Page 34 of Vegas Baby!

For all we knew, Bryce saw the three of us as competition, an already established pack he was on the outside of, regardless ofthe fact that he and I were bonded to Ava. I would have to make an effort with both sides, make sure Bryce felt like he was part of things, and get Luke comfortable with the fact that Bryce wasn’t going anywhere and wasn’t anything to be threatened by.

We talked about the city and all the things Bryce loved about it through most of the flight. He told us that he had a penthouse in Tribeca, but it hadn’t prepared me for how fucking ritzy that neighbourhood was.

Micah whistled low as the four of us arrived in a sleek SUV ride service. “Damn.”

Money looked different all around the country. The same amount that could get you a gorgeous apartment in New York might buy you a sprawling estate somewhere else. I’d have preferred the space, but I could see the allure if someone liked the metropolitan feel.

Ava had stared out the window the entire drive, absorbing everything the city had to offer. I wasn’t sure what was going on inside her head now that she was seeing where she had been intending to move for Andrew.

“It’s so much louder than I expected,” she commented.

“The apartment has really good soundproofing,” Bryce promised. “You won’t hear anything from the city while you’re inside.”

The doorman greeted Bryce happily when we stepped out, and Bryce paused to chat with him. Another point for Bryce being a decent human being. It was the bare minimum to be kind to workers, but a lot of people missed that memo and I was glad my new packmate wasn’t one of them.

Micah and I grabbed the bags while Bryce navigated Ava into the building. The floors were white marble and somehow pristine despite all the footsteps they must carry through a day.

Bryce swiped a card that allowed him to push a button for the penthouse and we rode the elevator up alarmingly high. I hadnever considered myself to be afraid of heights, but I could feel it creeping in as the numbers on the panel went up.

The elevator opened into a tidy lobby space with only a door for the roof access and Bryce’s apartment in it. I couldn’t imagine having enough money to get this level of exclusivity.

The apartment itself was like something straight out of a magazine. I was pretty sure the name of this style was industrial, but Bryce had hints of warmer charm in a lot of the fabrics and hardware. Ava’s head swiveled this way and that, taking in our temporary home. She went straight for the windows and immediately took a hefty step back. After following her, I didn’t blame her one bit. That was a long way down.

“Can we close the blinds?” Ava asked.

Bryce pushed a button on a wall panel and blackout blinds slid down the dozen windows, overhead lighting replacing the sun. He had so much metal in the decor. The railings, the light fixtures, exposed Edison bulbs and sharp corners on most of the furnishings. It wasn’t omega-friendly at all.

Ava snuggled up against my side, and I laid an easy arm around her shoulders.

“Can I see the bedroom?” Ava looked to Bryce, and he swept over, leading her to the far end of the suite.

At least the bedroom was a bit cozier. The bed was big enough to fit all of us, though the room felt enormous. Ava frowned, absorbing her surroundings.

“Everything is probably more open than you would like,” Bryce said. “I can change anything you want.”

After being in our apartment, Bryce’s penthouse felt uncomfortably large. It would take a lot more than ordering a few things to make it suitable for an omega long-term.

“That’s silly,” said Ava. “We’re only here for a few days.”

“You’re gonna have to think further into the future than that,” Micah told her. “If you’re not comfortable in a bondmate’shome, he’s going to need to know that. You might not have to pick your forever home, but you’ll need somewhere for a while once the baby comes. Wherever you choose has to be comfortable for you.”

“I don’t want to be a bother,” Ava insisted.

“Sweetness, you are the furthest thing from a bother,” I told her. “We want to make sure you have a good experience. If you want to stay in New York, we’re going to have to do some serious work on this place to make it omega-friendly. There’s nowhere for the whole pack to stay even if it was just me, you, and Bryce. Because, no offense, while I do intend to spend most nights in bed next to you, I do need my own space to decompress if it’s going to be longer than a week. And if you want to come back to Vegas and stay there, we’ll probably move so we can have a nursery, and a proper nest.”

Ava chewed her lip, a subtle burnt edge to her scent. “It’s so much hassle.”

“It’s not. If you’re not happy somewhere, your pack isn’t going to be happy, and your baby isn’t going to get the best version of you.”

“I’ll put this place on the market tomorrow if you hate it,” said Bryce, tugging Ava into his arms. “We can look at other options to rent.”

Our omega relaxed against Bryce, taking a deep breath and letting her forehead rest against his chest. “I feel really exposed here. Even with the blinds closed, it doesn’t feel quite right.”

“I’ll contact my realtor tonight.”

“I feel bad that you have to.”

“Don’t. I want you to be happy.”

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