Chapter 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
Davis
Thursday seems to come too quickly, but also takes forever to arrive.
But finally, tonight’s the night—our group date with Crew and Kiara.
I shouldn’t be this stressed out.
Wrinkling my nose at my reflection, I remove the tie and toss it over my shoulder.
“I’m glad that was light,” Mason says with a chuckle, and I lift my head to meet his eyes in the mirror.
He looks absolutely delicious in dark jeans and a fitted blue button-down that makes his eyes seem bluer than usual. His hair is perfect as usual, and I bite my lip when he grins and his dimples pop.
“Damn, Mace,” I growl, shaking my head as I spin to face my alpha. “You look good enough to eat.”
“And you look like you’re not ready to go. Crew stuck his head out to say that he and Kiki were going to be ready in like ten minutes. Alexander is already downstairs.” He glances at my pantless state, wearing nothing but boxer briefs. “And you’re wearing a shirt with no pants.”
I sigh, running a hand through my dirty-blond hair. “I can’t decide what to wear, and I know how that sounds. I know it’s stupid. I just don’t want to fuck this up when Kiara’s finally giving us a chance.”
My hands are shaking, so I try to hide them behind my back, but Mason doesn’t miss a beat. He pulls me into his arms, hugging me close.
“This is a big deal, Davis. We know that, and we’re all taking it seriously, I assure you. But you’re freaking out a bit more than you should be.”
I melt into his hold, resting my forehead against his shoulder as I force myself to take a deep breath. “I am.”
“Would it be easier if I picked something out for you?”
Gods above, I should be able to do something as simple as pick out my own clothes for a date, but I find myself nodding. “I’d like that.”
“Good, because you look like you’re getting ready for work in that white button-down.” He pulls back, grinning at me before leaning in to brush his lips over mine. “Sit down on the bed and just breathe for a minute, yeah?”
I nod, sitting down as directed when he walks into my closet. I hear him rustling around inside for a minute before a pair of black jeans come flying at my head. I snatch them out of the air and pull them on. He comes out holding a bright pink button-down I’d completely forgotten I had.
“Didn’t Kiara buy this for you?”
“She did. She didn’t think I’d wear it.” I laugh, remembering Christmas during her senior year of high school.
Mason snorts. “But you wore it every week for months.”
I shrug. “Mostly because of the look on her face every time she saw me in it. It made her smile.”
He hums. “It did. Since you stopped wearing it after she went off to school, it’s practically brand new. I bet she’d smile if you wore it.”
“It’s perfect,” I agree, already undoing my shirt so I can swap them out. “Thanks, Mason. I was really freaking out for no reason.”
He runs his hand through my hair. “I kind of figured as much since you weren’t already downstairs. Yeah, that shirt looks amazing on you. I think you should put it back into the rotation for work.”
I run my hands down the front of the shirt, grinning at my reflection. “You know what? I think I just might.”
Feeling a lot better about the night, I allow Mason to drag me downstairs to the kitchen, where Alexander is waiting for us. He looks just as delicious as Mason wearing black slacks and a black button-down, the sleeves rolled up to reveal his forearms.
“Damn, Alex.” I let out a whistle, turning my finger in the air to indicate he spin around—which he doesn’t do.
Instead, he just flips me off. “Have a wardrobe crisis?”
“Maybe. Shut up.”
He grins, but before he can snark back at me, there’s a sound on the stairs that has the three of us spinning on our heels and heading into the entryway.
Crew’s dark hair is messy as usual, but my mouth falls open when I realize he’s wearing a corset over his black-button down. His sleeves are also rolled up, and he wears a pair of black leather pants.
Thank fuck we live in the mountains or he’d be dying in the spring heat.
“Holy shit,” Alexander murmurs, followed by a grunt from Mason.
Holy shit, indeed.
My eyes move to Kiara, and any breath left in my lungs evaporates.
Like Crew, she’s dressed in black. The sleeveless dress hugs her curves and ends just below her knees, but has a slit on one side that stops mid-thigh. Her black hair is pulled back off her face and shoulders in some kind of updo that leaves her slender neck on display.
Fuck.
What I wouldn’t give to have my bite mark on her neck.
Shit.
Where did that come from? That’s something I’d expect from one of the alphas—not me.
I’ve always known she’s beautiful, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen her more beautiful as the three of us stare at the pair of them, completely speechless.
A flush starts on her chest, snaking up her neck and into her cheeks as they step off the stairs.
“Um, hi,” she stutters. “You all look amazing.”
I snort. “We look amazing? Look at the two of you. You’re both breathtaking. I’ve changed my mind. I don’t think we should go out. We should stay in tonight. Everyone is going to want to talk to you two.”
“Yeah, that’s not happening.” Crew chuckles, tightening his arm around Kiara’s waist. “We were promised a night out, and you’re delivering.”
Mason clears his throat, his head bobbing. “Of course we will. You both look great.”
I bite back a smile when he takes their free hands and lifts them to his lips. Since when did this fucker get all suave and shit?
“I think the word you’re looking for is delectable,” Alexander adds, nudging me out of the way so he can move in to kiss each of their cheeks.
Kiara ducks her head while Crew beams at my alpha mates. “Well, that’s a great way to get anything you want. Thank you, alphas.”
“Shall we go?” Mason gestures toward the door, holding out his arm to stop me and Alexander from passing him. Crew leads Kiara out the door and to my waiting SUV.
Damn. Why did I agree to drive again?
“Alexander, why don’t you sit in the back with Crew and Kiara? I’ll ride up front with Davis.”
Alexander raises his eyebrows, a smile sliding onto his lips. “You don’t have to tell me twice.”
