Knight Life In Vegas (Sin City Omegas #3)

Chapter 35

“ H ow are we supposed to do awesome birthday stuff if she’s adapting to the new bond?” Dylan lamented as he stretched out on our couch, staring at the ceiling.

“We’re doing more things later,” I reminded him. “She’ll probably stay asleep for a while longer.”

Dylan pouted. “Chico is hogging.”

“He’s bonded. He’s allowed to.” It was a strange adjustment considering how quickly everything had happened. Chico had stayed at Charlotte’s since their accidental bonding, leaving Dylan and me to our own devices. Mostly that had involved taking on as much care of her children as we could reasonably manage so she could rest. We weren’t authorized for pickup, but we were able to get them ready for the day and drop them off with her permission.

It was a good opportunity for us to get to know the boys, and I liked watching Dylan with them. He was basically a big kid himself half the time, and he was in his glory getting to hang out with them. I kind of liked going dad mode: making sure everyone was dressed, washed, fed, and out the door on time, knowing Charlotte could relax into her new bonds and not have to worry. Now that she was bonded to Chico, she was a part of our pack, and I was as close to being her alpha as I could get before she officially chose me.

“Our place is so boring now that Chico is bonded.” Dylan huffed.

He wasn’t wrong. The fresh bond meant our packmate needed to be around Charlotte as much as possible, and the quiet in our apartment had become almost suffocating.

Everything was so up in the air. The bonding had legal implications, effectively installing Chico as an additional father to Charlotte’s children. We were a registered pack, but Charlotte hadn’t claimed us, so it was a gray area for Dylan and me.

I’d been content to wait before this, but now it felt like we were behind schedule.

“You’re welcome to go over to Charlotte’s, but you have to let them all rest,” I reminded him. I was in the middle of meal prepping so none of us accidentally went hungry or had to fork out an ungodly amount for a meal at the hotel that hosted the arena.

“I can’t leave you all alone.”

“You could help, and then we could both go over sooner.”

Dylan let out a dramatic sigh. “Okay, fine, but if I ruin something, it’s your fault.”

I gave him the simple task of rinsing the rice while I arranged seasoned chicken thighs on a baking sheet. Pan frying them made them turn out better, but I could do at least three times as much at once if I used the oven, and I wanted to make sure the food was accessible to Charlotte and the boys if they wanted it. She had given us a copy of their family schedule and added in everyone’s favorite foods, as well as things the boys refused to eat, at my request. I figured the best way to get us officially integrated into her family would be to do our part and show her we belonged there.

A knock at the door stole my attention.

Dylan immediately abandoned his task and bounded over to answer it. “Hey, princess!”

Charlotte stepped inside, nervously twisting her fingers. She was squeezed into tiny jean shorts and a black tank top that highlighted every mouthwatering curve.

“Did you need something, querida, or is this a social visit?”

“I need to talk to both of you.”

Ominous. Hopefully the unplanned bond with Chico hadn’t spooked her too much. If she pulled away now that we’d just moved forward…

“Is this a good talk or a bad talk?” Dylan asked.

“Um, neutral?”

“Have a seat,” I said, gesturing to the stools at the island. “Can I get you something to drink?”

“Just water is fine, thank you.”

I added some ice and filtered water to a glass, slotting a wedge of lemon onto the rim for her.

She settled with the glass, tracing lines in the condensation that quickly formed. “I’m sorry I made everything so complicated.”

“Life would be so much less interesting if it weren’t complicated.” I finished up Dylan’s forgotten task while I spoke, adding the rice into the cooker along with some tomato and seasoning. “Did you come over for an unneeded apology?”

“Sort of.”

Dylan stepped up behind her, nuzzling his cheek along her hair. It was impossible to miss the rise in her scent and the dilation of her pupils, followed immediately by the pulse of fear that soured her scent.

“I can’t think when you’re so close.”

Dylan parked himself on one of the stools, leaving an empty one between them.

Charlotte sighed, taking a slow sip of her water. “I thought the heat flush that bonded me to Beau was a one-time anomaly, but it’s not. I don’t know how to keep control of it.”

“Do you have to control it?” Dylan asked, tilting his head like a pup to examine her.

“Well, yeah. I can’t be bonding people left and right.”

“You could bond me right now and I’d be happy as a clam,” said Dylan.

Charlotte pursed her lips. “We barely know each other.”

Fate had chosen this omega for us. What did it matter if we got to know each other now or later?

“The only way that’s going to change is if we spend more time together. Is that something you still want to do?” I asked.

“I already agreed to trying. I know we’re scent matches, but bonding just to make it…scarier. I’ve been trying so hard to put my kids first, and this feels like I’m failing in that.”

“We think your kids are great.” Dylan offered her a smile and she shakily returned it.

“None of us want to step on the toes of you being the mother you want to be. You don’t have to tackle any of that alone, unless you desperately want to. Whether you bond us or not, you’re part of our pack now and we’re going to take care of you and your kids in whatever ways you will allow us to.”

“I don’t want to push parenthood on anyone. No one should be forced into it if it’s not something they want with their whole heart.”

I leaned against the counter to get myself eye level with her, waiting until her hazel eyes locked with mine. “I promise you parenthood has been on all our minds since we learned you were our match. You’re right it’s not something that should be forced, but I don’t feel like that’s what’s happening. You three are filling up the empty spaces we didn’t know existed. If you want us to be a family, we’ll be right there to accept that honor.”

“You really want to risk being stuck to me forever?”

“Better reverse that question, princess.” Dylan laughed. “You’re the one who’ll be stuck with us. I’m more than happy to keep you.”

