Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
Leo
A n unpleasant alarm buzzes as Saylor and I make it back to the cell.
She drops the linens onto the couch and turns to me with wide eyes. “Shit, I hope that’s the five-minute warning and not the ninety-second one. That one is kinda scary.” She skirts around me as I unload her food and pillows on the table haphazardly.
I spin around and frown.
She peeks into the hallway with her foot blocking the door from closing. “Do you need anything from your room? How far away is it? I’m pretty sure that was the normal five minutes to lockdown alarm, but you would need to be quick. Is it nearby?”
My mouth opens and closes, but no words come out.
Saylor pulls her head in and glances at me. “Where is your room? Do you guys want to grab anything before they lock us in for the night?”
I had a feeling she wasn’t paying any attention earlier when we dragged in the couch. She was completely emotionally shut down, and I never once saw her peek out of the loft.
“Leo?”
I toss a thumb toward the glass wall near the door to the bathroom. “We’ve been right next door since they dumped us in the cell block.”
Her big hazel-blue eyes bug as she glances between me and the piece of glass that separates the two rooms.
She falls against the door that she’s still holding open a few inches. I’d say it just clicked for her. We got quite the show when Valor rutted her into the glass like an animal.
Omen took a much more performative approach, at least until he got wrapped up in the moment with Saylor and seemed to forget we were even there.
My head was a mess. I knew I had no invitation to watch, and as such, should mind my own business, but at the same time, my head wouldn’t shut up. My instincts felt sure I should be supervising to ensure they didn’t hurt her or do anything she didn’t want. Even if they had, I was trapped behind the glass with no way to intercede.
“Oh my god,” she whispers.
“It’s not like we were purposely creeping on you,” I blurt out and immediately reconsider. “Okay, that might be a stretch?—”
The door rips open, and Saylor stumbles before Shaw has the chance to right her. A bottle of water skids across the floor as he struggles to keep hold of the rest.
The little omega shakes her head and scrambles to help. “If one of you wants to grab anything, you need to hurry. We can hold the door open so it won’t latch, but you have to be quick.”
Shaw’s forehead wrinkles, and he looks between us like he has no idea what he just walked in on. He’s still loaded down with drinks, a few snacks tucked under his arm, and our masks, which I forgot to put back on before leaving to come back to the cell. From what Saylor said, we don’t have time to waste, so I forgo strapping myself into it for now and take off for the door.
“I’ll handle grabbing our things.” I could really use a few seconds to get my dick under control, anyway.
Saylor used to pick on us for not dating when we lived at her family’s mansion. Working as full-time security doesn’t leave much time for romantic relationships. Living on-site complicates dating even more, but it is possible with a little coordination.
Shaw and I never put an ounce of effort into meeting anyone, and at the time, I didn’t let myself focus on why that was. The job was a solid reason, enough said.
After we stepped away from Saylor’s service, I could never bring myself to try to get back into dating. It felt slimy, like I would have been hooking up to pass the time until the person I was really interested in was available.
If I couldn’t have her, I didn’t want anyone. Hopefully, hearing that will help her understand what she means to me. To us , really, since I know Shaw was in the same boat. And yet, I’m worried I’ve set myself up to fail.
I’m an unbonded alpha.
Being trapped in a tiny cell with a compatible omega I’ve got serious feelings for seems like a disaster waiting to happen, especially when I still don’t know where we stand.
What I warned her about earlier is still true.
All it would take is her perfume hitting my system a little too hard, and the next thing she’ll know, she’s trapped with an alpha who’s lost to the fog. The fact my knot pulses while recalling the faces she made while plastered to the glass seems like an even worse sign.
* * *
McCabe gave us a huge bin with a variety of clothing, boots, and personal supplies. It would have been nice if it was packed to the brim with weapons, but having clothes to change into to sleep will have to do.
I barely make it back inside the cell with Shaw and Saylor before the door buzzes loudly and the lock clicks into place.
“You can put that behind the chair farthest from the door,” Saylor says, pointing to the area near the glass wall that looks over the cell on the opposite side from the one we were in.
Shaw stands next to the couch with his hands on his hips. “Okay, so what do we do to pass the time until bed?”
I take off to put the bin of our supplies down and frown when I spot the blood on his knuckles. The first thing he should do is wash his fucking hands.
Saylor lets out something between a snort and a cough. “We could play cards or checkers. Omen has a few books if you want to spend some time reading.”
“Playing cards sounds great,” I say absently as I stack the bin on top of an identical plastic tote.
“Cards work for me, but you should have something to eat. You haven’t eaten all day, at least not that I’ve seen,” Shaw says.
Saylor sighs, rubbing her abdomen. “The last thing I remember eating was the meatballs with Valor and Omen at dinner the day before yesterday? Maybe three days ago. I lost time while I was hazy.” She frowns and shrugs. “I might try to eat later, but I don’t know if I want to risk it.”
Shaw takes the few steps separating them and comes to a stop in front of her. “That’s a long time to go without any calories. If you don’t eat regularly, you won’t be able to keep up your strength.”
“I get what you’re saying, but imagine the flu, only ten times worse,” she says as he tucks her hair behind her ear. “That’s what it’s like detoxing off the suppressants.”
He bends and nuzzles his cheek to hers. “You’re an adult. I’m not trying to pressure you into anything. I know you’re worried about those guys. I just want you to take care of yourself too.”
Damn.
He’s still got blood on his hands.
My gaze darts around as I try to determine a covert way to get him to clean that off. If nothing else, I guess Saylor is getting a good look at who we really are.
