Knight Life In Vegas (Sin City Omegas #3)

Chapter 17

H oly shit. She looked so fucking hot riding Eclipse like she owned the place. I hadn’t expected her to know how to ride. It dashed my hopes of getting to teach her, but this was better. I couldn’t stop staring at her.

Applesauce shoved her nose into my face.

“Excuse you. I’m trying to admire.”

Charlotte’s youngest gave Applesauce a pat. “I want to run too.”

“No can do, little man. You heard what your mom said.”

He turned the most enormous puppy eyes on me with an accompanying pout that almost broke me, but my worry over pissing off Charlotte was greater than my guilt of not letting her child run free.

Her eldest looked unsure on Scout’s back, but Eduardo held the horse steady and showed him the spot behind Scout’s ear where he loved being scratched.

The other cast mates looked on curiously, but none of them dared approach. Anyone with eyeballs could see Chico and Charlotte were having a moment and not a single one of us wanted to interrupt. Well, I wanted to so I could have my own moment, but I wasn’t going to.

“Did you know your mom rides horses?”

Ollie shook his head. “Daddy doesn’t like animals.”

I slid my gaze over to the alpha hovering at the edge of the arena, keeping an eye on both boys and cradling a baby while looking like he’d rather be anywhere else. “I see that.”

Ollie turned. “That’s not Daddy.”

“Our dad had to move away,” Sammy explained. “Far, far away so he can’t come visit.”

What the fuck? Who moved so far away from their kids they could never visit? I tucked it away onto my list of questions I was eager to ask Charlotte about.

Every time she looped by on Eclipse, I got a fresh hit of her scent: lemon meringue that weaved its way into my soul, tying knots into the very structure of my being until I knew that trying to tear her out of there would destroy me. Not that I was going to be doing the tearing. She was the one who’d slipped away into the night on us and looked like she’d wanted the ground to open up and swallow her when she saw me again.

Like she didn’t want us.

Didn’t want me .

So many mysteries we needed to uncover… Why did she run? Who was this mystery father who had abandoned his family? And who was the alpha keeping hawk eyes on her children if he wasn’t their father?

“Do you wanna learn how to ride horses?” I asked Ollie.

“Yeah!” His entire face brightened.

“I’d be happy to teach you if your mom says it’s okay.”

“Yes, please. She’s so pretty,” Ollie said, giving Applesauce a stroke.

“Hey, Mama,” I called across the arena, “is it okay if we walk the horses?”

She looked up from where she’d brought Eclipse to a halt next to Chico. “Slowly,” she yelled back.

I guided Applesauce into a gentle walk, Ollie beaming atop her back. Eduardo followed us with Scout and Sammy. Their legs weren’t long enough to reach the stirrups so they couldn’t do much besides follow my lead, but Ollie didn’t seem to mind. Charlotte watched them with a focus only a mother could have. I was already hyperaware of their safety, but that just made me extra vigilant.

As much as I wanted to talk to Charlotte myself, I could content myself with instilling a love of horses in a new generation. Maybe one day he would work here, assuming we managed to save the business and stick around that long. I liked the idea that Night of Knights would be something I could attend with my future grandkids and tell them I used to perform there. I guess I would need kids in order to have grandkids, but if Charlotte would accept the scent match, then these two kiddos would be ours.

Damn. That was a surreal thought.

I’d been so busy living life I hadn’t even noticed I was starting to get up there in age. A lot of my friends and family already had kids. I didn’t even feel old yet. Not that thirty-three was ancient by any means, but usually big milestones were at least on the radar by that point.

“Did you grow up here?” I asked Ollie. Had Charlotte been here my whole life and I’d just never met her?

He shook his head.

“Do you know where you grew up?” Was that an unreasonable thing for a six-year-old to know?

“New York, Ollie,” said Sammy behind us. “We moved last year.”

We pulled up next to Charlotte, Chico, and Eclipse. Her posture was way too stiff. I laid my hand on her ankle, desperate to touch her again, and her lemon meringue scent erupted. “How’s Eclipse treating you?”

“Good,” she squeaked. “He’s lovely.”

“I’m starving. Do you guys wanna get dinner with us?”

“We already ate dinner before the show,” said Sammy. “It’s almost bedtime.”

“Right. Forgot about that.”

Damn it.

“I should get them home soon,” said Charlotte.

I had to forcefully uncurl my fingers, hating the thought of letting her go. “No problem.”

Those words were a fucking lie. Putting pressure on her wasn’t an option, though. If she wasn’t going to come to us willingly, there was nothing we could do.

I turned back to her son. “Do you want to help me get Applesauce ready for bed before you go?”

His little mouth dropped into an O. “Horses have bedtimes too?”

“You bet they do. Come on, I’ll show you.” I led him back into the stables and helped him down to the ground. He watched with rapt attention while I explained each of the pieces of equipment I took off Applesauce. I passed him a curry comb. “Think you can manage some brushing? She loves it.”

Ollie nodded like a little bobblehead. He took the comb and scrubbed her with both hands, fur coming off her in clouds. I worked on the higher areas, combing through her mane and brushing out her back.

“Did you have fun tonight?”

“Yeah! I want to be a knight.”

