Slick (The Grayverse #1)

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

I don’t leave the scene until after two in the morning, my head throbbing and my gut churning as I finally make my escape. If the blood and gore weren’t bad enough, I’ve been poked and prodded by paramedics, and politely grilled by the district attorney, a bunch of detectives, and my own damn chief of staff. At least Nathan brought me a new shirt, since mine reeked of Marcus’ remains, and I adjust my cufflinks as my driver speeds through the dark, empty streets. The police chief wanted to give me an escort, but with the task force already mobilizing against the Carrillos, I’m pretty sure the only thing that’s out to get me is the ulcer eating away at my stomach lining.

Because despite the detectives’ assurances and the dozens of cops combing the woods, Lily Luscious is still free and at large.

I swallow a frustrated growl as I peel the gauze back from my wrists and study the raw skin. The paramedics wanted to take me to the hospital, but I shot that idea down quick smart. All the medicine I need is time and a little TLC, both of which I can get in the comfort of the governor’s mansion.

The truth is, I’ve been champing at the bit to head home ever since Kane told me they’d be waiting in my bed. All kinds of erotic images have been taunting me, and I’m pretty sure the paramedics thought I’d suffered a brain injury when they had to ask me the same question three times.

Still, I don’t plan on heading home empty-handed. “Lukas, can you stop somewhere so I can grab a few things?”

He casts a quick look at his GPS. “The only thing between here and the mansion is a convenience store, sir.”

“Seriously?”

“I could detour downtown. Or I could ask someone at the mall to open for you. What kind of shopping are you interested in, governor?”

Frustration burns another hole in my stomach lining, but I shake my head. “No, don’t wake anyone. I’ll just see what I can grab up here.”

He nods, turning the car into the empty lot of a rundown gas station. There’s a small convenience store attached, but we both study it dubiously as he pulls to a stop near the door. “If you want to give me a list, I’ll go in for you, sir.”

“That’s fine,” I tell him, checking my pocket for my wallet. Luckily, the only thing Lily planned to steal was my sanity, so my credit cards are all accounted for. “I’m not quite sure what I’m after yet.”

He looks like he wants to argue, and I wonder if Kane gave him a grilling before he headed out to collect me. “It’s just that I shouldn’t really leave you alone, sir. After tonight’s events…”

“Have you got a gun, Lukas?”

He nods carefully. The guy’s a retired Marine, but I’ve always been very strict about my bodyguards not brandishing their weapons in my face. “I have a concealed carry permit, sir.”

“Then be ready to defend me, whatever it takes.”

He breathes a sigh of relief. “Yes, sir. Thank you, governor.”

I give him a tight smile, wondering how much harder I’ve made everyone’s job by always assuming I know best. I’m not about to hand over the reins to anyone, but as I head inside the store, I can recognize that a little flexibility would probably go a long way, especially now I’m part of a pack.

I stop abruptly at the thought, staring blindly at the display in front of me. A couple of wilted bouquets sit in a bucket, their paper wrappings drooping as badly as the flowers they’re trying to protect. “Is this it?” I ask the sleepy clerk.

“What?” He yawns and picks at a pimple on his chin. “Yeah. Whatever’s there, man.”

I pick the least crumpled of the two and walk them up to the counter, trying to avoid the water dripping from their wrapping. The guy screws up his nose when he looks at the bouquet. “Yeah, they’re kind of shitty. You know, you’d get a better selection at the hospital gift store. Balloons, too.”

I grunt at the thought of turning up at the emergency department after ordering a team of paramedics to back off and leave me alone. “What about candy?”

“We’ve got a two-for-one on Snickers, but you might want to check the expiry date.” His eyes light up at a thought. “Our Slurpee machine comes with a candy cotton topping.”

Shit. Nothing says romance like a beverage syrup.

I empty the counter’s selection of chocolate bars, figuring I can check the expiry dates on the ride home, then look around in desperation. Unfortunately, there’s no big neon sign pointing at the Gifts for a Scorned Scent Mate aisle, and I nod at a length of fluffy wool hanging next to the fishing tackle display. “What’s that?”

“Ah… A scarf?”

