Page 19 of The Cheerleader

“You’re beautiful, Juliet. A perfect omega. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Chapter Thirteen

Abel

I didn’t expect it to feel like this.

I thought if I kept pushing her away, if I kept telling myself this bond wasn’t real, maybe it would stop hurting. Maybe I’d be able to make it go away or at least numb it. But I’m sitting here now with her on my lap, my knot locked inside her, and every part of me is screaming for her. My body, my mind, my soul—it’s all tangled up in the pull of her scent, the softness of her skin, the steady rhythm of her heart. In her.

The thing is, it’s not just about the bond or the sex, even though I have never had better. It’s not just about the way she smells, or the way she feels when she’s near me. It’s the way she looks at me, like she sees something in me I can’t even begin to recognize.

I’m not used to this. I’m not used to someone seeing past the rough exterior, the scars, the tattoos, the mistakes, and looking at me like I’m worthy. But Juliet does. And it’s breaking me.

The moment she walked into my office, standing there with that fire in her eyes, I couldn’t breathe. She’s not backing down. She’s not going to just walk away because I tell her I’m too broken. She is using our bond against me, tempting me like a damn siren at every opportunity. And I am too fucking weak to stay away.

The guilt hits me in waves, crashing over me until I can hardly think straight. I don’t want to hurt her. I’ve been trying to protect her, trying to keep her away from the mess that is me. But we’ve been together a lot this past week and she could be carrying my child right now. My hand caresses her stomach, a new sense of longing in my gut. Longing for something I never thought I would want.

The reality is, I’m drowning. And the only person who can save me is cradled against my chest.

I close my eyes for a second, rubbing my forehead, trying to push away the tightness in my chest. I feel the weight of her gaze on me, heavy and unwavering. She’s waiting. She’s patient, but I know it won’t last.

“You don’t get it, Juliet,” I mutter, my voice raw. “I’m a fucking disaster. I’ve made mistakes. I’m not the man you think I am and I don’t deserve you.”

Her voice is soft, but there’s steel in it. “You don’t get to decide that for me, Abel. You don’t get to decide who deserves who. I’m not asking for perfection. I’m asking for you.”

And she is asking for me. It hits me harder than I want it to. She doesn’t care about the mess I’ve made of myself, about the things I’ve done, the mistakes that have shaped me into this ... shell of a man.

“What about your father?”

“He isn’t part of this decision,” she says firmly. “He can either accept that I am a grown-up and living the life I want, or he can stay out of it.”

“Juliet...”

“No,” she says firmly cutting me off. “You have enough bullshit reasons to try and keep me away. My father won’t be another.” She is firm about her feelings.

I’ve kept her at arm’s length because I’m terrified of hurting her. But the thing is, I’m already hurting her by keeping her away. Fuck.

Throwing caution to the wind, I kiss her deeply, feeling the weight of her presence. Her scent is intoxicating, a delicate mix of lavender and something deeper, primal. The bond is a fire in my blood, burning through every inch of me.

I don’t know how much longer I can hold out.

She’s right. I’ve been running from this bond, running from the truth of what I feel for her, because I’m scared. Scared that I’ll ruin everything. That I’m not enough. That she’ll regret this, regret me. But all my reasons are just excuses for me to hide behind.

But it’s too late. She’s already mine. I’m already hers. And I can’t keep fighting it. Not when every part of me is saying she’s the one thing I’ve been missing my entire life.

I can feel her heartbeat against mine, and for the first time in days, I stop fighting it. The bond. Her. I lean down, brushing my lips against her forehead, breathing her in. She’s my fated mate. The one person I was always meant to have.

“I can’t keep pushing you away,” I whisper, my voice strained. “I don’t want to. I don’t know what to do with you, Juliet.”

Her fingers slide to the back of my neck, tugging me down so our lips meet once more. The kiss is slow at first, tentative, but it quickly turns desperate. I can’t get enough of her, her warmth, her sweetness, the way her scent fills me, claiming every part of me.

She moans softly against my lips, and I lose control. I just fucked her like a madman and already I want more, my cock already hardening again. I tug her closer, my hands sliding down her perfect naked body, pulling her tight against me. I feel the heat of her skin, the way her body presses against mine, and my breath catches.

“You’re mine,” I growl against her lips. “I can’t deny it anymore and I don’t want to. I can’t stay away.”

She slides from my lap, my knot having released, but only turns around to straddle me. My cock is at half-mast already when Juliet rubs her dripping pussy against my length. A growl erupts from within my chest as she nips at my throat.

Her hands grip the front of my shirt, tugging me closer as if she’s trying to fuse herself with me, and I feel the need, the urge to claim her, to mark her as mine again, rising up in me. The bond is too strong now. Too undeniable. The wolf inside me roars in approval.

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