Page 116 of The Pack Next Door
“And fucked that up completely.”
Jace’s smile faded.
“But we’re learning what’s important to you now.” Gideon unlocked his phone and pushed it towards me, pressing play on the video that was on screen, and that’s when I heard Emma’s excited chatter come through the speakers.
“The natural stone against the pottery… The colours in the stained glass windows! We can set up plinths all through the space, and the fact it’s an old church will give everything a kind of ceremonial air…”
I saw it, everything she described and more. My mind began to race and when I pulled away, Jace’s hand slid down my back.
“What…?” The moment I saw the Whitlocks, it was like waves were created in the too-still lake of my life. They’d gotten higher and faster, forcing me to swim with them. I’d kept my head above water, paddling for my life, as I often did, but now. Now they were coming too hard, too fast, and I was drowning. My elbows dropped down to the desk as I stared at the phone then them. “Can someone explain what’s happening?”
“We screwed everything up.” There was a terrible finality about Gideon’s voice. “You were right. Fate decided that we were the alphas for you, so it was on us to make your life exponentially better, not…” His lips pursed but he relaxed them with effort. “Not try to shoehorn you into ours.”
“Mads sees it clearly.” I turned to see Jace scrubbing glue from his hands. “This is our alpha trials. We don’t need to impress the town. Just you. Whatever it takes to help you feel safe, feel supported, like you aren’t in this shit alone? That’s what we’ll do.”
“The launch, this business.” Gideon looked around the warehouse. “This is what’s important, so I went with Emma to deal with the deposit issue. There won’t be a launch at the convention centre.” I felt a pang at that, something he noted with a nod, but then he forged on. “So I impressed upon the manager that he needed to look after the business relationship he had with you. There were some alternatives and Emma seemed to think this venue would work better. I do too.”
I sank down onto a stool and Jace’s arm was a warm weight around my waist. It helped ground me because right now I felt like I was going to float away. Relief, sweet relief, but more than that. Before, I had a product launch I was excited about, but this? This was something far grander. With a grin, I looked at both of them.
“I think we go for it.”
Jace darted in, pressing a kiss to my forehead and Gideon looked like he’d do the same, when his phone started ringing. We all stared at the screen, seeing a video call from Mads was coming through. My finger moved on automatic, accepting the call and then his face appeared on the screen.
“Gideon?” His face was a little flushed, his eyes shining. “Oh, hey, babe.” Just like that, he was using a pet name, as if we’d been together forever. “Just the girl I want to talk to. Tom!”
“What!”
“Tom…?”
I had questions, so many questions, but right then the potter appeared on screen.
“This one’s a keeper, Briar.” Tom looked like he’d had a couple of beers, and so had everyone else if the noise in the background was anything to go by. “Don’t let him get away, or the one that did this.” The reason for Mads’ trip was soon evident as a gold laced pot was presented to the screen. “Broke my damn heart, the smashed up pieces, but that Jace?—”
“Hey, Tom!” Jace called out.
“If Briar doesn’t want you, mate, you can come and work on the farm. Can round up sheep and fix cracked pots? I’ll have more than enough work to keep you busy.”
“No, can do, Tom.” Jace pulled me close and then pressed a kiss to my burning cheeks. “Not when my girl’s right here.”
“Well, these repairs are fucking brilliant, mate,” Tom said and there was a roar from the pub behind him. “Tell me when the launch is, Briar, and I’ll drive down for it.”
“But you…”
Tom never came to the city. Born here, his scorn for large urban centres was palpable. It was only when Honey threatened to leave him that he’d relent and come with her to do some shopping. He was gone before I could say much more and Mads came back on screen.
“So, whaddya think, omega?” His grin made clear he knew exactly what he was doing, using my designation. “Wanna do a product launch with us?”
Chapter 57
Jace
There was no feeling better than making my mate smile.
Well, maybe being with her a little tipsy in the back seat of her car, with Gideon driving us to the hotel. Her mouth on mine, hungry now, and not just because her hormones were pushing her too. Because she needed me just as much as I needed her, and that was everything. More important than road safety laws it appeared, because her seat belt was off, the frantic beep of the sensor the perfect match for my heartbeat as she climbed into my lap.
“Fuck…” I hissed, my hands clamping down on her hips, lest Briar try to pull away. She wouldn’t. With a smile, her hips began to grind down, forcing me to feel great fireworks of pleasure.
“Just like that?” There was a slightly mocking edge to her voice. “Is that what you need?”