“It’s been a long day. Why don’t we all clean up a bit and change into whatever we plan to sleep in?” I step behind Saylor and hold up the back of my hand before pointing to it.
Shaw, being the nuanced individual he is, pulls his own hand up in full view of the omega. “Shit. Yeah, I better scrub down. I’m covered in that fuckface’s blood.”
We’re pretty much doomed.
* * *
This cell has limited seating options. The one we started in was set up for more people. There are three lofts in that room, and it came with the pull-out couch, which we ended up carrying over here.
It also wasn’t saturated with the scents of the unfamiliar alpha and beta.
You’re pouting. Not an attractive trait for a grown-ass man to have.
Saylor changes into another T-shirt and sweats that she digs out of one of the dressers. It must belong to the alpha because she has to roll the waistband of the sweats several times to keep them up. Once she’s done, she climbs onto the ladder of the loft across from the couch and wraps herself up in one of the blankets.
Shaw and I are on opposite sides of the sofa, and he pulled the little table over and sat it in front of the couch. It will give us a flat surface to play cards, but I think we’re both waiting to see if she drags over one of the chairs and sits in that.
Back on the floor, she glances between us and the table.
Shaw stretches over, grabbing some type of prepackaged pastry. It looks a little like a Honey Bun that you would find in the States, but it has a vanilla scent that fills the air as he pulls the plastic packaging down and takes a bite.
My forehead wrinkles as I turn sideways on the couch, giving him a dubious look. He’s not a big fan of sweets—at all.
He still makes a show of licking his lips. “Mmm, it’s good. Light and fluffy, with just a tinge of sweetness.” He holds out the package toward Saylor. “Want a bite?”
Her hand flies to her stomach, rubbing around. “I don’t know.” She meanders closer, and Shaw stretches back, nodding to his lap.
“Have a seat. You can be on my team.” He grins, making his dimples pop.
I clench my fists, fighting the irrational urge to throat punch him. He’s always been better at flirting than I could ever dream of being.
Saylor steps around the table and stops in front of him. We’re both sitting on the back edges of the couch, just on either side. He’s got one foot on the ground and the other leg at an angle on the cushion. He keeps the bun held in one hand and grabs the blanket off her shoulders with the other.
“Settle in, princess, and I’ll cover you up,” he says with a seductive twang to his voice that I’ve never heard.
We’re supposed to be a team, goddammit.
The omega comes to sit on the couch between his thighs, and Shaw tosses the blanket over her front, tucking it under her arms and around her thighs.
Valor’s scent fills the air, and my jaw clenches as I fight against the urge to growl.
I have no right to hate him or the beta. Everything we’ve learned points to them not being nearly as awful as I’ve made them out to be in my mind…
It still doesn’t mean I’m going to allow them to steal Saylor.
She snuggles back into Shaw’s chest, and he wraps his arms around her, offering her a bite of the sweet bun. She takes it but pulls a hand up to block her mouth as she chews. “It is very good. I’m just worried about what happens if I spike a fever again. It was so embarrassing. My body felt the need to purge everything from my stomach.”
“I’m not sure throwing up pure stomach acid would be much of an improvement,” I say with a hum.
Shaw nods and brings the package back to Saylor’s mouth.
She rolls her eyes but takes another bite.
Hopefully, she’s open to the two of us constantly hovering and attempting to take care of her.
* * *
Out of all the ways we passed the time when we lived at the senator’s mansion, we never played cards. We had a bit of a routine. Friday nights were dinner and a movie out if Saylor didn’t have a game or something school related. On any given night, several of her friends would tag along, and it was mostly our plan to get Saylor out of the house. If we didn’t push for her to leave, she’d lie around or nest and pass when her friends invited her out to do something. Saturday was for horror movies and lounging around the house. Sundays were actually our day off, but we’d normally stick around the house and catch up on laundry since Saylor was so low maintenance.
Our night in the cell passes as Saylor teaches us the rules of rummy, which is kind of adorable. We played cards nonstop during deployments, but she was so serious about reciting the rules that I didn’t have the heart to let her know we’re familiar with the game.
Shaw is useless. He lounges behind Saylor with a goofy grin on his face and a palm resting on her stomach. It’s obvious that he doesn’t have the first clue what’s happening with the hand of cards. He’s simply soaking up every second of having Saylor’s body pressed against his.
The omega grins, tossing her cards down. “Man, you don’t have beginner’s luck either. The same thing happened to me the other night.” She laughs. “How about I switch for a couple of hands before we call it a night?”
Shaw’s face is visible over her shoulder, and he squints like he’s imagining ways to silently murder me so he can keep her.
I grin, putting my cards face down and shoving them into the pile. “I think it’s about time I got a win.” I don’t mean the game of cards, not in the least.
Saylor tilts her head and kisses the edge of Shaw’s jaw. “Don’t pout. I sat with you for at least half an hour.”
By my estimation, it was closer to an hour, but I’m not about to vocalize that. She climbs across the couch and spins around, planting her ass between my legs. It leaves her mostly facing Shaw because of how I’ve been turned to play. With her staring at him, he can’t continue to glare.
“I’m not going easy on the two of you,” he says, faking a lazy smile.
She laughs. “Bring it on.”
Shaw leans forward, grabs the cards, and shuffles.
Saylor wiggles her back to my chest, and I say a silent prayer to the universe that my dick cooperates. The pants I’m in are the equivalent of thin sweats or workout pants, and they don’t provide much coverage.
My eyes meet Shaw’s as I plant a hand on Saylor’s middle to hopefully stop her from grinding against my cock. Her sweet cherry limeade scent is far too potent, and my dick thinks now would be a great time to show her exactly how entranced we are with her.