Despite sounding as confused as I feel, he reaches out and pulls it off the hook. “Yep. A scarf,” he confirms after checking the label. “Hey, it’s only $5.99, too.”

“Money’s not really the issue,” I mutter. “Is it soft?”

“Ah… kind of? The tag says synthetic wool.”

Double shit.

I snatch it out of his hands before he can test the fabric on his pimply chin. “Got any gift wrap?”

He hunts around under the counter, finally unearthing a crumpled bag with Get Well Or Get Over It written on the side. At my reluctant nod, he places the purchases inside and rings up the total. I hand him my credit card and he gives me a sleepy salute as I collect the bag and head back to the car. Lukas doesn’t have his gun out, which is probably a good thing, or I might grab it and shoot myself. “All okay, sir?”

“All good,” I mutter as I climb into the car, and he looks at me curiously. “But no more detours. Just get me home.”

We drive in silence, the burn in my gut flaring hotter with every mile. In reality, it’s less than a twenty-minute journey, but everything is putting me on edge, including the underwhelming gifts on the seat next to me. Maybe Lukas senses some of my turmoil, because as we pull through the gates and start up the drive, he glances over his shoulder at me. “Sir, every Friday afternoon I pick up some Godiva chocolates for my mate, Carrie.” As we reach the front door, he leans over and takes a beautifully wrapped box from the console. “I’m sure she wouldn’t mind missing out this one time.”

I study his face, then let out a relieved sigh. “Thank you, Lukas. This will definitely say ‘I’m sorry’ better than expired candy bars and an insulting gift bag.” I grab the flowers and scarf, leaving the rest behind, but pause before climbing out. “If you’ve got time tomorrow, I’d like to talk to you about stepping up from driver to bodyguard.”

He raises his brows at me. “Of course, sir, but I thought Kane…”

“He’ll always have my back, but he’s my mate, and I’ll need him at my side, too. Besides, if things work out, I’m hoping to move my pack in here. You won’t be the only security I hire, but I’d like you to be part of the team.”

“I’d be honored, sir.”

“Good. Then I’d like you to reach out to Kennedy Vale in the morning. See if she’s interested in joining us at double her current pay.”

“I’ll get on it first thing.”

That settled, I head into the house, but I barely make it over the threshold when the scent hits me.

Heat spike.

It’s not unusual for an omega to have a few short, intense bursts of heat at the end of their cycle, and it appears that Diana is experiencing one right now . I almost levitate up the staircase, cursing the fact that the perfectly preserved governor’s mansion doesn't come with a state-of-the-art elevator. Fuck, throw in a time machine while you're at it, so I can go back to that suite at The Aviary and never leave.

Although, the fact that Diana's scent is coating the walls of my home almost makes up for it.

I can hear water running and the soft murmur of voices as I enter my suite. My large bed is empty, but the sheets are a mess, and I feel my cock swell painfully against my zipper as I breathe in the scent of sex and slick. Alpha pheromones are thick in the air, but I immediately recognize them as Kane’s, along with the fainter perfumes of both a male omega and a beta. Scraps of clothing are buried in the bedding, each drenched in more of that mesmerizing scent, and I realize that a few of my business shirts have made it into the mix. Satisfaction throbs through my veins, and I stride towards the bathroom right as a steam-flushed, towel-wrapped omega barrels through the door. She’s moving so fast, I have to grab her shoulders to stop her from bouncing off my chest. “Diana.”

Her pupils blow wide, her chest heaving under the towel as she stares up at me. “Alpha.”

She’s as captivating as I remember, with blue-gray eyes and caramel curls around a heart-shaped face. On any other day, her beauty would stop me in a street, but right now the honey sweetness of her heat roars over me. It tugs at some part of me I never knew existed, and I want to punch myself for ever thinking Lily was my match.

As Diana watches me drink her in, her need thickens in the air. It’s like trying to stand against the pull of the tide, and it takes everything in me to release my grip on her shoulders. “Are you okay?”

