Chapter 21 - Jo
twenty-one
Jo
Istare up into icy blue eyes, anger thrumming in my veins. The alpha merely looks down at me with frustration, his Russian accent seemingly thicker than ever as he berates me. "Why can’t you stay out of trouble for just one fucking day?"
Balking, I throw my hands up. "Sugar, I'm just here mindin' my own damn business, and then that asshole grabs my hair and…" I can't stop the shiver that runs through me. Not the good kind, either.
I had thought putting Lars in his place a time or two would keep him from causing problems with me, but apparently, all I'm doing is emboldening him.
"What did he say to you?" His voice is deadly quiet, his eyes hard as he looks at me. Ah, so he saw the whole damn thing. Probably saw how my body locked up at his disgusting words and the brief moment of heart-stopping fear.
"Why do you care?" I snap back, still pissed at him for heaving me over his shoulder like a damn sack of potatoes for the second time in less than a week. I'm also not keen on thinking about what Lars said to me any more than absolutely necessary. No, I definitely don’t need to think about the way his words made fear skitter up my spine, eliciting a response from me I haven’t felt in years.
"Answer the question, Lisichka," he growls, stepping in closer to me.
"No." I lift my chin, not backing up as the alpha crowds me against the wall. I'm suddenly reminded of our first encounter, but this time I don't reach for my blade.
“I swear to the gods, Jo, if you don’t tell me, I’m going to kill him anyway.”
The corner of my mouth tilts up at his proclamation. "That's a mighty strong reaction, Sugar. Someone might think you're catchin’ feelin’s if you're not careful."
His eyes screw shut at my words, and he lets out a heavy breath through his nose. His hand still grips my chin, but I can't say I mind when he's the one doing it. His eyes fly open, his gaze darting between my eyes before he mutters something that sounds dangerously close to "Fuck it."
Then, his mouth is on mine.
Sparks light up my skin as he takes from me, moving his lips against mine in a way that completely contrasts the way Hayden kisses me.
With Hayden, I feel like I'm the air he needs to breathe. Kole? He's claiming me, owning me passionately. Devouring any resistance I might have had with a swipe of his tongue. He kisses me like he can’t physically keep himself away from me, and it feeds every hidden desire I have.
Kole's grip moves from my chin to my neck, but he doesn't press, he just holds. I kiss him back just as fiercely, taking his bottom lip between my teeth and biting down hard. The coppery tang of blood touches my tongue and he growls, but his free hand grips my waist, pulling my body against his.
But then, just as quickly, his hands fly off me.
He’s backing away, putting three steps of agonizing space between us.
Blood from my bite runs from his lip down his chin, and his huge chest heaves as he stares at me.
I might be afraid of initiating a bond, if I didn’t already know that omegas can’t initiate them.
Something about our venom remaining dormant until an alpha activates it with his own.
Kole stares at me a moment longer, and I meet his hypnotic blue eyes. But then…he leaves.
He turns on his heel, and all but runs from the hallway.
I stare after him, my heart pounding in my chest. My fingers reach up to touch my lips. They come away bloody, but it’s not mine.
Still watching his retreating form, I call out after him, “Coward!”
How dare he kiss me and walk away like that? Like I’m diseased? Or some sort of…mistake? His steps halt for a brief moment, and my breath catches in my throat. I think he might turn around, but after a second…he keeps walking.
I huff a breath through my nose. Fine. I don’t need him. I got Hayden, an alpha who actually wants me and all my crazy to go with it.
“What happened, Fireball?” Hayden finds me in the courtyard an hour later, sitting against a tree with a book in my lap. Though, I can see why he’s concerned because I’m not really reading it, I’m staring a hole into the doors of the dorm building, like Kole might walk out at any moment.
“Kole kissed me.” The words sound foreign to my ears, and for a moment, I really do wonder if I dreamed the whole thing. It’s completely possible.
Except, it’s not. Because ever since Kole left me stranded in that hallway, something in me has shifted, but I can’t put my finger on what.
“Well, that’s not really surprising,” Hayden says easily, plopping down next to me and chuckling when Turnip pops her head out of my jumpsuit.
“Then he left,” I add, still staring at the building.
