Page 36 of A Promise of Forever
Astra hums in response and then downs the rest of his champagne before dropping himself up on the pillows. "Whatdoyou want to do, Sterling?"
The question stops me cold because I have absolutely no answer. "I have no idea. I just... It's nice not having to run anymore."
The admission feels small and pathetic, but it's the truth. Right now, just existing without constant fear feels like enough of an accomplishment. I don't have the mental capacity to think about jobs or hobbies or building a life beyond basic survival.
Astra offers me a sympathetic grin. "Yes, yes, it is nice. I always thought I'd be out there on my own forever and never stay anywhere long enough to call it home. Now, I can't imagine a day without my mates, without the security of knowing exactly where I belong."
I manage a small smile, thinking about Forrest's words from earlier. How he said he was falling in love with me, how he promised to adapt his world to make space for me, just like his father did for his Omega parent.
I let out a little huff of breath, looking over toward where Forrest stands with Bryn, then back to Astra. He snorts as he sits up fully to grab a handful of grapes from the food tray. “You're wondering what happened to me before here, aren't you? It's fine. I… stripped at a few of the clubs around the state. Paid good money, but I was taught I was only as good as my best performance. Which is why I was always trying to please Bryn and Caelan.”
That explains how comfortable Astra is talking about certain things, but now I'm imagining what would even take place in a club like that or how it would work.
“Don't hurt yourself, Sterling. I'm not sure it would be your thing and I only do private shows for my mates upon request or when I need something.” He catches my sudden confusion. “Seriously? We're Omegas. We can literally use our bodies as a weapon to get anything we want. Believe me, when you figure out how to control your emotions a little better, Forrest will be at your feet.”
I'm not sure if I want that. Not that, Forrest isn't already doing everything I could ask for right now. I go to ask another question when something shifts in the atmosphere, a tension that makes my Omega instincts perk up with alarm.
I look up to see Forrest's lip turning up in a snarl, his expression transforming from business-focused to dangerous in an instant. Caelan immediately goes over to him, and they have a brief, intense conversation that I can't hear from this distance.
I sit up straighter in the nest, anxiety flooding back through the champagne haze. Forrest stalks over toward me with that predatory grace that should terrify me, but instead makes me brace for impact while also craving his presence.
He softens the moment he gets close, all that dangerous energy redirecting away from me. Forrest leans in for a kiss but stops a few inches short, giving me the choice to close the distance or pull away. The consideration, even in the midst of whatever's making him angry, makes my heart swell with emotion.
I press the rest of the way forward, letting Forrest claim my mouth with his. The kiss is possessive and grounding, reminding me that I'm his and he's mine regardless of whatever business crisis is happening. I moan into the embrace, my hands coming up to grip his shoulders.
When we finally break apart, Forrest's voice is rougher than usual, barely contained rage coating his words. "Caelan and Astra are staying up here with you, but I need to take care of something downstairs."
I don't want to let him go. The thought of being separated right now, when I'm feeling vulnerable and slightly drunk on champagne, makes panic flutter in my chest. But I force myself to lean back and ask the question that matters most.
"You'll come back to me, though, right?"
Forrest's expression softens completely, all traces of his earlier snarl disappearing. "The moment I'm done, we'll go home. Together. I promise."
The reassurance helps, though I still feel uneasy about him leaving. "Okay."
Forrest presses one more quick kiss to my forehead, before he and Bryn head for the door with Thea following. The viewing box suddenly feels much emptier and quieter without their presence.
Caelan moves to sit on the couch, positioning himself where he can see both Astra and me while also keeping an eye on the activities below. I look at him with questions written all over my face, needing to understand what just happened.
"Apparently, some fucker thought it'd be good to bring drugs into the club," Caelan explains with obvious frustration written all over his face. "So my brother is taking care of it personally. Usually, it would be me or Lorcan handling enforcement, but these idiots aren't getting the hint. They'll get the hint when Forrest and Bryn show up."
The casual way he discusses violence as problem-solving still throws me off balance. However, the fact that an Alpha has to sit back and let a Valla step in makes me wonder how Caelan deals with everything. "Do you ever feel slighted? That Forrest handles things instead of letting you do it?"
Caelan just shakes his head, reaching forward to run his fingers through Astra's hair. "Maybe I used to feel that way when I was younger and trying to prove myself. But that's not my job function, and I don't want it to be. I'm not an enforcer and I have no desire to be one. I like where I am in this organization, managing fighters and coordinating logistics. That's what I'm good at."
I nod, appreciating his honesty. Then I sit up a little more to look down into the ring below, drawn by some instinct I don't fully understand. I frown when I see a very beat-up Alpha struggling to get to the exit door, security personnel flanking him on both sides to make sure he actually leaves.
"That's Dorian," Caelan says, following my line of sight. "He shorted us several hundred thousand dollars and apparently he's one of the sources bringing drugs into the venue. Forrest dealt with him when you guys came much earlier this morning, but he showed up tonight to announce transferring his fighters like Forrest demanded."
Recognition clicks in my mind. "That's the man Forrest hurt yesterday. The one he told me about."
Astra shifts in the nest, drawing closer to Caelan, his voice taking on a defensive quality. "He does it for good causes, though. The violence, I mean. It's not random or cruel. It's about protecting people and maintaining order in a world that doesn't have normal rules."
I shake my head, cutting off his explanation. "You don't need to explain it to me or justify what Forrest does. I'm not scared of him, not really. I'm trying to wrap my head around how his world works, but I know I'm safe with him. And I know he loves me."
Caelan's head snaps toward me, his eyebrows raised in surprise. "Hold up, my brother said he loves you?"
Heat floods my cheeks. "He said he's falling for me. That he thinks he's already falling in love."
