Page 79 of Priceless

Cameron chuckled. “Good luck with that.”

With a growl, Micah looked up. “Which one of you assholes took the last blueberry muffin? You know how I feel about that.”

Cold dread swept through me, and I wasn’t hearing the Alphas in front of me. I was hearing Frank’s voice. We’ve had this discussion, Ocean. You don’t take something if there’s nothing left of it for anyone else. It’s selfish, rude, and you don’t need it anyway.

I should have thought about that. This was their house first, and I needed to make sure they had what they needed. But I also didn’t want to lie. “Um, it wasn’t them. It was me.”

Cameron gave me a wink. “He’ll punish you for it later.”

I couldn’t feel my fingers, and my heart pounded in my ears. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know. It won’t happen again.” I pushed the muffin to the edge of the table. “I only took one bite.” I twisted my hands together in my lap, focusing on a knot in the wood of the table.

This wasn’t the reaction I wanted to have. Somewhere outside of myself I knew that I was currently trapped in my own mind, but it didn’t make it any easier to get out.

My whole focus narrowed to the steam rising from my tea. A shadow from the blowing branches of the magnolia tree outside. The small chip in the nail polish on my thumb.

The silence around me was deafening. I was being crushed beneath it. “I should have asked. I’m sorry.”

A presence suddenly stood beside me, and the scent of chocolate and caramel. The darker part of his scent was strong, the caramel smelling like someone had left it cooking too long. Nearly burned. “Ocean?” Micah asked quietly.

I couldn’t look at him and see the anger there. “I know you’re running late. Take it, please.”

“I don’t give a damn if I’m running late. Nothing takes precedence over my wife.”

I did look up at him then, and there was no anger on his face. At least none that was directed toward me. He crouched down next to me and took my twisted hands in one of his. Loosened them. Relaxed them.

“I’m sorry I frightened you,” he said softly. “These assholes, much as I love them, have a habit of stealing the last muffins I like because they know it winds me up. They’ve been doing it for years.” Lifting his other hand, he brushed a hair back behind my ear and let his hand linger, thumb brushing along my jaw. “You don’t have to ask permission to eat anything here. Ever. And despite what Cam said, we would never punish you for this. Not unless it was a game—something we all agreed to and enjoyed.

“We would never punish you for anything, princess. You’re our wife, not something we own.”

I gripped his hand, unable to let go of the fear lodged in my chest. Micah leaned in and kissed my forehead, squeezing my hands back. “Come on. Take a breath with me, all right?”

He inhaled deeply, and I followed him. When I let it out, I felt a little bit better. Barely. He smiled. “I’m glad I know you like them. I’ll have an ally against these two.”

I couldn’t quite laugh, but I managed a small smile.

“Can I hug you?” he asked.

After I nodded, he pulled me up out of the seat and into his arms. He wrapped me up so tightly, one hand holding my head against his chest and his purr, that I couldn’t help but relax. “I’m sorry,” I whispered, my mouth dry. “I know you wouldn’t. I swear I know. I don’t think that.”

Micah kissed my hair. “I’m glad you know. I’m sorry I can’t stay. And I’m so sorry you’ve ever had to feel like this.”

I said nothing more, my mind unable to stray from thoughts I didn’t want, shame overwhelming me. After last night and breaking through that anxiety, I felt like I’d just stumbled back ten steps. But the way Micah held me, his purr vibrating beneath my ear, had me breathing deeper and my shoulders relaxing.

He kissed my hair again. “You mentioned you might work on your hybrids today? If Sally can bring them to you?” I nodded into his shirt. “When I get home, I’d love to see them if they’re here.” Pulling back, he kissed me—for real this time. “Eat that entire muffin, wife. It makes you taste like blueberries. And I’ll be thinking about you the whole day.”

Then he was gone with his to-go coffee out the door, leaving me reeling.

Cam leaned across the table and moved my tea closer to him, and then the muffin. He tilted his head next to him, silently asking me to come next to him. I did, heart still pounding from the sudden adrenaline.

As soon as I sat down he put his arm around me and pulled me to him. I leaned my head on his shoulder because it felt natural to do it. Like my head was made to rest there as he purred and scrolled through what looked like emails with his other hand.

“Will you tell us what caused that?”

I shrugged. “They didn’t like when I took anything that was the last thing.”

“They?” Everett asked.

Keeping my head on Cam’s shoulder, I turned to see Rett where he leaned heavily on the kitchen island. “You can’t kill him. We still need him.”

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