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Then he drags me against him, gluing us chest to ankle, and I let out the most cleansing sigh.
I need this.
Probably needed it my whole fucking life.
Orion’s the only one in the world who can offer me a safe snuggle, and with both of us so shaky, it’s anyone’s fucking guess which of us needs the touch the most.
I stroke his arm. “Will you take them back?”
“I don’t know.” He breathes. “Will you?”
“Never had them.”
“But you could. Especially now. If they mated you instead—”
“No.” We’re gonna shut that talk right down. “I don’t want mates.”
“Everything’s different now.” Orion strokes my back.
I snort against his chest. “You think?”
He chuckles like warm honey.
I relax into him, loving this more than I’ll ever admit. I can still hear Atlas thumping around moving boxes, and that’s another plus. My jitters need the reassurance that no one’s breaking in tonight.
Orion keeps stroking me, trying to turn me to Lilah jelly, and it’s good, but even this magic moment can’t keep out my fear.
Another day, another busted social. “Can I borrow your phone?”
He pulls it out and hands it to me unlocked. I memorized Catherine’s number, so I send a quick text.
Did Sorensens put in an offer?
Her dots pop up and I chew my lip, waiting.
No offers yet. But we’re messaging the entire client list about your showcase. They’ll come rolling in!
I hand back the phone, but my belly cramps with phantom dread.
My heat’s another day closer and I don’t have any guarantees.
I could ask the Wyverns, and I know they’d say yes, but then I remember being at the top of the stairs, too terrified to speak up, and already being denied.
My vision of the future is just as vivid.
Another heat where I’m sitting in some frou-frou nest in the heat suites in fetal position, waiting, waiting, fucking waiting for mates who never come.
I whine.
I don’t slip that sound very often, but when I do…
Something clangs outside.
Atlas dropped a box.
“Hey. You’ll find where you belong.” Orion wraps me tight.
I should push him away.
