Page 64 of Follow the Rhythm
“Didn’t want to do what?” he asked quietly.
“Live,” I said bluntly. “Do you know what they do to Omegas who attempt suicide? They track down your family using the National Omega Network to find a ‘support system’ for you. They found my dad, told him he had a fucked up adult daughter, and, surprise, surprise, he still didn’t want me. So they shoved me into an Omega Center and gave me therapy and told me everything would be fine if I just found a pack.” I turned away so I didn’t have to meet his hazel eyes. They looked intensely green in the light of the restaurant. “So there. That’s me. Are you still intrigued?”
I didn’t give him a chance to respond. My heart was pounding again, but not in a good way. I felt the panic crawling up my throat again. I tossed my napkin onto my mostly empty plate and fled outside into the sultry evening air.
After a few deep breaths, the panic receded, and I felt weirdly exhilarated. There was a kind of freedom in ruining something yourself before someone else had the chance. I rushed away from the restaurant.
“Please stop.” Kieran caught up with me almost immediately. Of course he did.
“I’ll call a secure cab so you don’t have to worry about the poor, little, weak Omega,” I snapped. I wouldnotlook at him; I couldn’t take the pity. “Just let me walk for a minute.”
“Jess. Please.”
Something in his voice made me stop.
“What? Want me to embarrass myself some more?” I turned to face him. We squared off on the sidewalk.
“Michael killed himself,” Kieran said roughly, his eyes shining. “We called it an accidental overdose in the press, but it was suicide.”
Fuck. My stomach churned, and I reached for his hands without thinking.
“The last album,Reward, is basically one long suicide note. Of course, the label wanted us to release the album anyway because of our contract, but the tour was a compromise to keep it under wraps.”
“Oh god. I’m so sorry, I didn’t know-”
He cut me off. “Stop. Don’t apologize, please. I’m telling you because I want you to know that you can’t scare me off.”
I swallowed. His eyes looked bluish gray now in the evening light.
“You have me, love. In whatever capacity you want. And if that’s just as a friend, I’ll understand.” His hand loosely encircled my wrist, like he was afraid I’d run away again. “But unless you tell me otherwise, I’m not going anywhere.”
My first instinct, as always, was to push him away. I knew if I told him to leave me alone, he would. I could block him out, wall myself up, retreat inside where I was safe.
I chose something different.
“I don’t want another friend,” I said, and leaned up on my tiptoes. Kieran met me halfway.
Our lips finally met in a kiss so gentle it could have been an accident. He brushed the hair back from my face, his hand holding me in place. I wanted more, but he froze.
“Are you sure?” he breathed, against my lips.
“Yes.”
“Thank god,” he growled.
We made it back into the car, him pulling me swiftly along behind him, before he kissed me again. This time wasn’t gentle. He tilted my head so he could plunder my mouth with long,sinuous strokes of his tongue. I whined, imagining he’d lick my clit the same way. Kieran’s lips wandered from my lips to the curve of my jaw, to the sensitive spot behind my ear. I was already wet and perfuming like crazy.
“I had other plans for tonight,” Kieran said against the side of my neck. “I wanted to take things slow.”
“Fuck slow. Take me back to the hotel,” I said, sounding bossier than I meant to.
“Oh, love, you’re going to be the death of me.” He gave me one last kiss before starting the car.
We kept our hands to ourselves long enough to cross the hotel lobby. The clerk behind the desk looked up, probably slightly alarmed by the fog of pheromones flooding their space. I gave her an apologetic shrug. But while waiting for the elevator, Kieran wrapped himself around me and brushed his nose along my neck. I shivered as he nipped at the outer curve of my ear.
When the elevator door pinged open, and Bea and Ellis emerged, I froze. Ellis froze too. His nostrils flared, and I knew he could smell my perfume. Kieran didn’t let go of me.
Bea smirked at us. “Oh, how original. The Omega found an Alpha to sink her claws into. I thought you were smarter than that, Kieran.”
