Lilah
As luck would have it,Hailey’s also on our bus. The camera crew proceeds us onto the bus, while a few of the crew catch every move on the outside. I’m already dreading the day being under a microscope and pretending that I want to be here. That I believe love is maybe possible.
We load onto the party bus, fully loaded with neon lights and sidebar. Some omegas go straight for the mimosas and bloody Mary's already poured. While I settle onto the seat nearest the exit and as far from Rafe as physically possible.
He chats with Dawn, and I can't help staring at him. He's gorgeous. The ringlets in his hair give the appearance of a softness I'm not sure he possesses. His broad shoulders and chiseled jawline scream alpha, even if the rest of his looks didn't already alert everyone to that fact.
Chad ended up with Miles, and after this morning, that doesn't sit well with me. It's not like I have a claim on Miles just because I scented him, but damn… do they all smell like candy? It's almost as if his musk is made to draw me in.
Between the hint of his musk and the hint of Rafe’s from the club, a strange possessive urge fills me. Like theybelongtome. It makes no sense, but it’s like an electric current that’s constantly running beneath my skin, a pure awareness of each of them that I can’t shake.
If I'm honest, it makes me want to stake a claim on them both, like Hailey had with Rafe. As if I’ve conjured her, she slides into the seat on the other side of Rafe and leans close. My stomach bottoms out, and I feel sick. If anyone here has a right to a claim, onhimat least, it’s her.
Rafe’s gaze lifts to mine like he can hear my thoughts, and I suck in a breath. It feels like he’s touching my soul. Reaching for me. There’s a sort of helpless look in his eyes that pulls on my heartstrings. As much as he's smiling for the cameras, he doesn't want to be around Hailey.
Could I be projecting? Possible, but I don't give it another thought before I find my feet and close the distance between us. The bus brakes hard when I'm almost to him, and I end up sprawled across his lap.
Blocking out the entire scene, I squeeze my eyes shut, feeling my ears catch fire. I'm really destined to make an ass out of myself around him.
“Well, I much prefer this to vomit,” he says, humor lacing each word. His hands warm on my waist, holding me to him.
I crack my eyes open to find him staring down at me, a wide smile on his face. At least he didn't shove me to the floor. Although, when I puked on him, he didn’t shove me away either. In fact, he stood still so I could blot the throw up all over his shirt. Creating the perfect picture for the tabloids…the whole reason I’m here. But the pictures weren’t his fault; he didn’t take them. If I’m honest, he was nothing but nice that night. It was only his dismissive greeting here that got under my skin. Maybe we just got off on the wrong foot.
“There are drinks,” I reply, nodding at the leftover drinks on the built-in side bar. “I could try to test that theory.”
Am I flirting? I think I am. My lips pull up into an answering smile when he tilts his head back and lets out a husky laugh.
“You can't be serious,” Hailey scoffs, venom dripping from each syllable.
Her words make me realize two things. One, his arms are still firmly around me, holding me in place. And two, I haven't even attempted to move out of his lap. I scramble to my feet, turning another shade of red and stammer out the apology I should have said in the first place.
“No harm done. Lilah, right?” he asks, as he finds his feet, holding onto the bar above our heads.
“The one and only.” I take a deep breath, ready to retreat. What had I been thinking anyway? How did I expect to save him from Hailey?
The driver hits the brake as if on cue, and Rafe automatically reaches for me, keeping me on my feet this time. I can feel the eyes of the nine other omegas on us, not to mention the cameras filming every tantalizing morsel, but I don't care. I lean into him, letting him keep me steady and absorb the warmth coming off of him in waves like he’s my sun.
It might be my imagination, but I'm almost positive that a low purr rumbles softly in his chest. I bite back the answering whimper, but don't stop myself from melting a little inside. I did not expect this reaction to any of them, let alone Rafe.
Chad attachesto me the moment I'm off my bus. His cheeks look flush and his eyes bright.
“Miles is completely into me,” he says, lowering his voice and turning away from the nearest camera.
“Is he?”
I glance at the man in question, and he's watching us, asoft smile on his lips. If it were for me, I'm not sure I would even want to try to ignore it. The remnants of his almost Almond Joy musk tugs at my memory.
“Don't make it obvious,” Chad hisses.
A laugh pops out of my mouth, and I drag my gaze back to Chad. “Trying to play hard to get?”
He rolls his eyes as if that’s a stupid question. “If I didn't have to do all the work, maybe I wouldn't have to.” He pins me with a bold stare that screams he thinks I'm the slacker.
It would be so easy to open my mouth and share what happened this morning, but I keep it inside like a secret. That isn't for the show. And it’s nothing.Right?
He studies his fingernails before glancing back up at me, a bored expression on his pouty face. “Did you at least do something to repair your image on the bus ride over?”
I laugh again. Okay, so maybe I enjoy his abrasiveness.
