Page 94 of Knight Life In Vegas

Bonded.

What the fuck happened?

How had I done thisagain?

Numbness traveled up my fingertips and toes, my heartbeat revving up until it was a jackhammer against my ribs. My chest constricted, struggling to draw in air. Francisco jolted out of sleep.

“Duchess, what’s happening?”

“Questions later,” Beau ordered. He climbed onto the bed, half-dressed, freed me from the ties, and drew me up into his arms, cradling me against his chest. I huffed in his vanilla musk and cinnamon, hints of lavender calming me. “Breathe for me.”

I followed his own exaggerated breaths, until I got my own under control. As soon as that happened, the tears took over. Ireached out and dragged Francisco closer. Having both of them nearby soothed as much as it agitated. Why was I losing control? That was theonething I had going for me.

I lost track of how long I fell apart, cradled between them. At some point I heard Dylan and Eduardo, but they didn’t join us.

Beau and Francisco wedged into the shower with me, getting me all rinsed and scrubbed down, Francisco picking bits of wax off my skin until I felt steady.

Beau breathed a sigh of relief, his calmness floating through the bond toward me. “Good, you’ve got some clarity back in your eyes.”

“What the fuck happened?” Francisco asked.

I flinched even though I felt no animosity in the bond, only simmering panic.

“I suspect the same thing that happened with me,” replied Beau.

“What do I do?” I whimpered. Was I just never going to be able to have sex again without slipping into a heat flare? This was ridiculous.

“What we’re already doing,” said Beau. “We take things one day at a time.”

I blinked up at Francisco. “I’m sorry. It’s my fault.”

He drew me into a kiss, soft and sweet. “Duchess, it’s okay. I can feel all your panic, so I know you can feel that I’m not mad. Might be a little early, but this was always my eventual hope.”

I groaned and let my forehead rest against his shoulder. “I fucked up.”

“You didn’t.”

“I used to be so in control of all of this omega nonsense. Why is it getting away from me now?”

“You didn’t have scent matches before,” he pointed out.

“Or a nest,” Beau added. “Or frankly any freedom to indulge in that part of who you are. How long have you been off suppressants?”

“A little over two years. When my heat never came after my first two times going off them, I just stopped taking them.”

“So, with your body finally adjusting to not being suppressed, you finding scent matches, and getting your first nest in way too long, it makes sense to me you wouldn’t be used to everything that’s going on.” Francisco kissed my forehead. “You’re an omega who was denied the chance to be who you truly are. I know it’s probably scary, but we want to support you exploring that part of yourself.”

Beau took my hand. “Since Francisco and I are already bonded to you, if you’d like to reduce your risk of this happening with the others before you’re ready, maybe things will require more supervision.”

I was torn between being weirded out over needing to be watched like I was a naughty child, and being thrilled at the idea of my alphas watching me get ruined. “I’ll consider it.”

“Good.” Francisco kissed me again and drew me out of the shower, wrapping me in a plush towel. “Let’s get you dressed back in your nightgown and we’ll head over to your place.”

I kept a towel wrapped around my hair and pulled my nightgown on over it. Francisco opted for pants only, and the three of us slipped over to my apartment.

I stopped short in the doorway, seeing Eduardo in the kitchen making breakfast and Dylan helping the boys pick out their clothes for school.

“Good morning, querida,” Eduardo greeted, abandoning the stove just long enough to give me a quick kiss.

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