“About time,” Kane grouches, his hand sliding over Diana’s rump before punching my shoulder. He hasn’t bothered with a towel, the scent of satisfied alpha wafting off him as he saunters past me to the bed. “Drop the trousers, governor,” he smirks as he stretches out on the rumpled sheets. “You’ve got some serious catching up to do.”

It would be easy to be intimidated by the sight of his huge, naked body. Kane is in a physical class all of his own, while I’m lucky if I make it to the gym three times a week. But none of that seems to matter when Diana is standing so close I can see the droplets of water still clinging to her neck. I’m tempted to trace one with my finger, but I take an abrupt step back as Rowan Vale leaves the bathroom. He’s wearing black boxers, his brows shooting to his slicked-back hairline as he surveys the gifts scattered at my feet. I didn’t even notice I dropped them, and there’s a smirk on his face as he scoops the scarf off the floor. “Exactly what every omega needs during a heat spike.”

“Sorry, but there wasn’t much of a selection.” I grab the scarf and toss it on the back of a chair, then hold the candy and flowers out to Diana. “I plan on courting you properly, but I didn’t want to turn up empty-handed.”

Diana’s eyes have widened to the size of moons, but Kane snorts from where he’s lounging on the bed. “Knot now, woo later, Jake.”

I glare at him. “I’m not going to fuck this up again.” I turn back to Diana, who’s peeled the ribbon off the chocolate box and is staring in awe at the contents. Lukas’ mate clearly knows her quality candy, but I grimace as I realize the flowers are dripping all over Diana’s feet. “Maybe I should stick those in water.”

“I’ll do it,” she says softly, then turns on her heel and hurries back into the bathroom. She murmurs something to Dex as he passes her in the doorway, and I frown, wondering if I insulted her with the gas station gift. “Is she tossing them in the trash?”

The beta shakes his head as he leans against the doorjamb. “Pretty sure they’re the first flowers she’s ever been given. My guess is she’s putting them into water… in the tub.” He ducks his head around the door and then grins. “Yep. Just be careful of stray thorns the next time you take a bath.”

I feel something throb deep in my gut, because if he’s right, that means there have never been any flowers on Diana’s birthday, or pretty bouquets just because. I make a mental note to talk to my gardener in the morning. We haven’t talked about living arrangements yet, but for as long as Diana wants to stay here, she’ll get a delivery from the rose garden every morning at breakfast.

“All good?” Dex asks as she reappears, leaning into him for a kiss. Her fingers feather over a gash on his head, now covered by a strip of gauze. Kane sent me a few texts while I was delayed at the scene, and I know he got the injury when Watts abducted Diana. He shot another bodyguard in the process, and Dex was lucky to escape with his life. “Do you need me to call someone to look at that?”

“Nah, I’m a nurse.” His gaze drops to my wrists, which are still sporting their bandages. “I can check those over, if you want.”

“Thanks. Maybe later…” My voice drifts away as Diana ducks out of Dex’s arms and heads for Rowan, who’s perched on the edge of the bed. She slips onto his lap, carefully unwrapping one of the chocolates and pressing it between his lips. He gives an exaggerated moan as he chews, and Kane looms up behind them, snagging the next chocolate from her fingers. Dex is quick to join them, and I watch as Diana feeds each of them in turn. They make a bit of a game out of it, shoving each other aside and giving her begging looks so she’ll choose them next. She giggles at their antics, and I feel my chest squeeze at the playful scene.

They’re already acting like a pack.

“Jake?” My head snaps up and I realize Diana is offering me a chocolate. It’s the last thing my ulcer needs, but my mouth instantly waters, and I sink to my knees in front of her as she slips it into my mouth. I barely taste the candy, but the flavor of her fingers lingers long after I’ve licked it from my lips.

“I feel I should say something,” I murmur, staring up at her. It’s hard to tear my eyes away, but I force myself to meet the gazes of her pack. “To all of you.”

“Oh, goodie,” Rowan smirks, tightening his arms around Diana. “The governor brought a scarf and a speech.”

I know I deserve everything they throw at me. In fact, I wouldn’t blame them if they told me to shut the hell up, but they settle back, clearly ready to listen.

And isn’t that ironic?

