Todd is sprawled out in a chair by the window, his long legs stretched out, his head tilted back, looking more relaxed thanI’ve seen him in years. But the moment I step into the room, his gaze finds me, and a slow, easy smile spreads across his lips.
“Come here, gorgeous,” he says, patting his lap.
I don’t hesitate. I move toward him, and as soon as I settle on his knee, he wraps his arms around me, pulling me into his chest. His warmth seeps into me, and the soft rumble of a purr vibrates from his throat.
“I don’t want to go back to the real world,” he murmurs, his lips brushing against my damp hair.
I sigh, my fingers tracing lazy circles against his chest. “Me either.”
“We could cancel the tour,” he muses. “Disappear. Hide out in some remote cabin—just the five of us.”
I snort a laugh. “A remote cabin, huh?”
He shrugs, his fingers skimming along my spine, making me shiver. “Or a random hotel penthouse. But I figured a remote cabin would be harder for Shelley to find us and murder us for ruining her plans.”
I sigh, the reality of everything creeping in. “Yeah. I should call her. I have about a million missed calls. I’ll be lucky if I still have a job.”
Before Todd can respond, the suite door swings open, and Jake strides in, carrying a tray of coffee cups, followed closely by West, who’s balancing a plate of croissants and fruit like it’s the most natural thing in the world. Xayden trails behind them, a room service cart in tow, grinning like he just got away with something.
“Breakfast,” Jake announces, setting the tray down on the coffee table. His eyes flick to me and Todd, his lips quirking. “Though I see some of us are already cozy.”
Todd tightens his grip around my waist, shooting him a lazy smirk. “We’re just discussing our plans to run away from civilization.”
Xayden snickers, dramatically lifting the lid off one of the silver platters. “What, and deprive the world of Primal Pulse’s comeback? You wound me.” He grabs a strawberry from the fruit plate and pops it into his mouth, his eyes glinting as they land on me. “Though I wouldn’t mind a few more days locked away with you.”
Heat flushes up my neck, and I reach for a croissant to distract myself. “A few more days, huh?”
West, quiet as always, sinks into the chair opposite Todd and me, his dark eyes steady. “We have a show tomorrow. Shelley’s going to want answers before then.”
I sigh again, my appetite suddenly wavering at the mention of reality creeping back in. “Yeah. I know.”
Jake slides a coffee toward me, the rich aroma curling into the air. “We’ll figure it out.”
Todd nuzzles into my hair, his voice a quiet promise. “We already have.”
“Right.” I exhale, sinking into his warmth, the cup cradled between my hands. I take a sip, the familiar taste grounding me. It’s exactly how I like it—hot, strong, and just the right amount of sweet. “But if we did run away to that remote cabin in the woods, I wouldn’t have this amazing coffee.”
Todd huffs out a laugh, his chest vibrating against my back. “Oh, I see. Coffee’s more important now?”
I tilt my head to glance up at him, playful but serious. “Are you going to make me choose?” The moment the words leave my mouth, my stomach clenches. Shit. Did I just ruin the mood?
The air shifts, but before the weight of the past can settle between us, Xayden breaks the silence with a dramatic groan, flopping onto the couch beside me. “Never again, sweetheart,” he says easily, stretching his long legs out in front of him. “The plan for the cabin will just have to wait until we can build you your own coffee shop.”
I laugh, tension unwinding from my shoulders. “Oh, so now I get an entire coffee shop?”
Jake smirks from across the room, leaning against the counter with his own cup in hand. “Of course. Can’t have our omega suffering from caffeine withdrawal.”
West sits on the arm of the couch, his gaze steady. “A remote cabin wouldn’t be so bad,” he murmurs, watching me over the rim of his cup. “We could write. Play. No distractions.”
“Except for me,” I tease, taking another sip.
West’s lips twitch. “You’re the best kind of distraction.”
A warmth unfurls in my chest, spreading through my limbs, leaving me feeling more settled than I have in years. This is real. This is mine.
Todd squeezes my waist, his voice a soft murmur against my ear. “We’ll figure it out, Ash. Together.”
I hesitate before calling Shelley.My fingers hover over the screen, my stomach twisted into knots. There’s no doubt she’s been waiting for me to call, and I already know exactly how this conversation is going to go.
