Chapter 28
Eli
The moment I carry Andi into our space, everything changes.
I hover around the edge of the kitchen and living room. She never fully leaves my sight.
Beck is curled up next to her on the couch.
He’s got his favorite blanket tossed over both of them.
That, combined with the hoodie he somehow managed to get over her head, means she looks like she’s swimming in fabric I know carries Beck’s delicious caramel perfume.
The sight of him cuddled up with her leaves a roiling sense of jealousy simmering in my gut.
But not because she’s touching him. It’s because he’s getting to touch her.
She has one arm tucked under her cheek, the other thrown around Beck.
Because, of course it is.
“Do you want to make the call, or should I?” Leo asks.
I scowl at him. Not because he’s saying something wrong. He’s actually right to bring my attention to the shit we have to do. I’m pissed because he’s drawing my attention away from the two omegas that I can’t, for the fucking life of me, stop thinking about.
“I got it,” I bite out, needing to do something to take my mind off them. Off her.
“Okay, I’m going to run to the store real quick. Get some makeup remover and stuff for her; we don’t have that here.”
I offer him a stiff nod without looking at him, because I know if I do, he’ll see that I’m even more pissed.
Because, of course we need to get things for her if she’s going to stay the night here.
But the thought never occurred to me. And that pisses me the fuck off.
It’s a terrible fucking reminder that I’m not cut out for being with an omega like her.
Especially because the one thing I think I’m good at, I couldn’t do for her. Leo had to come to her rescue after she was cornered.
I should have gone with him. Or gone instead, when I noticed she was missing.
“I’ll be right back,” Leo says with a wave, flashing his keys in his hand.
“Could you pick us up some snacks, too?” Beck whisper-yells from the couch.
“Got it, text me any requests,” Leo nods.
After he leaves, I make my way to the dining room on the opposite side of the space from the couches. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t purposely position myself so I could keep my eye on both of them.
My phone only rings twice before Everett picks up.
“Hello?” he says, his voice gruff with sleep. Fits that he’d be the type to go to bed before midnight on a Friday.
“Did I wake you?” I growl.
“Damn, who pissed in your cereal?” he shoots back, immediately sounding more awake when he hears how pissed I am.
“Fits a man as old as you would be asleep this fuckin’ early.” I can’t bite the retort back.
Maybe I am a fucking asshole.
Everett is technically my boss. And he’s a damn good one, too. He always operates on what’s in Beck’s best interest, which is a rarity in this industry.
But the bitter jealousy I feel towards everyone right now is leaking through the cracks in my control.
I can’t forget the way the two of them were practically eye-fucking each other in the studio the other day.
I want her to look at me like that, but all I seem capable of doing is pissing her the fuck off.
Not that she’s any less attractive when her eyes light up with fire, and her lips curl into a snarl. I’m sure she thinks she looks menacing, but I always have to remind myself not to laugh when she looks at me like that. It’s just too cute, with her big eyes and pouty lips.
“Sorry,” I bite out. “It’s been... a tough night. Lot going on.”
“What happened?” The sound of sheets rustle on the other end of the line, like he’s getting out of bed.
I give him the facts of what went down tonight. The way the four of us went out, how drunk Andi got, the kiss between Leo and Andi that the journalist caught sight of. And then, I get to the fact that this fucker is blackmailing us.
“Northline is blackmailing us,” Everett says, letting out a tired sigh. “I’ll be there in twenty—”
“You don’t need to—”
“Twenty minutes,” Everett repeats. And then he hangs up on me, not giving me another opportunity to protest.
Great.
Now my home will be full of three of the people Andi can’t seem to keep her eyes off of and I’ll just be standing there like an idiot with his dick caught in his hand.
Possibly literally, considering the throbbing hard-on that hasn’t gone away ever since I carried her in my arms.
That dress should be fucking illegal.
Combined with her heels, it makes her legs look a mile long, despite how short she is. Watching her dance, sandwiched between Leo and Beck, will probably replay in my mind endlessly. How could it not?
That dress left her entire back exposed, meaning I had a clear view of the way it arched as she leaned back to make out with Beck. I could even see the hint of dimples there. Dimples I want to dig my thumbs into as I rut into—
Okay, not fucking helping. I need to take a cold fucking shower.
But I can’t bring myself to leave.
So I settle for pressing my forehead against the cool glass, even though I know Leo will probably give me shit over leaving a massive forehead imprint.
I stare down at my phone.
Not because there’s anything important, but because I need something to do.
I lose my internal battle and glance back at the couch.
Andi is curled into Beck’s chest now. He’s murmuring soft words under his breath and running his hands through her hair.
Then, I amble my way to the kitchen and put coffee on. Because there’s no way in hell I’m going to be able to process any of my emotions. Not when she’s in my space. Not when I don’t even get peace from thoughts of her in my mind.
Everett and Leo make it up at the same time.