“I bet you could be when you grow up.”

“Really?” His eyes were wide as saucers with amazement.

“Sure. I think anyone can be one if they love horses.”

“I love horses! How big do I have to be?”

“Let’s say you have to be able to see over Applesauce’s back. Then you’re big enough to take care of her or any other horse you have as a knight.”

Ollie nodded, standing on his toes, but he wasn’t anywhere near tall enough.

“Can I help?” I turned to see Sammy standing there, Eduardo tucking Scout into his stall and pulling off the equipment.

“You bet.” I passed him one of the brushes. “Eddie, can you grab one of my cards from the office and something to write with?”

Eduardo sighed dramatically, but he slipped away to do just that and returned with one of the business cards and a pen. I scribbled down my phone number.

“This is for your mom. If you guys want to learn how to ride, we’ll set up some lessons and I’ll teach you for free. But all of you can call for any reason, okay? Horse questions, knight questions, whatever you want.”

Sammy took the card, tucking it into his pocket. “We need Mommy’s permission to use the phone.”

“Of course. Always listen to your mom, but I want you to have the number in case you need it.”

Eduardo joined us and hoisted up Ollie so he could brush Applesauce’s back. “Saucy has never looked better.”

“Why can’t we brush Scout?” Sammy asked.

“He’s a lot fussier than Applesauce when it comes to his brushdown. Way safer to start you on a more relaxed horse. I’m sure if you come by again a few times Scout will let you when he gets to know you.”

Sammy pouted, but very diligently continued his work brushing Applesauce. She was living her best life with all of this attention.

“I see we’re going to need an extra thorough bath tonight,” Charlotte said as she came in with the others. She didn’t sound upset, thankfully, but she was definitely right. It had taken no time at all for the boys to get covered in dust and horse hair.

“Being a knight is messy work,” I told her, offering her a bright smile.

I got lost in her hazel eyes when she turned them on me. “Thank you for being so sweet with them.”

“Who could be anything but?”

She looked like she wanted to respond in the contrary, but simply shook her head and smiled. “I need to get them home for bath time.”

“Can we walk you out?” Eduardo asked. “It won’t take us long to change.”

Charlotte chewed her bottom lip. “Okay. We have to go collect the stroller for Lucy before the arena gets closed up.”

“Meet us in the gift shop,” Chico said. “The boys can pick out something free of charge.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Charlotte insisted.

“Privilege of being the boss.” Chico patted her on the shoulder. “We’ll see you in a few minutes. Please don’t run away.”

Her cheeks flushed pink at the reminder. “I won’t.”

As soon as Charlotte and her squad were out of sight, my pack and I were practically tripping over one another to get to the locker rooms and strip out of our knightly garb into regular street clothes. I would come back after and finish up with the horses, but for now I was ready to break a speed record on fastest change out.

We met them in the gift shop, the boys picking out some plastic swords. She winced when they bellowed and began a mock battle.

“Swords are for outside or the arena,” Eduardo stated. “Promise you won’t play with them in the house. You don’t want to break any of your mom’s things.”

“We promise,” Sammy said, probably automatically since he kept poking Ollie with the tip of his sword.

“Thank you,” she whispered to Eduardo. “I suppose I should introduce everyone. Beau, meet Dylan, Eduardo, and Francisco. Everyone, this is Beau and Lucy. And you all know my kids, Sammy and Ollie.”

The mystery man had a name now. Chico gave me a look that promised more information when we had time to talk.

“Boys, say thank you,” Charlotte told her children.

“Thank you!” they chorused.

“Okay, time to get you two home.” Charlotte gathered them up, taking them each by the hand. She stared at me for too long, like she was expecting something more, but I wasn’t entirely sure what. Her expression softened, body leaning closer, even as she anchored herself holding onto her boys.

Maybe she was as drawn to me as I was to her? I fist-bumped both of her boys with a bright smile before checking out her body language again. Definitely longing in those hazel eyes… Okay, time for a little risk.

“Would a hug be asking too much?” I inquired.

She didn’t respond with words, but relief lit up in her gaze and she got her sons to link hands and to both hold onto the stroller before she stepped into my embrace. I almost died right there. Holding her felt so fucking good, like everything in the universe was perfect for the brief seconds she allowed me to have contact. Her hands shook when she pressed them against my back, her body melting when my purr kicked on. I pulled in deep lungfuls of her scent, wanting to drag her back to the stables to hear her fall apart for me again. Maybe stables were too much… She was pretty classy, so beds were probably more her speed, but a man could dream.

Eduardo cleared his throat and I dragged myself into the unfortunate reality of having to let her go. She made the cutest fucking whimper when she hugged Eduardo next, and her breathing hitched when Chico got his turn. It was a damn good feeling to realize she wasn’t unaffected by us.

“Okay, definitely time to get home,” Charlotte said when she finally stepped away. “Thank you for tonight. And the other nights.”

Her cheeks were flaming pink when she added the last bit. I knew I was grinning like an idiot, but I couldn’t stop. She headed off with her kids and Beau, and we watched until she was out of sight.

I turned to Chico. “We’re not letting her go, right?”

“Not on your fucking life.”