“I’m used to people hanging off my every word.” Kane gives a scornful grunt, but I shrug, because we both know it’s true. “When you’re a politician, you get good at telling people what they want to hear. I can’t say it’s always been a two-way street, though. I ignored Kane, who’s always looked out for me, and refused to listen to him, even when my instincts told me there was something wrong. I just assumed I had all the answers.”

Shame burns my cheeks, but I force myself to hold Diana’s gaze. “My worst mistake, though, was not listening to you . You knew what we meant to each other from the moment we met, but I walked out, right when you needed me most. A heat is such a precious thing, and I refused you the basic comforts of a mate.” I reach for her hand, and she places it in mine, although I can still see the caution lingering in her eyes. “But if you give me another chance, Diana, I promise to listen to every word that ever leaves your lips.”

She studies me for a moment, and I hold my breath until she slides off Rowan’s lap and onto mine. The comfort of her nearness is like a balm to my frayed nerves, and I’m desperate to kiss her. But her fingers are feathering over my cheeks, her eyes scanning every inch of my face. I’m not sure what she’s trying to find, but I drop all pretense for once in my life and just let her look .

“There are a lot of things I’m still learning,” she says quietly, “but I need to trust you in my head the way I already do in my heart. I can only do that if you show me who you really are.”

The gentle rebuke burns worse than any slap. “I’m sorry, Diana. I was a fucking idiot…”

“Ssh.” Her fingers now stroke my lips, back and forth, like she’s learning their shape. “You did try to offer me comfort when we met.” At my confused look, she wraps her hand around my throat. “Your purr. You got that part exactly right.”

Shit, how did I forget that? Maybe because I’ve never purred for anyone in my life. But Diana drew it out of me as naturally as my next breath.

I guess I also have to get a whole lot better at listening to myself.

“Can I kiss you, Omega?”

I can’t blame her for the flash of hesitation in her eyes. She asked me the same question during her heat, and it was the trigger that made me run for the hills. But it seems she’s too sweet to hold a grudge, and when she nods, I dip my head down to hers.

If I thought her fingers tasted good, the lush warmth of her mouth is a revelation. Her lips part on a breathy moan, and it rips open a floodgate inside me. All those denied instincts suddenly roar to the surface, shredding my control. I’m trying to be gentle, but her needy sounds just feed the hunger in me, and my hand slides down to her waist, pulling her tight. There isn’t an inch of space between us, and she squirms on my lap, her tongue lapping at mine as I try to consume her with my kiss.

When she finally breaks free, her lips are swollen, and her eyes hooded with desire. I want to kiss her again, but her focus is now on my shirt. I removed my jacket on the way up, but she seems confused by my tie, yanking the knot tighter instead of loosening it. She still has a few inches to go before she’ll strangle me, but I feel a burst of satisfaction at her frustrated growl. “Want some help with that, Omega?”

She gives an eager nod, her eyes tracking my every move as I loosen the silk knot. She reaches for it when I’m done and I hand it over, smiling as she brings the fabric to her cheek. “I’ll show you how to re-tie it later. You could help me put it on before work, if you like.”

Her eyes snap to my face, her arousal rising off her like a sweet mist. “I can dress you?”

Rowan chuckles. “She has a thing for costumes,” he tells me, a sly grin on his face. “Leather is a favorite, but it looks like the business thing does it for her, too.”

I perk up, since I’m already coming from behind compared to the rest of her mates. “I have a lot of suits,” I tell her. “How do you feel about suspenders?” The curious glint in her eyes is enough to make my cock throb. “It’s probably time I updated my wardrobe. Would you like to come and help me pick out a few things?”

Maybe she’s picturing the same thing I am – steamy sex in a private change room while surrounded by fine, Italian tailoring – because she whimpers and rocks on my lap. “Yes, but not now.”

“Not now,” I agree, shrugging off my shirt and groaning as she rubs her soft breasts against my chest. “You feel so good, Diana.”

“Please. I need you, Jake.”

