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Warmth blooms on my cheeks. Struggling to keep my gaze on him, I nod quickly.
A grin spreads on his handsome face as he leans in to kiss me.
Oliver groans from beside me. “I wish Seth would hurry up.”
I chuckle against Simon’s lips. The heaviness I felt after meeting Millie slowly fades away.
Despite the tantrum she threw, I want to help her. I’ll return to meet her when we’re both feeling better.
Millie is younger than me. She should be in school right now and carving out her future. Instead, she’s continuing to live a nightmare.
I won’t abandon her, I vow silently. Millie has as much right to live a happy life as the assholes who sold her, extorted her, and abused her.
I’m not strong enough today, but someday soon, I will gather my strength and fight back against the people who wanted to destroy me and erase me from this world. I won’t stay quiet forever. One day, I will expose the people who’ve hurt me and every other omega in this rehab facility.
The sound of an approaching car breaks me out of my thoughts.
Seth drives the car forward and stops beside us.
Simon moves forward and opens the back passenger door for me.
While I climb in, he has a quick scuffle with Oliver over who gets to sit beside me.
Seth’s expression grows thunderous. “These two buttheads,” he mutters, sliding the glass of his window. “Will you two cut it out?!” he barks. “Get in or I’m leaving you behind.”
Oliver and Simon race for the car’s door.
Oliver wins and climbs in to sit beside me. Grinning from ear to ear, he sticks out his tongue at Simon.
A snort escapes me as I take in Simon’s angry face.
Seth steps on the gas, quickly driving us away from the heavily-armed property.
We’re soon moving along an open road, fenced on both sides by thick green woods. Within a quarter of an hour, the expressway leads us into heavy traffic as we get closer to Maplewood’s downtown area.
“Oh, come on! Cheer up!” Oliver says, shaking Simon’s shoulder. “You can sit with Rory on our way back home. It’ll take us longer, so just cheer up, okay?”
A tiny spark of joy lights up Simon’s eyes but he still pretends to stay mad at Oliver.
Turning my head toward the window, I hide my smile.
The twins fight fiercely one second and make up the next. They’re each other’s best friends and can’t stay mad at one another for too long.
The sight of familiar streets lifts my spirit as we enter the town of Maplewood. There was a time I thought I’d never be back here. Once again, I feel lucky to have survived the hell Jake pushed me into.
“Is that the restaurant you were talking about?” Seth asks, stopping me from dwelling too long on my traitorous ex-boyfriend.
Looking ahead, I catch a glimpse of the restaurant. “Yup! That’s the one.”
Old memories rush through my mind as Seth drives the car into the restaurant’s parking lot. The familiar sights remind me of the times when my parents used to bring me here on weekends for brunch.
I climb out of the car after Simon and Oliver and stare at the two-storied building that’s surrounded by other restaurants. This part of town is as old as its foundation. Both my mom and dad grew up here and now it’s my turn to introduce this place to my mates.
“This way,” I say, gesturing at them to follow me.
Seth, Oliver, and Simon gather around me. A sense of utter power and privilege flows through me as we step inside the busy dining hall.
“I love old places like these,” Oliver says in a lowered voice. “They have some of the best food.”
