Page 35 of Gold Rush
Theo holds it between two thick fingers, the stem looking positivelyfragilein his grip. He glances from it to me. “It’s what we have.”
I gawk at him. “I’m not drinking from that. I’ll look at it wrong and it’ll shatter.”
Theo places it on the counter next to the bottle. “Then I’ll buy a new one.”
I balk. “How expensive are they?”
“I don’tknow— fucking expensive, probably.”
“I’mnottouching that.” I glance at the bottle. “Or that. How expensive isthat?”
“It cost what itcost.” Theo stalks closer and boxes me in against the counter, heat in his gaze. “Seth has the movie paused foryou.Youneed a drink after that conversation, and I’m going to pour you a glass. Is that understood?”
I raise my chin, narrowing my eyes at him as I open my mouth. “Where do you get off?—”
“No.” He cuts me off with a little growl, grabbing the bottle and popping it open. “If the next words out of your mouth aren’tthank you, I don’t want to hear them.”
I glare at him, setting my jaw. “Why? What’s going to happen?”
He pauses. Theo’s movements are precise as he slowly lifts the bottle, staring at me as he pours a glass of red wine, then sits the bottle back onto the counter next to me.
“Do you want the answer you expect, or do you want the truth?”
I lean back, my eyes locked on his. “You don’t scare me.”
Theo shakes his head, and I swear his eye twitches.
I prickle when he leans closer. “What are you?—”
He picks up the glass and holds it out to me.
I eye it, andhim, warily. I almost expect him to do something childish, like pour it over my head, or throw the glass against the wall and tell Arin I started shattering crockery so he’ll kick me out. But when we just stare at each other in silence, I finally relent, reaching for the glass.
His other hand comes out in a snap, snaring the back of my neck in an instant, collaring me.
“Omega.”
I make a noise, half shock, half whine as my body reacts before my brain, my throat arching as I stare up at him, my mouth dropping open as Theo holds me and the wine, dipping his head lower, his eyes narrowed. My hindbrain scrambles, the basest part of me wanting to go limp in his touch, skin on fire and heart racing.
He could lift me with one hand onto the counter. He could push me down and rip my leggings in half. His thick fingers could gather the sudden slick between my thighs and shove into me while his thumb circled my clit —
“Thisis what happens to brats who talk back to me.” His head dips lower, lips caressing the shell of my ear. “I don’t need to make you fear me to get your heart rate up, princess. Now take your wine and go back to your beta. No more talking back, you’re going to enjoy the rest of your evening.”
I flush, head to toe, my fingers catching the glass as he pushes it into my hand. Turning sharply, I dart under his arm, his hand falling away from my neck as I race back into the living room, making a beeline for the couch as Seth sits up.
“Finally.” He looks up at me, his eyes slightly wide, but it’sBennettwho catches my eye from behind him. The alpha’s eyes narrow, lingering on my, no doubt, reddened face, then looking at the glass in my hand as I clear my throat and resettle on thecouch between Seth’s legs, using him as a buffer as I raise the glass to my lips and take my first sip of the wine.
A hum rises from my chest. It’ssogoddamn tasty.
“It tastes like pomegranate.”
“Oh, Theo grabbed you thegoodstuff.” Seth grins down at me, picking up the remote as the aforementioned alpha walks back into the room, sliding a glass into Arin’s hand before retaking his seat with his own.
My eyes follow him, something in my chest flaring at the practiced look between Arin and Theo. They rotate around each other, but Theorelentsto Arin — I quickly down another long gulp as Seth starts the movie and drags me back against his chest.
I shouldn’t think about Theo’s hand on the back of my neck, or Arin’s arms around my waist, or Bennett’s touch on my bare skin, or Seth’s hungry look.
I need tobehave.
