10. Lily
Lily
I storm down the hallway, heels clicking against polished floors like angry punctuation marks.
The audacity of Alaric to suggest I start over with someone new, like trust is something I can just hand out like candy.
The pristine reception area gleams under soft lights as I approach. Savannah looks up, her bright smile faltering as she catches my expression.
“Are you alright, Lily?”
I force a smile. “Yes, I just…” I pause as an idea forms. Maybe this is a sign. Damian already knows where I am. Maybe it’s time to… “Actually, I was wondering about the protocol for leaving the Haven.”
“Oh.” Savannah’s brows furrow. “Well, you’re free to leave whenever you like. But are you sure you—”
“Lily?”
Leo’s voice cuts through the space. He’s carrying bags of supplies, probably for the café.
His eyes flick between me and Savannah, taking in my body language. His nostrils flare up and something shifts in his expression.
“Everything okay?” His tone is careful, but I catch the tension in his shoulders.
“I was just asking about—” I start.
“—the procedure for leaving the Haven,” Savannah supplies helpfully.
Leo goes still, his scent shifting with concern. He sets down his bags with deliberate care. “Leaving?”
“It was just a question,” I say weakly.
His eyes study me for a long moment before he turns to Savannah with an easy smile. “Would you excuse us?”
His hand finds my elbow, warm through my sleeve. “Walk with me?”
The intensity in his gaze makes it clear this isn’t really optional. And after a moment’s hesitation, I nod.
He guides me to a quiet corner by a huge bay window overlooking the gardens. When he turns, concern etches his features. “What happened?”
“Nothing, I just—”
“Lily.” There’s a quiet command in his voice, and my Omega instincts urge me to comply.
I deflate. “Alaric thinks I need a different counselor.”
Understanding softens his expression. “So you decided to run?”
“I’m not running,” I snap, though warmth floods my cheeks. “I’m being practical. Damian knows where I am. It’s only a matter of time before—”
“Before what?” Leo steps closer, his scent deepening with protective intensity. “If he’s behind the hack, he probably has someone watching outside, waiting to follow you wherever you go.” His jaw tightens. “At least here, we can protect you.”
My stomach drops. I hadn’t considered that. The fight drains from me as I look up at his worried face, that “we” catching in my chest like a hook.
“I may have overreacted,” I admit softly.
“You think?” he says, warmth threading through his voice.
He studies me for a moment, then his expression shifts to something more playful. “You know what you need?”
I raise an eyebrow. “What?”
“To take the edge off.” His smile does funny things to my insides. “Come with me.”
“Leo, I don’t—”
“Trust me.” He extends his hand, and after a moment’s hesitation, I take it.
He leads me to an elevator I’ve never used, his frame dominating the small space as we descend to level -1. “Ever wonder why some residents look so relaxed?”
“I assumed it was the counseling.”
He chuckles, the sound rich and warm. The elevator doors open to reveal a softly lit corridor, the air thick with the scent of lavender.
“Welcome,” Leo says with a flourish, “to the Haven’s best-kept secret.”
My jaw drops as we round the corner, stepping into a sanctuary of granite and river stones. A central relaxation area unfolds before me, where tranquil pools reflect the soft glow of ambient lighting. Plush lounge chairs are arranged in inviting clusters, each draped with crisp, white towels.
From this serene hub, arched hallways branch off, leading to spaces of quiet indulgence. To my left, a salt therapy chamber glows softly, its walls lined with pink Himalayan bricks. To my right, a dimly lit massage suite flickers with candlelight, its warm glow dancing against polished stone.
The air hums with the soft trickle of water and the hypnotic scent of lavender. Everything about the space seems designed to strip away tension, to melt stress into the quiet lull of warmth and moving water.
“You have a spa?” I ask, flabbergasted.
“For VIPs only.” His wink makes me blush. “And special cases.”
I take in the empty space. “There’s no one here.”
“Perfect timing.” His smile turns mischievous. “Most people come in the morning. Afternoon’s usually dead quiet.” He gestures to the changing rooms. “What do you say? Fancy a swim? Or maybe a dip in the jacuzzi?”
I should say no. Should go back to my room and… wait. What would I actually do there? Plot an escape?
There’s a jacuzzi.
“I didn’t bring a swimsuit,” I say, trying to sound reluctant even as excitement thrums in my chest.
