Page 26 of Toy No More

I chuckle, turning around to him to share a kiss.I miss his playful side.

As I tenderly run my finger down his cheek, basking in his sky-blue eyes, I’m happy, no matter my aching body.

“There’s something you want to say,” he says suddenly. He doesn’t sound upset, only curious. With hesitancy, I rest my hand against his muscular chest as it lifts and falls down slowly. A part of me wants to forget that silly idea. To not risk the possibility of ruining this moment. And yet…I did keep thinking about it, even today. “Tell me.” He presses gently.

Swallowing, I push through my doubts and speak up. “I was thinking… N-not while we were doing it! But in general, for a few weeks, that maybe I could…I could use having some casual sex outside of work, you know?”

I feel a wave of regret as soon as the words come out of my mouth. Fear grips me. Intently, I watch Jasper for the slightest change in his expression. All he does is raise his brows lightly.

“Oh.”

Oh? What does that mean?!

“It’s not that I’m missing anything in particular or I’m unhappy,” I clarify swiftly, sploshing more water out of the bath by accident as I straighten my back. “I’ve just been feeling really unmotivated at work, and with you being so busy lately, I’d rather…not push whatever this is on you. It is nothing serious. More of a distraction.”

Why do I feel like a stuttering mess all of the sudden?

“Why not?” Jasper remarks lightly, making me narrow my brows in surprise. “Our agreement was clear. As long as we tell each other it’s supposed to happen, and we both agree… You’re free to do whatever or whoever you want, sweetheart,” he says, twisting a strand of my hair that falls across my face around his finger with a smile. “Provided that I know who, where, and when. You know I like to be informed. Keep track of what’s going on.Especiallywhen it comes to what my precious doll is doing.”

The uncomfortable knot contorting my insides releases somewhat. Still, it’s making me uneasy to see Jasper this agreeable. Was I supposed to ask him later, when he’s no longer addled on the feel-good post-rut hormones?

Then again, it’s not like he’s incapable of making rational decisions right now.

“Th-thank you for understanding,” I say, trying to shake off the weird sensation. I shouldn’t act like he never let me have anything.

Jasper smiles contently, not a hint of insecurity to be seen.Maybe I was way overthinking for no reason like I always do.

“Anyone specific you’re thinking of?” he asks, cocking a brow.

“No,” I blurt out the answer immediately, even if a facedoesappear in my mind.Why am I lying about it?“I just wanted to know if you’d be open to it first. I’ll see if the opportunity presents itself, I guess,” I say with a shrug, and rest my head on his chest to avoid meeting his eyes.

Kobe.

Kobe’s face came to mind the moment Jasper asked. I don’t understand why. It makes no sense, really. To think in that way about another omega. When have I ever?

A part of me doubts he would even be interested.

Still…those gentle eyes, widening at me with soft, genuine concern each time we’ve been together, haunt me tenderly. I want to see them and his pretty face flustered. If the honesty he’s shown me is the bare minimum, how glorious would he look moaning underneath me, completely surrendered and exposed?

I don’t understand why I have these unusual thoughts—all I know is that they feelright.

Chapter 9

Kobe

Todayisnotagood day to be working at this company. Not for any of us, and not even for Jasper Zane himself.

As Trey put it, in a carefully low voice,daddy’s home. Unannounced, unexpected. Definitely unwelcome. Me and Lenny are the unlucky individuals closest to ground zero. While we motionlessly stand guard outside the office door, the muffled conversation taking place within becomes louder and louder with each passing minute. Words turn to shouts, interspersed by ominous segments of silence.

There’s no TV or radio chatter coming out of the break rooms. Instead, all the guys sit there quietly, awaiting the resolution of whatever family dispute is happening in the office, every one of them too curious to overhear something to leave and too scared to make a sound to do anything else but wait around motionlessly.

Better yet, Solomon Zane’s own men stand at the other end of the hallway, where he ordered them to stay, creating an awkward line of sight of knowing looks and nervous glances.

I catch snippets here and there. Lenny and I glance at each other when a part of a sentence containing the words ‘haughty ambition that will cost us’ can be heard all too clearly, put forth by Jasper’s father.

His concern is definitely not baseless. It’s hard to gauge the way things have been running because of how short my time here has been, but only by listening to the chatter of those who’ve been around longer or the gossip of the dolls, I can tell that Jasper has been a little too aggressive in pushing into territories and businesses of the other gangs as of late.

That kind of behavior doesn’t go overlooked for long.

---