Page 62 of Slick

I look at him in surprise and not a small amount of sympathy. Most people tend to avoid dwelling on their darker days, but Dex is a healer to his core, and he still believes he has debts to pay for his part in the slick factory. All I know is that he kept me both sane and healthy while many other omegas fell apart. “Really? But what about St. Luke’s?”

“It will always be there. But I want to do what I should’ve done a year ago and give back a little of what was taken from the other omegas.”

I reach up and feather my fingers over the small scar on his hairline. He’d put himself in the way of Watt’s gun to save me, and my heart clenches to think how close I’d come to losing him.“Do you think I could help out, too? I mean, I’m not trained or anything…”

His beautiful eyes light up, the green as dazzling as emeralds. “Sweetheart, you’d be amazing. One of the hardest parts of treating trauma is finding a connection with the patient’s experience.”

I nod, because I’ve found exactly that with Sara, my current therapist. She’s an omega who grew up in an alpha cult, and she knows exactly what it’s like to have your worth defined by people who consider you property and nothing more. “You could start with group sessions and then shadow some therapists. And if you wanted to make it more formal, I could help you apply for a college course.”

I blink at him, my head swimming with more than just his perfectly executed spins. “College?You really think I could do that?”

“I think you could do anything you put your incredible mind to.”

It’s on the tip of my tongue to reject the idea, to worry about the cost of classes, or if they’d let me in since I never finished high school. But one thing I’ve learned over the last few months is that most obstacles can be overcome with the support of my pack. Not to mention my connection with Governor Jacob Moore, who is currently staring at me like my ballgown has been sculpted from his favourite kind of frosting.

But right now, there’s a question that’s been burning in the back of my brain. “Dex, you’ve always taken such good care of me, but I was hoping you’d think about giving me one last special thing.”

“Anything, sweetheart.”

His answer is so quick and easy I can feel my heart flutter under my scent gland. “You know how much I love my bonds with our alphas. How they make me feel close to them, even ifJake is on a business trip, or Kane is away visiting the Jackals…” He grins, because they’re often the nights when he and Rowan break out the toy box and we relive some of the hottest moments of my heat. “Well, I was hoping you might think about bonding them, too. Or just one of them,” I add hurriedly. “Whatever you’re comfortable with, I mean.”

He jerks to a halt, his arms tightening protectively around me as the other dancers spin past. “Really? You want that?”

“So much, but you don’t have to decide now. I was just thinking about you going back to work, and how we’ll be apart for the first time in months.”

I clutch him tighter, my heart pinching in my chest as I try to picture Dex anywhere but at my side. The first doctor I spoke to said it’s unhealthy to be so codependent, but all I felt was relief when Dex told him to leave before he punched him in the face.

“I’m in.” I blink at his quick response, and another shy smile stretches across his face. “I mean, I respect Rowan’s right to keep things separate within the pack, but I’d fuckingloveto take it further. No knots,” he says hurriedly, “but I’m definitely up for the bite and the bond.” He pulls me closer, his mouth brushing over the mating marks on my throat. They’re still so sensitive that the slightest touch sends a delicious shiver down my spine. “Especially if it means I get to keep another part ofyouin my heart.”

Joy bubbles in my chest, right at the same moment that my perfume spills into the air. Dex grunts, clearly sensing my arousal, and glances around for the quickest way off the dance floor. But we don’t have to look too far, because the biggest alpha in the room is already stalking towards us, dancing couples scattering out of his way like leaves before a hurricane.

I hear Dex gulp behind me as Kane bears down on us in his black tuxedo. I had the same reaction when he first emerged from the closet, especially because his lapels are black leatherand smell like my hottest fantasy. He smirks as he takes in our flushed faces. “Did this little shit step on your toes, Omega?”

I shake my head numbly until I can find my tongue. Although, locating my tongue isn’t the problem around Kane; it’s that I want to drag it across an intimate part of his body in full view of the other guests. “No, but he’s agreed to take your bite.”

“No knots!” Dex repeats quickly, but I can smell his excitement in the air, as enticing as any aphrodisiac. “But I want your bond, if you’ll give it to me.”

Kane’s gaze sharpens; so close to a predator scenting prey that I hear Dex gulp again. “An extra claiming bite might stop some of these fuckers from ogling the pair of you.”

I snort and wave my hand at a group of omegas who are blatantly fluttering their lashes in his direction. “You’ve got a bit of a fan club of your own.”

He doesn’t even bother glancing their way, his teeth gleaming as he wraps his hand around Dex’s throat. “Yeah, but they don’t know my bark is as nasty as my bite.”

It really isn’t, but I’m enjoying the tension between my two mates too much to argue. Instead, I look around for Jake and Rowan, who are watching us over the heads of their own gaggle of admirers. As soon as I catch their attention, we move towards each other, Kane drawing Dex along like a puppy that’s slipped his leash. I can see the moment Jake realizes what’s happening, and his eyes blow a delicious shade of midnight blue. “Kennedy, will you tell my chief of staff to wrap things up here for me? I have a pack emergency I need to attend to.”

Kennedy joined Jake’s staff a couple of days after we officially moved into the mansion. She’s still Rowan’s bodyguard, but she also works closely with Lukas, sharing the responsibility for tonight’s security arrangements. Kane is still technically their boss, but he’s been working closely with the task forceto dismantle the rest of the Carrillos’ organization, as well as settling into our new pack life.

“Anything you need help with?” Kennedy asks, her hand already touching her earpiece.

“We've got it covered,” Kane assures her, and she gives him a little salute before heading off to find Nathan. It still takes us a good five minutes to leave the ballroom, but eventually we’re in the private elevator, heading up to our pack residence. The first floor is all offices, meeting rooms, and reception areas, but the rest of the building is ours, and I sink into Jake’s side once we’re alone. It was fun to dress up and dance with my mates, but being under the scrutiny of so many strangers is exhausting.

“I’m so proud of you,” Jake murmurs in my ear, and I tilt my head so he can trace his finger over his mating bite. “I’ve never had so many of my political rivals insist we catch up for dinner.”

I give him a sideways glance. “I hope you told them I’ve only had a couple of cooking lessons.”

He chuckles and cups my face, his pillow-soft lips skimming mine. “It’s not the food they’d be coming for, Omega.”

“Oh. You mean me?” I can’t see why they’d bother, given I’m very clearly already taken, but if it makes Jake’s job easier, I’m happy to feed them chocolate cake.

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