Page 41 of His Gentle Omega
The dream morphed after that, snapshots of my life coming at me from every direction.
My dad’s concern, then anger. Ignoring Asher’s calls and texts. Ditching classes to spend time with Edward. Missing a graduation ceremony I wouldn’t have received a diploma at.
Edward jumping into my arms just a few weeks later, telling me we were going to have a baby and spinning him around until we were both dizzy and laughing.
Edward straddling my chest, his hands wrapped around my throat, cutting off my air supply. His hair as it brushed against my face,tickling, when he leaned down to whisper harshly, “Remember this, Shay. Remember that I hold your life in my hands, and I can take it away anytime I want. Because you won’t touch me. You won’t hit me back. You’re too fucking good for that, aren’t you?”
“Edward,” gasping, I clawed at his arms, trying to break his hold, desperate for air. “Stop.”
His smile had been nothing short of evil, full of contempt and meanness. Nothing like the flirty, megawatt bright smile he had flashed me that first day. “Remember this if you wake up, Shay. At any time, I can kill you.”
Fighting, I bucked against his body. The blankets and sheets trapped me, his strong thighs straddled me tightly, holding me down. His hands, so fucking strong for an omega, squeezed painfully. My body thrashed beneath his, my head jerking from side to side. I broke his hold long enough to yell, “Edward! Stop!”
“Shh, I’m here, Shay. Shh.” The touch, so light, so gentle, instantly calmed me, stilling my restless limbs. It was like a balm falling over my entire body, and I knew that I was safe.
His hand rested on my bare chest, the skin tingling where skin met skin. Heat burned from his touch, and my eyes flew open. Staring into light green eyes, I didn’t blink, didn’t move, barely dared to try to take a breath.
The delicious scent of sweet cinnamon filled the room, instantly making my cock hard beneath the blankets that covered me from the waist down.
“You were dreaming,” Bennet whispered in explanation for why he was on the bed next to me, in the middle of the night. His hands touched me, soothed me and made me burn for him in a confusing combination.
My heart was pounding like I had been running, my chest fluttering up and down in a rapid rhythm. My own scent filledthe air, mixing with his. Mouthwatering, tempting sweetness and fresh earth after a summer rain. It was heady, filling my head with cotton, making my thoughts muffled.
My eyes focused sharply on Bennett, and it was like the sun had come out behind him there in the dark room, casting a soft glow around him. For the first time in a very long time, I could see clearly.
There was nothing else that mattered in that moment. Not Edward, or demons I might not ever outrun. Not unseen scars, that were there just beneath my surface, where no one but me could glimpse them. Not my son, sleeping peacefully across the hall.
It was just me and him.
Bennett.
My mate.
My fated.
His tongue poked out and traced his lips, like I had seen him do earlier that evening. Heat engulfed us, sizzling the air around us. Bennett’s hand, where it touched me, felt like fire. Waves of heat rolled off his body.
He was warmth, and peace, and safety. Lust, desire, and need.
My hand moved of its own will, catching him by the back of the neck and pulling him down to me, stopping his descent just before our lips could touch.
Bennett’s green eyes burned into me, not blinking, not closing. He was so still, not moving a single muscle, waiting to see what I would do with wide eyes.
Rasping, I told him, “I want to kiss you, Bennett.”
He shivered, his body shaking. From my words or need, I wasn’t sure. But there were so many reasons it would be wrong for me–for both of us–to give into this thing that was betweenus. For the better part of a week, we had both pointedly ignored it. Acted like it wasn’t there. Like it wasn’t always there. A living, breathing ball ofwant.
“It’s wrong. Edward is still technically my mate. But we haven’t been…intimate in a long, long time.”
“I know,” he whispered, not moving away. Not looking away. His eyes never leaving mine.
It was wrong. And it wasn’t fair to Bennett. He didn’t deserve any of this. But I wanted him more than I cared about the wrongness, the fairness, the pain and hurt that would surely follow in the wake of this.
I wanted him. More than I had ever wanted anything in my life.
More than I had ever wanted Edward.
“I need to kiss you,” I repeated, tugging him just enough so that he lost his balance and sprawled on top of me. His skin burned me straight through the thin pajamas he was wearing. Straight to my soul.
