The cruelest realization of my life.

“One for the road,” I blurt, and lower my mouth to her nipple again, squeezing and twisting the other as my three fingers on my right hand slide inside her, using the same motion. But she tries to sit upright.

“Give me your knot,” she gasps.

I hate to do it but I glance at my watch. We have ten minutes if we’re to make it on time; if we’re pushing for Holden, Kai, and Thomas to start our sound check first, before we arrive, then maybe twenty, tops, before someone comes looking. And that could getreallyfucking awkward.

I bite my lip. This is the biggest test of my resolve, my everything. My ability to stop. My ability to let go of my own fears—that she’ll steal my heart as Nyah did, and then destroy it. Even though I just got done telling her we expect nothing of her, that this is more or less a friendly, tour mate special.

Jesus, I am an arsehole of the lowest order.

But I can’t say no. She’s an Omega—should beourOmega—asking for my knot, to get through her heat. Who am I to hold back?

I undo my black trousers and quickly step out of them and my boxers. I stand before her, beside the bed, stroking my cock which is hard and wet with pre-cum as my knot inflates just looking at her.

Her eyes widen as she gapes at me and her mouth is open. It’d be just as delicious if she took it in there, but I know where she wants it. I climb back on the bed, back up to her waiting thighs. Gently, slowly, I ease the head of my cock to her entrance.

“This okay?”

“Give it to me, Nico, I want it now. Please.” Hearing her beg is about the most angelic thing I’ve ever experienced.

“Okay. You tell me when to stop.”

“Not necessary,” she says as she pulls me in, her hands locked onto my hips as she leans back down into the mattress. I straddle her tiny frame and slide my cock in all the way to the knot. Her hips move in time to my thrusts, in and out of her slick-drenched seam, easing her open as much as I can.

“I’m ready, please. We don’t have time to waste.”

“You just want this that bad, huh?” I tease, but it comes out more guttural than I mean it. But rather than having a negative effect, she yanks me toward her, her hands cupping my bare ass now.

“I do. Give me that fucking knot,” she hisses, her blue eyes bright and wide, but her lips curled in a devilish smile. Fuck me.

I thrust up inside her glorious folds once, twice, then on the third go, slide my knot between her lips and feel it wrench her open further.

A groan escapes my lips as she throws her head back in ecstasy—I hope. Not pain.

“All of my knot’s inside you, baby. That’s the best feeling I’ve ever had, and that’s the truth,” I whisper, leaning carefully over her, my hands weaving into her hair. I place a kiss on her hot forehead.

“It’s so goddamn huge,” she manages. Then she laughs out a kind of half-moan, and raises her hips which takes the knot in even further. “I don’t want you to leave.”

My knot to leave her, or me to leave her side? I’ll take either one.

I grab hold of her hips and we crash together, our soaked skin, her soft curves, my fingers pressing into her flesh, and then as she throws her head back and I feel her core muscles grip me deep inside, I grunt out a warning.

“You ready, baby?”

She can only nod, eyes squeezed shut in the throes of her own orgasm as mine rushes to join her. My seed spills all around her as I pull my cock out and flail onto my back beside her.

We lie there staring at the blue sky and clouds of the mural on the bus ceiling, our breaths coming in gasps. Then together we turn to look into one another’s eyes, and I swear, I see my future there. Our future.

“You are a beautiful star, Jesamine Jacobs,” I whisper. “And I will never say no to any help you need.”

She smiles and time stops. I raise a hand to her cheek and she holds it there. “Thank you, Nico. God. Thank you, so much.”

I could stare at her for hours, amazed at how quickly this has all turned. Now, though, we need to get cleaned up. We have a show to put on. And it’s going to be really hard to think about anything else. But I’m thanking every saint I can name for this experience, and for the glowing grin beaming off her face like the sun.

“Better?” I ask, hopeful.

“Best.” A massive sigh shudders out of her. She cocks her head and considers me, the barest hint of concern on her lips. I wonder what she’s thinking.