I had wanted to snoop around the abandoned wing today, but after the incidents with Paige and Lars, I feel too many eyes on me.
I need to wait until interest has died down again, and hopefully it doesn’t take too long.
I’ve already been here a week and I’m no closer to finding out what happened to Mabel than when I arrived.
“Huh. I didn’t see that coming,” he admits, taking a cracker out of his pocket and holding it out to Turnip. Apparently, he was the one feeding her while I was incapacitated last week.
My eyes are still glued to the building when the double doors slide open, but instead of Kole, it’s Dr. Brooks. And he doesn’t look happy.
“Shit,” I hiss, grabbing Turnip and putting her back in my pocket.
“Jo,” Brooks says as he approaches, “Mr. Pierce,” he nods at Hayden before turning his attention back to me, “you caused quite a stir today.”
“I don’t think I quite know what you’re talkin’ about, Doc,” I smile sweetly, getting to my feet, “I merely defended myself against an assault.”
Brooks’ lips tighten into a thin line, and Hayden shoots me a questioning look. Ah. So I guess he didn’t hear about the thing with Lars earlier.
“Be that as it may,” Brooks says, frowning at me as I stand up and brush off my jumpsuit, “this is the fifth violent instance you’ve had in the week you’ve been here, and we feel that you would benefit from participating in CT.”
My jaw drops. “You want me to participate in the fights?” I mean, I knew this could happen, but not so soon.
“But Doctor,” Hayden jumps up, angling himself in front of me—an action that Brooks definitely notices, “there’s never been an omega participating in CT before.”
“Well, we haven’t had an omega quite as…bloodthirsty as Jo before, Hayden.” Brooks looks between the two of us.
“Will Lars be participatin’?” I ask innocently, secretly looking forward to being able to beat his ass in a sanctioned manner. “After all, he is the one who pulled my ponytail first.”
“No.” Brooks shakes his head. “Mr. Devereux does not have nearly as many strikes as you do, Jo.” Disappointment fills me.
So much for that. “So, next Saturday, be prepared to participate. And…” He trails off, pursing his lips.
“I don’t condone physical relationships between patients, but let’s make sure we’re keeping instincts out of things, yes?
We wouldn’t want anyone to think you’re forming a pack. ”
I have to hold myself back from rolling my eyes. The man knows he’s all but nullified my omega. “Yes sir,” I flutter my eyelashes, “no pack-formin’ here.”
He gives a curt nod. “Good. That would create complications that neither of you want to face.” With that, he turns and leaves the courtyard, and I raise my middle fingers to his back.
Fucking asshole. He does so well at playing the part of the caring paternal figure, but he’s really just a snake in the grass.
Hayden lets out a low whistle. “Shit, Fireball. Are you gonna be okay with that?”
“What?” I raise a brow, a little bit of ire leaking into my voice. “You’re not goin’ to hold me back from participatin’ like last time?”
He looks confused for a moment, then shakes his head. “Jo…do you think I held you back because I didn’t think you could handle yourself?”
I frown, crossing my arms. “Isn’t that why?”
He barks a laugh. “Fuck, no. Babe, I watched you slam Paige’s face into a table.
You apparently beat Lars to a pulp your first day here, and you broke four of Tilly’s fingers.
It had nothing to do with handling yourself, and everything about the consequences you would face if you walked into that ring unsanctioned. ”
Oh.
He doesn’t stop, taking my face in his hands.
“You are the scariest, fiercest, sexiest woman I’ve ever met in my life.
I have no doubt that you can destroy whoever they put you in that ring with.
But even you can’t stop the wrath of Brooks or Whitmore if you piss them off. That’s why I held you back.”
A little bit of the tension I’ve been carrying around since Saturday leaves me, and my chest deflates a little.
“Gods, it’s gonna be sexy as fuck to watch you demolish whoever they pair you up with,” Hayden groans, pressing a kiss to my lips. “Then we can go back to your room, and we can re-enact it, but only the fun parts. Naked.”
A laugh bursts out of me, and I wrap my arms around his waist. “You really do have a few loose screws, don’t you?”
He only grins. “Haven’t you learned yet, Fireball? We’re all crazy here.”