Page 82 of Dubious Match
“Malcolm didn’t tell you?” I ask. “I pretty much told him that when we were in the hallway.”
“Fucker,” Brice chuckles. “I think he hid it from me because I’m completely out of my mind obsessed with you.”
“Really?”
“Mmhmm. It’s why I stayed with you last night before I had to leave. I’ve been fighting a lot with myself to keep it together. A part of me fucking loves being able to experience things that only we’ll be able to give you,” he rumbles. “See, I’m already getting ahead of myself. Toning it down is difficult when you still manage to look so beautiful.”
Blushing, I can see that he’s serious. For someone so handsome, he hands out compliments very easily. There’s no guile, simply sincerity. Leaning forward, he presses his lips against mine, and I find myself relaxing.
There are a lot of crazy thoughts going through my mind. This pack is all in their mid-thirties, and clearly experienced sexually. I was nervous to spell out that I was a virgin, because I thought they wouldn’t want me.
Silly, right? Except, it’s not. I’ve seen people mark on their surveys that they aren’t interested in virgins because of their sexual preferences and not wanting to “train” their partner.
I think it’s influencing my perception of Pack Ledger, and that’s not fair of me.
Kissing Brice back, I let him deepen it until we’re both breathing a little faster. Pulling away, I can see his eyes are deeper and heated.
“I’m possessive, Hollis,” he rasps. “The fact that you’re a virgin only makes me want you more because your moans, slick, and cum will all be ours. Now, I want to hear you say it, and I’ll never bring it up again.”
“Say what?” I ask, my mind clouded with lust and confusion.
“Say you’re ours, Little Omega,” he growls.
His words vibrate through me, making me shiver. There’s no reason for me not to say it. Slow and steady is pretty much thrown out the window of a moving vehicle and run over by a semi truck at this point. It does help that there’s no pressure, just the agreement to see where the dice fall.
“I’m yours,” I whisper, meaning it.
Things have shifted in the last few hours. I want to lean on Pack Ledger. I’m hurt, and I want someone to take care of and pamper me. Typically, I’m not that kind of girl.
Yet, I want to be now. I want to be able to feel safe when I sleep, knowing that someone isn’t trying to break into my apartment. I don’t want to have my nightmares alone.
“Good girl,” he whispers, kissing away the tear that falls at the gravity of my thoughts.
Maree, wherever you are, I hope you’d never hate me for choosing to be happy.
Sixteen
CALEB
I hate hiding shit from Hollis.
Her brown hair is tangled, but at least she’s in clean clothes. I went to her apartment to get her all her things while Cian had someone join my brother to stand guard at the door.
Hopefully, she’ll be able to soak in a tub and sleep at Pack Ledger’s home. She has a lot of healing to do. That’s what I tell myself at least as I give Lars a warning glare to not tell Hollis about the midwife who has her eyes.
“If you need anything, or find you’re missing something, text me,” I say as I wheel her outside. There’s a warm blanket wrapped around her that I brought from her apartment, and Remy has her bags in his hand.
“I will,” Hollis murmurs. “Why are you being weird, Caleb?”
“Other than the fact that Emilia is gunning for you and laughing about it on her podcasts?” I ask, pushing my hand through my hair as I deflect hard. “The Little Rabbit has madethree videos about this shit, Hollis. They’re basically waging war against each other at this point.”
“I have to issue a statement, but I haven’t decided if I’m going to keep my camera on or not,” she sighs. “I don’t like the idea of sympathy views.”
“Awareness isn’t begging for sympathy,” I growl. “You make me insane, woman. I don’t see weakness when I look at you, I see someone who motherfucking survived a terrible beating.”
“Cian says that there was a burn mark on one of their necks,” Lars grunts.
“The brute lifted me and decided to wear me like a fucked up scarf,” she grumbles. “What else was I supposed to do?”