Her gaze drifted to him, and back to me, tears threatening to spill over her bottom lashes. “And you?”

She looked so fucking fragile. I hated that she was afraid, but I could only do so much to alleviate her worries when her body had stripped her choice of timing twice now.

“You’re pack,” I repeated, “and if you think I didn’t start falling for you the second that pink cowboy hat was on your head, you are sadly mistaken. Match or not, we all knew you were for us. Bond me now, later, or never, and that doesn’t change.”

One of her tears slipped free and I brushed it away with my thumb, cradling her cheek. Charlotte closed her eyes, sending more tears tumbling down as she leaned into my touch.

“Querida, you’re our omega. We know what you’ve been through and will be as patient as you need. It’s okay if you’re afraid of the bond for your own reasons, but I don’t want you to worry that we don’t want it. Do what you need to feel safe. Muzzle us if you have to.”

Dylan squawked. “How am I supposed to eat her pussy if I have a muzzle on?”

Charlotte broke into laughter, burying her face in her hands.

“Is it only the timing that worries you?” I asked.

“I mean, I guess. It’s not that I don’t like all of you. It just feels so early.” She sighed again. “Ava bonded two of her alphas the day they met and it all worked out for her. I just keep running myself in circles about how it could possibly work for me when the alpha I was with for more than twenty years showed no interest in bonding me.”

“Your ex is an idiot and an asshole,” Dylan sniped.

“I’m going to have to agree on that front.” I reached for Charlotte’s hand, and she didn’t draw away, letting our fingers lace together. “He had a treasure and he squandered you. We’re not going to make the same mistake.”

“I don’t even know the most basic things about you guys.” Charlotte frowned.

“What do you want to know?” Dylan asked.

“How old are you?”

“Thirty-five for me,” I said.

“Thirty-three,” replied Dylan.

“Oh god, am I a cradle robber?”

Dylan snorted. “I don’t think a decade is that bad. Beau is the one that’s old enough to be my dad at this point.”

Charlotte burst into laughter again. “This is all ridiculous.”

“It’s not like I’m twenty,” Dylan defended. “I think thirty-three is pretty respectable.”

“Ask all your questions, querida. If you want to speed-run getting to know us, we can definitely do that.”

So she did. We filled in for Chico on the simple things, like favorite color: blue for me, yellow for Dylan, and green for Chico. Favorite foods, and hobbies, dreams for the future all passed between us. She relaxed a little more with each question, eventually allowing Dylan to scoot closer so she could lean against him. I resumed cooking while we talked, keeping half my attention on her so she felt no pressure to speak.

“I’m nervous for everyone to meet tonight,” she confessed.

“Why?” Dylan asked. “We’re a delight.”

“I haven’t told them I’m bonded, and I know Beau hasn’t talked to his son yet. They have a complicated relationship. I don’t want this to be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.”

“Hopefully that won’t be the case. Are you going to neutralize your scent for the evening?”

“I probably should. It feels weird, though.”

“Why is that, princess?”

“Ever since I went totally natural on everything, it feels strange to think about muting it. I lived so long with the hormonal equivalent of noise-canceling headphones on, and now I’m afraid of that silence.”

“Don’t do it, then.” Dylan leaned in for a deep inhale. “You smell delicious. Like the fanciest lemon meringue pie to ever exist.”

A faint hint of vanilla, orange, and spices clung to her from the fresh bond. “You’ve had a very busy few days. I think it’s fair to keep things quiet until you’ve had a chance to breathe. Others may not agree, but you don’t owe them constant updates about your life. Besides, your bond with Beau isn’t only your story to tell. You can hardly tell some of your friend’s pack and exclude one because Beau isn’t ready yet.”

“I suppose that’s true.”

“Try to just enjoy this evening. We’ll have to head over soon, so if there’s anything you need to do to get ready, I would do that now. We’re fully staffed on performers, so Chico can sit with you during everything.”

“And you two will be on horseback?”

“Mhmm.” Dylan grinned. “You should get some handkerchiefs and tie them on our arms like they used to do with knights back in the day.”

Charlotte slid off her stool and rose on her toes to kiss him, but drew away before he could scoop her up. “I could, if you’d like.”

I met her partway as she moved closer to me, again rising up so she could reach me. Her lips were soft and sweet against mine, a brush of warmth compared to all the fire I knew she contained.

“Make sure you cheer for us tonight,” I told her, trailing my knuckles over her cheek. “I’ll be watching for you in the crowds.”

She sank against me, nestling into my arms that wrapped so readily around her. “Thank you for being so patient with me. I know I’m not what you signed up for.”

“Querida, just because I didn’t know what I was signing up for doesn’t mean I have a single regret about doing it. You’re ours, and I will cherish every moment you give us.”

Charlotte hummed softly and drew away. “I must’ve been a saint in a past life to be gifted alphas so sweet.”

I tipped her chin up and pressed my lips to hers again. “Go on and see your bondmates. I’m sure the new bond must be chafing to be away from them.”

“You’re not wrong.” She let out a long breath and nodded. “I’ll see you later tonight.”

“Of course.”

She trotted off, leaving Dylan and me staring after her.

“Dude, you’re in fucking deep .”

“And you’re not?”

“I didn’t say that.” Dylan laughed. “I’m just as far gone.”

I’d never thought it was possible to fall so fast, but Charlotte was proving me wrong on a lot of fronts. I’d do just about anything to make her smile, to feel the trust she placed in me even when she was afraid. Her ex-husband might not have appreciated her, but I’d rather fucking die than ever let her feel that way with us. She deserved the whole world, and I’d give it to her on a platter before too long.