Page 26 of Dodging Bullets

“Paloma?” I looked up at Rio, and whatever he saw in my expression had him frowning. “Are you okay?”

Nodding, I forced a smile onto my face. “Yes. I’m fine.” Almost unwillingly, my eyes flicked to the girl behind the counter, who looked as if she was feasting on Rio’s good looks. This was a prime example of “checking out.”

But Rio wasmine.

A soft snarl reached my ears, and my cheeks darkened to red when I realized it was me. I was growling.

Leader Malakai would be horrified right now.

Rio turned his back on the girl, an eyebrow raised. “You don’t seem fine, Omega.”

How did I explain to him that I wanted to claw out the eyes of a perfect stranger, then stomp on them so she could never look at him again?

“I don’t know…” My eyes slipped back to the girl, who was now staring, and I ripped my gaze away, embarrassment making me hot.

Rio leaned forward, brushing his lips across mine. It was a soft caress, but I could feel the claiming in them. He was declaring that he was mine in front of this beautiful girl, who would look amazing beside him. Who wasn’t stunted emotionally and socially. Who wasn’t damaged inside and out.

Like he could sense my thoughts, he deepened the kiss. He wasn’t just marking himself as mine, he was claiming me as his. A soft noise that I didn’t understand bubbled up in my throat and into his mouth.

Rio pulled back and smiled down at me. That expression was like… It made my chest feel too big, too full. Rio’s smiles were like the first sunny day after a long winter. “Are you purring for me, Omega?” I flushed again, and he wrapped me up in his arms. He finished paying for our stuff and walked out of the shop, not saying anything to the attendant who’d served us.

“Where are we going?” I asked as he hustled me through the mall.

“To find Max so I can tell him how beautifully you purr.”

“Rio,” I gasped, and he laughed.

We got to a large, open cavity in the mall, and my feet stilled as I looked up. “Oh my…” I breathed, and Rio stilled beside me.

In the empty mall cavity were hanging shards of shiny mirror. Or maybe it was metal or glass; I wasn’t sure. But it swayed gently in some artificial air, twisting like bright starsin the sky and adjusting colours, depending on which way the mirrored pieces spun.

“It reminds me of these extinct creatures I read about once, shifting colors like that,” I breathed to Rio as I watched it in rapt attention. “They’d adjust the coloring on their scales, depending on their environment.”

Rio frowned. “Do you mean a chameleon?”

“Yes. Reading theNational Geographicsin Leader Malakai’s office was my bad habit. I’d sneak in there and read about all these old animals and technologies…” But theyweren’told. They were modern. The disconnect was still embedded in my brain.

Watching my face, Rio pulled me back to his chest. “Chameleons still exist. You can keep them as pets.”

I chewed my lip, holding back the tears. “How can I function in this world when everything I know as true is a lie?” My voice broke, and he tucked me tightly against him.

“We will help you every step of the way. Llew, Max, and me. August. Otillie-James and Lance and their Pack. You have a network for anything you want to do from now on. I swear to you, I’ll tell you nothing but the truth. No lies between us.”

“Do you promise?” It wouldn’t be that easy. I didn’t think I could accept anyone’s word ever again. But with Llewellyn and his Pack—my Pack now, I guess—surely I could center myself in their truth?

“I swear on my life, Paloma. No matter what, no matter how painful I think you’ll find the truth, I won’t ever lie to you.”

And just like that, he’d given me a foundation to stand on. When the world felt like quicksand, Rio would be there, giving me solid ground.

I felt exhausted, the day sucking the very energy from my core. Licking my dry lips, I pulled away from him and looked up at the mesmerizing piece of engineering. I would learn. I mightbe floundering now, but I would learn. I could read. I wasn’t stupid, and I could work hard.

I looked up at Rio. “Where can I get books? I want to know everything.”

He gave me a solemn look, but kissed the top of my head. “We’ll stop at the public library on the way home. It’s just around the corner from our house, and you can get as many books as you can hold. And then I’ll show you the internet.”

“The World Wide Web still exists?”

His low chuckle washed over me. “Yeah, it does, and I promise you, it’s a scary, wonderful place. Let’s go home.”

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