Chapter 15 #2
But I have no interest in leaving Johan’s space. He’s going to need me tonight. Hell, he probably needs me right now.
Only, I think Lark may need me, too.
“In case I haven’t been clear, you’re our desired omega, Aurora.”
“Whom you expect to help you ‘run the organization’?” she asks, putting emphasis on the repeated phrase.
“Yes.”
She looks up from her computer. “Is that why you left me locked up here like a damsel in your palace? To help me learn more about your organization?” She cants her head. “Or is it because I wasn’t needed as arm candy for your meeting?”
I scowl at that. “You will never be arm candy for a meeting. If someone so much as looks at you wrong, I’ll fucking rip them apart. And Noah will help.”
“Me, too,” Johan says, returning to the room with a towel wrapped low around his waist.
That has to be the fastest shower he’s ever taken, likely because he worried about leaving me alone with Aurora.
I try not to be offended by that realization. But it’s impossible not to feel a slight pang in my chest. I’m not a soft alpha. Though, that doesn’t mean I won’t try for our omega, if that’s what she requires of me.
“Isn’t that the purpose of a mafia bride?
To provide a visual distraction of sorts?
Or entertainment, I guess.” Her nose scrunches with that last remark, then she shakes her head.
“Anyway, my point is that you left me here in your tower and didn’t even bother to tell me that Noah was hurt.
I think it’s safe to say our definitions of helping to ‘run the organization’ vary. ”
Johan saunters toward her, his damp hair dripping down onto his sculpted chest.
Definitely rushed his shower. And didn’t even bother to dry himself off properly.
Not that I mind the view.
But the reason still irks me.
As does Aurora’s commentary.
“We—”
“No,” I cut Johan off and meet his gaze. “This is for me to explain.”
He stares me down for a beat, then dips his chin in acknowledgment.
Aurora has returned her focus to the laptop, making me feel dismissed for a second time. My eyes narrow.
Then I move to sit beside her on the bed, my legs stretching out right next to hers as I lean back against the headboard—just like her.
She tenses a little, the action one I feel since our arms are touching.
Aurora doesn’t acknowledge me, just continues to type on the keyboard, bringing up back-end programming screens. It’s all gibberish to me, but I’ve watched Johan do this enough times to have a high-level understanding of what I’m looking at.
I wait until she’s finished typing, then gently place my hand over hers when she pulls up a new screen.
“You’re not part of our pack yet,” I tell her softly.
Johan makes a sound that tells me he disagrees with my approach.
But I’m not one to mince words. He knows this. Just as he knows that what I’ve said is true.
“Trust has to be earned on both sides, Aurora,” I go on, watching her profile as I speak. She hasn’t attempted to resume her work, her hand still trapped beneath mine. Though, she hasn’t tried to move away from me either.
She’s listening.
Which is good.
Because I have more to say.
“But we want you to join our pack. And us leaving you here without communicating our whereabouts or intentions wasn’t a good way to convince you to join us.”
I reach for her chin and slowly draw her attention to me.
When our eyes meet, I say, “I apologize for not contacting you, Aurora. That’s on me. Johan’s phone was broken. Noah was lost to the blood rage. I should have called you, and I didn’t. That won’t happen again.”
She swallows but says nothing.
Not that I expect her to comment.
I’m not owed her forgiveness; I have to earn it.
“I meant what I said about wanting an omega to help us lead. You’re not a pretty toy for us to show off, or entertainment for us to share. We’re possessive men. Protective, too. If you attend a meeting or a function with us, it’ll be because you want to be there. Understand?”
She jerks her chin a little, causing me to release my grip.
“We don’t want a doll, Ms. Bianchi,” I tell her. “We want a partner. Now I would appreciate a verbal response so I know you’re not just listening but comprehending.”
Consent and communication are important to me.
And it will only become more vital as we continue to get to know one another.
That’s why I apologized for not calling her or messaging her. I knew better. To leave her here without a word wasn’t okay. We were all caught up in the moment, and we’re not used to having an omega to answer to.
She might not be ours yet, but she will be soon. Which makes it all the more important now to recognize and respect that times have changed.
“Are you asking me to forgive you for not calling me?” she inquires softly.
