Page 90 of No Escape

My chest rises and falls in rapid pants, and it takes everything in me to keep myself planted in Leo’s lap. I’m still adjusting to the idea that they want me as badly as I’ve always wanted them, but seeing the look on Shaw’s face, it doesn’t seem impossible to believe it’s true.

Leo’s chest begins to vibrate behind me, and I gasp, glancing up at him over my shoulder. The rumbling of his purr fills the air and combined with their scents, my head gets a little fuzzy.

They seem to know exactly how to woo my instincts to turn me into a puddle of compliant omega, but no matter what they think, I’m not leaving without Valor and Omen.

Leo and Shaw have carefully sidestepped the conversation any time I’ve brought it up, but maybe they need a day or two to come to terms with things too. It’s not like I don’t get it. I’m still adjusting to the idea of them being interested in me. I’ll let them stew on it until Omen and Valor are released, but they better catch up with reality and fast.

I feel bad when I think about it, but I won’t be choosing between the four of them.

Leo and Shaw missed out on the opportunity to have me all to themselves. If they wanted that option, they shouldn’t have waited so long to pop back up in my life. I can understand the points they made, and while it still bothers me, I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt that they had honorable intentions.

Only, they waited a little too long.

An omega is the one who builds their pack. The alphas may offer input and put their foot down if they’re not willing to be tied to someone for life, but in that situation, they would see themselves out of the equation.

It would suck, but I’d deal.

What I won’t do is allow them to make a liar out of me to Omen. That man, more than even Valor, needs someone to put him first and to offer him the loyalty that he so freely gives.

* * *

Not being able to tell time is really confusing for my body.

Leo and Shaw pulled the couch out into a bed, and I took myself to Valor’s loft after several hours of talking and playing cards. I was able to fall asleep, despite being cold, but I wake up sometime later feeling like my fingers and toes might fall off.

It’s never this unbearable during the day, and I don’t understand why they purposely torment us at night. My teeth chatter as I shiver, pulling a pillow from behind my head to lie over my feet. It’s an attempt to gather some extra warmth, but after what feels like twenty or thirty minutes, I can’t take any more.

Collecting my pillow and blankets, I toss them toward the ladder out of the loft and crawl across the mattress and down until I’m nearly on the bottom rung. I stretch back into the bed and collect my supplies before heading to the pullout couch.

Shaw is on the side closest to the door to exit the cell, while Leo is near the bathroom. They’ve got at least a foot or two between them, and that spot is calling my name. My legs and arms are covered in goose bumps. I probably should have kept Valor’s sweats on, but having the band rolled down made the material feel funny against my skin as I tossed and turned, so I stripped out of them.

Tucking my blanket over my back and my pillow under my right arm, I plant my left hand on the bed and proceed to climb up. Shaw lies on his back with his arm thrown over his head. He’s shirtless. Despite how dark it is, I’m still able to make out all of the black and gray tattoos that line the multitude of lithe muscles on his chest and abdomen.

Leo is on his side, facing the bathroom. I’m pretty sure his arms are crossed.

My head tilts.

I’ve never seen someone successfully sleep on their side with their arms positioned like that. His dark hair falls over his forehead, and his long lashes fan over his cheek.

Leo is every bit as sexy as Shaw. It just shows differently. He has infinite patience, and the encouraging smiles he used to shoot my way made my insides melty.

Getting my pillow in place between their heads, I lie facing Leo. Each of them started the night with their own blanket, and it’s tempting to try to find my way under his. I don’t want to be rude and wake him, so I settle for scooting my chest as close to his back as I can get.

I bite back a smile as I realize it makes him my little spoon. I’m still cold, but their body heat helps warm the mattress, and before I know it, the shivering stops. It takes a lot of courage to wrap my arm around Leo’s stomach, but his warmth is too tempting to resist.

“Dammit, I told you to stop jabbing your bony knees into my thighs,” Leo grumbles sleepily.

I pull my legs back and tease my hand over his stomach. “Sorry. It’s actually me.”

He goes stiff but eventually relaxes. “Snuggle away, sweetheart.” His hand migrates to mine, and he interlocks our fingers.

It’s a blessing that he can’t see my face because I end up grinning like a total weirdo.

Yeah, I could definitely get used to them spoiling me like this.

* * *

A ragged groan escapes my dry lips as discomfort pulses through my system. My legs jerk, and my hand flies to my mouth. The nausea is back with full force.

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