Knight Life In Vegas (Sin City Omegas #3)

Chapter 20

W hat on earth was happening? Every time I woke up, I encountered some new mouthwatering scent. First Eduardo’s lemon oil and pepper, rousing me from an uncomfortable slumber on the living room floor. Then orange liqueur and clove from Francisco, and leather and cherries from Dylan, each of them tucked on either side of me in my bed with my boys wedged against me. And now bacon and pancakes.

I still wasn’t totally clear-headed, but I felt healthier than I had since I had first met Francisco and discovered the match. All my omega instincts were like a cat with a bowl of cream at having these men in my home and in my bed.

Eduardo settled next to me, leaning against the headboard and drawing me close. I nibbled a strip of bacon, daring to snuggle into him. His scent was sharp but relaxing. It reminded me of home-cooked meals and polished wood, like everything around me was meticulously cared for.

“How did you know where I lived?”

“Sammy called Dylan and you have your address on the fridge.”

I’d written down those details for myself because I could never remember our new ZIP code. At least it had come in handy. Why did they call Dylan instead of Ava, though?

“Eat as much as you can, but don’t push yourself,” Eduardo said, his voice smooth and his embrace warm.

I worked my way through the pancake slice, my appetite slowly returning the longer I was in the presence of my fated alphas. That was going to be a problem. How was I meant to function and reject the match at the same time?

“I don’t mean to be such a disaster,” I said carefully.

“You’re not. You can’t help a biological reaction any more than we can. I don’t think fate was prepared for you to be so stubborn.”

I let out a small laugh.

“What I’m about to say isn’t to pressure you, but I do want you to take it into consideration.”

Trepidation flowed through me. “All right.”

“Trying to reject the matches is hurting you. Do you think you’re going to be able to be the mother you want to be for your kids if you keep pushing us away? Is the suffering worth not giving us a chance?”

Shame bubbled up instantly. He made a valid point. I wasn’t capable of taking care of my kids long-term in this condition, and that pissed me off as much as it made me ache to give in. My kids called and they had come. These alphas didn’t even know us, not really, but they were here and had stepped up when we needed help.

“I want to clarify,” he added, “I don’t think you’re a bad mom for your choices. In fact, I think you’re a great one. I just don’t want you to suffer and struggle. You don’t have to do either of those things, and even if you don’t want to give us a chance to be your pack, I do want you to know we’ll be there to help anyway.”

I stared at him for a long moment, my brain unwilling to form words. Instead of speaking, I set my plate aside and draped my legs over his lap, burrowing against his chest. His arms wrapped instantly around me, his purr vibrating through me, filling me with a sense of safety. What was I supposed to say? My instincts wanted me to have them. Fate wanted it; they wanted it…

Fury flashed hotly through me over a life with Andrew making me so uncertain. I didn’t know how to trust anymore. I certainly didn’t know how to be part of a pack. I had given a lifetime to my ex-husband and all that remained of it outside of my children were broken shards of myself I was desperately trying to piece back together.

“I… It’s not that I don’t…want to.”

“An easier question, then,” he said. “What’s up with your nest? Or lack thereof.”

I froze. “My ex-husband didn’t really like me being an omega, I don’t think. He said nests were childish. When my kids and I left, I didn’t have any nesting supplies to take with me, and I’ve tried to be frugal with myself so I don’t have to deny the boys.”

“Querida, let us help you.”

I pressed my lips together and took slow breaths. “I’m trying to be independent.”

He chuckled softly. “Independence can be great, but it’s overrated in my opinion. Why do you think we formed a pack? It’s in our nature to band together. I’m not suggesting you move in with us tomorrow, but consider the opportunity in front of you.”

“I’ll think about it,” I promised.

With my brain already mush from being around them, a future filled my head, of breakfast in bed, peaceful moments with cuddles and someone else watching my boys so I could turn off my thoughts for a few minutes at a time. They had only been here for an hour and I was already thinking of everything we could be.

“Are you feeling better?”

“Much.”

“I’m sorry the solution is us. I’m sure that reality can’t be comfortable, regardless of who it’s attached to after what you went through. Where is your ex now?”

“Prison,” I stated simply.

“I—uh, that wasn’t the answer I expected. What’s he in prison for?”

I sighed. “A lot of things. Vulnerable omega assault, physical assault of about a dozen people, coercion, fraud, embezzlement. Probably a few more things, but those are the big ones.”

Eduardo’s arms tightened around me. “He hurt you?”

