Chapter 23
“ H ere.” Amir set a crisp white box in front of me at breakfast the next day.
“Um, thank you? What is it?”
“Open it and see.”
I grabbed hold of the top and the bottom slid cleanly out, revealing a brand-new smartphone. “I already have a phone, though?”
“That thing is at least five years old and it’s always half drained every time I see it. You need something newer and more reliable.”
My chest warmed at the thoughtful gift. “Thank you. This is really sweet. Do any of you know enough about phones to help me get it set up? I usually just get the store to do everything when I get a new phone.”
“I can do it,” offered Amir. “Give me your old one and I’ll get the process started.”
I watched, absolutely fascinated, as he navigated his way through both phones with lightning speed, and soon enough everything on the old one was syncing to the new.
“Give it about ten minutes and it’s all yours. I charged it last night for you.”
Why was he being so sweet when he was so fucking cranky with me all the time? It didn’t make any sense.
“I should’ve thought of that,” said Kai. His cheek was resting on his hand, observing the two of us.
“I’m sure you would have eventually.” Amir shrugged. “I got to it first.”
“Do you want to hang out today?” I asked Amir.
“You don’t want to spend time with me, princess. Kai is right there. You don’t need me.”
I pursed my lips. “Yeah, I can see him. I asked you .”
“And I’m saying no. I have plans.”
The rejection shouldn’t have cut as deep as it did, shouldn’t have had a squeak of distress escaping or tears pricking my eyes.
Kai pulled me against his chest. “Don’t be rude to her.”
“I’m not allowed to have plans now?”
“Just watch your tone.”
Amir sighed and turned away from us, heading up the stairs.
“Why doesn’t he like me?” I turned my face against Kai’s chest. “I don’t understand. Sometimes I think he wants me and then he just shuts me down. It feels like before.”
“With your ex?” Kai asked.
I nodded. I didn’t want to think about Jerry, but Amir was triggering my insecurity, making me want to try to make him happy without knowing if I could. I hated that feeling.
“I’ll talk to him,” promised Kai.
“You don’t have to talk to him. I’ll get around to it. I’m just so confused.”
If Amir didn’t like me, I had to accept that. I couldn’t, wouldn’t allow myself to fall into the same trap with him that I had with Jerry. The other men in the house liked me plenty and I could put my focus into building relationships with them.
“What happens if he never likes me?”
“That won’t happen,” Kai assured me. “He doesn’t have to be with you, but he’s pack, and he needs to check his attitude. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable here.”
“I don’t know what’s up with Miles either. They’re both so frustrating.”
“Miles is…honestly, I don’t really know. It’s obvious to anyone that he wants you, but he holds on to guilt for a long time.”
“He did tell me he feels like my being here is his fault. I told him it was fine, but…”
“Ah, yeah. It’ll take him a while to sort that all out in his head, but I’m one hundred percent certain he’ll come around. He likes you; he just has to feel worthy before he’s all in. He was the same when we were forming the pack because he felt guilty taking a recruitment job while the rest of us stayed in sex work. Doesn’t matter how much you tell him you’re comfortable with something. If it hasn’t clicked in his head, he’s going to be riddled with anxiety over it.”
“So what’s the best plan of action, then? Do I just keep telling him things are okay?”
“Well, that probably won’t hurt, but mostly you have to let it run its course.”
I groaned, dropping my forehead against his chest. “You and Diego are making this so easy.”
“That’s usually how things go around here,” Kai said with a laugh. He stroked soothing hands up and down my back until I was purring. “I think it’s easier on me too, to accept this is our life now. I don’t want to fight it when it feels so nice to have you here.”
I sighed and snuggled in closer. So much was still up in the air, but I appreciated that Kai wanted to smooth the path for me.
“I’m not entirely sure what to do about my job,” I said after a few moments. “My clients are back in LA.”
“You can go back and finish the work for them and we can look at finding you clients here. I know you went to school for cinematography. Is that what you do for work too?”
“Yeah. I work with a lot of indie producers.”
