Page 58 of The Omega Verse

“You really mean that.” He stops abruptly, his eyes searching mine and growing softer the longer he looks at me. “People say that a lot, but they’re usually talking about my face or my music. It’s been a long time since anyone loved me like this.”

He looks down at himself, like there’s something wrong with him now, and I shake my head. “River, I love you for your face. It’s pretty much perfect. And your music isn’t bad either.” He smirks at my poor joke. “But the fact you’re sad and hurting just proves how beautiful you are. Because you love big, and you wear your heart on your sleeve. Anyone would be lucky to be with you.”

He walks on, his head down, hands in pockets. When he speaks again, his voice sounds a little lost. “I don’t know that I can be with an alpha again.”

“You don’t have to, River…”

“But I think I like the idea of a pack. I mean, it feels good like this, living through you and your mates. Do you think you could… date me like the others?”

“Are you kidding? I’d love to date you.” He actually looks relieved and I laugh, swinging his hand. “Seriously, has anyone ever turned you down for a date, River?”

“Your brother,” he murmurs, then chuckles. “He was a stubborn shit.”

“But you clearly wore him down. I told you you’re impossible not to love.”

He blushes and shrugs and I dip my toe into the surf. I’m planning to splash his legs with the freezing water, but the breeze catches it, spraying him right up to his chin. His mouth drops open in shock, and I start backing away. “Oops.”

He cocks a brow. “Oops?”

I back up another step, but his eyes narrow, and he launches himself at me. I have only a second to pivot and run, but I’m good on sand. I can usually outrun Dusty at our Christmas barbecues on the beach, but I quickly realise I don’t stand a chance against River.

He tackles me and we hit the sand, both going down with an oof. He immediately attacks my ribs, putting those long musician’s fingers to evil use, and I’m laughing so hard I don’t even care that I’m rolling in a patch of seaweed. “No, River! Please! I’m sorry!”

“For what?” he demands, flipping my hands over and cuffing them against the sand. He puts all his weight on me, and I gasp at the hard, lean lines of him. “For making me wet, or for running away from me?”

I blink at him, a little surprised by the growl in his voice. But there’s a masculine heat in his eyes that sends a shiver down my spine. Angelic River seems to have a devilish side, and it’s hot as hell. “Just because I’m an omega doesn’t mean I won’t chase you, Cass.”

“Got it,” I whisper, my heart pounding and my voice husky. Of course, now that I know he likes to toss me around on the sand, I’m planning to do a lot more than just spray him with some cold water. “How can I make it up to you, River?”

“Down payment,” he murmurs, and then his lips are on mine. They’re softer than the other guys, but he moves them with confidence, his tongue sliding into my mouth as he deepens the kiss. I moan because River tastes even better than he smells, and I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m already addicted. We’re pressed so close, I can’t tell if it’s his heart that’s racing or if it's mine, but when we break apart, we’re both breathing hard. And I don’t need to ask what the rest of the payment is going to look like, because I can feel the heat of him pressed to my thigh, and read the promise in his eyes.

But then he blinks, and he’s back to his angelic self. “I didn’t actually plan on ravaging you on the beach…” He rolls until he can pull a silver chain from his pocket, holding it up so I can see the pendant. It swings between us, and I catch my breath when he says, “I wanted to give you this.”

“It’s beautiful.” I touch the little silver drumsticks, tears pricking my eyes. “Was it Steven’s?”

“Mm. But now you’re mated to Silva, it kind of makes sense you wear it for both of us.”

I sniff and nod, and he fastens it around my neck, plucking a bit of seaweed out of my hair at the same time. I laugh and try to press the tears back into my eyes, but he just pulls me into a hug. “Thank you, River.”

“My pleasure, sweetheart.”

He pulls me to my feet, and we brush the sand off each other. It really is hard to keep my hands off him now, and I practically purr when he drops another, softer kiss on my mouth. My lips are still tingling as we turn to watch the last of the colour bleed out of the sky, Jett’s distant form a dark shape against the encroaching night. River hums under his breath and I turn into his neck, breathing him in. I refuse to tell him about Celine now – not with the sweet words hanging in the air between us, and that even sweeter kiss lingering on my lips.

But I know I’ll have to, if only because I’m so invested now, he’ll need to be my alibi when I track her down and murder the bitch.

Cass

I sleepwalk into work the next day, my head full of thoughts of River and our kiss on the beach. Unfortunately, that also brings Celine to mind. Along with the fact that I’ve yet to tell anyone about her ultimatum, or to come up with a plan where I get to kick her arse and save my brother’s reputation. I’m so tangled in my thoughts, Dusty catches me with River’s necklace pressed to my lips while I stare blankly at Cookie’s recipe book. “Ooh. Is that from your drummer boy?”

“No.” I haven’t told Dusty about Steven yet, mainly because I don’t like to talk about my childhood, or what my life was like before coming to Sandy Bay. So, I only give him half of the story. “River gave it to me.”

Dusty cocks a brow at me. “Don’t tell me you’re dating him, too?” I bite my lip and he stares at me. “Seriously, Cass? You are?”

I twitch at the shock in his voice. “Well, yeah. I mean, we’re all part of a pack. Sort of.”

Dusty crows so loudly, I jump. “Oh, my God! Silva Sterling, River Ryder… And what about Jett Colston? Are you secretly hooking up with that hottie, too?”

“It’s not like that.” I realise I’m not going to get away with a half-arsed story. “I know them because of my brother. I knew him as Steven, but I didn’t know him well. We got split up as kids. But Steven was also Stix Rain, and I didn’t find out about him until after he died. And that’s why I’m getting to know the guys.”

---