Page 86 of Omega's Dream (The Hartwell Sisters Saga 4)

“Fear not, omega. You can have your outrageous demand. But—”

“Yes?”

“Do I get a reward for not arguing?”

She spluttered, gripping Puck’s arm and burying her face in his chest as she laughed. “You are pathetic.” She turned to Jude. “That is the alpha who punched her. He can have a reward. What would you like as a reward?”

Jude smirked. “A game of spillikins. But when we have time.”

“Do you mean the winner gets sexual favours?” Puck folded his arms on the table and leaned forward.

“Favours. What you choose to ask for is your prerogative.” He tossed of the rest of his port then looked me dead in the eye. “First you and I must talk.”

Puck and Polly smirked. If they hadn’t I might have reminded Jude of his place.

“He’s more fun when he goes alpha,” Puck purred.

“I would never have agreed with you before.” Polly sipped from her empty glass. “But I’m beginning to see the appeal. Alpha, will you help me bathe?”

“Of course, omega.” They swanned out of the room, leaving me with a bristling pup.

“Beware and don’t bite the hand that feeds you,” I warned. “Keep those teeth—”

“There will be changes that you need to get used to.” He crossed his arms.

“I’m not going to be lectured by a man fourteen years my junior.” I stood. “And I had more experiences in those first years than you’ve had in all yours.”

He must have learned something from Puck because he squared up to me. Smiling, he took a step forward. Damned if I’d let him intimidate me. Yes I found myself backed into the wall, his eyes a perfectly black fire.

“I’ll get down on my knees for you, Oberon,” he said with such control I found myself responding. “But I’m no pup to be petted on the head and treated as if I were fresh out of the nursery. And I think it is time you learnt that.”

“What did you have in mind? Are you going to fuck me?” The darkest part of my soul wanted him to pull out the lash and make me howl with the sweet agony of it. Knowing my pup, though, I expected something far more tame.

“Something like that.”

He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into a hug.

I froze. My body was as primed to attack as if he had levelled a gun at my heart.

“Hug me back, you ass.” His growl was tinged with a bark he’d never dared direct towards me. Who had been the last to hug me? Sophia and we must have been children. Where did you put your hands? Around the other person and the action could be done but I remained stiff even as I felt him melt into me. His lips brushed against my pulse. “Pol will take care of the household arrangements, I’m bad with numbers so I’ll coordinate our spies and information gathering, Puck will oversee the training. All you will do is accounts, though Pol with want to check everything over.”

“Are you—”

“I’m saying you’re going to stop meddling and share your burdens.”

“Never.”

“Yes.” He sucked sensitive skin along my throat. My shoulders dropped, the tension–the discomfort–draining from my body. The hug was no longer one sided. And Jude knew, chuckling, he pressed his thigh between mine. “You’ll sleep in like the old man you are.”

“Never.” It sounded more like a groan than denial and then turned into a full throated purr as he reached between us and cupped my cock.

He continued with firm strokes while he whispered plans of an idyllic, bucolic nature. And while at first I resisted the thought of spending the day in bed not because I’d stayed up till dawn managing the Hell. Damn him but each new scene seduced.

“You’ll be able to speculate on the exchange,” he murmured, nipping at the sensitive skin under my ear. “Think of all the money you could make by applying the knowledge we gain? And all of it legal. Close down the Hell, if you want. Move to Omega House and get Polly fat with child.”

I gripped his hair and pulled his head back so that I could look in his eyes. “Is that what she wants?”

“I don’t know,” he admitted. The mask of control he’d fostered slipped. “She might not now but we all see how she dotes on Tod. He’ll be more independent every year. She’ll want another.”

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