Page 107 of Coco and the Misfits

My alphas. Ha. As if.

“Want to talk to them?” Gigi asks, looking from them to me and back.

“No.”

“Are you sure, girl? They seem to have waited here a while.”

“No. Yes.” I swallow hard. “I need a break, Gigi. From them. To be able to think. It’s been a mess.”

“Okay. Whatever you want, girl.” She hustles me toward the car her omega, Casey, is driving. He waves at me from behind the wheel and I nod at him.

Smiling is beyond me right now.

I feel the gazes of the three alphas on my back and I don’t know what I’m doing. What I should be doing.

Is there a manual somewhere about the affairs of the heart?

The police officer who takes down my testimony is brisk and efficient. We go over the details twice more anyway, to make sure everything is correct.

He then offers me coffee and says that my three alphas already came in this morning and that our accounts match. He also says that the two assholes who grabbed me are wanted criminals and will stay in jail until their trial, and probably long after that.

I think he takes pity on how shaky I am and wants to reassure me that my two wannabe kidnappers won’t be back on the streets tomorrow.

It helps a little.

Recounting yesterday’s events is hard. Reliving every moment three times makes me feel sick. All I want to do is go home and curl up under my covers.

Tomorrow, I promise myself. Tomorrow will be better.

“Come home with us,” Gigi says. “Stay over for a few days. It will be fun. Let us look after you. We are your friends.”

“I know,” I whisper, “thanks, I...”

“Think about it,” she says.

But getting back in the saddle is the best way to move on, yet again. The two bastards are behind bars and I need to keep living, not let myself be coddled, reinforcing my fear.

Meanwhile, my phone blows up with text messages from everyone I know, including Zach, Ryder, and Atticus. They are asking how I am, how it went at the station, if I need anything.

If they could come over to see me.

Blinking back unwelcome tears, I turn my phone off.

39

ATTICUS

The Book Café. I’ve never been here before, but it looks very cozy.

I enjoy books and coffee. What’s there not to like? I can see why Coco enjoys hanging out here. I venture deeper, past the tables and chairs, noting the bookshelves and leather armchairs on my way to the bar.

A slender, dark-haired male omega looks up, eyes widening when he sees me.

“You’re Sawyer,” I say. “Coco’s friend.”

“Who’s asking?”

“I’m Atticus Ford.” I extend my hand and he shakes it. A strong, firm grip for an omega.

---