Page 117 of Running on Empty

“You beat us here.” We turned around to see the dads and Lois had arrived and were walking in through the door. “I get the Ash is an uptight prick some of the time, but fuck, he might have a point when you’re behind the wheel,” Blue said.

“Finally, some validation,” Ash groaned, then clicked his fingers until Ronan deposited the keys in his palm. “Just think of it this way, if I’m driving, you can be in the backseat with the omega.”

“And you can watch us make her gasp, you fucking perv,” Ronan said, punching Ash in the arm before walking outside. “What’s a man got to do to get a beer around here?”

“This…” Lois flushed when I looked her way, but she came forward and took my hands in hers. “This is an apology of sorts. My mates filled me in on… everything really and I’m…”

“Fuck, don’t cry, Lois,” I said, watching her eyes well with tears, my own sockets starting to ache.

“I can’t help it.” She let go of one hand to dash them away, but more formed straight afterwards. “You try as a mother to do what’s right for your kids, but…” She blinked and blinked. “That doesn’t mean you get it right. I’m so sorry, love.”

“Lois, you don’t—”

Any reply I might have was choked off as she pulled me closer, wrapping me in the softest of hugs, one that made me just want to stay there forever, just like I had when I was a kid. But I was different now, an adult too, so I pulled back and squeezed her hands.

“You don’t have to be sorry,” I said. “If I have kids of my own…”

My voice trailed away as everyone in the room got suddenly very interested in what I had to say.

“Kids, omega?” Ash asked in a low rumble.

“I…” The dads chuckled as it looked like I could see hearts blooming in Lois’ eyes, her expression becoming transcendent. “I really need some of Cat’s cobb loaf dip. Gotta go.”

But as I stumbled out into the backyard, I saw just how much effort had been put into this whole thing. Everyone stopped what they were doing, even kids coming skidding to a halt mid play at my arrival. I felt the need to run across the backyard and jump over the fence again, to throw myself into my house via my bedroom window, because there, across the backyard, had been hung a sign. Painted by the kids it looked like, every letter featured polka dots or stripes, some even made to resemble animals, I just stared, taking in the message.

Welcome to the family.

“Whaddya reckon, kid?” Cat asked, appearing by my side and nudging me with an elbow. “I can finally share my cobb loaf dip recipe with you, because you have been formally adopted by the Kelly clan.”

I’d held back the tears before but I had no chance now. My eyes filled even as I smiled and smiled until my face ached, until I could formally respond.

“I love it.”

Chapter67

Six months later

I woke up to the sound of my alarm blaring, reaching for my phone blindly. Tap, tap, tap, there! Gotcha. I turned the alarm off without even looking at the damn thing, the movements automatic and then I groaned. But before I could open my eyes, I felt the prickly kiss of one of my alpha’s.

“Mm…” I snuggled into him, my lips parting, my tongue finding his. I used to worry about morning breath, but we’d reached that point in the relationship where that shit didn’t matter. “More.”

“You always say that,” Jax said, but he obediently did as he was told.

Good alpha.

Right as I was starting to feel something stir, my skin feeling sticky and hot from the summer heat, despite the whirr of our air-conditioner, he pulled away.

“And we need to get up,” he told me.

“I’m already up.” Ronan dragged my hips back and thrust against my arse, making clear what he meant about that.

“Fuck…” I hissed, my underwear instantly soaking through, indicating my readiness. “Just push my undies aside and—”

“Nope, now way,” Jax said, and that’s when I was forced to open my eyes. He peered down at me intently. “You know how Ash gets.”

“You know how I get if I don’t get my perfect breakfast every morning,” Ronan growled, shoving his hands up and under my tank top and then baring my breasts to his brother. “Omega slick, straight from the source is all—”

“Aren’t you out of bed yet?” Ash appeared in the bedroom doorway with a frown. “We’ve got that breakfast meeting this morning.”

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