Page 88 of Captive Omega

“It couldn’t have been easy.”

It wasn’t.

He saw what went down with the woman who stared at me like I was something she’d just stepped in. I’d heard his order for Frost to keep her out. “Resa needed me.”

He slowly nods, his gaze still probing. “Resa needs to go back for a proper checkup.”

“I know.” I don’t know how many more of these trips I can take, but Resa and the baby’s needs are more urgent than mine, so I’ll keep pushing until I can’t push anymore.

“You don’t have to come. I know it’s not easy to?—”

“I’ll be there,” I interrupt.

“It’s okay for you not to be there, Blaine.”

“I know that,” I say.

But it’s not okay. Visits to the doctor shut me down for hours or days at a time. What woman could ever be happy with a man who won’t touch her?

“Blaine?”

I sidestep Garrison’s hand before he can place it on my shoulder. It’s instinctive now. He knows I don’t like to touch, but it’s in his nature to want to comfort his pack.

So every couple of days we go through this same reach and sidestep motion.

I walk out, hesitate in the entryway, and instead of heading upstairs where Resa’s sweet peach scent tempts me, I head to a place I largely stayed away from.

Vaughn is sitting with Resa. Frost and Roman out on assignment, and Lex is with Marie. Which means I’ll have the place to myself.

I only ever hit the gym when everyone is asleep. Garrison is usually awake, but he knows when I’m in there, I like to be alone.

At the party, I offered to teach Resa self-defense. I hadn’t planned on it. But the offer had slipped out, and I’d thought she would refuse.

She hadn’t refused.

She hadn’t agreed either, which means sometime soon, I might have to get used to the idea of her touching me. And of touching her.

I don’t know if I can do that.

In the gym, I head for the duffel I keep in the room's corner, pulling out a pair of dark gray sweatpants, my sneakers, and a long sleeve running shirt made of thin Lycra.

It’s thin. The sort of shirt you’d wear for a run outside, in cooler weather, so I’ll still be too hot in it. I can always crack on the AC, but the thinner lightweight material will mean I won’t die of heat. It covers my arms, not enough of the burns on my throat or my cheek, but more than the T-shirts and shorts I stopped wearing years ago.

I change quickly and head for the treadmill.

First, I pull off my glasses and stuff them in the space for a water bottle. My world turns blurry, but it’s better than running with them. The only thing my glasses want to do when I run is slide off my face.

I start off at a walk before I build up to a slow jog. Nothing strenuous, just a warmup before I stretch, and work on some katas on the mat.

I don’t put in my earbuds or turn on any music. That’s another habit along with the shorts and T-shirts I stopped years ago. I need to hear if anyone knocks on the door or tries to come in so I have time to drag on a hoodie and hide the burns on my throat.

Chapter 26

Resa

Ispend two days going out of my mind with boredom.

I also learn how it feels to have a house full of men take care of me.

---