Page 53 of Mask and the Magnolia
I may, or may not have doubled up on the heat suppressants and while I definitely shouldn’t have done that, it’s been making my heat late instead of keeping the quarterly cycle predictable. I knew that was a possibility when I started messing with my med, I was kind of hoping for it, but there is no way in hell I’m going through heat unmedicated, or trapped with Camden and his nasty dick, side effects be damned.
I don’t really have a plan for when I inevitably go into heat, though. It’s not going to stop forever, I just have to hope I’m alone and able to hide with that dildo Eve bought me. I should probably stock up on more just in case. Having nothing is going to be brutal, it could definitely kill me and even though I’m feeling relatively hopeless, I don’t have any desire to die. Especially from something stupid nature has given omegas to deal with four times a year.
”It’s probably from stress.” I immediately cringe at my sorry excuse. “From not sleeping. Stress from not sleeping well. I’m having trouble.”
”Mhm,” Camden mumbles as he pulls into his parking spot.
He shuts off the car and stares out the windshield for a few moments, twisting the steering wheel in his hands until his knuckles turn white.
”Well…” I unbuckle and grab my bag since the conversation seemed to end. “I guess I should get to work…”
But the second I reach for the door, Camden hits the locks and turns to face me.
”I’m pulling your records.”
I blink a few times, unable to process what he’s saying.
He nods. “I’m pulling your records, checking your prescriptions, and I’ll be speaking with your doctor.”
”You can’t do that,” I scoff. I reacted on impulse, it was knee jerk and not thought out, and that means I am going to pay dearly for those four words. I can see it on his face.
”I can do whatever I damn well please, Magnolia.” Camden unbuckles his seatbelt and lifts the center console. “Don’t you get it? I fucking own you now. I’m the only reason you’re still working in that shithole, the only reason Byron hasn’t disowned you completely. Until I say otherwise, you get to keep playing pretend with your psychos, imagining you’re going to be a real doctor one day. You get access to everything that comes with your family name, everything that comes with mine, but I can put a stop to it whenever the hell I want.”
Camden leans in, acting like he’s going to kiss me after that little speech, but I recoil when he tries and that’s when he finally snaps.
He reaches out so fast I can’t move, grabbing my throat in his hand as he slams the back of my head against the glass. Camden leans in, crowding me against the door, slowly cutting off my airway as his eyes search my face.
”I fucking own you, Magnolia. Every inch of your body is mine, and Iwilltake it.” He kisses me, licking inside my open mouth, allowing even less air into my lungs. “And when you finally do go into heat, I’ll be there, and I will fuck you through it until I know you’re carrying my child. You will give me what I want, Magnolia, because if you don’t, I’ll take it anyway.”
He loosens his hold on my throat enough for me to gasp in a few lungfuls of air but I’m hazy from the lack of oxygen. Which is why I can’t do anything but focus on trying to breathe when Camden shoves his hand up my sweater and squeezes my breast.
He turns my head, shoving it even harder against the window, groping me as he pushes his nose into my hair. He takes a deep breath and growls before I feel his hand move down over my stomach and the top of my skirt.
Camden keeps going, his fingers moving over the pinstripe material until he finds the hem. He starts up my thigh slowly, his grimy hands moving over the top at first, letting out a low groan before he pulls my leg toward him to spread me open. That’s when he palms the inside of my thigh. Squeezing, grabbing it hard a few inches away from my core and just when I’m sure I’m going to get raped in the parking lot just a few feet away form safety, someone bangs on the window behind me.
Camden’s head snaps up on a growl, irritation and anger rolling off of him in waves that make me sick.
”Hey, lovebirds.”
I sigh in relief as I hear that familiar voice and the way this bastard lets go of me because of it.
”What the fuck do you want, Hendrix?” Camden barks as he moves back to his seat and rolls down my window. “Can’t you see we’re busy?”
”Sure looks like it.” He reaches in and pops the lock, opening my door so fast I almost fall out, then Drix pulls me to my feet and pushes me behind him. “Maggie’s been paged three times since I’ve been here. They need her on Ward C.”
Camden looks at him skeptically, seeing right through the bullshit but he’s not stupid enough to challenge Hendrix.
The Ridegeway alphas are bigger than the Blackhurst ones, and this particular Ridgeway isn’t one to fuck with.
Hendrix plays rugby for the school, he’s going to coach it next year after he graduates, and he’s currently learning jiu jitsu just for the hell of it. Plus, he’s got a nasty temper.
He might be sweet with me and he’s one of my favorite people, I’ve seen Hendrix lose control. It’s scary. It’s intense and intimidating, and it’s another Ridgeway quality most people try to avoid. One that’s benefited me more than once, too.
”Do you need a ride home?” Camden asks me, the look on his face telling me I definitely do.
But again, Drix comes to my rescue. “Nah, we got her today. She owes us for missing donuts this morning.” Then he slams the door shut, links his arm through mine, and escorts me all the way to the locked door on my floor.
Something I’m beyond grateful for, and won’t ever be able to repay him for doing.
