Page 137 of Why Cruise

“I’ll buy a new dress.”

“I can’t wear the blue one. Aria has seen that.”

“I’ll buy you a new dress.” I repeated. “If we’re done picking on your alpha, can we go?” I held the door open for my pack to file out into the elevator lobby.

“Justice Twill!” a melodic voice burst from the hall. “You disappear for three weeks and,” she gasped, “two omegas? Sparkle is going to die.”

I gritted my teeth. “Meet the neighbors.”

“Perfume?” Mackenzie squeaked. “You live next to Perfume and the AlphaBetas?”

“Oh, my god,” Theo whispered.

Perfume was a vision of chaos. Her blond hair was perfectly styled to be a wild mess. She wore skintight leather pants, a cut off t-shirt that hung off one shoulder, and a bag that hung off the crook of her arm that dripped with chains and little teddy bears with mohawks. She looked every bit the rock star that she was. The alpha standing with her even more so. He was lean, in artfully ripped jeans, a leather jacket and rings on all his fingers.

“Perfume,” she touched her chest, “Apex, guitarist. And Rylee, our manager.”

“Manager? You’re an omega?” Theo gawked at him.

“I am. On both counts.” Rylee stepped forward to shake hands. Apex kept a possessive arm around him, letting the alphas know Rylee was his. We finished up introductions.

“Your scent…” Theo blurted.

“Marshmallow. I know. It’s nonstop gooey insides jokes.”

Theo shot me a glance. I coughed into my fist to cover up my laugh.

“Oh, and Stone. Head of security. Don’t piss him off.” Perfume motioned to her bodyguard.

“Ren.” Stone nodded.

“Stone.” Ren nodded back. “I stole a car from his former boss.” He whispered to Mackenzie.

The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open. It was just big enough to hold us all. Stone was the last in and took up position right by the door.

“So we’ll plan the pack-warming party,” Perfume started. “I’ll get Sparkle to ask Tora Yamamoto to have Pagoda cater. We’ll set that up in your place and we’ll do Bao Down dumplings in ours.” She tapped her bottom lip. “Some sort of anime theme, maybe. Just let Kawaii go crazy with it.”

“Perfume, your parties are…” I tried to get out of this, but she cut me off.

“Don’t worry. It will be classy. I’ll invite La Luna. Oh, I know you’re not my mother’s client anymore, but are you still fucking Aria?”

“Perfume…” I tried again.

She touched Mackenzie’s arm like they were in a proper gossip sesh. “Sparkle is a paragon. Retired now. Your alpha is a legendary fuck boy.”

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose.

Mackenzie squealed.“TheSparkle? The paragon who, like, twenty years ago fucked the mayor’s daughter with a strap-on at the Tea Dance?”

Perfume hooked her arm around my omega and they strolled out of the elevator and into the lobby. “She only causes drama like that because she doesn’t want anyone to find out she can’t dance.”

They all got out of the elevator and I took the opportunity to bang my head against the wall.

“Alpha.” Ren drawled. “You alright?”

I blew out a breath and stepped into the lobby. “We’re going to have to establish some boundaries around the neighbors.” Ren laughed at me. Not with me. At me.

Justice

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