Dom looked over, then stopped the car, pulled his phone from his pocket, and started texting.
“Told Linc.He’ll change your locks or get someone to do it ASAP.”He scrolled through his phone.“Hey, Ell says your panels are negative.”
I breathed a sigh of relief.“Thank fuck.”
Dom put his phone away and got the car moving again.“Indeed.Still can’t believe that asshole did that to you.Although I’m glad you’re not with someone else right now.Don’t know how I’d handle that.”
I turned to him.“How doesn’t it bother you that Ellis and Linc both want me as their mate as well?How didn’t…erm…how didn’t last night bother you?”
“Last night?”He looked over.“When you let me suck your pretty cock?”
So not how I would’ve put that.My breath hitched.“Yeah.”
Dom shrugged.“It all feels natural.With Ell and Linc, anyway, because I love them.I love that you’re theirs as well.Think what a shitshow this would be if you were only mine.I’d want to tear their heads off if they so much as looked at you.While still loving them.But I wouldn’t really be able to love them, because I’m yours.Point is, this is perfect.”He looked over at me, bathing me in that contagious happiness, his eyes bright under his curls.“Same as when you came in my mouth last night.That was perfect as well.”
Oh, holy fucking hotpants.I opened my mouth to say something.Closed it again.Cleared my throat.How did he just say stuff like that?
“You did hear me when I said I don’t feel like I’m ready for a relationship right now, right?”That seemed safe territory.It was just the kind of thing that would cool the situation down and give him perspective.
Dom shrugged.“I heard you.I get why you feel that way.I’m also not going to lie to you, Little Red—I want you to be ours.I know we can make you very happy.We’re good alphas; you can go around the werewolf community and ask anyone.Ell and Linc and I, we’ll take excellent care of you, and every werewolf beta will be jealous of how cosseted you are.”
That was a lot to process.He was saying I’d never make my own damn tea again if it was up to him.And he was also saying a lot more.Whatever had happened to people telling each other white lies and not wearing their hearts on their sleeves?What was wrong with that?
“But if this thing with three wolf dudes thinking one human is their mate is so weird, what tells you you’re right?You could be wrong.”I hesitated.“Maybe that hunter who shot the wolf used something… I don’t know.Some pheromone bait or something.You three might be glitching.”
Dom gave me a look somewhere between amused and shocked.“Are you positive you like men?I mean, how can you be so sure you don’t like women?Maybe you’re confused because you saw too many strong white dudes portrayed as the love interest in movies.Maybe if you kissed a few women, you’d discover you actually like it.Maybe you’re really just glitching.”
“Okay, fine.Point taken.”
I turned to the passenger-side window.We’d left the trees behind a little while ago, and there were houses around us now.No high-rises, no crazy traffic, just a cute little town with brick buildings and picket fences and people walking their dogs.
Dominic reached over to me, brushing his fingers through my hair again, being careful around the back where the stitches still sat awkwardly in my skin.
“We’ll make you so damn happy, Marcus, I swear.”He paused before he spoke again.“I just… Will you please just give us a chance to show you?Please?”
“I already told you I was going to stay at your place.”
Dom hummed.“Yeah, but I’m asking you to giveusa chance.Don’t close yourself off just because that asshole hurt you.We’re not him.We’re nothing like him.”
I bit my lip.A part of me wanted to just grab my stuff and run back home.But there was another part that had enjoyed the taste of spice last night, and spending three weeks with three hot guys who were willing and clearly able to make me feel good could be vengeance, a way of showing myself and Steven I was desirable in that way.Yet another part didn’t want to use those three like that.
“Thanks for saving me,” I said instead of answering him.“I never said that.Thanks.Would’ve sucked to get eaten by actual wolves.”
Dom was quiet, his eyes on the road, which looked like the main thoroughfare.Pleasant Peak was a clean little town.The shop fronts were tidy, and a lot of them had flowers out front, though none were blooming as aggressively as Dom’s geraniums.
“I think Linc sensed you on some subconscious level.”Dom drummed his fingers against the wheel.“He was so antsy that day, and then he found you.We’d save you anytime, Little Red.”
I sighed.“Okay, fine.I’ll keep an open mind.But there will be no biting of any kind, is that clear?”
Dom glanced over at me, his face splitting into a toothy smile.“You won’t regret that, Little Red, I promise.”
“No biting!”
He made a guttural noise.“Bossy.”
I groaned as he parked in front of a store with a big sign that proclaimed it Hudson’s Hardware.“How come you call me Little Red when you’re the ginger?”
“Because I’m not little, obviously.”He leaned over and gave me a peck on the mouth.“Come on.I need dowels.”