“No, I’m requesting confirmation that you understand what I’m telling you about our desires for a partner, not an omega puppet. If I wanted a female I could control, I would have accepted one of the dozen offers I’ve received from syndicate partners abroad.”
“What if one of those offers was from my father?” Her question comes out sassy, nearly making me grin.
Whatever point she’s trying to make or insinuate is punctured as I tell her, “I would have declined without ever bothering to meet you.”
Her brow furrows, her brown eyes narrowing shrewdly as she formulates a response.
But I’m not done speaking.
“And that would have been a shame, given what I know about you now.” I let my eyes roam over her silky pajamas. “You’re a beautiful omega, Ms. Bianchi. But there’s a lot more to you than looks, isn’t there?” I look at the laptop. “I think I would enjoy watching you work.”
Johan snorts. Because he knows what that means.
I watch him work all the time.
Then work him over afterward.
Intelligence is an aphrodisiac to me. Coupled with Aurora’s scent, and my arousal is resolute. I will never not be hard around this female.
She owns me.
And she doesn’t even realize it.
“My work would bore you,” she informs me flatly.
“Oh?” I fold my arms. “Prove it.”
She blinks. “What?”
I smile and issue a dare. “Finish whatever you were doing on your laptop.”
“It’s actually my laptop,” Johan mutters.
“Not anymore.” Aurora’s singsong tone reminds me a bit of Noah when he’s enjoying a taunt a little too much. “It’s mine now.”
Johan studies her, his ice-blue eyes narrowing a bit. “We’ll see.”
Amusement enters her expression. “You have others you can use in your office.”
“Yes, but that one is my favorite.”
She nods, a note of false understanding crossing her features. “Yes, I suspected it might be, which is why I chose it.”
He hums and joins us on the bed, taking a position on the other side of her and sitting just as close to her as I am.
Aurora stiffens once more.
I wait for her to move.
She doesn’t.
Instead, she nibbles her lip and starts typing on the keyboard again.
Johan’s nostrils flare, his attention on whatever she’s doing. After a moment, he breathes, “Fuck,” and I realize he’s aroused by whatever she’s done to his laptop. He doesn’t bother to hide it, his dick tenting the towel.
It takes physical restraint not to move to his side and free his pretty cock so I can play.
I know he needs to get off. Violence always puts us all in a mood. He also needs a reminder that he’s safe. That we survived. That we’re here.
But I don’t want to interrupt his admiration of Aurora’s work.
I also… kind of want to see what she’ll do next.
“Who are these alphas?” he demands, causing my brow to furrow as I return my focus to the screen.
“A pack Aries asked me to run a check on,” she says, her fingers flying across the keys. “They visit Widows Peak for business sometimes and are interested in joining her gym. But she needs to know they’re harmless first.”
I don’t recognize any of the profiles she’s running. “What kind of business?” I demand, confused as to why these men are unfamiliar.
I also really dislike that our omega is looking at images of other alphas.
Johan appears to be equally miffed.
We might be able to share her together, but not with pack outsiders.
The only way that would ever change is if Aurora demands it. But it’ll be our life mission to be enough for her as a unit.
No matter what she needs, we’ll provide it. Both in the bedroom and outside of it.
“Nothing that touches your world,” she murmurs, making me frown.
Then I grasp that she’s talking about the organization these alphas work for, and once I see the corporate name, I realize they’re just standard business types. “Oh.”
“Yeah, see? Boring, right?”
My lips twitch. “What they do for a living? Yes. Watching your beautiful fingers fly across that keyboard? No.” I make a show of adjusting my pants. “In fact, seeing your hands move so fluidly makes me wonder what else you can do.”
Her typing stalls, the only indication that she heard me. Then she shivers and resumes, but not before a faint pink glow highlights her cheeks.
I glance at Johan and find him admiring her, too. Then he meets my gaze over her head, his eyebrow inching upward like he’s asking me what we should do now.
Or maybe he’s inviting me to play.
Either way, I think it’s time we show our omega what it might be like to join us in bed. Our demonstration on the plane was just an appetizer.
What I plan to do to Johan tonight is the main course.
And if Aurora is good, perhaps we’ll make her our dessert…