Despite the late hour and the fact that I know he just rolled out of bed twenty minutes ago, Everett is dressed in dark slacks and a fitted knit turtleneck. At least he left the blazer at home. He still looks put together enough he could walk into a business meeting right now.
“Coffee?” I ask, sliding a mug over our smooth marble kitchen island to him.
“Thanks.” He nods over to the couch, where Beck offers him a sleepy wave. “How’s she doing?”
“Drunk. Probably going to sleep it off here,” I grunt.
“She shouldn’t have to sleep out on the couch all night. She can sleep in my bed,” Leo offers, setting down the bags from the local 24/7 drugstore.
It’s the right call.
Of course it’s the right call. Leo’s always the one thinking ahead, checking on her in the club, picking up makeup remover, and now this.
Knowing it’s the right call doesn’t take away the sting of imagining Andi wrapped in his sheets, surrounded by his scent all night.
“Fine,” I grunt. “I’ll carry her in.”
Beck pouts at me as I make my way up to the couch, and the sight of it makes me tempted to slam my mouth against his in a punishing kiss, but I don’t. Now isn’t the time.
“You want to be a part of this conversation too, don’t you?” I murmur.
“Yeah, you’re right,” he sighs, relinquishing his hold on Andi. “And she should get some rest.”
She stirs slightly when I lift her into my arms, her eyes blinking open.
“Huh?” she murmurs.
“Shhh, just go back to sleep.”
“Where’re you taking me?” she mumbles, curling into my chest.
“Leo’s bed, so you can get some rest.”
“Can he join me? I don’t want to be alone.”
I glance over my shoulder when I hear a soft sound of surprise.
Everett is close on my heels and just shrugs when I raise a questioning brow.
I guess he wants to make sure she’s okay too.
“Sure,” I grunt. “I’ll make sure he comes in after we talk.”
“Don’t make decisions based on me. Focus on Beck, ‘kay?” she mumbles as I lay her down onto Leo’s bed.
I tug his comforter up until it reaches her chin. She looks like an angel with her dark hair fanned out across his white pillows.
With her expression relaxed, like it is now, she looks... innocent. Innocent in a way that she never looks when she’s awake.
She cracks a single eye open, peering up at me.
“You’re not answering,” she pouts.
“Okay,” I nod, forgetting for a second what I’m even agreeing to.
With her eyes cracked open, she catches sight of Everett hovering over my shoulder.
“You came,” she says, blinking wide eyes, glazed over from alcohol, up at him.
She says it like it’s the most bizarre thing in the world, that someone would show up for her.
“Of course I did,” Everett says, pausing like he’s struggling with what to say to her. “You are a part of the family now.”
Her nose wrinkles.
“I don’t want to be family. Then we wouldn’t be allowed to—” her mouth clamps shut, and she tugs the blankets up over her head. “I’m going to sleep now!”
“Goodnight, Andi,” Everett chuckles.
When he passes me on his way out, he doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t need to. I can read the look on his expression as easily as if I were looking in a mirror. Probably because we’re in the same boat here.
We’re all in fucking trouble.
Everett and I join Leo and Beck at the kitchen counter, sitting on barstools around Cameron Foster’s business card set between us.
“Well then,” Everett sighs, taking a sip of coffee from his mug. “This certainly wasn’t what I expected when you called me.”
“I don’t think any of us expected this,” Leo says, scrubbing a hand down his face.
“It was just supposed to be a fun night out,” Beck adds. “And it was! Until everything fell apart.”
“The story gets told whether we participate or not,” Everett says, reaching out and flipping the card over in his hands. “The only question is whether we’re in it.”
“He cornered her.” My objection has the three of them turning their attention to me.
“I know,” Everett says. “Which means he’s desperate. Desperate journalists with good track records are manageable. It’s the ones that make threats of blackmail without being desperate that you can’t negotiate with.”
Everett has been in this game far longer than the rest of us. I don’t like his logic, but I can’t fault it.
How much of my anger is coming from the fact that I wasn’t there to protect her?
She’s been victimized by a violent alpha before, just like I was when I was younger. And unlike me, she had no hope of truly fighting back. The last thing she deserves is a repeat.
“She’s the one who told us to consider it,” Leo says quietly. “In the car.”
“And again when I put her to bed,” I sigh, stroking the five o’clock shadow along my jaw.
“Really? What did she say?” Beck asks, leaning forward eagerly.
“Said to make choices with your best interests in mind, not hers,” I answer.
And I know, after watching the way Beck’s expression melts into one of excitement and adoration, that Andi has wormed her way into everyone’s hearts.
Even mine.
“We should do it. Look at how the last time you were kind of blackmailed turned out,” Everett says, waving towards the hallway where Andi is sleeping, gripping Beck’s shoulder. “We just need to stay in control of everything.”
His words make me scoff.
Because the last thing I feel when it comes to Andi right now is control.