Page 84 of Unhinged
“But—”
“Judge, drop it.”
“I wanna know, Mom.”
I close my eyes. “Fine. Yes. He helped create you. But he’s not a good man. He gave me you, and that’s the only good thing he ever did.”
“He hurt you? Like, alphas aren’t supposed to hurt omegas, right?”
“Yeah, baby. He did.”
“I hate him.”
“Me too, Judge. Me too.”
He falls asleep not long after, little breaths deep and even against my side. I brush a kiss to the top of his head and whisper, “You’re the best thing that ever happened to me, baby boy.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
ACID
Judge’s laugh is still stuck in my head. That wild, unfiltered belly laugh that only a kid can pull off. It echoes in my skull like it’s still bouncing off trampoline walls.
I hadn’t planned to enjoy myself. Hell, I thought I’d be playing babysitter and watching Brydgett avoid eye contact the whole time. But then Judge challenged me to the foam pit like it was life or death, and his eyes lit up when I pretended to sink like I was getting eaten alive.
I’d dive headfirst into a vat of lava for that kid.
And his mom?
Fuck.
I dared her to eat hot fudge and rainbow boba. She did it. I’d do worse if it meant getting that smirk again—the one where she thinks she’s tougher than me, smarter than me, better than me. She probably is.
She was glowing after. I kept my distance. I’m not Arrow. I’m not gonna lay hands on an omega who hasn’t invited it.Especially nother. Not after that basement scene. That still burns in my chest like motor oil in my lungs.
Gears pushed it. I backed him, because I always back my brother. But maybe this time, I should’ve told him to stand down.
I should’ve protected her.
The office door creaks as I push it in. Arrow’s leaning against the desk and Gears is seated in his chair, arms crossed, jaw tight. Stallion’s posted up near the window, flipping a knife between his fingers like he’s bored, but his eyes track me the second I enter.
Gears glances up as I step in.He glances up when I walk in. “How was it?”
I grab the back of the chair across from him but don’t sit. Just lean. “It was good. Real good. Judge ran himself half-dead, and Brydgett… she actually laughed. Like, really laughed. The kid is quite the showman in the foam pit and obstacle course.”
Arrow looks at me. “She okay?”
“Yeah. She’s in the shower last I saw. Her and the kid were gearing up for a movie night sleepover.”
Gears snorts. “She let you take him into the foam pit?”
“Not just let me. The kid challenged me. Had me sinking in ‘lava’ while he tried to rescue me.”
Arrow raises a brow. “You playing volcano monster now?”
I shrug. “Judge’s rules. I just fell in line.”
Gears snorts, shakes his head like I’ve personally disappointed the alpha species. “You’re getting soft.”
