Page 92 of Begrudgingly Yours
“Yes, this place belongs to my parents,” Dax confirms. “But really, I’m the only one that comes here. Everett and I come up here during the summertime before training starts. We’ll have privacy here.”
We make it to a long hallway, passingsomany doors.Where the heck are we going?
The door at the end is black and tall. I somehow figure out what’s behind it before they push it all the way open.
The nest is huge, making my omega poke her head up fromthe nap she was taking. The bed is probably the biggest one I’ve ever seen, the floor padded so it feels like a comforter under my feet. There’s a mix of blues, blacks, and reds everywhere. Pillows, blankets, a special Tiamat plushie that yearns to be in my hands.
“What the hell is this?” I ask.
“This,” Dax starts, probably doing a mental drumroll, “is your nest. Your temporary nest. It’s also the biggest room here so we can all be together in the same room, if that’s what your omega wants.”
I walk in, taking in all of it. There’s a skylight so you can see the stars. I gasp at the beauty of it, my hand going to my chest.
“This is beautiful,” I trail off, noticing they haven’t followed me in. “What are you guys doing?”
“It’s not polite to enter an omega’s nest without permission,” Everett jests, giving me a cheeky smile.
I roll my eyes, but the elation I feel from the statement shows clearly on my face. “Get in here, you meatheads.”
They walk in then and join me on the bed, taking up space as we sprawl out. We all need a minute to breathe after the hurried goodbye from the penthouse.
“I’m sorry that this ruined your holiday with your families,” I say to Dax and Everett. “If I wasn’t here, maybe she wouldn’t have done that.”
“No,” Dax replies, his tone firm. “I have no idea what’s been going on with Nicole lately, but she’s been moody and mean and nothing like the sister I know. I’m so sorry that she tried to mess with you like that. You didn’t deserve that, Omega.”
“She’s been like that all semester,” Jett tells him, taking residence at my side. “She’s constantly tearing her down, saying nasty things. I don’t think I’ve ever not known her to be this way.”
Dax nods. “I know. There’s no excuse. I have no idea what’s going on, but I know that I don’t want to let it affectus.”
The desperation in his face causes something to crack inside of me. “It’s not going to affect us, Dax.” I swallow thickly. “We’re your pack.”
His eyes are still sad but he gives me a smile.I love you, he mouths to me, and I mouth it back, the moment just for us.
“So, do you think you’re still up for what I have planned tonight?” Dax asks, hope shining in his eyes.
“You had something planned?” I ask.
Everett catches my eye. His face looks proud as he says, “It’s probably his best courting gift yet.”
I look over at Jett, who’s giving me a knowing look. “Trust me, Rory. You’re not going to want to miss this.”
Well, I guess it’s decided then. “Alright, let’s do it.”
Jett was right.Idefinitelydidn’t want to miss this.
The set looks just like it does on TV, minus the emptiness behind the walls that are hidden by the camera. Beige walls, the iconic long orange sofa in the family’s living room. I keep pinching my arm to remind myself this is real.
My new favorite sitcom, the one I’ve been binging, isright herein front of me. In a few minutes, the actors are going to be coming in from their dressing rooms to film the first episode of the new season and we get to be here to experience it.
The second we walked in, I let out the most embarrassing squeal in the world and got a few ugly looks from the workers, but my reaction was real so I’m going to stand by it.
“I still can’t believe we’re here,” I say with wonder.
“After our first date, when we were watchingit, it gave me the idea. When I found out it was filmed in New York, it felt like kismet.”
“You knew this was something I would like, even before I told you?” I ask.
His cheeks redden as he nods, so unlike him but also so endearing. “That’s why when you said it was your perfect date, I panicked. I didn’t want to give the surprise away.”
