“If we can. I’m not sure of the schedule, but I’d like to be there, to support. What are you doing?” he replies.
“I had someone stash some backup clothes in here, just in case.” I walk around the side just in time to catch him adjusting the waistband of his athletic shorts, highlighting that irresistible ‘V’ muscle. I swear my brain just melted. “Hey, my eyes are up here, Mate.”
“I’m well acquainted with your anatomy, mate. Am I not allowed to admire it openly?” He gives me a once-over, and I’m pretty sure he flexes just for me. I can’t help but smile. He’s the only guy I want to look at like this, so I might as well make it obvious.
He growls softly and moves closer, still waiting for me to make the first move. He won’t touch me unless I initiate it. At first, I thought it was him trying to be a gentleman after everything that happened, but it runs deeper than that. The only time he loses control is when I catch him off guard**like now.
“You could probably get away with almost anything,” I tease.
“How about this?” I step closer, pushing my luck, and trail a finger down the valley between his pecs, following the center of his abs to the dusting of dark hair that starts at his belly button and disappears beneath his shorts. I trace back and forth twice before he suddenly grabs my wrist.
“Yep,” he pants, breathless. “We need to get going before I throw you up against this truck.” He shivers and gently pushes me forward toward the passenger side, closing the hatch behind us.
“What if I told you I wouldn’t mind being thrown against the truck?” I say with as innocent a smile as I can muster, glancing coyly over my shoulder.
He lets out a low, throaty growl. “Just get in the car already. It’s going to be tough enough to focus on driving without that image stuck in my head.”
I lean forward across the center console, my voice soft and teasing. “Maybe I could help you get rid of that problem.” I reach for him, fully aware of where this playful banter is headed.
True to form, he grabs my wrist firmly and leans in close, his voice dropping to a low, intense whisper. “I told you before**when I make you come for the first time, it won’t be from your hand or that cheeky little mouth. I’ll be buried so deep inside that sweet little body of yours, staring into those icy blue eyes, you’ll forget your own name.” He gives me a slow, deliberate smile that sends a shiver down my spine. “Now, I’m both hungry and horny. How about we grab some food so I can calm the hell down before dealing with those teenage hornballs at work?”
“You’d fit right in with them at least,” I tease, and before I can react, he snatches my knee with lightning speed, squeezing it hard enough to make me squeal. Then he starts tickling me relentlessly until I finally give in. “Okay! Okay! Yes, we can go!”
We pull into the packhouse parking area, and an omega promptly meets us to take the car to the vast garage tucked off to one side. As we step inside through the front door, a wave of nerves washes over me. It’s not the people that make me uneasy**it’s the constant alertness, the feeling that Amy might be lurking nearby. I haven’t seen her since that tense day in Ryker’s office, but I know she’s probably still around, waiting for her chance to corner him. Breakfast has always been her time to try and trap him, and so far, everything has been going too smoothly. I’m bracing myself for the inevitable.
Ryker must sense my hesitation because he reaches over and takes my hand, intertwining our fingers. This is the first time he’s held my hand in public. I glance down at our hands, at the simple but intimate gesture, then back up into his eyes. He’s watching me closely, waiting to see if I’m okay with this. I can tell he’s uncertain, so I squeeze his hand tighter, not wanting him to pull away. The electric thrill that runs through me when our skin touches has become something I crave. He smiles gently and leads us forward.
“Whoa! Kennedy, does our growly alpha know you’re holding hands and showing off that big smile?” Danny teases, clapping Ryker on the shoulder.
“F*ck off,” Ryker snaps, though he can’t hide the grin spreading across his face. I laugh softly as we move through the breakfast line together.
“So, Luna, any other family members for us to meet? Sisters, hot cousins, or maybe some widowed aunties in their cougar phase?” Danny throws out the question casually over his omelet.
I shrug, shaking my head. “Nope. Unlike you guys, I don’t have a house full of family history. It was just my mom, dad, and me. They were both only children, and all my grandparents had passed before I was born. The closest thing I have to family ties now are Jeremiah, Aunt Beth, and Uncle James. Aunt Beth managed to save a few things for me, but most of what was in my house got cleared out after my parents died.”
“Do you mind if I ask what happened?” Bennet’s voice is gentle, cautious. He’s probably the only person besides Jeremiah who’s seen me at my lowest.
“It’s not really a big story,” I begin, forcing a small smile. “My mom and Aunt Beth have been best friends since college. When Beth became the Luna of Silver Crescent, she kind of adopted our family. I guess Uncle James figured they came as a package deal.” I pause, the memory bittersweet. “We were at a party celebrating the graduating seniors before they all went their separate ways. Usually, we’d stay overnight**I probably spent as much time there as I did at my own home. Aunt Beth even gave me my own room when I was six. But that night, I had a huge test to study for, my dad had work to do, and a big storm was forecasted for the next day, making travel risky. So we left late.”
I swallow hard, the image flashing in my mind. “I fell asleep in the backseat, so I only know what happened from what others told me. Somewhere about halfway home, a drunk driver hit us. Our car flipped multiple times and ended up pinned against one of those concrete barriers in the middle of the highway.” Ryker wraps his arm around me, pulling me closer as I speak. “It took me forever to find a phone and call for help. I couldn’t get out of the car. According to the therapists, being trapped with my parents**who died instantly**in the wreckage for that hour before help arrived is what causes my nightmares.”
“Please tell me the driver got what he deserved,” Josh demands from the other side of Ryker, his voice sharp.
“He died too,” I say quietly. “I was the only survivor. No one can explain how or why. Our car was crushed beyond recognition. They had to cut it open like a can to get me out, and I only had a small cut behind my ear that needed three stitches.”
Ryker tightens his hold around me, and I lean into him, feeling the warmth and safety he offers. The past is painful, but here with him, I find a moment of peace.
Kennedy
Everyone’s eyes are fixed on me, and it’s the one thing I despise the most**the pity that lingers in their gaze. It’s a look that makes me feel small, as if I’m some fragile creature broken beyond repair. But the truth is, none of us could have changed what happened. I’ve come to terms with that much. The circumstances are what they are, unalterable and cruel. What still haunts me, though, is the memory of sitting there, utterly trapped, surrounded by my parents’ lifeless forms.
I inhale deeply, trying to steady my racing heart. Ryker pulls me closer, his arms wrapping around me protectively. I only just realize that he’s holding me like this, out here in public**and surprisingly, it doesn’t make me uneasy at all.
“It’s been over three years,” I say softly, my voice barely above a whisper. “I’m not saying it doesn’t hurt sometimes, but I can’t keep playing the victim forever. The nightmares have eased up, which makes things a little more bearable.” I glance up at Ryker, a sudden realization dawning on me. My nightmares lessened when I moved here. Even during my lowest moments with him, they never came back. Has he noticed the change too?
“What?” he asks, pulling back enough to look me squarely in the face.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.