Page 7 of Lavender and Lightning

“I… I thought I might have recognized the scent. But I don’t know. I don’t—”

“What was that, love?” Rhett asks loudly.

Lucas turns and Rhett’s standing at the open fridge, a large bowl covered in plastic wrap in one hand.

“It’s nothing. I just… yeah, it’s nothing,” I tell him, stumbling under the intensity of Rhett’s stare.

“It doesn’t sound like nothing to me,” he returns, putting the bowl back and closing the fridge door with a little more force than is strictly necessary.

“If I tell you, can you promise me that you aren’t going to storm out of here?” I ask pointedly.

Rhett opens his mouth, but his eyes flick to Lucas, and he stops short. Just like I thought. Rhett doesn’t make promises he can’t keep.

“Then it is nothing for the time being,” I say, trying to put as much finality into my tone as I can manage.

“But—”

“Rhett, just drop it, okay? You’re on a hair trigger right now, and we need you here, not out there, taking matters into your own hands,” Lucas interrupts heatedly.

Rhett goes quiet, looking at us both for a long time before he sighs and shakes his head. This isn’t over, but at least we’d bought time for Rhett to cool off. Because Lucas is right. I’m not going to be responsible for Rhett turning to vigilante justice based entirely on a hunch. The idea of Rhett going to jail and not being here when I need him to anchor me makes my stomach churn all over.

It’s not long before I hear the garage door open again, and I look up at Lucas’s face. His eyes fix onto the mudroom door, expression neutral but eyes keen. His arms tighten for just a moment before the slamming of the door sounds. I turn as rapid footsteps follow, my chest fully relaxing the moment my nose detects lemonade and fresh cut grass. I’m pulled from Lucas’s embrace by gentle, calloused hands, only to be wrapped up again, one hand on the back of my head, holding me with the utmost care.

“Lydia.”

The sound of Mateo’s relieved exhale warms my chest and fills my soul with light. I use my good arm to clutch to the front of his suit jacket, the expensive material silky smooth under my fingers. Mateo’s face finds its way to the junction of my neck and shoulder, his lips pressing a gentle kiss to my skin that makes goosebumps rise on every part of my body.

“I’m safe,” I whisper, nuzzling as close as I can.

Mateo only purrs, holding me just a hair tighter. It’s not the full, body-melding embraces that I’ve come to love, but just being close and feeling his warmth is good enough for now.

“Ted is calling EPD and setting up a time to finish your interviews. It was really stupid of you to walk out like that.”

At the sound of Alexandra’s voice, I look up and find her striding across the room, her red-bottom pumps clacking loudly on the hardwood. Her charcoal gray pencil skirt and emerald green blouse cling to her stunning curves in all the best ways, and I can’t help the moisture that forms in my mouth as she slides elegantly onto the stool next to where Mateo and I are standing. A small wave of her scent washes over me, the mulled wine and spice making me shiver slightly. Lucas shimmies out from behind us, brushing a quick kiss to her cheek before rounding the island and hopping up to sit on the counter next to the sink. I turn slightly toward her, my skin prickling with awareness as her hazel eyes slide down my body and then back up again. Her inspection only lasts a moment, but it lingers long after she’s nodded ever so slightly to herself, as if satisfied. She reaches up and tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear, and even that feather-light touch has me leaning in for a moment before I catch myself.

I turn more fully in Mateo’s arms, hoping to hide the rising heat in my cheeks. Rhett’s icy blue eyes miss nothing, of course, and he gives me a pointed quirk of an eyebrow, only making me blush harder. The corner of his lips twitches up. He stabs his fork pointedly into his macaroni salad as he leans casually against the counter next to the fridge, legs stretched out with his ankles crossed.

“Lee can fucking bite me,” Rhett returns through a mouth half full of food.

Oh, right. I’d nearly forgotten that Rhett pissed off a cop. Alexandra simply walking into a room scrambles my brain more than the carnival Tilt-a-Whirl.

“I mean… if it was a big deal, I could have stuck around for a few minutes,” I add, trying to keep my voice neutral and force my blush to fade by sheer will.

“It’s fine now. Ted smoothed the ruffled feathers, citing alpha priority,” she says, turning a placid smile in my direction.

I cock my head to the side, confused. Mateo’s hands tighten on my waist, and he brushes a kiss to the top of my head.

“If an omega is in distress, their alpha has authority to limit access to them until such a time when the omega is able to handle the situation. It’s usually only applicable for bond mates, but Ted is very persuasive,” Alexandra explains, speaking first to me and then very pointedly at Rhett.

He only shrugs and takes another bite of his food. I chew on my lower lip. I knew we should have stayed, if for no other reason than to avoid this sort of mess. A little involuntary shudder runs down my spine as I think about how many people were in my apartment, and how much of my nest has been destroyed by now.

“Just so you know, your landlord was there when Ted arrived. They were installing a new door for you,” she goes on.

I nod and let out a little sigh of relief. At least my apartment will be safe for the time being.

“What happened with court?” Lucas asks, redirecting the conversation.

Mateo lets out a huff, and my heart tightens. Well, this can’t be good.

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