Her fingernails dig into my shoulders, but I can’t resist taking a plump nipple between my lips. I suck the tender bud until she’s grinding in my lap, her slick soaking my trousers. The thought of it coating my cock makes my head spin, and I pepper kisses across her collarbones before nuzzling my way up her neck. Kane’s claiming bite covers her scent gland, and he grunts as I suck it into my mouth. It must feel good because Diana’s head falls back, her thighs trembling as they squeeze my hips. “Will you claim me as your own, Alpha?”

It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask her if she’s sure, but I swallow the words. Didn’t you just promise to listen to her, asshole?

“I want that more than anything, Diana.”

“Thank fuck,” Kane huffs behind us and I roll my eyes as I get to my feet. He’s already drawing Diana to the middle of the bed, and he slowly peels her towel open, unveiling her flushed body to my hungry gaze. When his fingers toy with her swollen nipples, she arches beneath his touch, but his hard gaze never leaves mine. “This is our mate, brother. You claim her, and we’re a pack for life. But if you hurt her again, I will take her so far away you’ll never find us. Got it?”

Diana gives a whimper of protest, and I want to punch him for putting that sound on her lips. But after what I’ve done, I know the warning is justified. “Got it. From here on, our pack comes first. Always.”

“Good,” he grunts, then jerks his head at the other two men. “Why don’t you open our girl up for the governor?”

My eyes widen at the instruction, but Rowan and Dex don’t miss a beat. They crawl to Diana’s side, stretching her thighs wide while she melts back against Kane. The pretty omega swirls a finger inside her while the beta drops to an elbow and tongues her clit. My cock throbs at the erotic display, and I peel off my trousers, stroking my length through my damp boxers. In no time at all, Diana cries out and arches her back, her thighs trembling as she soaks my bed with her slick. Rowan dips down to take his share of her release, and she writhes under the combined assault of their tongues.

I cock a brow at Kane. “Is it always like this?”

“Can’t slack off with a needy omega,” he chuffs, his fingers circling his mating mark. “But what she needs now is your knot and your bite. Don’t make her wait, Jake.”

I nod, already moving between Diana’s open thighs. Her eyes are hazy with bliss, but they sharpen as I grip my shaft, pre-cum spilling from the throbbing head. I want to cover her in kisses, to caress every curve with my tongue and my hands, but the urge to claim her is too strong. “You’re mine, Diana.”

“I’m yours,” she whispers, arching off the bed as I sink inside her. She’s so wet I slide all the way in, but she clenches tight as I try to draw back. I groan, suspended in the hungry grip of her body, until someone nudges me, and I start to move.

I’m surrounded by three other men – by their heat, and scents, and bodies – but instead of detracting from the moment, their nearness spurs me on.

Pack , I think, watching as they tease more pleasure from her body, kissing and stroking her until she’s fluttering around me. My heart throbs with each thrust, my ears ringing with each moan. I kiss them from her lips as she gasps into my mouth, her hands clinging to mine as we soar towards our peak.

“Ready for his knot, Omega?” It’s Rowan whispering in her ear, Dex holding her open as my cock swells to its limit.

The squeeze of her channel makes white lights dance behind my eyes, and I almost roar as she swallows my knot whole. It’s the kind of aching bliss I’ve only ever dreamed of, and I pump my release into her, so thick it fills her to the brim.

“Bite me, Alpha.”

My knot throbs as I sweep her into my lap, her body clutching every part of mine. The other men have moved back, giving us room, and I carefully cover Kane’s mark with my own. I could bite the other side of her throat, but it feels right to include him in the bond. After all we’ve been through, this omega is now an unbreakable link between us.

“You’re mine and I’m yours,” I whisper, sliding my teeth into her throat. She moans at the pain, but the next moment I feel something snap in my chest, warmth spreading through me like the sweetest honey.

“Oh, Jake,” she whispers, smiling up at me. “My heart’s so full it feels like it’s going to burst.”

Two bonds , I realize, feeling a hint of Kane in my own chest. And the others seem brighter too, their scents settling over me like a happy cloud. Someone stuffs another chocolate between my lips and the echo of Diana’s laughter rings in our bond.

How did I ever think I could live without this?

My wrists throb, my knot feels raw, and I’m shaking with exhaustion, but a huge grin breaks across my face as Kane cups my shoulder and says, “Welcome home, asshole.”