Chapter 29
VINCENT
I’ll never gettired of kissing her.
She kisses me like she’ll never do it again; like it’s the last time she’ll see me, even though I plan on staying by her side as long as she’ll have me.
And I finally have her all to myself.
I press her against the wall of her front room, and she moans into my mouth.
It drives me fucking crazy.
She tastes just like she smells—just like those damned cookies she makes.
I’ve never been a sweets person, but Skylar changed everything.
“You’re so big,” she gasps, pulling back from me to run her hands up my chest. “You’re literally huge. It’s ridiculous.”
I groan at her praise and the touch of her hands.
Mine.
“Thank you,” she says in between kisses. “For everything. For what you’ve done.”
I scoop her up in my arms easily, and she laughs as I carry her down the hallway.
“I’m only going to say this once,” I warn her, as I place her on the bed. “You never have to thank me for taking care of you. You shouldn’t, in fact. It feeds my own selfish needs.”
She rolls her eyes. “You know what I mean.” She pats the space next to her, and I sink down on to her mattress, groaning in comfort.
“I do. Still, there’s no need to thank me.” I take her hand, simply because I can, and press her fingers to my lips.
Mine. Mine. Mine.
It’s worth it just to see her like this. I knew I had to find a balance between keeping her safe and supporting her desire to help.
Landon mentioned the press briefing, and I orchestrated a meeting with the people that could set things in motion.
Skylar stays protected while still assisting in helping the Omegas.
It’s the only way we could allow this to happen.
Because no one, and nothing, will take her away from me.
From us.
“Your scent just changed,” she remarks, tilting her head curiously. “It’s darker. Like charcoal. Are you alright?”
“So perceptive,” I murmur, letting go of her hand and brushing a lock of hair from her face. “I have this urge to protect you. It’s a wild part of me that no matter what I do, it doesn’t go away.”
She nods. “I know. All three of you do.”
“It’s tempting to just hide you away,” I admit.
I would never do it, but that doesn’t mean it never crosses my mind.
Her lip quirks. “Sometimes I want to hide. But...I can’t. I have to keep going for the people I care about.”
I stare at her, amazed at her strength. “You did what I couldn’t do,” I say. “You didn’t give up.”
She snorts and shakes her head.
“And one day…” I lean over and press a quick kiss to her lips, “you’ll learn to accept a compliment.”
“I’ll start doing it the day you do,” she retorts, smirking. Then she winces and doubles over.
“Shit,” she hisses. “Ow.”
The air turns thick with her scent.
It’s not a secret her Heat is due at any moment. But it fucking kills me to see her in pain and helpless to fight against her Omega hormones.
“What can I do?” I murmur, rubbing her back gently. Her whimpers are a stab in the gut.
She scrunches her eyes close and exhales slowly through her mouth. “Honestly?” she asks, her voice strained. “Do you really want to know what would help?”
“Of course. Anything.”
“I could use a shower.”
My cock twitches in my pants as I clear my throat. “I can run one for you right now.”
“Okay,” she huffs. “Thank you.”
By the time steam is billowing from the shower, Skylar is trembling and tears are in her eyes.
Protect Omega.
I kneel in front of her and rest my hands on her thighs. “Do you need me to carry you?” I ask softly.
She nods, and I stand up and pull her into my arms.
She weighs almost nothing to me, and I make a mental note to learn her favorite meals and master the recipes.
The image of her sitting in my lap as I spoon feed her fills my mind.
My inner Alpha growls in approval.
As soon as we reach her bathroom, she leans against the counter, breathing deeply.
“Thank you,” she breathes, and I narrow my eyes.
“Second warning about thanking me.”
Her lip quirks.
“Will you help me undress?” she asks, her face flushed.
She’s dressed in her work uniform: a simple black shirt with the cafe’s logo and jeans, but she might as well be in lingerie.
“Arms up,” I order, and she obeys.
The shirt comes off, and she’s left in a black lace bra, showing off her beautiful, pale skin.
“Fuck,” I mutter, unable to help myself. The lace does little to hide her pink nipples that are straining against the fabric.
My cock is painfully hard, but I know this isn’t about me.
She needs to get into the shower.
“The bra unclasps at the front,” she says sweetly. “I need help with that, too.”
There’s a gleam in her blue eyes.
I almost laugh. “You’re playing with fire, Skylar.” My fingers trace the claps of the bra, and she smiles.
“You know what else helps with these cramps?” she asks as I work the clasp.
“What would that be?”
“Orgasms.” Her pupils are dilated, her face is flushed, and her scent is everywhere.
I unclasp her bra and let it fall to the floor.