I flinched as Gray struck at Liam, the hit glancing off his arm. They were evenly matched. I didn’t know much about fighting, but Liam’s movements seemed to be more raw aggression, while Gray’s were precise and practiced. It wasn’t surprising to see Gray fight since he was a bodyguard, but Liam was so gentle around me that it was startling to see his alpha aggression at the forefront.
Sweat glistened off their bare chests and some of my anxiety gave way to arousal. Images of what it would be like to be pressed against the two of them, to feel their hands on me, moving together and working my body, flashed before my eyes until I felt weak in the knees. My face was hot as alpha pheromones saturated the air. If I could perfume, the room would be filled with my scent right now.
“Come on,” Henry said, grabbing my hand. “Let’s leave them to it.”
“What? No. I should stay to… I don’t know, smooth things over?”
“No,” he said firmly. “They need to work this out, and I need my girl.” His heated eyes ran down my body.
“I’ll make sure they don’t kill each other,” Bear said with a wink as Henry pulled me out of the gym.
The second we got in the elevator, his body was on mine. He crowded me against the wall, his arms caging me in.
“Do you think they’re going to be okay?” I asked, biting my lip.
“They’ll be fine,” Henry said. “And right now, I want to be the only one you’re thinking of.”
A smile tugged at my lips. “Feeling jealous?”
“I might not be an alpha, but I’m still possessive as fuck over you,” he said, his voice deep as he stared intently into my eyes.
“Mmm. Are you going to have your way with me?” I stood on my tiptoes so I could nip his lower lip.
“I’m going to have you every way I want.” His hard-on pressed against my stomach and I arched into his touch.
The elevator dinged and the doors opened. Henry grabbed my thighs and lifted me so I was wrapped around his body and then ran down the hall to our rooms. I laughed as I bounced in his arms, his cock rubbing against my core with every step.
He fumbled with the room key, cursing until he finally got it open. My feet hit the floor as he backed me into the room.
“Do you want to shower?” he asked, kissing my jaw. “If yes, I do insist we shower together to conserve water.”
“The environment is very important,” I said with a grin. But then I hesitated. “Actually, can I ask you a favor?”
Henry’s brow furrowed. “Of course, gorgeous.”
“Will you practice a self-defense move with me?”
“What move?” He looked at the door. “Do you want to get Bear back here?”
“No,” I said, biting my lip. My anxiety was choking, but I took a deep breath and forced myself to say it. “I want to practice getting away when I’m pinned on the ground, but I’m worried if I practice with any of the others, I’ll get triggered.”
Henry pulled me close. “Because they’re alphas?”
“Yeah,” I said softly.
“I’d do anything for you,” he said. “I just don’t want to make things worse.”
“Can we just try? I looked up a video on how to do it.”
“Tell me what to do,” he said, kissing my forehead.
I lowered myself to the floor until I was lying down on my stomach on the patterned rug. “Umm, you need to get on top of me.” A shiver of anxiety ran through me.
Henry lowered himself to the floor, but instead of getting on top of me, he lay down beside me and ran his hand down my hair and back.
“I won’t ever do anything to hurt you,” he said.
“I know,” I said. His words soothed my anxiety, and I relaxed into the floor.
