He didn’t grab a book for himself, though there were more options available. Emmett sat still with his arms around me and watched. I swallowed, finding the first page of chapter 1.
The going was slow. My mind wandered and I squirmed uncomfortably under Emmett’s perusal. I kind of felt like a failure when I couldn’t stop myself from fidgeting for more than a few minutes at a time. Eventually I got more used to his quiet presence. His fingers circling my hips in a soothing motion helped to keep me calm and centred. Even when my focus on the book waned, I could close my eyes and relax under the touches.
I wasn’t sure how long we stayed like that, but by the time I had a significant urge to use the bathroom, I was languid with all tension gone. Not just my body, either. My mind had tuned out all the worries of things I didn’t have control over at the moment.
Emmett stood with me in his arms, placing me back on my feet gently. I gave him a small smile, unsure what to say after so long in silence. He returned it, leaning down to press a chaste kiss on my lips. “Feel better?” he asked.
“As much as I hate for you to be right, yes.”
He chuckled. “We’re going to do this often, then. You needed it.”
Nodding my assent, I turned away from him to lead the way out of the utility closet. I wasn’t sure if I did need it, not often. Clearing my mind so thoroughly wouldn’t be necessary more than once a week. However, I would gladly accept his offer, because I did need something else. Him. It was shocking how much closer to Em I felt, just by sitting in silence and letting him hold me.
That had to be an Omega desire, but I was done denying myself those. When his hand came to rest on the small of my back while we walked through the building, I let myself smile and melt into the touch with a soft sigh.
TWENTY
Freya
Between my water lessons with Ozzy and my quiet reading sessions with Emmett, I was doing a lot better in the lead up to the mission than I’d anticipated.
There were only two more days until we headed across the country to prepare for Kylan. Altair and Sky had created a tentative plan based on our collective guesses about how Kylan’s time at the Rare Jewel Gala would go. We were mere days away from my freedom. Or my capture and death, but we were all ignoring the possibility of failure.
Positive thoughts only.
“Should I keep Emmett out of the suite for a while?” Oswald asked, raising an eyebrow as I threw on clothes like a woman on a mission.
We’d finished our lesson for the day. Only a little progress was being made, but I wasn’t as frustrated as I might have been in the past. It helped that the lessons were kept fun. They usually involved plenty of fucking, but today I was itching to leave, another target in mind.
“Might be better for his poor ears.”
“Noted. What’s got you in such a rush?”
I grinned, jumping until my pants came up to cover my ass. My skin was pruned less than usual today, because I’d rushed the lesson too.
“Shan and Caspian haven’t bonded me yet. If they think they’re getting away without doing it before we go on this mission, they’re delusional,” I said.
Ozzy rolled his eyes. His clothes were much easier to get on than mine. He exclusively wore sweatpants and t-shirts. Half the time, he didn’t wear underwear. “I don’t think they’ve been avoiding marking you. We’ve just been one big happy family for the past few weeks, and I doubt they’ve gotten you alone.”
“Caspian had me alone a couple days ago.”
“I don’t know them as well as you do, but I imagine they want to be fucking you together when they mark you, completing the little triangle of love you have going on. Hope you like anal.”
“Never tried it.”
His expression lit up. “In that case, Ireallyhope you like anal, because I can’t imagine how tight it would be inside that ass while Nolan fucked your pussy.”
“Nolan has barely touched me since I jerked him off in the living room, so you’ll be waiting a while for that fantasy. If I ever let you in my ass, anyway.”
There was a hint of bitterness in my tone. He’d said not to ever doubt that he wanted me, and he’d admitted that he was worried about what would happen if I rejected him…
But right now, he was rejecting me.
“He sleeps with us,” Ozzy said.
“I’m aware. He tends to cuddle with you and avoid me, though.”
“He’s nervous” Oswald defended.