I grumble as I walk around the car and climb into the driver’s seat. Once settled, I glance in the rearview mirror to find Kiara sitting between Crew and Alexander. Her head is resting on Crew’s shoulder as he murmurs in her ear, but her hand entwined with Alexander’s.
Lucky bastard.
“So, where are we going?” Crew asks, his eyes clashing with mine in the mirror.
Mason turns in his seat. “First, Sapphire’s for dinner. After that, we can go to The Red Door, a jazz lounge with a cabaret, or Sip Happens, which is the local bar. There aren’t a lot of choices in a town this small.”
“Sip Happens?” Crew’s eyes flash with mirth as he snorts. “Your bar is called Sip Happens?”
“Hush, Crew,” Kiara hisses. “Sip Happens is a staple in Champagne Falls.”
He holds up his hands. “Sorry, sorry. But honestly? That’s the best bar name I’ve ever heard in my life.”
Starting the car, I start down the driveway. “And if neither of those sounds good, we can always head home and hang out here. We just know Kiara loves Sapphire’s, and we assumed she wouldn’t have had time to take you yet.”
“Nope. Apparently, she went with Ruby and Allison without me the other day, though. So I’m glad we’re going.”
Kiara sighs. “Are you ever going to let me live this down?”
A snort comes from the omega in the backseat. “Not for a while, Kiki, darling. You abandoned me and went to eat at the restaurant you’ve been talking about for years without me. It’s going to take more than a few days for me to stop giving you shit about it.”
“Whatever, brat.”
I smile as I glance at Mason, finding his eyes on the pair in the backseat before focusing back on the road.
It doesn’t take long for us to make it to Main Street, but it’s harder to find parking.
“Why don’t I drop the four of you off outside Sapphire’s, then I’ll find somewhere to park and meet you there?” I pose it as a question, but I’ve already stopped the car.
“Are you sure?” Crew asks, and I nod.
“Of course. I’ll probably have to park a few blocks over. It won’t be a long walk, but there’s no reason to make you all wait while I find a spot.”
Mason is already opening his door. “We’ll grab a table and text you where we are. Thanks, Davis.”
“I don’t mind coming with you, Davis,” Kiara says quietly.
I turn around to find her alone in the backseat, Crew and Alexander already having climbed out and waiting for her.
“There’s no reason for that, little K.”
Part of me is disappointed when she allows Crew to help her out. It really isn’t necessary, but it would’ve been nice to get to spend a few minutes alone with her.
Another car pulls up behind me, but I refuse to move until I have eyes on all four of them on the sidewalk.
Color me surprised when the passenger door swings open, and Kiara climbs inside. “What are you doing?”
“I told you I’d come with you. Now, hurry before whoever is behind you gets impatient.” She pulls her seat belt on before waving to the others.
I want to gape at her, but she’s right. I don’t want to hold anyone up, so I pull away and continue down the street until I find an empty spot.
Kiara and I climb out of the car, and I offer her my arm when I join her on the sidewalk. “It really wasn’t necessary for you to come with me—especially with those shoes.”
The heels she wears make her legs look amazing, but I know heels aren’t exactly comfortable.
“Don’t you worry about me, Davis. I don’t buy heels that aren’t comfortable.” She smiles as she slips her arm in mine. “Although you’re going to have to walk slowly. My legs are much shorter than yours.”
“I never have a problem slowing down for you, Kiki.” I return her smile as we start down the sidewalk. “So, how are you really doing?”
She’s quiet for a moment. “I’m okay, I think.
I know I made a big deal out of the three of you being Crew’s scent matches, and that wasn’t fair to anyone.
I always hoped I’d be an omega—even knowing how unlikely it was since both my parents were betas and there aren’t a lot of omegas in either family—and that I’d be your scent match. ”
My head jerks down, eyes wide as I realize what she just admitted. She refuses to look at me, her eyes locked forward, but I can see the flush coloring her skin.
“I didn’t know where that would leave me and Crew since he’d already revealed as an omega, but I knew we’d figure it out.
Finding out I was a beta and a scent match to none of you—including Crew—was a blow to my self-confidence.
I didn’t really talk about it with anyone, but I was so afraid that Crew would end up leaving me behind.
Finding out that he’s your scent match, when that’s what I wanted for myself, was more than I could stand.
“I just hope none of you will hold it against me. I know I overreacted. Crew and I are good, but I know we kind of just pretended it didn’t happen. I should’ve talked about it with the three of you more, but I was embarrassed—I still am.” She pauses. “The three of you were interested in me before?”
I clear my throat, nodding like an idiot.
“I don’t know how you didn’t know. Alexander and I didn’t really make it a secret.
Mason has always held things closer to the vest, and with the whole step siblings thing, it’s understandable that you didn’t know about him.
But how did you not know about me and Alexander? ”
She glances up at me for a moment, a small smile on her lips before she turns forward again. “I thought you were just flirting to flirt. How was I supposed to know that my stepbrother’s hot best friends were actually serious?”
“You could’ve asked anyone—they could’ve told you.
Hell, Ruby could’ve told you.” I laugh. We thought we were really obvious in our interest back then.
Mason tried to ban us from his house more than once because we were always seeking her out.
I can’t believe she was oblivious to it the entire time.
“She did,” she admits. “I just didn’t believe her. Honestly, it was probably a good thing it didn’t happen back then. Everything happens for a reason, right?”
“Yeah, something like that.” I turn my wrist to glance at my watch when it buzzes, skimming the text from Mason. “They have a table. Mason is going to wait for us at the door, for some reason.”
“That’s kind of sweet.”
Yeah, sure…sweet. We’ll go with that.