Chapter 44
Chapter
Forty-Four
RYDER
S in’s face is angled to mine, her hand resting on my heart. She looks peaceful in her sleep, and I know she is. But I’m still worried.
All week she’s pushed herself. I’ve felt how tired she was in our bond. If it hadn’t been such an important week for her, I would have whisked her away to a tropical island where all she does is eat, sleep and orgasm. She needs to be treated like a queen, but first she had to show those bastards who they’ve been messing with.
We knew this week was going to be taxing on her. Emotionally mostly, but I can also see she hasn’t been eating and sleeping properly. This weekend all that changes. She’s about to discover how her pack likes to pamper.
We’re idling at the last set of lights near our house when Dominic points to the side of the road. Triple checking she’s still asleep.
“I’ll walk down and pick up our food. It will do me good to burn off this residual energy. And I have to make a couple of calls. Do we have all her favourites already? ”
Hendrix simply stares at Dominic in response. His eyes are cold, his lips flattening, a clear indication he’s offended. The dismissive wave of his hand has Dominic striking like a snake and grabbing Hen by the tie.
“Watch your attitude, Innamorato. I’m allowed to triple check, which is completely different than questioning your ability,” he hisses back equally frustrated.
Hendrix slaps his hand away, but Dominic is such a stubborn bastard sometimes and doesn’t let go of Hen’s tie. Dominic’s tug is stronger this time, but he also uses both hands, making escape impossible.
I settle back with our Omega and watch the two Alphas in the front working through their frustrations. Dominic is usually taut like a bow after a case. Throw Simona into the mix, and he’s about ready to explode like a volcano. “I’ve got no issues admitting I’m still wound up and anxious after today. Everything went too smoothly, and we’re all aware fairytales don’t happen.”
I scoff at his argument before smiling innocently at him when he swings his mood at me. Dominic is a ball of tension—and he wasn’t wrong about the reason why, but the whole fairytale thing is bullshit—we have our happy ending in my arms, in our car, and as soon as he stops being such a dick, she will be upstairs in our home.
Flicking up my eyebrows, I dare him to argue with me, but I fight dirty by looking down at our sleeping Omega. And then all the tension burning through both Hendrix and Dominic trickles slowly out of them.
Dominic twists and uses his chokehold on Hendrix to apologise. If the slow kiss they share is a precursor for our weekend, the next few days are going to be a treat. For all of us.
Leaving without a backwards glance, Dominic strides off towards our favourite restaurant and we get the enviable task of settling Simona into her nest.
Hendrix cradles her to his chest as I fumble to remove her heels without waking her up. And then she gets lowered into the middle of her nest before he buries our Omega under a pile of her favourite blankets and throws. Tipping the aircon to cool, the both of us lean in carefully, quietly, to kiss her before we playfully shove each other out the room.
Both of us would happily kick off our shoes, undress and sleep next to her, but will not for the simple fact Simona hasn’t outlined the ground rules to her nest yet. There’s no chance we’re invading her space. Until we know we can.
Which is pretty much the mantra for our life—no decisions until Sin has had the opportunity to make them on her own, without our influence. The tower of board games currently sitting on the dining room table and the stack of movies near the television are proof of our ethos. Same with the food we ordered—pretty much the entire menu so she can decide what she wants. She won’t ever go without.
Hendrix goes into his bedroom, leaving his door open. The shower in his bathroom starts up. The invitation is there for me to join. Like always. If Dominic was home, I’d be in with Hendrix, washing his back and sucking his cock, but tonight I want to make sure Dominic is okay and I don’t want Sin waking up without one of us around.
Setting the stereo on low and playing some new tracks I’ve been working on is as effective as a glass of wine, settling my own nerves.
I get a bottle of Dominic’s favourite red and his preferred scotch, not sure what he’s going to feel like. Making Hendrix a stiff G they’re both busy with each other. Of course I watch. I’ve always loved seeing them together. It’s not a battle of wills, although sometimes neither of them can submit. Simona will be the one to show them the beauty in submission.
Hendrix joins me in the kitchen before long, caging me between his arms, his body heat radiating like a furnace against my back.
“You dress like that, Hen, and he will make you pay,” I talk over my shoulder.
Hendrix laughs, dipping down and trailing that wicked mouth down, stopping on his bite. I shiver, making him chuckle suggestively.
At this rate, I should probably turn the oven off. I nearly do, except for the soft pitter-patter coming this way. Hendrix doesn’t let up, his teeth teasing my bite, his body pressed hard against the back of mine, as a sleepy Simona joins us.
She’s quiet, not saying a thing, but she also takes her time assessing the scene. Her eyes linger on Hendrix and me before they move slowly to Dominic sitting in his favourite chair in his underpants and socks with his shirt wide open.
Her eyebrows tip together, and she looks torn. Until a sweet smile teases tugs her lips up. “It’s a right smorgasbord in here. I can’t wake up every day with you three looking like this.”
Her gaze locks onto Hendrix’s bare back then drops down to his grey sweats. She bites her lip, giving her head a small shake as if to clear her thoughts.
“Like what, sweetheart?” Hendrix asks, grinding his groin against my ass.
She fans her face before shocking the absolute hell out of all of us and shimmying out of her rumpled skirt and shirt, padding towards Dominic in her white bra and panty set. Not an inch of lace or ribbon in sight, but holy fuck she looks incredible. And she’s woken up with one intention in every step she takes.
“You in grey sweats, Hendrix, should be illegal. Ryder pressed against the kitchen island like you’re about to own his ass is…criminal.” Her voice is calm, the complete opposite of her words and the hold on us she has. “But the biggest offender in the room is this Alpha here.”
She doesn’t give Dominic the chance to move or say a word. She trails her fingernails up the inside of his thighs, hard enough to leave a mark. Dominic locks his jaw, and his scent seeps through the room like an expensive candle.
“Sorry I fell asleep on the way home.” She talks quietly, but it’s clear she’s including all of us. “I wanted to say thank you for helping me the way you did. And while Dominic won my case, I hope you all realise I’d already found my freedom in each of you, and our pack. And I know the founding families will not take the ruling lying down, but they learned a lot of important things today.”
Simona sinks to her knees in front of Dominic. His eyes don’t move, so it’s safe to assume hers are locked on him. Her cookies and cream scent starts to overpower his. From where he is sitting it would be even more intense.
She’s woken up a different woman. Or perhaps she’s just sharing with us another part of who she really is.
On her knees in front of Dominic she’s saying something to him, but it’s too quiet or it might be too private. Either way, watching them together is a beautiful sight because whether Dominic realises it or not, tension leaks out of him.
“She’s special,” Hendrix whispers against my ear, his body pressing on mine.
I nod, agreeing with him.
Simona rises to her feet before holding a hand out for Dominic. Of course he takes it. She goes to take a step, but he scoops her off her feet and her delighted squeal bounces around the room.
“I promise we won’t be long. In the meantime, if you’re pouring drinks, I’d love a glass of red with an ice cube.”
They disappear together.