5. Lyra
Waiting for the results took longer than the test, but I was discharged once Dr. Gilmore assured Eli everything was fine. Per hospital policy, I was wheeled out to the main entrance, where I was finally able to use my own two damn feet. The clothes I came in wearing were in a clear plastic bag, and that was all the possessions I had with me. In my crazed mad dash, I’d left my shoes, purse, phone, and key back at the office.
Eli stood beside me, the ever-present guardian, making sure everyone was giving me the respect and care he believed I deserved. Unsure what I was going to do to get home, I fidgeted next to him until a man wearing a vest marking him as a valet jogged up to Eli.
“Here are your keys, sir,” the valet said, offering a fancy-looking key fob.
“Thank you. Did the person who dropped it off leave anything with you?” Eli asked, slipping the man some cash.
He nodded and pointed to the back of the car. “Put it in the trunk so no one would see stuff sitting in the back seat.”
With the grace of a king, Eli nodded to the valet and placed a hand low on my back. “Come on, let’s get you home, Lyra.”
Unable to fight against his touch, I let him usher me to the luxury car I knew cost what some people made in a year. “Wait,” I blurted, putting on the brakes as he opened the passenger door.
My eyes were glued to the black leather seat waiting for me. I could feel my heart rate climbing and the tingle on the back of my neck telling me not to get any closer.
Twisting to face Eli and putting my back to the car, I clung to my bag of clothes. “I just remembered, I need to go back to the office to get my things. Without my purse, I don’t have the keys to get into my apartment.”
“It’s been taken care of,” Eli assured and gestured for me to get in.
I looked at the seat then back at him, anxiety building by the second. If I didn’t find a way out of this now, I was going to have a full-blown panic attack again. “I-I can’t.”
“All that I’m asking is for you to let me take you home. It will put me at ease to know you’re there and safe. In no way is this intended to pressure you into anything else,” Eli explained, thinking I was trying to push him away again.
Shaking my head, I looked down at the ground, letting my hair fall like a shield in front of my face. “It’s not that,” I whispered, silently pleading for him to let me find my way home. “You’ve done so much for me already. I’m fine to take the bus. I shouldn’t take up more of your time, and I doubt you slept well.”
Fingers caressed my cheek as he tucked hair behind my ear, then tucked under my chin, urging me to look at him. “Lyra, no matter what happens between us, I will only enforce one rule. Don’t. Lie. To. Me. I don’t care if you’re pissed and end up chewing my ass out over something, but I won’t stand to be lied to, not by anyone.”
Fear clawed at me, causing my body to shake like a leaf as tears welled up and burned in my eyes. “Not the front seat,” I choked out. “I can’t… I can’t do it. Please don’t make me.”
Realization flashed in his icy-blue gaze, and instantly, I was wrapped in a tight hug, grounding me to the here and now. My emotions and fears from everything that happened last night were too close to the surface. Normally, I would have been able to find a way out of sitting in the front seat that didn’t draw attention to my biggest secret. Most people in my life never thought twice about the fact I didn’t drive, especially when my whole pack worked together and carpooled. Otherwise, I would take public transportation or a car service where I could freely sit in the back without a second thought.
It was these moments when I was forced to bear my scars to another person that had me keeping my distance from people. I had many acquaintances and work friends, but they were all surface-level connections. Once I left Rockton, none of them had reached out to see how I was, and that was fine with me. The fewer chances people had to see the real Lyra Clark, the better. I hadn’t been joking when I said that to Eli. No one wants to be friends with someone who’s as much work as I am to be around.
“It’s okay, Lyra. I’m not going to make you do anything that scares you,” Eli whispered into my hair. “Is the back seat more comfortable for you?”
Not wanting to look at him and unable to speak due to my fear locking in my throat, I simply nodded.
“Does it matter if it’s the right or left side?” Eli questioned, and I shook my head. “That is helpful to know, and I’ll make sure you don’t end up in this situation again. I’m so sorry I didn’t catch on sooner before it upset you.”
Everything about this man was perfect—the soothing deepness of his voice, a scent I could bury my nose in for hours, and strong arms that held me so tenderly. What had taken my pack months of hard work to understand and easily accommodate took Eli three seconds. If this type of care and consideration was what he had to offer me after less than twenty-four hours of knowing each other, what would two days, or even a week, do to my starved little Omega brain?
