36. Sunny
Sunny
Work is a welcome escape from everything with Craig. All the new employees have been trained, and I get to spend more time with my bees and less time delegating.
Even so, by the time I get back to the farm, I'm wiped out. The guys are off somewhere else. So I pull myself up to my room, strip off my pollen-covered clothes, and shower while Hozier plays in the background.
I put on my comfiest, coolest pajamas and crawl into my closet nest. The darkness embraces me, and I instantly feel more relaxed.
Nests are cool, dark places layered in soft pillows and blankets that omegas can escape to when they need comfort.
Ideally, they're second, smaller rooms attached to bedrooms with recessed areas for the omega and her alphas, but I make do. It’s a small walk in with soft blankets layered over pillows.
Leaving the door cracked, I drift into an easy and deep sleep.
I wake to someone shouting my name. Cole? Maybe Luca? Maybe both. I push the closet door open so they can hear me better.
" Here," I call back automatically. Shuffling, and then my door’s being thrown open. Luca and Cole burst into my room. They both stop dead when they see me lying on the floor of my little closet on top of bundles of soft blankets.
"What—?"
Luca hits Cole's chest, cutting him off before crouching down in front of my closet. I instinctively curl my knees to my chest.
"Sorry, Pretty Girl. We didn't realize you were in your nest. Cole panicked a little When he returned and couldn't find you."
I peer over Luca's shoulder at Cole, who doesn't look panicked now. He looks furious. I glare right back at him. What does he have to be furious about?
Luca chuckles at my expression. "We have some things to show you. Wanna come out?"
I nod and take his proffered hand.
Cole is still staring, so I swish my hips more than necessary as I walk by him. He swats my ass, and I squeak with surprise.
"Brat," he mutters as we head downstairs. I can't help but smile, and when I look up, Luca is smiling down at me. It takes my breath away how handsome he is.
He leads me to the dining room table where Jess and Hunt wait.
When I walk in, they're whispering, heads close.
When they see me, they both cut off, but not in a way that makes me think they were talking about me.
More that they're not ready to share what's been going on between them yet.
I'm not worried. My omega feels they will when they're ready.
Cole sits down in front of the open laptop and holds an arm out to me.
As I settle into his lap, he examines my face with a hard but fond expression that I can't read.
He kisses me quick and soft and it takes me by surprise.
He doesn't let me react. Simply turns me to the computer in front of us.
Jess reaches over and taps a few keys. The screen fills with images from around the farm.
The entrance, the manufacturing barn, the hives, the back acre, and the front and back doors of the farmhouse.
Not just images, live video. A security system.
I open my mouth. How dare they make changes to the farm without my permission?
"Don't be mad," Jess blurts. His eyes are trained on mine, wide and pleading. Damn that big, muscular man and his puppy dog stare. Suddenly, any indignation I feel evaporates, and I'm a little sad.
"I just wish we didn't need cameras," I admit.
Cole's arms around my waist squeeze gently.
Luca crouches beside me, leans forward and nuzzles my shoulder, scent marking me.
I tense slightly, not because I don't want them both with me. but because of their obvious tension previously. And everything Luca said about their issues. Cole kisses my cheek as he glances at Luca, some unspoken communication passing between them. My omega feels content within me. They’ve clearly worked out their issues at some point over the last day.
"If Craig or anyone who works with him comes back here, we want to know, and have as much proof as we can gather for the action our lawyers plan to take against him," Cole explains.
" Do they have a case against him?"
Hunts head tips back and forth. "They're starting to. They're looking into how your cousin knew about our offers. That shouldn't have been public record."
"It's only a matter of time. People like Craig believe they're untouchable, but rarely have the brains to cover their tracks." Cole's rumbling purr makes me more relaxed than a minute ago. An alarm on my phone has me pulling it out to check.
"Oh my god. I completely forgot about Book Club tonight." I glance around the table at them.
"When and where, Bumblebee?" Hunt asks.
"Here, at seven." We all look at the clock. "I've got two hours to cook, clean, get dressed, and finish reading the book." ’Cause with everything going on plus work, I hadn't had time to read. I tried, but I probably have fifty pages left.
"Ok, I'll cook. The guys can clean. We’ll call the Evergreen Pack and do barbeque for food. We can hang out outside while you all have your book club here. You go finish reading and, I guess, change, though I think you look stunning." Hunt says.
I look down at the loose-fitting shirt and shorts. Since I just woke up in my nest, I know my hair is a mess of snarls, and I think there might still be a blanket imprint on my cheek. I look back at Hunt skeptically.
He just reaches across Jess and brushes his fingers over my cheek. "Beautiful."
I perfume, and all the men groan. Cole's hard length presses against my ass through our clothes.
"Enough," Jess rasps, lifting me from Cole's lap and setting me on my feet. "Go Sunshine, we'll make sure everything's ready." He pushes my back, and I'm heading up the stairs.