Page 18 of Pack Coffey

"Sure," I tell him, ushering him over to the small counter. "Believe it or not, I don't actually own a coffee maker. There's something about fresh espresso that I've never been able to get right. It always tastes different."

"Well, let's give this a shot and see how good it is," he offers.

He goes about taking everything out and setting it up for me. I end up watching his muscles flex as he moves more than what he's actually doing. It isn't until he's got the first shots brewing that I think to ask him. "Lawrence, not that I'm complaining, but why did you buy this for me?"

Licking his lips, he stands up straight before turning to bring us face to face so that he can look down at me. His eyesroam over my face for a few seconds before he finally confesses. "I hoped that you'd accept it as a courting gift."

The only sound in the room after his admission is the sound of espresso pouring into the little shot glasses. I'm pretty sure we both quit breathing, too.

His Adam's apple bobs as he does his own swallow after another few seconds. "Of course, it doesn't have to be that if you don't want it to be, too. Just a gift from one friend to another."

Stepping into his space, I bring our fronts flush against each other and lift my chin as high as I can get it. He understands immediately, leaning down to press his lips against mine. I enjoy the softness of them as they move against mine before I part my own and let him inside. His hands press against my back, pulling me tight against him. My arms are stretched out, thrown around his shoulders as I do my own tugging, trying to get as close to him as possible.

The espresso has almost lost its steam by the time we're able to pull away.

"Should I take that as a yes?" he asks slyly.

I nod, but worry furrows in my belly. Either he senses it or my expression gives it away, because he asks, "Answer too fast? Need some time to think about it?"

"No," I tell him quietly. Not really knowing how to phrase the question I need to ask without coming off weird. Giving up, I just say it. "Is it just you?"

The corners of his lips pull up as he smiles slowly. "Only if you want it to be. I assure you, the rest of my pack is more than willing if you're willing to give us a chance."

I only have one concern as to why I haven't immediately said yes, and I'm not sure Lawrence is the person I need to be speaking to about it. Seeing as he's the only one here, I don't see how I have much of a choice. "What about Saint? And the investigation?"

"He doesn't want either one to get in the way of the other," Lawrence carefully explains.

Kicking the small amount of rejection that I feel to the side, I can completely see where he's coming from. We have time to explore whatever this is and might become. The girls who have already lost their lives and the possibility that there will be more by the end of it all, makes it top priority.

"I can see why," Lawrence murmurs softly.

"See why what?" I ask, tilting my head to the side a bit.

"Why Saint instantly fell for you," he admits quietly, pulling me tight against him again. "Your brain works fast. I can see the compassion written all over your expression. You're willing to put off your own happiness to help close the case. Am I right? Is that what you were just thinking?"

"Maybe," I reply, glancing up through my lashes before tilting my chin up to him again.

He complies easily, slightly lifting me off my feet to bring our mouths back together.

We spend the next couple hours drinking coffee made in my fancy machine as we talk about anything and everything. Then even more time chatting as he spends my shift at the station with me. An entire day of Lawrence and his deep voice? Don't mind if I do. I'm still having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that his pack wants to court me. I took all the classes and know what is the norm and what is expected of omegas. I just didn't think that my weirdness would be attractive to anyone. Let alone, five someones in a pack. I honestly wish that I could say that my worst fear is them finding out how truly weird I am. Come on, how many people are obsessed with death and murderers to the point of making a podcast and social media videos about it? No matter the reasoning behind it. I'm a weird person.

Unfortunately, that's not even the worst thing I bring tothe table. We've all got skeletons in our closet. Even those who say that they don't. Mine just so happens to be a little bit bigger than most. It's my most guarded secret, which wouldn't be too hard to figure out with the right amount of digging. Luckily, no one has gotten close enough to want to dig. Until now. I'll have to tell them before they find out on their own, and think they've been deceived or something, thinking I'm nothing more than this innocent little omega ready to settle down for a pack.

Saturday morning rolls around, and after making my own latte...okay two...that's how many it takes for me to get the courage to do what I'm doing. Pulling out my phone, I text Saint and ask for a ride if he's not busy. I could've texted Lawrence, but me and Saint need to hash this out sooner rather than later. He immediately texts back saying he'll be over in an hour.

I'm already dressed and ready to go, so I sit down and pour over the notes that he gave me. The same thing I've been doing for days. My brain is trying to put together this puzzle that feels like it's missing all of its edge pieces. There's nothing harder than starting one from the inside working out, and that's what I'm doing. I'm trying to fit the pieces into the right grooves, but they just aren't going. What am I missing?

The sound of the SUV pulling into the driveway brings me back into the present and out of my mind. Tucking all of the papers back into their folders, I put them back into my locked desk drawer. Grabbing my things, I lock the door behind me as I go hop in the car.

"Thanks," I tell him as I put my seatbelt on.

"No problem," he replies, backing out onto the road. "Where am I taking you?"

"To see Henry," I say.

This catches him off guard. I can tell by the way his eyebrows lift. "Is there a reason?"

"Yes," I tell him. Lawrence told me last night that Henrywas the one covering the murders and it had caused him to be spending more time at work than normal. It's how I knew where he'd be today. "I want to see if Henry will show me the information he's got on the girls. Plus, I want to see if there's a way I can look through old records for papers to see if this is the first time this has happened here."

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