Page 78 of Slick Handling

Wait, is he blushing?

What is he doing?

“I know that you have your own funds from The Omega Academy, but since our pack is courting you it would make me feel better to provide for you. This is a credit card. You can buy anything you wish. Spend money at the spa with my Mama on yourself. Buy new clothes. Anything you want, cherub.. It would please me, sweetness, if you accept this.”

He’s giving her an unlimited credit card. This is a crazy advancement. Even though we all have access to our joint account, Apollo would never trust us with something like this. Griffin would do something crazy like buy a sloth of something irresponsible.

His instincts to take care of Clover and provide for his pack has us all watching, waiting to see how she reacts.

Clover still hasn’t mentioned Marcus or the incident at lunchtime. I had glanced at her phone that had been buzzing beside me in the nest when she showered. He had reached out to her pretty much nonstop.

I wonder if she replied yet?

“If I take this card, what does it mean? Do I owe you anything?” She was nibbling that lip, looking worried about things she shouldn’t have to worry about.

The crease between Apollo’s eyes furrows together as he looks almost hurt that she would think that of him.

“Clover, there is never any expectations. You are your own person. None of us would ever do anything or feel like we were owed anything from you. My way of showing affection for people is to take care of them. This is my way to show you I’m serious about courting you.” Her fingers tug the card from his hand and then she stops, pushing it back towards him.

Her lip is between her teeth again.

“What’s wrong, little omega?” McKinley leans in close and I love how she reaches for him, bringing him to sit on Apollo’s other knee.

Fuck.

Why does she have to be so perfect? It makes it harder not to want her when she accepts my pack for who they are.

The way Apollo looks absolutely smitten as Mick curls up into him, dragging Clover’s legs over his own legs so they’re just a tangle of bodies. Griffin makes a sound, forever the needy one. He grabs my hand tugging me so that we’re on the floor in front of them. His head rests on the side of her thigh and her hand comes down to run her fingers through his hair. Clover smiles down at me before she swings one of her legs off of Mick and uses it to nudge me so I’m holding it.

Every one of us is touching the Omega and I can feel the satisfaction humming in the room. This is what it feels like to have our pack centered.

“Oh, we were just coming to say goodnight.” Mama Joy has a smile on her face as she looks at us. Her eyes went to Clover and beam at her with such affection. She’s always wanted this for us, “Your mother is going to try and come out for a day or two this week. I think it’s important we all talk.”

That's code for Mama Joy wasn’t happy about finding out we had been told Clover wasn’t for us. She had probably just told Martha she had to come apologize in person. It didn’t matter that she had known about it when it happened. Now that she saw us together and saw how it had upset Clover she wasn’t going to stand for it.

I loved that she was so strong and that she was going to be such a positive influence on our Omega.

“Clover has the pack card. I’ll let the dads know too. Can you make sure that tomorrow is our treat?” Apollo asks.

If it’s possible, Mama Joy looks even more ecstatic by this. She knows her son and how he shows his affection. She knows what a big deal this is.

Her eyes flick to Clover, who is laying against Apollo’s chest, letting him stroke her lower back as she gets all the touch therapy an Omega could need.

“We’re going to have so much fun tomorrow, Clover. I’m so happy to be here with you.”

She just smiles as Mama Joy finishes saying good night and finally leaves us all alone. It’s clear now that Clover isn’t going to open up and talk to us anymore. The mood has shifted too much.

Instead she invites us back to her bed. Not to her nest. I shouldn’t feel such pride over being the only one that’s been in her nest, but I do.

If she wants to be in her bed tonight, so be it. As long as I get to be close to her.

CHAPTER 26

CLOVER

People are good at all sorts of things.

Mama Joy is very good at spending money.

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