Chapter 44
FORTY-FOUR
Gage wraps his arms around my waist from behind, kissing the crook of my neck. I sigh into his touch, ignoring the dishes that fill my sink in favor of his attention. Yesterday, falling apart underneath him, was so fucking good.
I didn’t know how much I needed him until it happened, and now I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to let him go.
Forget scent matching. Gage is mine. I don’t need him to have Alpha pheromones to know that. I think something in me knew it from the start, and that’s why I kept going back to him, why I felt drawn to him from day one.
Our plan to take down Kieran has to work because if it doesn’t and he tries to come between my Beta and me, I cannot be held responsible for my actions.
“I’m not working at the shop today,” he says as he nips my ear. “Do you want to go do something?”
My heart drops. “You know we can’t do anything. Kieran is having me watched.”
“Well, call Puck. See if he’s the one assigned to you today or not.”
Things are still so weird between me and Puck. Being around him when he’s medicated against being an Alpha isn’t easy. My body seems to reject that I can’t smell his pheromones. It feels like I’m wearing a sweater that’s a little too small, and I’ve got that base level of anxiety that I’m going to get stuck in it when I take it off—just a feeling of wrongness.
He picks up on the first ring.
“Queenie.”
“Hey, Puck, uh, how are you doing?” Gage chuckles and nudges me out of the way with his hip, taking over washing the dishes.
“Fine. What do you want?”
It hurts my heart that his words are so short. I don’t know why I expected anything else, though. It was too much to hope he’d change into that sensitive man who talked to me about his art just because we scent matched.
Even if I was the one who told him that I could never forgive him, maybe he’s just protecting his heart from me.
“I just wanted to see if you were watching me today. Gage and I wanted to…”
“No, Queenie, you can’t have tomorrow off. Whatever you need to do can be done during the day. You know the rules.” I wince at his sharp tone, even if the words don’t make sense.
“What? I don’t understand what you’re saying.” Gage raises an eyebrow and mouths, ‘You okay?’ while I try to make sense of what Puck said. It hits me, then. “Are you with Kieran?”
“Yes. I’ll pick you up for your shift tomorrow, then.”
He hangs up before I can respond, leaving me blinking at my phone in confusion.
“What was that about?” Gage asks as he dries his hands on a rag. “I’m assuming he’s not your detail today?”
I clear my throat and slide my phone into my back pocket. “I don’t think so. He made it sound like maybe he will be tomorrow. So, I guess we’re stuck inside today. At least until I have to go to the club.”
He smiles, his crooked teeth on display, and throws the dish rag over his shoulder. “Then what would you like to do?”
I drag my eyes up his body, admiring how he fills out his black shirt. Memories of last night overwhelm me, and I can feel phantom hands on my body. It has me growing slick between my thighs, and I’m weak with need. “I have an idea.”
* * *
“Oh, that’s not fair!” Gage whines, throwing his head back on the couch. “You cheated.”
I collect my loot and add it to the stack of plastic coins in front of me. “Sorry, Gage, but it is not my fault I defeated the wraith.”
“After I damaged it within an inch of its life!”
“That’s the game, baby.” I lean over the board and kiss him softly. “You can’t be salty just because I’m going to get the talisman first.”
“You’re only winning because this is my first time playing. Next time, you’re going down, Crys.” He crosses his tattooed arms over his chest in mock defiance.
“Don’t be such a sore loser, or I’ll have to spank you in the game and real life.”
He inhales sharply at my words, and a predatory smile stretches across his face.
Gage isn’t classically handsome. He’s got a rough look that hints at a hard life. His crooked teeth are too big for his mouth, and he’s got poor posture from slumping over all day tattooing.
But from the moment I laid eyes on him, I felt safe with him, as if nothing bad could happen to me if I were beside him.
And I’m wildly attracted to him, especially when he looks at me like he wants to eat me.
“Be honest with yourself, Crys. If either of us is doing the spanking, it’s not you.”
“Hey!” I huff indignantly. “I’m sure I am excellent at spanking.”
“Of course you are, babe, but ain’t no way any of your men will let you practice.” He leans over my low coffee table, hands shoving the game pieces aside as he leers over me. “Well, maybe Manny. But not me.”
“Oh?” Fire burns inside me as I meet him above the table, my mouth inches from his. “You don’t want my hands on you?”
“On the contrary, I would superglue your hands to me if I could.” He captures my lips with his, the hair above his lip tickling me. “But then I wouldn’t get to see them wrapped around my cock, and I feel like that would be a travesty.”
I hum against his mouth, the corners of my lips tilted in a teasing grin. “A disaster of epic proportions, indeed.”
The spark between us is unlike anything I have felt before. This isn’t a connection born of soul magic that binds us. Gage and I have grown together with every stroke of his tattoo gun. As he helped me gain control over my body, I began to learn his.
My fingers fist the collar of his tank top, and I yank him forward, tumbling backward as his body sends the game sprawling.
We collapse together, our hands frantically trying to pull clothing off our bodies. When our bare chests finally press together, the shrill ringing of my phone cuts through the air.
“Ignore it,” I say as I push Gage back and throw my leg over his waist. His hands grip my hips and pull me closer, anchoring us together.
The phone rings again.
Again, we ignore it, our tongues tangling as I grow slicker between my thighs.
When it rings for a third time, I groan in frustration, climbing off of Gage to put the stupid fucking thing on silent.
Puck’s name is on my caller ID.
“What do you want, Puck? I’m kind of busy here.”
“Where are you?” He sounds frantic, fevered. I’ve never heard him like this before.
“I’m at home, why?”
“Is anyone with you?”
“Not that it’s any of your business, but yes. Gage is here.” The Beta in question raises an eyebrow at me. I shrug, returning to my living room to sink onto the couch.
“Get him out. He’s got to go. Kieran is on his way. He needs to leave right now. You don’t have much time.”
I’m on my feet in a second, jamming the speakerphone button. “What do you mean Kieran is on his way?”
“Something happened. I don’t know what, but he stormed out of here, mad as fuck. He called me a few minutes ago and asked me to meet him at your place.”
Terror floods through me, and my knees struggle to hold me up. Gage’s face is paler than usual, making his freckles stand out glaringly. He speaks for me. “I don’t want to leave. She’s in danger with him.”
“You’re dead if he catches you there, Gage. I’ll be there too. I’ll protect our girl.”
“Like you’ve been so good at protecting her up until now?” he snaps with all the intensity of an Alpha. “We can’t trust you, Puck. I’m staying.”
“No, Gage, he’s right. You need to go. We can’t risk you.” My voice has regained strength, and I am hauling myself to my feet. “Puck won’t let anything happen to me again, even if it means blowing his cover, right, Puck?”
“I’ll kill him myself before he lays another hand on you.”
“See? We’re good. Now, let’s get you out of here before it’s too late.”
But a door slams outside.
It’s too late.