Rickon re-zips the tent flap and drops onto the bed. “He sure would.”
Despite the permission, it feels surreal as I kick off my tennis shoes and climb onto the mattress. Like I’ve entered the parallel universe where Callisto Wren wasn’t a moron who rejected his omega.
Once I settle in the corner, I dig through my backpack and hand Rickon a wrapped package. “Not a donut, but I hope it’s still good.”
He holds it up to the light and gets an odd look on his face as he reads the gluten-free label.
When he says nothing, I freeze. “Does it have something else you can’t have?” Maybe his gluten intolerance isn’t the only thing I missed.
Ricky’s eyes glimmer with a suspicious sheen as he reaches out and grabs my arm. “No, nothing’s wrong. Thanks for remembering, Calli.”
I cover his hand for a moment.Finallyremembering would be more fitting, but his warm expression reminds me Ricky’s a generous man.
Red watches us through her lashes, a lovely half smile tilting her chocolate-smudged lips. She taps her headphones. “I gotta finish learning my lines. There’s a sex scene coming up.” Her button nose wrinkles.
My heart leaps. “A sex scene? With whom?”
She rolls her eyes. “My wonderful co-star, Bradley Jacks.”
The growl escapes me before I can stop it.
Red smirks. “You and me both, but this is the job I signed up for. Don’t think I’m ignoring you, but I really do have to work.” She slips the headphones on and grabs another donut, leaning back into a tower of pillows.
I glance at Rickon as he pops a piece of blueberry muffin into his mouth. “And you’re okay with it? That bastard tried to seduce Red and spread rumors about her.”
Rickon drops his elbows onto his knees and grunts. Once he finishes chewing, he says, “Like she said, that’s how the industry goes. Can’t say I’m thrilled, but she’s going to need to do plenty of sex scenes in this career. And she’s so good behind the cameras, Calli. It’s like watching a magic show when she flips on her actress persona.”
His sweet butter scent fills my nose, and I inhale instinctively.
“Sorry,” he mutters, touching his collar. “I got a bit worked up.”
“It’s fine,” I assure him. In fact, I like it, but I keep that admission behind my teeth.
He nods. “Thanks for coming. Truth be told, I get nervous out here, not having my omega behind solid walls, you know? Even with Josef and Pierce nearby.”
I nod. “Glad I could come, then.” I’m nervous about Red’s safety too, so her semi-bonded alpha must be having a much harder time. “How are you holding up with everything?”
“Everything? That covers a lot of shit.”
“Yeah, but I want to know.” With all my heart.
Rickon snorts and lies down, feet sticking out into the middle of the tent. And he tells me—how he misses Zack, and what the bond feels like, and how enraged he felt seeing his mother again after all these years. For once, I truly listen, ignoring all the case information clamoring in the back of my mind to give my best friend one hundred percent of my attention.
After unloading all the things on his mind, Ricky smiles sleepily and reaches up to tap my cheek with his knuckle. “You’ve got an odd look on your face,” he murmurs.
“What kind of look is it?” I ask, longing to pull him into my arms. The memory of our bodies sliding together after Red’s heat thrills through me, fluttering in my belly and warming my veins.
Ricky tips his head from side to side, studying me. “I’m not sure. It’s new.”
I reach out with one tentative hand and stroke his platinum locks. “It’s my apology face.”
“Ah. That’s why I’ve never seen it before,” he says, grin turning cheeky.
I tug his hair in warning.
He grabs my hands and clings to my wrists. “Mercy, mercy!” he cries, laughing. “But what exactly are you feeling apologetic about?”
He’s so close, and his touch so warm, I can’t help myself. My cock thickens and my heart thumps so loud he must hear it. Even though I’ve already said it, I want to say it again. “For getting upset about your bond, and for saying you couldn’t handle it. I had no right to comment on your bond with Zack, but more than that, I’m sorry for spoiling what happened between us.”
