Page 98 of Too Tempting

Shyla cups my face. She looks at me like she has a lie detector built into her pretty eyes. Whatever she sees in me must make her feel better as she cradles my jaw.

“What did Meera tell you about our family?” she asks.

I shrug. “Not much. It was a topic she didn’t talk about. I thought it was weird that after we were together for so long, she never introduced me. But I clearly ignored a lot of red flags in that relationship.”

Shyla nods and licks her lips for a moment before looking back at my face. “Our father abused all of us. Our mother, Meera, and myself. Though my mother took the worst of it. We watched her deteriorate to the woman she is today, and it was painful. I never understood why she didn’t leave, why she didn’t protect us. Looking back now, I understand that it’s a lot more complicated than that. But I decided when I was an adult that I wouldn’t be anything like him, that I wouldn’t continue that cycle. My greatest fear is being anything like him and knowing… knowing that my sister continued that cycle of abuse kills me. Knowing that it’s possible for me to hurt you or Emmett in that way.”

I stop her, grabbing her hands under the water. “Shyla, I trust you. Thank you for sharing your history. But know that knowing that, and you being related to Meera, doesn’t change my feelings for you at all.” I don’t know what else to say other than that. When something tragic happens to you, you don’t want to hear pity or apologies that aren’t yours to give. You want to hear the truth.

She leans forward. Her forehead is against mine. My hair is damp from the shower earlier as she sighs. Her fingers wrapped around my neck in a gentle embrace. “I plan on spending forever showing you I deserve this chance.”

As an Omega, fresh off their heat, it makes me cry, she pulls me closer. Now we’re in the middle of the tub, my legs on the opposite side, and hers under mine.

She rubs gentle circles on my back as I breathe through my tears. Fuck being this emotional, but I just can’t stop it. I feel so overwhelmed. The last few weeks have been so much stress on me, and my heat drained all my resources. It just needs to be let out.

“I wanted to mark you during your heat. If it weren’t for the no biting policy at Heat Haven, I don’t think I would have been strong enough not to. I want this. Me, you, Emmett, Cam, and I can even tolerate the big fucker.”

That makes me laugh during my crying and I pull away. “You really think you two can learn to like each other?”

“At the very least, tolerate. I mean, I need someone who can toss you all around like rag dolls.” I laugh and lean into her again. Her scent is light but perfect. Her chest purrs, making the bath water ripple beneath us.

“I love you, Shyla,” I whisper. She pulls me back to look in my eyes, she smiles and leans in to kiss me.

The kiss is feather light as she pulls away and she whispers the words against my mouth. “I love you too.”

Chapter 37

Nervousisafuckingunderstatement. Kelsey looks happy as a fucking clam as she holds my hand and tugs me into the office.

“Robin is great, and she’s introducing us to Morgan. It’ll be great, I promise,” she says as Dom opens the glass door for us all. We all pile into the foyer. Shyla is quiet and Emmett is well, Emmett. He’s just happy to be here. Even if it is a pack therapy session.

“Hi, Annett,” Kelsey says with a smile at the woman sitting behind the front desk. I expected it to feel like a doctor’s office, but the place is far more cozy than I imagined it would be. The space is soft. There is a water feature in the corner and the waiting room is couches instead of hard uncomfortable waiting chairs.

“Well, you sure brought a few more people than normal,” she says with a wink.

“We’re here for Robin and Morgan.” It’s interesting that Kelsey doesn’t call them by their last name or at least a doctor. Is that a shrink thing?

“Of course, let’s go to the pack room.”

“So exciting,” Kelsey says. Her grip is tight on my hand as she drags me down the hallway.

This last week has been interesting and confusing at the same time. We’ve decided to give this a real go. We’re all committing to each other in some form or another. Whether it’s a relationship or friendship or sharing major duties in the pack.

We’ve found that Kelsey’s home seems to be the central place for us all to meet, but it’s getting cramped. Our house is too small for everyone, and I don’t know how Dom would feel about moving to Shyla’s, either.

We walk through the door frame. There is a beanbag chair, a large gray sectional and a loveseat in the room. The scent is neutral, and the lighting is dim and serene. I find my guard slowly dropping as Kelsey tugs me down to the beanbag chair with her laughing.

“What if I wanted the beanbag?” Dom says in a serious tone.

“I could sit on your lap. Or maybe an Omega on each knee?” she suggests, and it grants us a small flush on his cheeks, knowing full well we wouldn’t want that when we’re in therapy, of all places.

Dom sits to the left, Emmett in the middle, and Shyla on the other side of Emmett. If you would have told me those three would be as comfortable as they are now, I wouldn’t have believed you, but I’m happy about it.

Two women enter the room, one with tortoise-shell glasses, gives Kelsey a beaming smile. The other woman seems just as friendly, but doesn’t greet Kelsey the same way.

“Welcome to Changing Tides. I’m Morgan and this is my colleague Robin, whom I know you are familiar with, Kelsey.”

Kelsey nods her head, her hand still in mine. That she hasn’t let go comforts me.

---