“Come on, Bits and Pieces is practicing tonight, and you need drinks and dancing.”
I melt into his arms because that isexactlywhat I need.
“Luc? Going to help me wear our girl out?” Simon says with a playful smirk.
Luca looks up from his homework, and a slow grin spreads across his handsome face, a spark lighting in his pale green eyes. “On the dance floor or in her nest? I’m partial to both.”
Cassian and Marcus come upstairs from where they’d been sparring in the basement, shirtless and dripping sweat and every witty, flirty retort I had for Luca flies out of my mind. I watch a drop of sweat trail down Cassian’s sternum and then over ab after rippling ab, and my mouth goes dry.
“It’s going to just be her nest in a minute,” Simon mutters. “Alphas, go shower. I want to take our girl dancing. And you’redistractingher.”
They both color, dabbing at their sweaty skin with gym towels, and it takes me mentally reciting every single altered transitive sigil I can think of to keep from perfuming for them. Forbothof them, even though I’m not supposed to want Marcus. Even though Cassian and I are still feeling our ways toward each other in the dark. Saints, I want to feelhim. I want to drag him up to my nest and touch and taste until it smells like us and sex and pack.
Now I blush, pressing my face into Simon’s chest, but the beta merely laughs and gives me a quick spin. “Go put on something cute, kit-kat.” He lowers his voice, whispering in my ear, his lips moving against my skin. “Something that’ll drive Cass absolutely mad.” He gives my ass a light slap, and I scamper up to my nest, hearing the two alphas heading up to their rooms behind me.
I dress in my favorite corset top and a pair of dark, skin-tight jeans, throw on a bit of makeup and skip back downstairs, right into Luca’s arms and into a kiss that smudges my lipstick.
He fists his hands in my hair. “Saints, I love that fucking top. Got a little something to go with it. Call it a courting present. Ian’s not the only one who’s allowed to spoil you.”
He disappears up to his room and then comes back with a wrapped box.
“Oh, I’ve been waiting for this for weeks,” Simon says, sitting me down on the couch before setting the box on my lap.
I frown curiously and carefully tear away the paper and then open the box. I pull out a leather bomber jacket, just like Luca’s, though this one is made of soft, supple rose-red leather.
“For days out on my bike,” he explains. “And for keeping you warm in that sinful little top.”
I let out an excited little squeak and leap up from the couch to put it on. It’s silly, but it almost feels like a piece of armor. It makes me feel badass. Like I’minvincible. I feel almost criminally sexy in it, and judging by the low growl Luca lets out before dragging me into a kiss that makes my toes curl, he likes it just as much as I do.
“Did I say dancing? Because what I obviously meant was taking you upstairs and fucking you in nothing but that jacket,” Simon mutters, pressing in from behind me and kissing my neck.
“Oh no, you promised our girl dancing,” Cassian says, coming down the stairs, freshly showered and dressed in jeans and a Henley that’s so tight I swear I can see every ounce of muscle wrapped around his strong chest.
My mouth goes dry again, and when I meet his eyes, there’s an expression in his that I can’t quite read. Pride, maybe? Does he appreciate my slow perusal of his powerful body? There’s longing in his expression too, as he takes me in, and his scent spikes, summer sunshine and salt sea air.
He clears his throat abruptly and snatches the keys to the SUV off the table by the stairs. “Think you three can behave in the backseat?”
“No promises,” Simon says with a wicked grin.
* * *
We catchthe rhythmic thump of drums as we wind through the woods surrounding the old theater. The moment we step inside, Alyssa lets out a squeal and races over to us, wrapping me in a tight hug.
“I’m so glad you came out! It’s been ages since you danced your face off with me. And you look damn good, girlie! Let’s dance!”
She drags me to the empty space in the middle of the theater, Simon and Luca following. Cassian and Marcus post up in a row of plush, folding seats that have been shoved to the back of the theater. I tell myself that I’m not disappointed that Cassian isn’t joining us on the makeshift dance floor, but I know Simon catches the longing glance I throw over my shoulder.
“This next song goes out to all the sexy omegas in the audience,” Bitsy says, low and sultry into the mic, before giving us a wink and a wave from the stage. Darika counts her in, and the theater explodes with drums, Ellie’s guitar and the catchiest melody ever from Bitsy’s piano.
And we dance. We dance until we’re panting, drink until we’re not, and then dance again. Bits and Pieces is working through a few new songs and their catchy pop-punk is the perfect antidote to all my dark thoughts.
For a few hours, hidden away in a theater tucked amongst the trees, I can let my worries slip away. I can be a normal academy student and get tipsy and dance myself silly. I can forget about affinities and secret facilities, about diabolic plans and dead-eyed obedient omega soldiers.
I can flirt and dance with my bad boy alpha and my sweet, nerdy beta until my feet ache, and I’m utterly breathless.
Simon eventually lures Cassian to the dance floor, and Cassian is, regrettably and hilariously, the worst dancer I’ve ever seen in my life. He’s unspeakably awkward, has no sense of rhythm and absolutely doesn’t know what to do with his hands. It’s clear he knows it and just as clear that he hates every moment of humoring me and Simon but would do it until the old theater crumbled down around us if it meant making us happy.
It’s close to midnight when Bitsy calls out, “This one’s for the lovers!” and starts in on a slow song. I reach for Simon, but he passes me straight into Cassian’s arms, and while Cassian might not know how to bop around to Bits and Pieces’ faster, poppier songs, saints above, is hegoodwith a slow song. He runs his hands down my arms and takes my hands, looping them around his neck before grabbing my hips and pulling me close.
