"It’s possible that your opinion matters to me more than theirs."
Wow.
Silence falls again. I swallow, meeting his gaze. Those words hit with power. I lift his hand once more and press another kiss to it, then another, and another, each one slightly shifted, turning it into something closer to a lingering, intimate caress. He doesn’t pull away.
Reluctantly, I raise my head and whisper,
"I’ll go back outside. There are more patients waiting, hoping you can help them."
Blue nods. "I’ll see what I can do for them too."
Then I leave.
Over the next stretch of time, several more patients come out smiling, and I find myself reflecting on how wrongly he’s been judged by people.
Eventually, Blue comes out too, Simon joining him, and they start discussing something work-related. As Blue passes me, I catch his gaze on me, brief but… full of something new.
If anything, it seems almost shy, which doesn’t make sense. And yet, something about him feels more cautious around me, almost unsettled. I find myself wondering why.
We head over to one of the departments where Blue has a short meeting with the IT department director, Flanegin. I stand nearby while they talk. The man is a heavyset beta with thick glasses and an overly enthusiastic way of speaking. At one point, I notice him leaning slightly forward, and I instinctively activate my vision, seeing that he’s about to reach out, probably to place a hand lightly on Blue’s forearm to emphasize a point.
Without thinking, I step closer and slide my hand between them.
"No touching," I say calmly, but firmly.
I’m always a little shocked at how I change around Blue when others are near. Like something takes over, like I really am his protector, and it gives me a kind of confidence I don’t usually have.
It’s ridiculous. Flanegin clearly has no bad intentions, and yet for some reason, I don’t want him touching my omega.
My omega?
What the hell…
"Ah, of course, of course," Flanegin mutters quickly, pulling his hand back.
I catch another brief glance from Blue, something like surprise in it, but also something else, maybe… content.
I never forget he hates being touched by strangers, all those germs everywhere… it’s interesting that he makes an exception for me.
For the first time, based on that fact alone, it occurs to me that maybe the shift is real.
That I have found some kind of opening into Blue’s heart. I don’t know how solid that conclusion is, but I’m starting to suspect that maybe he’s grown to like me a little too. The thought alone is enough to please me. I fix my gaze on his small, pale face and those large sapphire eyes, which flick briefly in my direction before returning to the beta he’s speaking with.
A moment later, Simon approaches them with some news related to Beta Activation, and soon the beta leaves. I listen to Simon with half an ear at first, but after a moment I start paying closer attention. Apparently, something unpleasant happened in one of the Beta Activation facilities, and Blue looks very dissatisfied. He turns to me and says, "Tomorrow, I have to make a stop at the detention center, speak with someone. I’d like you there with me, since that person may be… unhappy. To put it lightly."
"Of course, Blue. I’ll protect you," I assure him solemnly. He nods, and together we head for the exit. In the limousine, I notice that Blue is deep in thought, a vertical crease between his brows as he stares out the window.
"Is everything okay?" I ask quietly, even though Simon is with us and I’d rather not draw him into the conversation.
"Yes. I just have a certain dilemma related to this man. And I remember what I promised your brother."
I freeze, not understanding. "Marlow? What do you mean?"
"It would take a while to explain… The point is, this man has certain specific abilities that are not reproducible in a laboratory. At least not for now. He committed an offense, and the judge may sentence him to a long term, but there is an option for me to… let’s say help him avoid that. I have connections here and there, however… should I? I haven’t made a decision yet."
I hesitate. "I can’t help you, I don’t know the case, but I trust you’ll make the best decision."
???
