23
Scarlett
C aito gave me his number when I came home from Raven , so I manage to text him Friday morning to let him know I wasn’t feeling good so he can reschedule the interview I was supposed to have with the police.
I don’t think he believed my story, considering he’d been in my apartment foyer when I’d gotten home and had seen my tears and most likely smelled my shame.
It’s now a week later, and I don’t think I can get away with ignoring everything and everyone for much longer.
“Seriously, Scar. You come home smelling like sex and alpha one day, and then hole up here for the next week like a hermit because why? Are you scared of commitment or something?” Kate is apparently done waiting for me to resurface from my room long enough for a proper conversation.
I’m leaning back in my nest, surrounded by the scents of my alphas thanks to the clothing they’ve sent over. I have a pencil gripped tight in my hand as if I’m preparing to use it as a weapon, instead of finishing the piece I’ve been working on splashed across the sketchbook in my lap.
Obviously performing a night or two at Raven is out of the question, and I’m too damn reclusive to leave my apartment for anything else, so I’ve resorted back to selling pieces on my online gallery.
Of course, Wren has purchased every single one I’ve uploaded over the last week for three times the amount I’d originally posted them for.
Within seconds of uploading a new one, a sneaky Mr. Madden has snatched it up and left a little love note for me in return.
If I really want to, I can totally move me and Kate into an apartment ten times more elaborate than even the guys’ penthouse with the amount of money I’ve made off of half a dozen works.
“Go away, Kate.” I grumble and look back down at the half finished piece splayed across my lap.
I don’t know why I’m working on it when I have other important things to finish, but I can’t seem to help myself.
It’s a memory etched into my brain that I need to get down to immortalize it.
I’ll never be able to sell it, but that’s fine by me. It’s only for my eyes, anyway.
Or Wren’s … Considering it’s a sketch of him, drawn from my point of view when he’d been thrusting between my thighs in his office at Raven just last week.
Kate sighs heavily like she really is exasperated with me. “Listen, that one Greek god looking alpha of yours just broke in here while I was making coffee. He’s sitting on the couch looking at your sketchbook while I come fetch you-”
“What?!” I squeak, tossing my pencil and sketchbook aside and diving out of my nest in a panic. I hit the ground in an awkward heap, and I groan when my shoulder twinges in pain.
“Careful there, love!” I hear Apollo call out from the living room, and I groan again while picking myself up off the ground. If he’s looking at my sketchbook, he’s definitely going to realize what secret I’ve been keeping from him.
When I glare over at Kate while pulling on a pair of leggings with holes in the knees, she holds her hands up.
“Don’t look at me like that. I didn’t let him in here.
Motherfucker picked the lock and let himself right in.
Seriously, Scarlett? What kind of alphas are you mixing yourself up in?
A murderer and a burglar? What’s next?” She huffs, and I snort at that, though there’s nothing funny about the fact that Caito is, in fact, a murderer. Even if it’d been completely justified.
At least I hope so. Every time I’ve texted the man over the last few days and asked him about the case, he’s brushed it off as if it’s no big deal. It’s like he’s telling me I don’t need to concern myself with it. It’s rather annoying.
I quickly glance at my reflection in the full length mirror set up in the corner of my room, but I honestly look like shit. The shirt I have on also has holes in it, one of them large enough to reveal the teal colored sports bra I have on underneath it.
Deciding I don’t care all that much about it, I slip past Kate and out into the living room where I find Apollo exactly where Kate had said he was.
He doesn’t look up at first when I march over to stand in front of him with my hands on my hips, too busy flipping through the pages of my sketchbook to notice me.
Or he does notice and he’s choosing to ignore me.
Clearing my throat, I demand, “What do you think you’re doing?
You can’t just let yourself into people’s homes without an invitation.
” I try for a glower, but then the asshole looks up at me, and I’m suddenly being taken back to that terribly erotic day in Wren’s office at Raven .
I swear that when he looks into my eyes, I can still taste him on my tongue, infusing himself with my very being in the process.
When he smirks at me, I realize then that I’m really not all that mad he’s gone and broken into my apartment. I’d like to tell myself that I am, but it would be a lie. I’ve been avoiding all four alphas for the last week to try to distance myself all over again, but it’s been a huge mistake.
I’ve been absolutely fucking miserable this entire time, hoping and praying one of them would force a situation with me again, just so I could see them again.
And here he is. Doing fuckin’ God’s work.
Blessing me with the tantalizing scent of gunpowder and whiskey, and too sexy alpha muscles that ripple in his abdomen beneath his shirt when he sits back against the cushion behind him.
It’s grievously unfair.