Pulling back, Eli tucked my hair behind my ears and used his thumbs to brush away my tears. “Things between us are only just beginning, and I realize this wasn’t what you planned, but I want to be part of your life, Lyra. I’m not an easy man to love either. I’ve been set in my ways for a long time and don’t find it easy to change. My sister always tells me I’m bossy and far too overprotective when it comes to people I care about. The last thing I want to do is push you away, but I’ll warn you now that I don’t intend to let you slip through my fingers either.”
This man made no sense to me. How? How could he be this committed already? Nothing I’ve done since waking up and finding him next to me has been remotely endearing or charming. Yet I had to admit to myself the last thing I wanted to have happen right now was for him to let me go. It was almost as if he were the worst kind of drug, and I was hooked after the first taste. In a vain attempt to cling to my grand master plan of fighting against biology, I took a step back, and Eli let his hands fall away.
“I realize walking away from you isn’t an option now we’ve met, but other than that, I don’t know where we stand,” I admitted.
“That’s all right. We’ll figure out the answer together,” Eli said, giving me a sad smile. “None of this needs to be solved right now or today. Please let me take you home, walk you up to your apartment, and see you safely inside.”
“Okay,” I agreed and smiled as I felt my cheeks flush.
His request was so old-fashioned and pure that it made me feel like a girl being asked out for the first time. My reaction had transformed his smile into one full of hope, and his eyes shimmered with possibilities. Wasn’t this everyone’s dream? To have the Alpha of your dreams appear when you least expect it and fall madly in love with you the moment your eyes meet? So why did I feel like the villain in this story?
Eli closed the passenger door and placed his hands on my hips, guiding me out of the way so he could open the back seat door. Feeling shyer than a virgin on her wedding day, I slipped into the car and hugged my clothes to my chest. I jumped as the door on the other side of me opened, but it was just Eli handing me a tote bag with the company logo on it. Peering inside, I found everything I’d left at the office and noticed my phone was fully charged when I knew it had been at thirty percent.
“Who pulled this all together? I want to make sure I thank them for being so thoughtful,” I asked as Eli started the car.
He glanced back at me through the rearview mirror. “My brother, Crew, called me when I didn’t come home last night, and I filled him in on the basics. It only made sense for him to gather your things since he had to get my car I left it in the underground parking.”
“Does he visit the office often?” I inquired. “If not, then could I write him a note for you to pass along?”
“Oh, I have a feeling he’ll be showing up in the next day or two,” Eli mumbled, pulling out onto the main road. “He has a knack for showing up whenever I do something out of character to find out why.”
“You didn’t tell him who… well, what I am to you?” I questioned.
“I kept that part to myself for now,” he answered. “Let me be clear… the only reason I haven’t is because I’d just learned your name at that point. My family is wonderful, and I love them dearly, but they can be a little intense. Which was the last thing you needed last night.”
Grinning, I thought back to my first day and meeting Mrs. Thatcher. “Don’t worry, I get it. I’ve met your mother. She came to pick me up on my first day and filled me in on the truth of hiring me behind your back. Wait, do you think she knew what we are to each other?”
“No, if she did, she would have told me at the same time another shocking realization came to light,” Eli stated with a hint of bitterness. “My mother means well, and I’m positive she’s where my bossy side came from, but tact hasn’t been her greatest strength. At least not when it comes to her children.”
“You’re lucky to have a mother who cares so much about her family,” I commented, looking out the window at the city as it passed by us.
“I agree. After losing my father, I made a point to stop grumbling about my mother’s tendency to go overboard when she tries to do something nice for us,” Eli shared. “It’s hard for me to let others take care of me when I feel it’s my job to take care of them. My father, Adrian, entrusted the company to me, knowing that Rawlins didn’t have the same passion for it that he did. Of course, my parents still have an ownership stake in the company, but I alone inherited Adrian’s portion of the company. This way, no board member could dispute my right to step into the role.”
“That’s a lot to place on your shoulders. What if you wanted to do something else with your life?” I challenged, feeling oddly protective of Eli.
He chuckled and glanced back at me when we came to a stop. “Trust me, there was nothing I wanted more than to work at the family business and one day run the place. Of course, I would have preferred it happened much later in life when my father was old and gray. There was a lot I still had to learn from him, but the two years under his guidance I did have was invaluable.”