Leo’s already moving toward a cabinet. “We keep extras. All sizes.” He pulls out a white plush robe and a black two-piece. “Unless you’re still planning to run away?”
I catch the suit he tosses, running my fingers over the soft fabric. “Fine,” I sigh, though we both know it’s just for show. “But only because I have nothing else scheduled today.”
“Of course.” His smile makes my inner Omega purr.
Heading to the changing room, I realize maybe I don’t need to figure everything out right this second.
“Leo?” I call back.
“Mm?”
“Thank you.”
His expression softens, his vibe wrapping around me like a warm embrace. “Anytime, Lily.”
***
The changing rooms are all dark wood and soft lighting.
When I emerge, my breath catches. Leo’s already waiting, his robe draped casually over broad shoulders, the V revealing tanned skin and defined muscle that makes my mouth go dry. His eyes rake over me, darkening as he bites his lower lip.
“This way,” he murmurs, leading me to a private jacuzzi area screened by frosted glass and greenery. Steam rises from the bubbling water as soft music plays from hidden speakers.
Leo shrugs off his robe first, and I nearly forget how to breathe. His fitted black swimwear leaves little to imagination—every sculpted plane of his chest, every ridge of his abs, the impressive bulge that commands my attention. Heat floods my cheeks when I realize I’m staring.
My fingers tremble slightly as I untie my own robe. As it falls, he draws in a sharp breath that ignites a rush of confidence.
“Beautiful,” he breathes, voice rough.
Our eyes lock, and the air crackles with electricity. A jolt shoots through me as his hand slides under mine, guiding me into the water.
The hot water envelops me, drawing a moan from my lips. “Oh god, this feels amazing.”
We settle into comfortable silence, letting the bubbles work their magic. Then, Leo starts talking about cooking, baking, and the Haven’s history. But my mind drifts, caught on the way his lips move, the way his eyes crinkle when he smiles.
“You seem tense still,” he murmurs low and unhurried, eyes catching on my rolling shoulders. His scent wraps around me, warm and inviting. “Here, let me help.”
He guides me to face away from him, and strong hands find my neck. I melt into his touch as he works the tension from my muscles, each press of his fingers sending sparks through my body. When his thumb brushes my mating gland, a shiver courses through me.
“Someone’s sensitive,” he growls softly.
I lean back against his chest, feeling hard muscle through wet skin. My body seems to move of its own accord as my hand slides along his thigh underwater, drifting higher until—
His breath catches on a moan that vibrates through me.
“Lily…” His voice is pure sin.
My fingers roam, coaxing a deep groan from him as his head drops to my shoulder.
His hands slide up my ribs, then higher, his thumbs brushing the underside of my breasts before tracing slow, deliberate patterns that leave me trembling.
Heat coils inside me as my hand moves steadily over his massive cock, stroking him through his swimwear.
When he finally frees my top, the cool air makes me gasp, my nipples tightening further.
“Stunning,” he growls, palming my breast fully. I tighten my grip on him, dragging another low, visceral sound from his throat.
Each touch ignites the next, quiet growls slipping between us like a language all our own. For a moment, we’re lost in the slow, aching rhythm of each other.
Leo turns me to face him, his gaze burning into mine before his mouth finds my nipple. His lips seal around it, his tongue flicking in long, teasing strokes. Then he moves to the other, sucking deep, each pull dragging a gasp from me, making me arch, desperate for more.
His lips trail lower, blazing a path down my body, my fingers tangling in his hair, guiding him downward… lower… until he disappears beneath the water.
The first touch of his tongue makes me cry out.
My thighs tremble around his head as he works me expertly, coming up for quick breaths before diving back down.
I lose myself in sensation, my fingers twisted in his wet hair as pleasure builds and builds.
Every time I think I can’t take more, he changes his rhythm, drawing out the moment until I’m sobbing his name.
The pressure of the jets combined with his relentless attention push me higher and higher.
When his fingers join in, curling just right—
I shatter.
Wave after wave of pleasure crashes through me as my body jerks uncontrollably.
He rises to meet my eyes as I gasp through the aftershocks. When I reach lower for his cock, he catches my face in his gentle hands, pressing reverent kisses to my forehead.
“This was for you, princess. Only you.”
The water laps around us as he pulls me against his chest. I’m boneless, satisfied, safe in a way I haven’t felt in so long.
As I drift off to the sound of his heartbeat, completely wrapped in his scent, I feel him press a kiss to my temple.