Apollo taps a finger against the page he has open on my sketchbook with a knowing glint in his rich amber eyes. “So, you’re an art enthusiast, huh? So much so that you have a personal portfolio of Ruby Rain’s pieces dating back to the beginning of her career?”
I purse my lips, considering fucking around with him a little, even though I know the jig is up. “She could be a good friend of mine. You never know.” I shrug, and his smirk only widens.
He snaps the book closed and tosses it to the side.
Before I can open my mouth to retort something else when he doesn’t speak right away, his arm darts out to grab my good arm.
He’s gentle as he yanks me down into his lap until my thighs are cushioned on either side of his own.
I brace my good hand against his chest to give myself some breathing room, and I damn near melt when his alpha purr kicks to life inside of his chest. The ultimate universal stop button for omegas.
It rumbles through me, acting as a stimulant and shooting straight to my core, kick starting the blazing hunger that always remained dormant within me for these alphas whenever they’re not around.
I melt against him, careful of the arm in the sling across my chest, and his purr kicks up a notch as soon as I settle my head against his shoulder. I want to stay like this forever.
“The entire time I boasted about being a super fan, you knew. I can’t believe I’ve been obsessed with my omega longer than I realized.” He chuckles, his hot breath fanning over my cheek and making a smile curl my lips. This is everything I didn’t know I’d been missing.
“I’m still just the same old omega. I just know how to draw really well.” He scoffs at my words, one of his hands reaching up to brush his knuckles against my flaming cheek.
“You’re far too humble. Your work is fuckin’ magic, love. I’ve never seen anything that compares to it.” His words warm me up from the inside out, and I feel myself blush harder. I allow myself to listen to the beat of his heart for a few seconds longer before I pull away to look at him.
“Seriously, though. What are you doing here? You know there’s such a thing as a cell phone right? You could’ve texted me.”
He smirks at me in that already too familiar way of his. “Well, I wouldn’t have to resort to breaking into my omega’s home if she’d just stop avoiding me.” I poke him in the cheek and he laughs, the sound like music to my ears. It makes me melt all over again.
“I’m not avoiding you.” I quickly retort, but it’s an obvious, bold faced lie.
He arches a brow at me. “Oh, really? Then I suppose you’ll be more than happy to accompany me on a date I planned out for this afternoon?” I stiffen at his words, and he chuckles softly in response. He has me there.
“I’m really not sure, Apollo. One of the last times I went out, I was attacked.
Now, I have to go in for questioning tomorrow morning after skipping out last week on it.
There’s already way too much heat riding on my ass as it is.
We shouldn’t keep doing this.” I move to slip off of his lap, trying to put distance between us, but he’s having none of that.
His hands land on my hips, halting me before I can move so much as an inch.
“I promise you it will be safe, love. Where I’m taking you is one of the most secure places in the Valley.
Don’t be so afraid to live your life. It’s far too short to continue living it in fear.
” As he speaks, he lifts his fingers to brush against my cheek while he gazes deeply into my eyes.
Amber orbs swirl and smolder when he looks at me, as if he can see directly into my soul. These alphas are freakishly good at making me feel like I’ve been stripped bare after just one look and a few pretty words and promises.
Why the hell can’t I just let go? Sure I’m absolutely terrified of what will happen when my demons discover this dirty little secret of mine, but it’s not much more than that. How am I going to trust these alphas with their vows of protection and love unless I give them a chance?
I’ve spent my entire life in the shadows of people who think I don’t have any rights to my own freedoms and happiness.
I think it’s about damn time I prove to myself that I’m not the same scared, weak girl they still think I am.
I may be riddled with the scars of the things I’ve survived, but I am not broken.
“If you guys are going to fuck, please don’t do it on the couch.
That oversized behemoth of an alpha is going to break the only decent piece of furniture we have if you start going at it.
” Kate cuts through my ‘ coming into my power ’ moment when she stalks into the living room from her bedroom.
She puts her hands on her hips when we both look over at her, and I can’t help the laugh that bubbles out of me at the expression on her face.
At the sound, Kate blinks in surprise. I can’t say I blame her.
In the entire year I’ve known her, I’ve never once laughed around her.
“Don’t worry, Katelyn. We’re going out.” Apollo allows me to slip off his lap, but I suspect that’s only because I’ve just inadvertently agreed to his proposal for an afternoon date.
I turn back to him and offer him a wink, feeling immensely lighter now that I’ve come to a conclusion about how I’ll proceed with these alphas in the future.
The demons of my past are going to come for me whether I fight this connection or not.
I might as well live it up while I can. Apollo is right.
I won’t spend the rest of my life in the shadows of my fear.
“Be right back. Just give me ten to get ready.” I don’t let him respond before I duck off into my room to get dressed for my second mystery date with an alpha that’s far too addicting for his own good.