Three Weeks Later
“I thought this was a cooking class, not a painting lesson,” a deep voice says behind me, and I jump, shoving my sticky fingers into my mouth. But it’s not the expensive French chef Jake hired to come to the governor’s mansion and give us cooking lessons. He packed up half an hour ago, leaving a chocolate cake with silky raspberry filling on the counter, exactly like the one in Rowan’s cookbook. To my delight, that deep, alpha rasp belongs to the governor himself, looking mouth-watering in one of his three-piece suits. As he corners me against the bench, I suck my fingers clean and wrap them around the navy suspenders lying against his crisp white shirt. It's crazy how such a simple accessory can make my knees weak, but one peek under his jacket and I’m putty in his hands.
“I think you missed a spot there,” he says, pointing to the unfinished flower on Rowan’s stomach. My favorite omega is lying across the kitchen counter, naked from the waist up, mychocolate fingerprints all over his perfect, pale skin. “I’m pretty sure it’s nature’s law that all roses must have more than two petals.”
“Very true,” Rowan grins as he lifts his hips and rolls his abs like an exotic dancer. “I’m sure that Chef André would tell you to lick them up and start from scratch.”
Jake chuckles as he bends down to nuzzle the mating bite on my neck. “Glad to see the cooking class was inspiring.”
“Chocolate is an aphrodisiac,” Rowan explains, fluttering his lashes at our alpha. “Besides, Diana wouldn’t let me eat the cake until you got home, so we had to amuse ourselves somehow.”
“Good, Omega,” Jake purrs, nuzzling my neck. “But you enjoyed the class?”
There’s that familiar note of concern in his voice, the same way he always sounds when he’s checking in with me. Jake’s taken his commitment to listening very seriously, and my heart melts that he’s trying so hard to keep his promise.
“It was perfect,” I reply, turning to meet his hungry kiss. It’s been three weeks since my heat spike, and while I now know his body as well as any of my mates, I still catch my breath every time Jake gets close. Rowan told me it’s our scent connection sparking some primitive part of my brain, but I think it’s the flare of heat in his eyes every time he looks my way. All my mates make me feel loved and wanted, but Jake looks at me the same way Rowan looks at chocolate cake.Like one slice will never be enough.
“Want to help out, governor?” he asks now, grinning up at Jake. “If Diana’s prepared to share her chocolate pot, I’m game.”
He waggles his brows, but I know this is one of Rowan’s little tests. We’re a pack in every way that matters, but there’s still a physical line between the guys and our alphas. We share a nest, and clothes are always optional, but at this stage, the alphas keep their knots to themselves, and the guys seem to like it that way.
“Tempting,” Jake murmurs, “but I’m pretty sure she’d bite my fingers off if they went anywhere near her chocolate pot.”
I giggle, but the sound dies away as Kane saunters into the room. He’s been working on his bike in the garage, and he smells of machine oil and sweaty alpha. His gaze licks over me before he opens the fridge and pulls out a jug of juice. “Why does this room smell like fucking, but he’s the only one with his clothes off?”
He points his elbow at Rowan as he drains the jug, and I giggle at the look Jake shoots him. There’s nothing I love more than watching my mates drive each other up the wall, but I bite my lip as their attention swings my way. Heat burns in Kane’s eyes as he stalks closer, the two alphas herding me between them until I’m trapped against the counter. I breathe deep, my eyelashes fluttering as their combined scents invade my senses.
“Nope,” Rowan says, sitting up and swinging his legs off the counter. “How many times do I have to tell you, the only knots in the kitchen are the ones on cinnamon buns?”
I laugh at the scowl he shoots the two alphas, stealing a swirl of chocolate off his stomach as he slips past us. He makes it all the way to the door before he cocks a brow at me. “Shower, sweetheart?”
I’ve learned a lot in the last few weeks, and I’m certain that his teasing smile is code for some hot bathroom sex. “As long as I get to lick your back.”
“That’sscrubyour back,” Jake corrects me, but as I start to follow Rowan, he blocks my path with his arm. A protest bubbles on my lips until I realize the humor has faded from his eyes. “Can you give me a minute, Diana? There’s something we need to discuss.”
Rowan is still in the doorway, but at Jake’s serious tone, he immediately turns and strides over to the sink. Grabbing a dishcloth from the rack, he quickly runs it over the chocolate smears on his stomach. “Want me to get Dex?”
“Good idea,” Jake replies, nodding towards the kitchen table. “And we should probably sit down for this.”
I frown, all sorts of fears creeping into my mind, but Kane just huffs and sweeps me up. He carries me the few feet to the table and settles me on his lap, the chair creaking under our combined weight. “Get that scared look off your face, Omega.”
I snuggle into his sweaty embrace, as delicious as chocolate to my omega instincts. “You smell angry.”
“That’s because I’m a grumpy bastard.” He drops his mouth to my throat, his teeth teasing the edges of his bite. “But a chocolate-dipped omega always improves my mood.”
I tip my head back, staring into his dark eyes as I wiggle on his lap. “And what about a raw ride on a V-twin Softail? Does that fix your mood, too?”
“Only if I get to bend you over it.” His mouth latches onto my fingers, sucking the last of the chocolate from my skin. When he’s done, he takes my hand and drags it down his chest until I’m cupping his swollen cock. The guys have been updating my sexual vocabulary, and while a part of me will always think of it as theirequipment, I’ve grown to love the wordcockalmost as much as I love taking a knot. “If you keep looking at me like that, Omega, I’m taking you out to the garage right now and giving you the ride of your life.”
I shiver at his hungry growl, but Jake makes an exasperated sound and nudges Kane’s shoulder. “That’ll have to wait, you horndog. We need clear heads, so put her in someone else’s lap if you can’t control yourself.”
I blink, realizing the others have joined us while I’ve been caught up in Kane’s spell. “Um… sorry. What did you want to talk about?”
“The Carrillos.” The name sends a different kind of shiver through me, and I sink back against Kane, watching as both Dex and Rowan turn grim looks on Jake. “As you know, the task forcehas been raiding their properties all week. They found their last compound at dawn this morning, and I’ve just had confirmation that both Carrillo brothers are dead. They refused to surrender when ordered, and the team had to take them out.”
“Good fucking riddance,” Kane growls, biting gently on my shoulder. “They deserved a hell of a lot worse.”
“Agreed,” Dex says, folding his arms across his chest. “I would’ve liked to see them rot in a jail cell for a few decades, but this is the next best thing.”