“Given how many shows there are here, how many performers, I can’t imagine you would be short on clientele if you wanted to transition to finding people in Vegas instead.” Kai kissed the top of my head. “Obviously the connections I’m going to have are in the live sex shows, and I don’t know how interested you would be in doing cinematography for those, so I’m just gonna throw it out there and if you want to pursue it, let me know.”
“I was going to say I feel like I’m too much of a prude for that, but I don’t think I can actually say that anymore.”
Kai scooped me up, perching my butt on the counter before leaning down for a luxurious kiss that had my toes curling. “I would definitely say you’re a lot more adventurous than you give yourself credit for.”
“I’ve never thought of myself like that before.”
“That’s probably because you were with an inconsiderate asshole. Having the right partner for things like that makes all the difference. Really hard to let your freak flag fly if you don’t feel safe.”
I burst into giggles and pulled him down for another kiss, delighting in the cinnamon sweetness and the way his arms snaked around me. In a lot of ways it felt weird to be so comfortable with Kai, and maybe it was the bond, but he was also so lovely with me. He wanted me to feel safe and comfortable and went out of his way to make sure that happened. How was I supposed to hold on to my anxiety when this alpha seemed ready to fall at my feet to make me happy?
I never would have casually made out with Jerry while sitting on the kitchen counter. With Kai I was tempted to lie back and let him take anything he wanted. I inched closer, locking my ankles behind his hips.
Kai wrapped his fingers around the back of my neck, tipping my head so he could get his mouth on my throat and I melted instantly at the sweep of his lips on my skin and the rock of his hips between my thighs. Completely pitiful sounds escaped me when he settled on his bondmark, sucking at the sensitive skin until my brain was mush and my panties were damp with slick.
“I’m curious how many times a day I’ll have to have you before I stop craving you every second.” Kai nipped my earlobe. “I feel like there’s no actual number. As soon as I have you, I want you again.”
I didn’t truly give a fuck if it was the bond that caused that to happen, because it felt so fucking good to be wanted that much. Even if I was drawn to the others, Kai was a safe space.
“What do you think about letting me have a second breakfast on this counter?” His nose trailed up my throat and one of his hands dipped between us to grind against my pussy.
“I think I’d let you do anything if you asked like that.”
He pulled away with a wicked smile, heat in his eyes as he nudged me back to lie across the stone. Kai set my ankles on his shoulders and tapped my ass so I could lift it and he could peel down the tiny shorts and panties, leaving them on the floor before sinking to his knees. He wasted no time at all, seeking out my clit and sucking hard until my hands were clenched in his hair and every bit of me was shaking on the precipice of release.
“Kai, fuck, that’s too much.”
He turned his head to lightly bite my inner thigh. “It’s not too much, little dove. I’m well aware of how much you can take.”
I whined when he went immediately back to my clit, locking one arm around my thigh to keep me spread as he thrust his fingers into me. I never thought I would be spread out on the countertop, back arched like a cat and trying desperately to keep my grip on sanity while an alpha tried to suck my soul out through my clit.
I was breathing so hard I was almost dizzy when I shattered for him. I wanted to rock against his mouth but he held me so tightly I could barely move. He just continued his attention as I crested one peak, and before I could even drop, I was already scaling another.
“I feel like we could make an absolute fucking fortune in porn,” Diego said as he joined us in the kitchen, still dripping from his time in the pool. “I’ve never seen anything that hot, precious.”
I whimpered, barely coherent as Kai continued his mission. Diego swept around the other side of the island and dropped to his knees by my head.
“Such a naughty omega,” Diego whispered in my ear. “Do you like your alpha eating you out where anyone can see?”
“Ye—” My answer broke off as I came, breathing hard through the surge of pleasure, squeaking and panting until Kai finally pulled away to kiss up the inside of my thigh, letting me sink back against the cool stone.
“Do you want me to touch you too, precious?”
“ Please .”
Kai went back to work after giving me a moment to breathe, and Diego turned my face to his. I felt his kiss down to my toes. He snuck his hands down my tank top, caught my nipples between his thumbs and forefingers, and pinched until I arched against his hands with a moan. His mouth dragged down my throat and settled on the curve of my neck and shoulder, cupping my breasts and teasing me while Kai rapidly undid me.
