AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Was he offering me or my brother?”
His violet eyes swirl with an emotion I can’t read. “My choice, if I wanted.”
“But you refused.”
“I was with Sidney. I didn’t give it much thought,” he admits.
Saint rubs my back, and I lean into the comfort. I’m at a loss for words. It’s in the past, something our fathers tried to do. But it still feels like another rejection, which is stupid and totally my omega hormones talking. Yet I can’t shake it. Paired with the fact he hasn’t marked me yet, I want to curl up into a ball and cry.
As I nestle closer to Saint’s soothing touch, my thoughts become a tumultuous whirlwind. It’s as if time has folded in on itself, and the weight of our fathers’ expectations from the past presses down on me like a heavy burden.
I can’t help but wonder if there’s something I’m missing, some crucial piece of the puzzle that could bridge the gap between us. The desire for Austin’s approval, for his mark, gnaws at the edges of my consciousness. It’s a primal need, a yearning deep within my very being, driven by these pesky omega hormones.
Saint’s hand continues its gentle motion, and I let out a sigh, trying to find solace in his presence. But the tension lingers, and my insecurities refuse to fade away.
I turn my head slightly, stealing a glance at Austin. His expression remains enigmatic, a mixture of concern and contemplation. It’s as though he’s wrestling with his own inner demons, just as I am.
To top it all off, I can smell the bitter scent of my perfume in the air between us, so I know he can, too.
“What about now? What would you pick now?”
Stupid.
Just lay my heart open. Fuck. I want to snatch the questions back before he even opens his mouth to respond.
“Audrey—” he sighs, as if I’m a child that can’t handle the truth.
My throat tightens, and my eyes burn, but I’m saved by my brother emerging from the steamy bathroom. I slip out of Saint’s arms and pass Sin on my way to the safety of the bathroom. Where the water from the shower will hide my tears, and I can piece myself back together again. I knew this wasn’t forever. Right? When had things gotten twisted? Why had I allowed hope to bloom?
A low argument erupts behind me, but I cut it off as I shut the door firmly between us. I don’t want to know what they say. How Saint tries to convince Austin he wants an omega when he clearly doesn’t. When Sidney has broken him too much for him to move on. If she wasn’t already dead, I’d find her and kill her myself.
Inside the bathroom, the sound of running water from the showerhead drowns out the turmoil in my mind. I clutch the edge of the sink, trying to regain my composure. My reflection in the mirror stares back at me, my eyes red and puffy, a stark contrast to the facade of strength I’ve been desperately trying to maintain.
The steam wraps around me like a cocoon, offering a momentary escape from the chaos outside. I let out a shaky breath, willing myself to hold it together. I can’t let them see me crumble, not now.
Stepping beneath the showerhead, I run a trembling hand through my wet hair, tears mixing with the water droplets. The muffled voices of Austin and Saint continue to drift through the bathroom door, their words unintelligible, but the tension unmistakable. Once in a while, I hear Sin add his two cents. I can’t imagine what they are saying, and at this moment, I don’t want to.
Pulling myself back together, I let the water run over my face. When I leave this bathroom, I will be composed. No crying for what can’t be. Just enjoy the ride. Damn. If life hasn’t taught me that, then I don’t know what will.
I turn the water off. It is silent on the other side of the door as I dress in a pair of leggings minus panties because I guess Austin didn’t think of that when he stocked the closet. And a t-shirt that hangs to just below my ass but is the softest material ever. I drag a brush through my damp hair. It hangs in limp curls around my shoulders. Once it dries, it will be a bunch of ringlets that are an effortless style.
Exiting the bathroom, the three of them watch me, and I suddenly wish there was a hoodie in the closet. My fingers curl into my palms, and I force a smile.
“All clean,” I chirp. Fake it until you make it.
CHAPTER49
Austin
Audrey’s face falls,and I feel like garbage. She slips out of Saint’s arms and past her brother. I step forward to follow her, but Saint slaps his hand against my chest, holding me back. The snick of the lock behind her would have stopped me, anyway.
“What the fuck, Austin!” Saint growls.
“I can’t lie to her,” I say, my voice raising to match his.
He growls low again, and if he were an animal, I would be afraid of having my throat ripped out. “What do you mean you can’t lie to her? You want her! I can see it in the way you watch her. And it is more than that. You’ve fallen for her.”
I shake my head, denying his words even though they are true. “It’s complicated.”
