Page 60 of Rescue Me

Reid huffs, the sound somewhere between exasperation and amusement. “Jealous of what? You’re literally sitting on me.”

“And yet, I still feel like I’m the one doing all the work here,” I tease, wiggling my hips slightly just to hear the way his breath hitches. It’s a cheap shot, but I can’t help myself.

“Tahn.” His voice dips, low and growly, sending a shiver down my spine. “Calm down before I remind you who’s in charge.”

“Promises, promises,” I sing, but I can’t help the grin that spreads across my face as he leans in, his lips brushing against my ear.

“Don’t test me,” he murmurs, his hands tightening on my hips. And then the laptop is discarded, my back against the pillows as he kisses me, his mouth claiming mine in a way that leaves me breathless. By the time he pulls back, I’m practically melting against him, squirming for more.

“See?” I pant, grinning like an idiot. “You’re jealous.”

“Brat,” he mutters, but the way he’s looking at me makes me feel like the luckiest Omega in the world.

It’s not always this easy. Sometimes he still pulls back, retreating into his own head when he thinks no one’s watching. I can see the shadows that linger, the weight of everything he’s been through. But those moments are getting fewer and farther between. And every time he lets me pull him back into the light, it feels like a victory.

I’m making it my mission to care for Reid in a way Hailey never did. To put him first in all things. Every time he even looks like he might need something, I’m already there, anticipating it. The way his eyes soften when he realizes I’m doing it just for him makes my chest ache in the best way.

He’s not used to being cared for, but he’s learning. And the way he so expertly handles me, even when I’m being my most obnoxious, makes me feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. I love it when he gets all growly, telling me to calm down before kissing the life out of me. And yeah, sometimes I push his buttons just to see that side of him come out. Like the other day, when I refused to stop teasing him until he pinned me to the couch and—

Well. Let’s just say Zana had to remind us to be quiet while she was on a call.

It’s not perfect. There are still things we’re figuring out, still pieces that need to fall into place. But it’s ours. This life we’re building together, this messy, beautiful, chaotic life—it’s everything I’ve ever wanted. Everything I never thought I could have.

I glance up at Reid, who’s watching me with a soft, almost shy smile, and my heart feels like it’s going to burst. I lean in, pressing a kiss to his lips, and whisper, “I love you.”

Reid isn’t ready to say those words and I won’t force him. I know he loves me and Zana but it’ll take him just a bit longer totellus that. And I don’t need to hear it. I know.

An hour later, I have Reid stuffed into my bedroom nest as I sit on his lap, scrolling through the newest website I crafted. Zana came home a few minutes ago if the rustling of papers and frustrated sigh is anything to go by. She’s been spreading her case files across the living room at times, both of us working until five or six before packing everything up to spend time with the three of us.

Reid huffs, the little puff of air tickling my ear. However, that’s like the fiftieth time in the last hour and it’s starting to grate on my nerves. I try to focus on the screen in front of me, fingers tapping away on my laptop as I put the finishing touches on a client’s website. But it’s impossible to concentrate with Reid shifting under me every five seconds, his legs jostling mine where I’m perched in his lap.

I pause, my fingers hovering over the keyboard as I twist around to look at him. He’s leaning back against the pillows, arms crossed over his chest, his jaw pulled tight. His hazel eyes are unfocused, staring at the far corner of the room.

“Alright,” I say, closing the laptop with a softclickand setting it aside. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he mutters. He doesn’t even look at me, which is a dead giveaway that he’s lying. Reid doesn’t avoid eye contact unless he’s hiding something.

“Uh-huh,” I muse turning all the way around to observe my Beta. “You’ve been sighing like a Victorian widow for the past hour, but sure, nothing’s wrong.”

He snorts, a small flicker of amusement crossing his face, but it’s gone just as quickly. “I’m fine, Tahn. Drop it.”

Except I can’t. Because I know him now—know the restless energy vibrating through him, the way he clenches and unclenches his hands like he’s trying to grab onto something solid. This isn’t a problem I can fix. This is a Zana problem. And lucky for him, I know exactly where our Alpha is.

I slide off his lap, grabbing his hand before he can protest. “Come on,” I say, tugging him toward the edge of the nest.

“Ethan—” He starts to argue, but I cut him off with a look.

“Just trust me,” I say, and to my surprise, he does. He lets me pull him to his feet and lead him out of the bedroom, down the hall, and into the living room.

Zana’s sitting on the couch, papers and folders spread out around her in a chaotic circle, her laptop balanced precariously on one knee. She’s in her element, the faint glow from the screen highlighting her sharp features, her dark eyes scanning over a document like she’s memorizing it with a single glance.

“Zana,” I whine, breaking the quiet as I nudge Reid toward the couch. “Reid needs you.”

Her head snaps up, her gaze flicking between us. A slow smile spreads across her face, softening the tension in her shoulders. “Does he now?” she says, setting her laptop aside. “Reid, is that true? Do you need me?”

Reid shifts awkwardly, his hand still in mine. “I didn’t—Ethan—” He glares at me, but there’s no heat behind it, just a flicker of annoyance.

I grin, hopping over to our Alpha to press a quick kiss to Zana’s lips before slipping out of the way. “He does. You’re better at this than me.”

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