Page 150 of Lyric & the Heartbeats

“I can’t imagine not agreeing with anything that would make you happy.”

Lyric frowned. “That doesn’t make sense. What if I was some fucking weirdo who only found joy in like... torturing tiny woodland creatures?”

He chuckled at that. “The thing is, I wouldn’t be attracted to someone who wanted something like that, alpha instincts or not. I’m attracted to you, Lyric. An impossibly talented, successful musician who eats gummy bears for dessert and lives in her head too much. I just happen to be an alpha. The instincts don’t make us who we are. And neither do yours.”

Lyric chuckled. “There’s never enough gummy bears.”

“I’m sure the others didn’t mean to make you feel… less. But at the end of the day, you’re our omega.”

The possessiveness of his tone didn’t make her skin itch like it usually would have. Instead, warmth prickled her chest. She rubbed her sternum as he continued speaking.

“It’s not that we see you as that and nothing more. But it would be purely irresponsible and dangerous not to recognize the risks that come with being an omega. You’re still Lyric. You’re still a rising pop star who can command an entire venue and put hosts in their place when they deserve it, as well as hold a bus full of alphas at attention. And as for Henry… he’s your tour manager and your alpha, and he’s just trying to take care of you. Do you think you could let him? Let us?”

The pad of his thumb continued swiping across her skin slowly, warmth skating over her skin along with sparks at every brush.

“Okay. I’ll let you. But try to give me some credit. I’m not stupid.”

Javier’s deep chuckle joined the chirps of the nightlife, and he lifted her hand and painted a kiss there with a brush of his lips. “I know. They’re guilty of seeing an alpha, in that moment, rushing toward someone they wanted to protect. You understand that, right?”

Lyric sighed, melting at the touch of his kiss and the soft brush of air across the back of her hand with the breath of his explanation. “Yeah. I can understand that.”

Leaning back against the tree, she looked up at the branches, and farther past that toward the night sky. “I feel silly for storming out.”

“Don’t. You’re allowed to get upset with us. Thank you for talking it out with me.”

Lyric rolled her head against the tree and traced the shadows of Javier’s features. “And thank you for being patient with me. This is all… new. And I won’t lie to you, it’s a little scary.”

“I know. I’m glad you’re braving this new territory though. Don’t let us scare you off too easily.”

A soft chuckle tickled her lips. “I don’t know, there are still two weeks left.”

“I look forward to every second,” Javi admitted. “In fact… I know something that will make you feel better, if you’re up for it.”

Lyric squinted at him. “And what’s that?”

“Cooking,” Javier answered, as if it was obvious.

The doubtful glance she sent him spoke wonders, but he chuckled and squeezed her hand. “Think about it. We’ll have fun.”

“It’s… a date,” she said, cheeks heating at the idea.

“Deal.”

Words appeared on the tip of her tongue that felt so elementary compared to the swell of emotion filling her chest in that moment. But she let them out anyway. “I really like you. But I know I’m not there yet.”

“That’s okay. We’ll get there,” he reassured her with a smile, one that molded his cheeks into laugh lines like clay and made her want to trace them.

Lyric was pretty sure if there was marked with an X on a map with detailed instructions, she still wouldn’t know how to get there.

But this, telling him how she felt, was a start.

Henry tried not to interfere with the meet and greets, tried to give her the space she wanted to meet fans after shows uninterrupted. And he did... kind of.

He stood close by, acting as her bodyguard. And it wasn’t that he didn’t trust the venue security guards… okay, fine. Yes. It was.

Henry wouldn’t be comfortable trusting Lyric’s safety to anyone but himself and the other guys on the bus. He didn’t think that would ever change, which was why he was side-eyeing each and every handshake, and every item Lyric was handed over the barrier. It was why he carried a giant bag, throwing in her gifts one after the other to inspect later before bringing them onto the bus. Was it a little overzealous? Maybe.

Was Lyric going to change his mind on the matter?