Chapter 16
“WE’RE GOING ON VACATION!” Jude, arms raised, raced down the staircase with his eyes on the best prize in the whole freaking world. His girl. “We’re going on vacation!” He shouted again, lifting Sonnet into his arms and twirling her around.
Zayden did not approve, but Sonnet’s giggles countered his glares.
“Put her down and help with the bags.”
“What does helping with the bags have to do with putting down our omega?”
“Jude.”
Jude huffed. “Fine. But I call dibs on sitting with her in the car! And on the plane. And—”
Zayden threw one of the travel pillows directly into Jude’s face before shoving some luggage close to him.
Message clear and received. Even though Jude was still adamant about getting to sit next to his girl and they could all fight him to the death for it, he would, at the very least, be helpful before being a clingy boyfriend.
Hmm. Does Sonnet know we’re boyfriend and girlfriend? Or is she stuck on this just being a trial run?
That was an easy fix. He’d make a romantic confession of love at the beach and ask her to be his girlfriend flat out! Maybe he could even get the other guys in on it, too.
This really was going to be the best trip ever.
“He looks like the sun is shining out of his ass,” Kai grumbled and dramatically threw his luggage into the car. He said nothing else and stole shotgun. That meant Jude’s spot next to Sonnet was secured.
“At least he got into the car,” Felix joked.
All three of them helplessly watched as Kai put in his Bluetooth headphones and a face mask over his eyes, completely unbothered by his petty attitude, and disappeared into himself.
Zayden briefly pinched the bridge of his nose, dark circles under his eyes. “I thought I was going to wring his neck these last three days to convince him he was coming. I—shit, Felix. How many books did you pack into your suitcase?”
“Just the right amount needed.”
“No way our jet is going to be able to take off with how heavy your bags are.”
“Maybe you just need to up your workout routine,” Felix gruffed, taking his bag from Zayden and throwing it into the trunk.
Jude never understood the love of reading. Comics, manga, webtoons? Now that was where the real action was at. But books? No.
“You have a private jet?” Sonnet asked.
She looked adorable, wearing heart-shaped pink sunglasses and carrying one of her prized stuffed animals to pack into the car.
It was a pale green stuffed bunny she told Jude she named Matcha, the first gift Summer ever gave her.
She said she couldn’t sleep somewhere new without it, which only made Jude fall for her all the more.
He even felt comfortable enough to reveal to her that he was afraid of the dark and brought a nightlight with him everywhere.
He’d bring his fairy lights if he could, too, but he didn’t want to be a big baby.
Jude couldn’t help it. He stood behind her, wrapping his hands around Sonnet’s waist and watching as her ears blushed pink. She stiffened awkwardly and released a little giggle.
This was his plan. Overwhelm her with love so that she knew how important she was.
Not overwhelm in a bad way, though.
No! Never in a bad way, obviously.
Obviously, right?
Jude leaned down, his eyes roaming all over her face for the slightest hint in her expression that she wasn’t just shy but flat out uncomfortable. She giggled again; her eyes wrinkled from her wide smile and kissed his cheek.
Oh my gosh, I’m never going to wash my face again.
She looked towards Zayden. “You guys have a jet?”
“We have a timeshare for one, technically,” Zayden explained, hauling the last piece of luggage into the car. “I didn’t think it was a financially smart idea to purchase our own jet, so we compromised.”
“We all agreed to put a majority of our money into different nonprofits each month!” Jude shouted.
It was his idea, but he wasn’t about to take all the credit.
“Last month, we donated to a special needs program for children and another for adults. We also try to do volunteer work wherever we’re currently donating, so we’ve got to hang out with a few special needs' kiddos in a special education program. Talk about future rock stars! And professional feeling hurters.”
“Hurters isn’t a word,” Felix scoffed.
“Well, I said it, so now it obviously is. Hey!”
Zayden opened the car door and pulled Sonnet out from Jude’s arms, helping her into the backseat where Felix sneakily stole the middle spot right next to her. The bastards!
Don’t curse!
It’s not like she can hear my thoughts!
“Hey! What was that for?”
“If you’re going to sit with her on the four and a half hours long flight, the least I can do is give her a break from your yapping. Now, get in before we’re late.”
“You suck,” Jude growled, sliding next to Felix and pouting. “Just admit it. You prefer Felix over me!”
Zayden didn’t say anything, but Jude saw his smirk in the rearview mirror as he pulled out of their driveway and headed towards the airport.
Jude crossed his arms over his chest and glared out the window. Felix and he may have been on the same team to unite the pack to make Sonnet their forever omega, but at this moment, he was just a bastard with fancy words, a handsome outfit, perfectly white teeth—
“Dammit. I forgot my toothbrush.”
“Jude. For fuck’s sake, I’m not turning around, so just don’t eat shit until we can buy you a new one.”