Chapter 21
Inhale
Finn
Geo was in there with our mate and he was giving her intense pleasure, from the sound of it.
We were all sitting or standing outside the bedroom door, loathe to leave in case she needed us, but knowing she would never call for us. Mace leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his face reflecting the anger we all felt.
Liora's slick scent filled the hallway and I was ready to just jerk off right here in the hallway.
My cock had been hard since she'd started spiking a temperature, but now, with the sounds of sex just on the other side of the door, I couldn't contain myself.
I palmed my erection through my sweats, trying to find some relief without hauling it out and going at it in front of the others.
"Fuck, she smells so good," Aiden muttered. "Did she smell like this before?"
"Yes," I responded, shifting slightly. "But she smells better. I guess Geo brought that out in her."
"Shut up," Mace growled. "That sshould be us in there."
"If we weren't fucking morons," I pointed out helpfully. "She's going to need hydration. I'm going to go get some Gatorade and snacks."
Leaving the other two alphas to brood, I headed to the kitchen to stock up on all of Liora's favorite snacks.
Filling little bowls with dried fruit, candy, and nuts calmed me a little.
Her scent was still so strong, but I knew it would be more unbearable by the door.
I added some crackers and beef jerky for Geo, then set several bottles of water and Gatorade on the tray before I took it back to the hallway.
Just as I walked up, the door cracked open and Geo stepped out in his underwear. He looked surprised to see us all standing there.
"I was just going to get some water," he said. The scent of sex filled the hallway, pouring out of the bedroom, but he didn't look like he'd actually participated.
"Here." I held the tray out. "There's some of her favorite stuff on there and she likes the lime Gatorade."
He nodded. "Thanks, man. It's going to be a long few days, so I appreciate this."
"We'd spell you if we good," Aiden said glumly.
Geo shook his head. He took the tray from me. "You had your chance. You blew it with an amazing omega."
"We know that, you bastard," Mace snarled. "You don't have to rub it in our faces."
"Well, maybe I do." Geo's eyes hardened. "Don't you have work to do?"
He disappered back into the room, but not before I caught a glimpse of Liora sound asleep on the bed, a sheet pulled over her. She looked peaceful right now. Unhurt, untraumatized. I wished we could jump back to before we tore her heart out and stomped on it.
"We should be at work," I sighed, when the door clicked shut behind Geo.
"That's what got us into this mess," Mace growled. "I'm done with pretending it's everything. You know it's not more important than she is."
"But does she know that?" Aiden asked. "We have to figure out how to make this up to her. She went through hell because of us and now she's terrified of alphas. We're damn lucky she let Geo in that room."
"We are." I drummed my fingers on my knee. "Let's take shifts. One of us here, two at the office."
"I'll stay," Mace said, his eyes dull. "I'd be useless in the office anyway."
Aiden and I drove to the office, the place where it had all come to a head so many years ago. All our success was bittersweet now, knowing that we'd prized it over love and affection. I wanted to slap myself. Instead, I took the elevator up to the top floor, where our offices were.
There, I sat in front of the computer, unable to concentrate on anything. One of the secretaries came in with a coffee and eyed me oddly.
"Sir, isn't your omega in heat?"
"How the hell would you know that?" I snapped. "I don't even have an omega. Not anymore."
"Sorry." She set the coffee down. "It's just that I can smell heat pheromones on you, but I've overstepped, I'm sorry."
"No, it's fine. There is an omega in my house and she is in heat, but she's not mine." The words tasted like ash on my tongue.
As she turned to leave, I called out, "Olivia, wait. You're a woman . . . how would a man get you back if he fucked up really, really badly?"
She turned, eyebrows raised. "I'm not an omega."
"No, but you know how the female mind works." I ran a hand through my curls. "I'm desperate here. Any kind of insight could be good."
She paused, thinking. "I mean, how badly did you mess up?"
"Think of the worst fuckup ever and multiply by ten."
Olivia winced. "You sure you want her back, she might resent you forever."
"I do, but it's not even about that," I said, realizing as I spoke that it was true. "I just want her to be okay. I want to show her how sorry I am."
"You need to make a grand gesture, of course," Olivia said. "But even better, dozens of little things to show that you care and that you're sorry. What does she like? Make sure you give her those things. Send her notes. Apologize every time you see her. You have to be believable."
"I can do that. Little things she loves." My brain was already spinning. "Thanks, Olivia."
"Good luck." She left the office and I sat there until my coffee went cold, scribbling ideas on a piece of paper. Everything I could think of that Liora liked. Everything that might show her that I meant what I said. But how do you rebuild trust when you've broken it so thoroughly?