Chapter 17 – Lacey
Chapter Seventeen
Lacey
Ihave no job, or I won’t once I call the clinic, but a more pressing issue has presented itself.
I have no clothes, either.
Wilder even stripped me out of my bra and panties last night, meaning I have no choice but to wear Grim’s T-shirt down for breakfast. I love that it smells like him, and it falls mid-thigh.
It’s just weird to walk around someone else’s house in no bra, especially when that someone else is my stepbrother.
Callum is already in the kitchen when Grim and I make it downstairs. He’s sitting on top of the kitchen island, and he smiles, dropping his phone on the counter next to where he sits. “Morning, Lace.”
“Good morning.” My head swivels, and I check around for Wilder, but he’s nowhere to be seen.
“Don’t you look cozy in Grim’s shirt?” Callum chuckles, sliding off the counter until his feet hit the tile. “The floors are gorgeous, but they’re also chilly. Have a seat at the table. I just so happen to have a little something for you.”
“I’ll just bet you do,” Grim grumbles.
“You’re crankier than should be possible the day after bonding,” Callum says with a snort. “Collins made breakfast. You could make us plates.”
Seeing them bicker is surreal.
My mind can’t seem to comprehend that they know each other.
I mean, I get that they do.
It’s still weird.
“You look much less frantic this morning. I’m glad to see you’re doing better.
” Cal wraps his arm around my shoulders, guiding me over to the breakfast nook that sits in the bay window overlooking the back porch and yard.
“Have a seat right here for me.” He pulls out one of the chairs, twists it until it’s facing the kitchen rather than the other side of the table, and gives me a gentle shove into it.
“Don’t move.” He strides over to the island, grabbing a wrapped gift box from one of the barstools.
The wavy, long blond hair on the top of his head falls over his face as he shakes the box and smirks.
Damn.
He’s always sexy, but those hoops in his lip and nose just do it for me.
If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was a rock star, with the black tattoos decorating every inch of his neck and down his clavicles.
They disappear into the top of his T-shirt, and I force myself not to let my line of sight drift any lower.
What is it with the men in this house? Don’t they own any bottoms outside of sweatpants? I’ve seen all three of them in jeans and, in Wilder’s case, dress pants. They must be trying to make me weak.
And dammit…
It’s working.
“A little something for you, my lady.” Callum squats in front of my chair and places the box in my lap. Its wrapping paper and bow are part of the package, so all I have to do is lift the lid.
“What’s this for?”
“You had a rough day yesterday. That means you deserve a little something to perk you up.” He chuckles. “It can also be a gift to celebrate the fact you and Grim bonded. Congratulations.”
“Thank you,” I whisper, pulling off the lid and flipping back the tissue paper.
I’m greeted by a pair of reindeer slippers. They’re brown with a red nose, and they’re super fuzzy.
“When you stand up in them, their antlers perk up.” Callum reaches over, holding them up and shaking them.
“They’re so cute, and I always run cold. Thank you, Cal.”
“May I help you into them?” he asks, wiggling his eyebrows.
“Yeah, absolutely,” I agree, checking on Grim. He’s near the stove, and although his back is to me, I believe he’s making plates of breakfast like Callum recommended.
By the time I focus back on Callum, he’s taking the slippers from the box. He reaches into his pocket, pulls out a knife, and cuts the cord keeping them together. Once that’s done, he cuts the tag off and clicks the knife closed before shoving it back into his sweats.
The man carries around a pocketknife while chilling in the house? That seems strange, and maybe unnecessary, but I guess it did come in handy.
“Keep going. There’s more.” Callum switches to kneel on one knee from how he was squatting, and I unfold the next piece of tissue paper.
Red fabric greets me, and I run my fingers over the material as Callum grabs my foot, helping me into the left slipper. It fully encases my ankle, and the inside is soft and plush. He moves to the other foot while I pull out the next gift.
I have to turn it around because of the way it’s folded, but once I shake it out, it becomes clear it’s a robe. It has a white strip around the hood and collar that flows down both sides. The belt is also white and fuzzy, but not in the way that little pieces will clump off.
“It’s so soft. I love it. Thank you, Callum.”
The alpha has gotten me into the slippers, and he pats my thighs before standing. “I’m glad you like it. Want to put the robe on? I bumped up the heat, but this place is always chilly.”
“Sure,” I agree, and he grabs the box, dropping it on the table before helping me up.
Once the robe is on, Callum ties it. “You’re as cute as a snuggly little omega can be.”
My insides light up at the praise.
I’m such a cliché omega.
Whatever.
I don’t even care.
My eyes meet his, and my heart thumps erratically. Cal leans close, brushing his lips over mine. It’s such a light tease of a touch, and it leaves me wanting more. If he had really kissed me, I would have welcomed it.
