Dex.
Where is he now? Did he escape that clinic, or did they go back and hurt him, like they threatened to do?
“Okay,pleasedon’t look like that.” He tightens the towel around me then takes a careful step back. “I’m Rowan Vale. This is my trailer, and as long as you’re here, you’re under my protection, okay?”
I sniff, willing the water back into my eyes, because a statement like that shouldn’t be met with tears. “I’m Diana,” I tell him quietly. “And I’m sorry for barging in here without an invitation.”
“That’s okay, Diana.” He gives me a soft smile and then gestures behind him. “Come sit while I dig out some gel for your skin.”
He leads me into his room, guiding me to the edge of his bed before returning to dig noisily through a drawer. A moment later he reappears, tube in hand, but when he gets to within touching distance, he stops abruptly, sniffing the air. “Whoa. Diana, are you Luscious' little sister, by any chance?”
My bruised heart gives an indignant thump. “No. I only met her today.”
I don’t add that it was one of the worst meetings of my life, but Rowan still frowns, like he can sense the undertone. “I didn’t mean to insult you. If you’re related, you’re obviously the upgraded version…. But you smell an awful lot like her.”
I narrow my eyes, watching as he squeezes a dab of glossy gel onto his fingers. “Shesmells likeme,” I correct him. “But you’re right about her being awful, because I never said she could steal my slick.”
Rowan drops the tube, his mouth popping open. “What?”
I reach down to collect the gel, but instead of handing it back, I lift it to my nose and give a tentative sniff. It smells faintly of fresh, green things, and I cycle through my memory of omega scents at The Serenity Center, trying to find a match. There’s a hint of Astrid from A block. Maybe a touch of Cara from C block? They both always smelled so refreshing, but now the scent leaves a bad taste in my mouth, and I scowl as I thrust the tube back at him. “Is everything stolen? Iknowthose omegas.”
“Excuse me?”
“Luscious said they put our slick into perfumes and candles.” I wave the tube at him. “And lotions like this one, right?”
“Who does?” Rowan sinks beside me on the bed, so fascinated by the conversation, he’s forgotten about the gel coating his fingers.
When a blob slips onto the comforter beside me, I wipe it up with the corner of my towel. Even now, the urge to preserve our slick is hard to resist. “The Serenity Center. Only Luscious told me it’s really a lie. They’reusingus, when I thought they were helping find our alphas.”
I think of the other things she told me, like the fact my father sold me into slick slavery, but I shake my head. I can’t deal with that right now, not when Dex and Kane aren’t here to hold me tight and make it better.
Rowan must come to the same conclusion, because he quickly wipes his fingers on his jeans and gets to his feet. “Okay, I think we need caffeine for this conversation. And clothes. Definitely clothes.”
He crosses the room to a glossy wooden dresser, pulling a t-shirt and sweatpants out of a drawer. “These are a little big, but loose probably works until your skin cools off.” He hands me the clothes, that twinkle of humor gone from his gaze as he backs to the door. “Why don’t you get dressed while I make the coffee?”
I nod, waiting until he’s left before getting dressed. I have to tighten the drawstring on the sweatpants and the t-shirt slips off my shoulder, but the fabric is soft and sweet-smelling against my sensitive skin. I think of fresh-baked cookies and smile, until I remember I can’t really trust my nose anymore. Itmightbe Rowan’s scent, but what if he uses a laundry powder laced with slick?
My stomach feels tight and bruised as I head into the kitchen. Rowan is leaning on the counter, a frown on his face as he stares at the steaming cup in his hand. He’s changed into another white shirt, and as he straightens, that cookie scent swirls around him. “Is it you? Are you the cookies smell, or did you get it from a tube, like Luscious?”
“It’s all me,” he says quietly, his bright eyes serious. “I would never steal another omega’s scent.”
I cross my arms tight over my stomach, my gaze dropping to the steaming cup. “What’s that?”
“Coffee.” He pushes it towards me, gesturing to a stool on the other side of the counter. “There’s extra creamer and sugar if you want it.”
I perch on the edge of the stool, leaning over the cup for a sniff. It smells nutty and maybe a little bitter, and I pluck a cube from the sugar bowl, crumbling it in my fingers. Sugar was tightly controlled in the center, and I stare at the crystals as they cling to my skin. “I’m not allowed caffeine,” I tell him quietly. “They say it dilutes the purity of our slick.”
“So, you’ve never tasted coffee?” His brows pull down in a sharp V. “Well, that’s definitely a crime.”
I shrug, leaning forward and sipping carefully at the hot drink. It tastes dark and murky, coating my tongue in a bitterness far more powerful than its scent. “Ugh!” I push the cup aside and quickly suck the sugar sprinkles off my fingers, wrinkling my nose at Rowan. “That’scoffee?”
“Yep, but it’s an acquired taste. Maybe we should switch to hot chocolate.” Rowansoundsapologetic, but I can see the edge of a grin pulling at his lips as he turns to rummage in the cabinets. He pulls out a tin and measures a scoop into a cup, adding hot water and a sprinkle of something he takes from a jar. “What else haven’t you tasted?”
I think about that as I pop another sugar cube in my mouth. “How can I know what I've never had?”
Rowan casts a thoughtful glance over his shoulder. “Hmmm. Good point. Maybe that’s a question to explore when we break out the tequila.” I just shrug, hoping that tequila tastes better than coffee. I’ve heard a lot about the beverage of the years, and the disappointment runs deep. “What about something to eat?” he suggests. “I’m not fully stocked, but I could probably rustle something up.”
I lean forward, studying a hardback book he has propped on the counter. It’s resting on its own stand, the pages parted to reveal what I’m pretty sure is a plate of chicken, although it’s hard to tell under the swirls of sauce. “Like this?”