Desperation burned through me. Neither of them gave a flying fuck about their own pleasure, pouring all their attention into mine until I broke apart in their hands, whiny, squirming, and breathless.
“Right here.” Diego kissed my throat. “In your next heat I want to put my mark right here.”
I shuddered as Kai withdrew his fingers and stood up to hover over me, rocking his hard, but still clothed, cock against my core.
“Would you like that, precious?” Diego asked.
“Yes, Diego, please,” I gasped out and pulled his head closer. Kai ground harder against me. “Fuck, Kai, if you don’t get that in me immediately, I might explode.”
Diego laughed quietly, still slowly teasing my breasts. “I already knew you were greedy for cock, but it’s even more fun when you beg for it outside of your heat.”
Kai shoved down his shorts, firm hands gripping both of my thighs as he angled himself and eased his way in. Diego drank down my whine. Kai’s hands shook and his breathing was ragged by the time our hips met.
“I’m never going to get used to how good you feel.”
“Beg him,” Diego crooned. “Tell him how desperate you are for him to fuck you.”
“Kai, please, please .” He pulled out and thrust back in, stealing my breath. “Fuck, yes, again. Harder.”
The next buck would have slid me across the stone if he didn’t have such a grip on me. It struck exactly like I’d hoped, hitting the sweet spot inside me that had pleasure rippling through me.
“More, please. I want to feel it all day.”
Kai moved in earnest this time and I surrendered to it entirely. Between the two alphas, I was utterly overwhelmed. I reached back for Diego, trying to unravel his towel, push down his swim trunks, and drag him closer. I needed him too.
Pleasure and contentment flowed through the bond from Kai, watching me pull at Diego until his cock was in my mouth, his hand cradling the back of my head so I didn’t hit it on the counter while Kai jostled me. I purred between thrusts, Diego using my mouth while I moaned around him. Old Callie would have had an aneurysm to see me right now. New Callie was desperate for these alphas and eager to catch all the pleasure they could give her.
“Fuck, precious,” Diego gasped. “That tongue is wicked.”
I had never been wicked before them, and if this was what it felt like, I never wanted to stop.
A low growl to the side caught my attention. I could just barely see Amir out of the corner of my eye, standing there and watching us, his fists clenched and his brows pinched. “I can’t go anywhere in this damn house without the two of you having her bent over every surface.”
Diego slid out of my mouth and Kai stilled between my hips. I bit down on the whine of frustration at having them both pull back. I wanted to reach out, to ask Amir to join us, but if he was going to be an ass about it, I couldn’t afford to let myself. I have been down that path before and I was not going to do it again.
“You weren’t home,” Kai pointed out. “I thought you had plans. You made that pretty damn clear earlier.”
“I forgot my wallet.”
“I’m sorry,” I said before I could stop myself.
Kai’s gaze whipped back to me. “Don’t apologize to him. I’m the one who asked you to do this, and he wasn’t supposed to be home to see it.”
I sat up, feeling too awkward to lie there with Kai inside me and Amir glaring at the three of us. Kai gathered me close, letting me use his arms to shield me from that disdainful look.
“Do whatever the fuck you want.” Amir turned on his heel and left. “Don’t wait up.”
Kai hissed and I realized I had been digging my nails into him. I released my grip on him, my chest aching and the start of tears clogging my throat. “Sorry.”
Don’t wait up … People said that when they were going on dates. Was that where Amir was going, why he wanted nothing to do with me?
“ I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s gotten into him.” Kai grimaced. “I’m going to punch him if he upsets you again. I hate feeling you hurting.”
“Sor—”
“ Don’t fucking apologize,” Kai said exasperatedly. “It’s helpful for me to feel it so I know, but I hate that you have to feel it. I want our whole pack to be together and I don’t know how to bridge this gap with him.”
“He’ll come around or he won’t,” Diego said with a sigh. “I guess fun time is over for now. Do you want to go steal some of his things for the nest?”
I did want his scent in there, and Miles’s too. It was kind of cruel how their scents gave me comfort when I was pretty sure it might break my heart to have them so close when they didn’t seem to want to be mine. I could only hope they changed their minds eventually.