Page 41 of The Flavor of Us

“Let’s go,” Ashton says, his voice softer now as he looks at me.

I nod, tightening my hold on Tati. Her body feels too small, too fragile in my arms, and the sour edge of her scent still lingers in the air, making my stomach churn. Without another word, I scoop her up bridal style, her arms instinctively wrapping around my neck as she buries her face into my shoulder. Her small voice whispers against my ear, “I’m sorry.”

My chest tightens. “Don’t you dare apologize, Tati.”

Ashton and Ryder flank me on either side as we push through the club’s back exit and out into the cool night air. The silence outside feels deafening after the chaos inside and Tati’s soft sobsare the only sound breaking the stillness. Ryder moves ahead, pulling open the passenger door of Ashton’s sleek black car. Ashton stands beside me, his hand on my back, grounding me in the moment.

I slide into the backseat with Tati still in my arms, her head resting against my chest as her breathing slowly evens out. Tati is safe now but safe isn’t enough. Safe doesn’t erase the terror in her eyes, the way her body trembled in my arms or the sour edge of her scent still clinging to my clothes.

Safe doesn’t fix the knot of rage still coiled tight in my stomach.

But right now, as I hold Tati close and listen to her quiet breathing, I remind myself of one simple truth—she’s withus.

And as long as I’m breathing, nothing—and no one—will ever hurt her again.

Chapter eighteen

TATI

The drive home is silent. Not the comfortable kind of silence, either—the kind that’s heavy and thick, where every breath feels too loud and every creak of the car feels like an accusation.

I’m curled up in Carleen’s lap, my body still trembling slightly despite how tightly her arms are wrapped around me. Her scent wraps around me, chasing away the sour edge of fear still clinging to me. She’s running her nose along my cheek, inhaling deeply every few seconds like she’s trying to memorize my scent, like she’s making sure it’sme—safe, whole,hers.

Her lips brush over my temple every now and then, soft, featherlight, but she doesn’t say anything. I’m grateful for that. I don’t think I could handle words right now.

In the front seat, Ryder drives with his usual calm precision, but his knuckles are white against the steering wheel, and hissharp blue eyes flick to the rearview mirror every few seconds, landing on me and Carleen.

Ashton is slouched in the passenger seat, his arms crossed tightly over his chest, his jaw clenched so hard I can see the sharp edge of it standing out against his skin. He hasn’t said a word since we got in the car, and the anger practically radiating off him feels like static electricity prickling against my skin.

I close my eyes and bury my face against Carleen’s chest, my breath stuttering as I try to calm myself down.

I’mfine.

I keep repeating it in my head, over and over. I’m fine. I’m safe. I’m with them.

But the memory of that guy’s hand wrapped around my wrist, the way his fingers dug into my skin, the way his eyes looked at me… it’s still there, stuck in the back of my mind like a splinter I can’t get out. In all the time I’ve worked at Euphoria, I’ve never been grabbed so tightly I couldn’t escape.

Carleen hums softly, her Alpha purr vibrating through her chest and into me. Her hand runs slowly up and down my back, her other arm wrapped firmly around my waist. “You’re safe, sunshine,” she murmurs softly into my ear. “I’ve got you. We’ve got you.”

Carleen doesn’t let me go, even when the car comes to a stop, as she steps out of the car with me still wrapped in her arms. I clutch at her shirt, my fingers tangled in the fabric as she carries me up the stairs and into the apartment. The second we’re inside, the door clicks shut behind Ryder, and Carleen adjusts me slightly in her arms so she can look at me. Her brown eyes search mine, sharp and focused, like she’s cataloging every bruise, every scratch, every tiny thing that might be wrong with me. “Where do you want to be, Tati?” she asks softly, her voice low but steady.

The question hits me harder than I expect it to.

I should have an answer. Ishouldknow. But the weight of the night is still pressing down on me and the fear—the helplessness—it’s still clinging to me like cobwebs I can’t shake off. I open my mouth, but no words come out.

Carleen’s eyes soften, her grip on me tightening just slightly. “Tati…” A soft sigh falls from her lips, her brows knitting together as she tries again. “Alright, first things first—are you okay, Tati?”

I nod. It’s a small nod, hesitant, but it’s honest.

Carleen’s lips twitch into something soft, almost a smile, as she brushes her thumb along my cheek again. “Good. That’s good, sweetheart.” Her voice feels like a balm to my frayed nerves, something grounding amidst the swirling storm in my head. She shifts slightly, setting me on my feet. “Now, tell me—where do you want to be?”

That question hits harder and my chest tightens again. I look down at my hands, tears blurring my vision. This time I do know the answer but it’s not something Ashton or Ryder know about it. “M-my nest,” I whisper, barely able to get the words out.

Carleen nods, her fingers briefly brushing through my hair. “Okay, your nest. We can do that.” But then she asks the real question, the one I’ve been dreading. “And who do you want with you, sweetheart?”

My stomach twists into knots. Because that feels… selfish. How am I supposed to pick? How am I supposed to choose when each of them feels like a lifeline right now?

My lower lip trembles as my eyes dart between Carleen, Ashton, and Ryder, who’s standing silently near the door. I open my mouth, close it again, and then murmur so softly I’m not sure they’ll hear me, “Can… can I be selfish?”

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