Page 54 of Begrudgingly Yours
I sigh. “And you’re his scent match.”
Rory sucks in a deep breath, like she’s still trying to keep the secret inside. When she realizes there’s no way to talk her way around this, her face hardens. “Did he tell you that?”
I shake my head. “Not that it was you. Just that he had one. That she was in his major and that he was acting alongside her. And how it’s been messing with his head.”
“Messing withhishead?!” she hisses. “I’m not doing anything. He kept the fact that we were scent matches a secret fortwo whole years. That washischoice.”
“And so what? Lying to him about knowing his pack mates will somehow even the score?” I ask a bit harsher than I expected.
She flinches, the fight leaving her as fast as it arrived. “It’s not about that.”
“Then what is it about?” I take a step towards her just as she takes a step back. I halt my descent, not wanting to invade her space. “What are you afraid of, Rory? You know that Dax and I want you, and now our pack mate is your scent match.”
She shakes her head. I can practically hear her thoughts, willing this conversation to end but it can’t. Now that I know the truth, I won’t stop until I figure out what my girl needs. I take a careful step forward and—this time—she lets me.
“I saw you with Jett just now,” I whisper, with a hushed tone so only she can hear. “I saw how calm he made you. You want us, too. Don’t you?”
She lets me get closer than I expect, close enough to touch her, but then she puts her hand up on my chest to stop me.
“I can’t,” she says in a broken whisper. “I have to go.”
“Rory, wait, I’m sorry—” I rush to say, thinking I’ve ruined it. Thinking I pushed too quickly, but she cuts meoff.
“I’m sorry, too.” And then she’s walking off, her warning final. Déjà vu plays as I watch her walk away just like she did with Jett minutes ago… with yearning. With hunger. And with sorrow.
TWENTY-SEVEN
Playing: party 4 u by Charlie xcx
Our humble abodeis swarming with people. I walk through the house greeting as many people as I can, feeling on top of the world. I love the energy at these things, how everyone is ready to let loose and fully embrace the recklessness of our youth.
It’s also Halloween, and the variety of costumes really brings this fraternity to life. One of my frat brothers is carrying a plastic gun while wearing both a tuxedo and a shibari chest harness. When I asked who he was supposed to be, he said, “Bondage. James Bondage.”
I slide past a few people in the hallway, careful not to hit them with the whip in my hand. The leather slides between my fingers as I wrap it up, placing it on my hip as I steer toward the kitchen. I can see Jett and Everett, my destination just in reach, but a hand reaches out to stop me in my tracks.
“Dax, happy birthday!” a feminine voice says to me. Twobetas dressed as polarizing angels are in front of me and I recognize them as sorority sisters from Beta Gamma. “You look snazzy.”
I give them a polite grin. “Thank you.” I don’t remember their names, but that doesn’t really matter. “Although, it’s not my birthday anymore. I just wanted a costume party instead of a normal banger.”
“Wanted a chance to show off that wonderful physique,” the other girl comments while fluttering her eyelashes. She says it very smooth, the salaciousness subtle. Maybe I would be interested in flirting if I didn’t already have someone occupying my thoughts, but that ship has long since sailed. There’s only one girl I want flirting with me, and she’d probably do it by insulting me. The thought makes my dick twitch.
“I wanted to be an adventurer,” I say nicely. “I should get going?—”
“Rebecca said your philanthropy event is later this month. We can’t wait to help anyway we can,” the first angel says. I give her a solid nod, because it’s an important benefit. Both fraternities and sororities are expected to raise money for a specific philanthropy. It’s Sam’s favorite thing about being president. He’s passionate about charity, and he even goes out of his way to help as many local organizations as he can.
As social chair, I’m tasked with inviting important people and gauging the relationships between the Greek houses. Unfortunately for these two Beta Gammas, I’m off the clock. It’s my birthday celebration and I want to be with my pack.
“It’s going to be great. Sam has all the information if you want to discuss it more. He should be here with his pack soon.” I give them a cordial smile before walking off without another word and heading to the kitchen to finally join my pack.
Everett, Jett, and Thatcher stand together near the fridge. Our fraternity brother and teammate has on his usual stoicmug, but it’s shaded by the black hood over his face. His executioner’s sword looks heavy and uncomfortable. “You look fucking creepy,” I say to him as I join the group. “Are you trying to ward people away from you?”
Thatcher looks at me with a deadpan expression. “Only because someone wanted to have a fucking costume party.”
His tone is light despite the look on his face. I laugh before pouring myself a drink at the counter. “Our grumpy defenseman, ever the loner,” I tease.
He huffs with amusement just before Sam walks in, looking around. He’s wearing head to toe plaid, a magnifying glass sticking out of his pocket. “Sherlock Holmes!” I yell to him.
He looks over and flips me the finger before spotting his executioner pack mate. “I need help with something,” he says before heading right out. Thatcher follows without any questions.
