding my arms around her waist and stepping in so close that her back is pressed tightly to my front.