The conversation drifted into a comfortable silence, and I leaned back, letting my head rest on the soft leather of the seats. It still had that new car scent and made me a little jealous that I’d never get to experience buying a new car. Why would I need one if I couldn’t drive? Somewhere along the way, I’d fallen asleep only to wake up as Eli lifted me out of the car and cradled me in his arms.
“I can walk,” I mumbled.
“Shh, let me take care of you until we reach your apartment, and then you can have your independence back,” Eli negotiated.
Sighing, I reached down, grabbed the tote, and held onto it along with my clothes. “You win… this time.”
A rumble of pleasure was Eli’s response as he carried me to my apartment building’s entrance. The doorman spotted us and hurried to open the door. “Good morning, Mr. Thatcher, Miss Clark. Are you all right? The night doorman left a note saying you didn’t come home. He was worried you might have gotten caught in some trouble with the storm.”
“I appreciate the concern, Lewis, but I’m fine,” I assured him.
Lewis didn’t look convinced as he took in us wearing matching sweats but didn’t dare to ask what happened. Instead, the doorman stayed silent as he helped call the elevator and hit the button for my floor. Lewis tipped his hat to us in farewell before heading back to his post.
“It would seem you have some good people looking out for you,” Eli commented as he watched the number display.
Unable to help myself, I snuggled closer so my nose brushed his neck. “Lewis is a sweet old man who helped with the elevator the day I moved in. I wasn’t expecting to find such a warm person in a big city like this.”
Eli nuzzled the top of my head like it was the most natural thing to do. “Mother mentioned you moved for the job. Can I ask where from?”
“I suppose… it’s not like it’s a secret or anything,” I said with a shrug. “A little town called Rockton. I worked for a startup company that helped non-profit organizations get loans and other types of funding. It was an idea the guys came up with for a project in college. When we all graduated, they decided to make it a reality, and I watched them transform it into one of the top companies in their field.”
“You’re not talking about Service Corp, are you?” Eli asked.
“That’s the one,” I confirmed. “I’m surprised you’ve heard of them. Most people not in that world even know something like that exists. So many people think non-profit, then the government must pay their bills. They have no idea the hoops they have to jump through to make that happen.”
When we stopped at my door, I realized I never told Eli what apartment I was in. Then again, this was given to me by the company, so it’s probably in my file or other paperwork he had access to. With reluctance, Eli set me down but didn’t let go of me just yet, keeping me trapped between him and the door.
“My mother and Rawlins are avid philanthropists spending most of their time traveling the world helping one cause or another. I believe they even have a system of schools they’ve helped build in areas that desperately need them,” Eli said as his gaze bore into mine. It was almost as if he wasn’t sure he’d ever see me again and wanted to burn my image into his memory.
“I see… that makes sense,” I offered awkwardly, unsure what to do now that I was home.
“Lyra,” Eli all but whispered, brushing his knuckles along my cheek. “I don’t want to leave you, but I’m a man of my word, and I promised you I wasn’t going to press for more. However, I want you to know this will be one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life. But because I hold out hope that one day you’ll feel the same way about me, it will be worth it.”
Most women wouldn’t find that as swoonworthy as I did. But damn, if a man respecting my boundaries and not making me feel like shit because I wasn’t ready to just give myself to him wasn’t sexy as shit. Giving into the impulse, I grabbed his sweatshirt and pulled him down so I could kiss the damn man. Eli was more than willing and cupped my face as I twined my arms around his neck. The thud of my things hitting the floor did nothing to deter what was happening between us. With a growl, Eli grabbed my hips and lifted me so I could wrap my legs around his waist. I let out a soft grunt as my back met with the door, but it quickly turned into a moan as I felt Eli’s rock-hard dick rub against my pussy.
The world fell away once more, and I simply let this man possess me. His tongue caressed mine, drawing me to deepen the kiss even further. I flinched at the feel of his cool hands sliding under my sweatshirt, but in no way did I want him to stop. Omegas were highly sexual by nature, which made sense since we were the one designation who would become pregnant each and every heat cycle we had if precautions weren’t put in place. That and almost all Omegas had more than one partner they were scent-matched to, so having a high sex drive was helpful in meeting the needs of your pack.
Just as one of Eli’s thumbs swept over my peaked nipple, the door I was being pressed up against opened.
“Oh shit, sorry. I thought you might have had your hands full and needed help opening the door,” a strange male voice said from within my apartment.