“Are you sure you’re okay?” I ask, sliding the rest of my croissant onto her plate before refilling her mug of tea.
A glare flashes in her eyes when I pick up the spoon to add some sugar. “I’m not going to go into shock. I might slip into a food coma because you keep feeding me. It’s going to take a lot more than watching some little shits getting what was coming to them to upset me.”
I know she won’t go into shock. Me feeding her is about something much more primal than that—she’s mine to dote on.To the rest of the world watching, for sure I’m making a right fucking statement. She is ours.
Ronin’s name flashes on my mobile, and her eyes fly back to mine. “You can let him know I’m still working.”
Her lips set into a firm line like they always do when her stubborn side flares, and I have to adjust myself under the table because of it. Goddamn, she’s perfect. The fire in her sparks up with the smallest push, and she’ll need it living with us. It’s why I train as much as I do and fight whenever I can. Although, Tally might be the only outlet I need, if we ever get there.
Today, kissing her was a start.
Before I get lost in my thoughts, I answer Ronin’s call.
“Where are you?”
“At Miam’s, like I said in the text. Tally’s fine.”
“Well, she best not be thinking she’s fucking working now,” Ronin roars so loud, I’m pretty sure people outside would be able to hear him.
Tally doesn’t miss what he says, her peachy scent fading. Her eyes drop down briefly before the edge of her mouth lifts ever so slightly as her hand lifts, her ring finger a silent salute to him.
She twists her head, her gaze still low but her eyes on mine, and I already know we’ve lost any hope of her not working. No screaming match, no quiet pleading, nothing will stop her from going.
“Ronin, we’re about to head back. You want anything?”
“Nah. Just keep a sharp eye on the way back. We’re gonna all be going to see Paddy. He’s calling everyone in for a meeting. Fucking kids getting involved ain’t right.”
“Aye, it’s not,” I reply.
Tally starts gathering the plates as I finish up the call. I go to grab her hand to keep her from carrying everything to the counter but stop, hopefully before she notices. Who am I to stop her being herself? If she lets me, I’ll be her biggest supporter.
After leaving the dirty plates on the counter, Tally makes a beeline to Eloise. I stay back, though, because much like with the plates, Tally needs to do whatever she feels she needs to do.
One of the other people sitting, enjoying a cuppa comes up close. “I’ll go check the street, and I’ll wait further up.”
“Right, then,” I murmur, shaking his hand.
And I’m not acting on the sly, keeping shit from Tally; it’s just the way things are done around here. If we go out either alone or as a pack, we’ve got people scattered around watching out for us. It comes with the territory of being an O’Connor, and it’s one of the ways I knew where Tally was.
Sean didn’t go on a run with her—that was one of the other boys—but they’re both our people. After Ronin heard that Tally got roughed up by the spawn of Des Kelly, he sent extra help our way.
Sean goes, and as I expected, because she’s sharp as glass, Tally doesn’t miss the interaction. Nor does she miss when I purposely stall us leaving until he gives the all clear from out the front.
“Thanks again,” Tally says to all the staff as we make our way out of the shop.
I hold the door open for her, and she stops half in, half out, to take the box of food out of my hands.
She smiles, her eyes changing color again. “Just in case, right?”
I shrug. There’s no point pretending that, when it comes to protecting people, or fighting, it’s a lot easier if your hands aren’t full. The plus side is, if Tally’s carrying the bakery treats, I get to keep my hand on her body all the way home. Not that I’m keen on rushing our time getting home and getting to know her. By the speed she walks, neither is she.
We’re close to home when I lean down to talk privately against her ear. “Are you going to distract him with sex again?”
She belts out a laugh, and the smile I saw from before when he was damn near yelling his head off is the same one I get now. Cheeky. Unapologetic. “Tynan, what kind of person uses sex as a way of getting what they want?”
“A smart one.”
Her eyebrows lift, and she stops walking to look me right in the eye. “I’m an Omega, sex is pretty much my life force.”