“Back up,” Grim growls, dropping two plates on the table before grabbing a water and a bottle of Coke from under his arm and setting those down too.
Callum runs his thumb over my jaw and rolls his eyes. “I can already tell that he’s not going to let me hold you while I feed you. I suppose I’ll have to negotiate for dinner.”
“Take the box with you,” Grim grumbles.
Callum chuckles. “He really should be in a better mood. I know I would be if I’d been the one to sink my teeth in.” He glances at the table and grabs the empty gift box. “Hmm, I guess I’m on my own when it comes to making myself a plate. I’ll remember that, big guy.”
I barely have the opportunity to process his comment about if he’d been the one to bite me because as soon as Callum walks away, Grim takes his place in front of me.
“Technically, one of those plates was meant for him, but…” Grim shrugs, cracking a lazy smile. “He’ll live.” His hands land on my hips, and he moves me aside, taking a seat in the chair I was in originally. Once he’s settled, he guides me to him.
“Shouldn’t I face the table?” I ask as my stomach rumbles. Whatever he brought over smells delicious.
“Gonna feed you by hand, so you face me.”
Speaking of faces, mine heats.
Is it weird to want to cuddle on his lap while he feeds me by hand?
Eh, not to me.
Grim guides me to sit straddling him and reaches to grab one of the plates. “Anything you don’t like?”
I shake my head. “Breakfast foods are my weakness. I universally love them. The only thing I’m iffy about is runny eggs, but I can usually manage to ignore the texture.”
“You’re in luck. These are scrambled, and Collins knows exactly how to make them fluffy.” He offers me a bite, and I take it.
He’s not wrong.
They’re really great eggs.
He also doesn’t make me wait long before offering me a bite of waffle with some kind of fruit drizzle. Oh God, I think that’s an apple cinnamon concoction.
I pull my hand to cover my mouth as I finish chewing. “More of that, please. You weren’t kidding. The chef is amazing.”
Grim chuckles, and his contentment filters through the bond.
My eyes widen as I examine the connection. His attraction to me comes first, followed quickly by his joy at pleasing me.
It’s intense and addictive, and I find myself grinning up at him like a total weirdo. I don’t think it’s even fully clicked yet, but I get to keep this hunk of alpha forever, and that blows me away in the best way possible.
At the same time, we barely know each other. We’re going to have to put a lot of effort into learning everything there is to know about the other person. Not to mention, we’ve got some important conversations that need to be had.
Callum joins us at the table, and Grim lets me spin to face the table rather than staying chest-to-chest with him. It gives me the chance to see Cal, and it allows Grim to feed himself in between offering me bites of the delicious breakfast spread.
Knowing Wilder has an in-home chef is kinda crazy. When I lived here for those few months, his dads cooked most of our meals, and the rest of the time they ordered takeout or brought me home something after taking my mom out to eat.
“Do we have a plan for today?” Grim asks, offering me a drink of the soda. He tried to get me to have the water at first, but I quickly educated him on how much I need caffeine, especially first thing in the morning.
“I believe Wilder has a meeting,” Callum says.
At the same time, I say, “I need to call my job and give notice. Also, I have no clothes, so if someone could take me to my apartment, I’d appreciate it.”
“I do have a meeting.” Wilder strides into the room looking as well put together as always in his three-piece suit.
I’m in a fuzzy Santa robe, Grim’s shirt, and reindeer slippers with no bra or panties.
I’m baffled how I’m supposed to bounce back from this. He’s the epitome of a handsome businessman, and I look like…
Damn.
I don’t even know what I look like, but I’ll never be elegant enough to fit in around here, and that makes my stomach feel weird.
“I’ll need one of you to come with me.” Wilder glances between Callum and Grim. “However, I’ll leave that at your discretion.”
“You want us to choose who goes with you and who stays with Lacey?” Callum asks.
“That is what I said.” Wilder smiles and adjusts his tie.
“I’m staying with Lacey,” Grim growls.
“Now, now. Let’s keep things fair. I’ll flip you for it.” Callum laughs. “Don’t you need to go shopping? You can do that on your way home.”
“I’ll pass.” Grim plants his hand on my stomach, and his annoyance filters through the bond.
Wilder rolls his eyes and focuses on me. “I have a small gift for you. How about we let them hash that out among themselves?”
My eyes widen as my insides light up.
How could he possibly have a gift for me?
He hasn’t had time to shop. Then again, I vaguely remember him confessing that his tattoo, at least in part, has objects that signify me.
He gracefully sidestepped giving a direct answer when I asked if the portrait was me.
However, the lightning and gardenias tell me it is.
Wilder quirks an eyebrow, almost like he’s reminding me he’s waiting for an answer.
I nod before I can stop myself.
Everything in me wants to know what a gift from Wilder looks like.