“Not me, not physically at least until the very end. He went after his ex-girlfriend, trying to get her to give up her parental rights. You met their daughter at Night of Knights.”

“That sounds…complicated?”

“Very. It was a whole mess for a bit, but it’s not as weird now as it was when everything was uncovered. My chosen family isn’t conventional, but I love them.”

He nodded and rested his cheek against my hair. “How can we make this all easier for you?”

“I don’t really know.” I leaned back far enough to look him in the eye. “Are you uncomfortable with it being me? Are you guys suffering?”

I knew Beau struggled, but I was hoping that was a cursed quirk between the two of us.

“I have some symptoms,” Eduardo confessed. “Not nearly as bad as yours, though. And… I don’t know. I don’t have any negative feelings about you being the one fate chose for us. A sweet, fierce, beautiful omega and her lovely children seem like a blessing to me.”

“You’re just saying that because you haven’t experienced the full power of our chaos.”

I couldn’t say no alpha out there would raise the child of another outside of their pack—and happily, at that—because Ava’s pack raised Lucy like their own despite her sharing blood with none of them. Men of that quality existed, but how was I supposed to know if these men were of that caliber? How could I afford to risk my children’s happiness like that?

I pinched the bridge of my nose. Maybe the real question was, how could I not? I couldn’t ignore how my boys thrived around Ava’s pack, how much they yearned for father figures who understood them. I’d seen their faces when Dylan and Eduardo had gotten them on horseback.

“I don’t love chaos,” Eduardo admitted, “but I’m fascinated by you, and honestly, I’m used to chaos living with Dylan and working around horses. What’s a little more added to my life when it comes in such a charming package?”

Emotion clogged my throat.

“You’ve got a lot to protect,” he added. “If you did want to take a little risk, you’d control the pace.”

It had felt like so long since I’d controlled anything .

“You guys really want to throw your hat into this disaster of a ring?”

He smiled against my hair. “I’d buy up a whole hat store and toss them all in. I’ve thought about you since the moment we met, and I don’t imagine that’s going to stop anytime soon. The same goes for the others.”

I pursed my lips. Beyond fate, I knew why I wanted them: they were sweet and gorgeous, protective and vibrant, and so good in bed my stomach turned to butterflies just thinking about it again. But why did they want me ?

“Can this be a conversation for tomorrow?”

“Of course. All the better when you’re feeling well again.”

I closed my eyes as his purr started up once more.

“How come everyone is cuddling Mommy?”

I turned to see Ollie in the doorway, Waffles clutched in his arms.

“Your mother’s an omega,” Eduardo stated.

Ollie tilted his head. “What’s that?”

“A very special type of person who needs extra attention.” Eduardo proceeded to give Ollie a brief, very PG explanation of alphas, betas, and omegas while my son perched next to us.

“What’s Daddy?” Ollie asked.

“An alpha.”

Ollie wrinkled his nose. “Was he a bad one?”

I choked, covering a sharp laugh with a cough. “What do you mean, baby?”

“If alphas are supposed to protect omegas, why was he never home? Do you think Sammy and I will be alphas? We’ll protect you, Mommy!”

Everyone was really trying to get me up in my feelings today. “Oh, honey. Daddy was…well, you’re right. He wasn’t a very good alpha. But I’m supposed to protect you , not the other way around.”

Ollie pouted. “We could protect each other?”

I gathered him up onto my lap, Eduardo opening his arms to hold both of us. “I think that sounds perfect, baby.”

My sweet boy stared up at Eduardo. “Are you a good alpha who’s gonna protect Mommy, too?”

“If she lets me.”

A moment later Sammy rocketed onto the bed, not to be left out. Eduardo didn’t seem to mind the flailing limbs, though he did grunt when an elbow hit him in the chest. He squeezed us all tightly, my boys laughing, and my heart was fuller than it had been in years.

“Room for two more?” Francisco asked from the doorway.

In for a penny, in for a pound.

“The bed frame might not agree with me, but I’m saying yes anyway.”

“Sammy and I finished folding and putting away all the laundry,” Dylan said. “Except for yours, since we didn’t want to bother you, and you probably don’t want me rooting through your undies.”

I snorted. What a strange boundary to put in place when he’d been inside ones I’d been wearing not that long ago. “I can handle it tomorrow.”

“Do you mind if we stay tonight, duchess?” Francisco asked.

I wasn’t sure how on earth we could all fit, but I was willing to give it a go, if only for tonight. “You can stay.”