Page 9 of Unbonded
Corbus nods and I wonder for a frantic moment if he’s going to get the hotel owner back on the phone. “Really, there’s no need,” I say quickly. “I finished my shift half an hour ago, so she can’t really complain.”
“God, now I feel worse,” Dash says, biting his lip. “You’ve had a long day, and I’ve had you running around the hotel instead of relaxing at home.”
“I’m just glad you’re feeling better.” As Bram comes out of the bathroom with a fresh washcloth, I realize a suite really isn’t big enough for all the bodies in the room and start backing towards the door. “It was nice to meet you in person, and I hope everything goes well with the new production.”
“Thanks, but…” Dash looks around, patting his pockets before he pulls a face. “I still can’t find my phone, but I’d like to take you to lunch as a thank you.”
I stop abruptly, my stomach twisting with a swirl of anxious joy. “You don’t have to do that.”
“Iwantto do that.” Excitement brightens his eyes, and he scoots to the edge of the bed. “Or come to opening night, if you prefer. If you already have tickets to the show, you could come to the after party.”
I can feel Corbus watching us closely and now his brows lift an inch. “We can arrange that,” he says with a polite smile. “Just call my office and I’ll sort it out.”
“So formal,” Dash laughs, leaning up to kiss the alpha’s cheek before he shoots me a cheeky grin. “You should definitely come. You can tell me if watching me on my knees is as good as you remember.”
Corbus’ brows now shoot up even higher and my face burns with heat as Dash cackles in delight. He pops off the bed, giving Bram a wink as he heads to the bathroom. “I’m going to grab a shower before I crash.”
“I’ll stay with you and make sure you don’t slip again,” the big alpha says, and I try to keep the envy off my face as they head into the bathroom. There’s an easy, affectionate vibe between them that calls to me, and I realize it’s not just the alphas; it’s all three of them. If they’re not already a pack, they will be soon, given the way they gravitate around each other.
“Kate, could I speak to you for a moment?”
I drag my gaze back to Corbus. He’s left the bed as well, and my stomach tightens as he gestures for me to follow him into the hall. There’s no denying he has a striking face – with the kind of bone structure and polished skin you usually only see on a magazine cover – but there’s something about it that feels almosttooperfect. What would it take for his eyes to glitter and his mouth to soften? Does he only show that side to Dash, or would I see it too, if I got to know him better?
“Thanks again for everything,” he murmurs in his lilting accent when we reach the hallway. “You have gone above and beyond to help Dash, and we appreciate it very much. Please, take this so you can get home safely.”
The way he touches my hand sends a jolt right up my arm, and my body tilts instinctively towards him, seeking more of this connection. Scent matches are supposed to go into a haze whenthey first meet, and I search his face, looking for some sign of…anything. But instead of musky arousal and inflamed senses, it’s like he’s wearing a bland mask as he pushes something into my palm. Looking down at the crisp hundred-dollar bill, the truth dawns on me.
He hasn’t taken me into the hallway to talk about our scent bond. He’s giving me cab fare, so I don’t have to take the subway home after a long day.
Instead of being weak in the knees over our connection, he’s beingpolite,which has my hand clutching around his money in a painful spasm.
I open my mouth to tell him he doesn’t need to pay me, but the exchange is over. He’s already pulling his phone from his pocket and stepping back into the room.
And then he pauses. His brow scrunches, and he looks back at me, a question flitting through his beautiful, icy eyes.
I hold my breath, waiting, hoping.
There’s no way he can deny what is right under his nose…
“We really do appreciate your help, Ms. Valentine.”
Bitterness curls on my tongue, so thick evenhehas to smell it. “I was just doing my job.”
He nods, distracted by his phone, and then I’m alone in the hallway with the dining cart and the mocking scent of cedarwood lingering in the air.
CHAPTER FOUR - DASH
“Wait, did she leave already?” I ask when I come out of the bathroom to find Corbus alone on the edge of the bed. He’s removed his jacket and bowtie and is tapping out a message on his phone. “Damn, did you get her number at least?”
“Ms. Valentine’s?” Corbus looks up in surprise, tucking his phone back in his pocket as he walks over to meet me. “She left a while ago.” His gaze caresses my face and chest, igniting the usual tingly reaction. The perfect mix of elegance and authority, Corbus Janssen is a stunning example of alphahood, and I’m still getting used to the fact that I’ve caught - and held - his attention for this long. “Are you alright? No more dizziness?”
Usually I love being fussed over, but now I slip past him, and holding the towel tight at my waist, stick my head out the door. To my disappointment, even the room service cart is gone, and the only sign of Kate’s presence is the faint whiff of vanilla in the air. I sigh as I head back to the bed, and Corbus’ eyes darken with worry. “You need to be careful, sweetheart. Your body is sending out warning signals because you’re pushing yourself so hard.”
It’s true. The last few weeks leading up to opening night always take an insane toll on my body, but that’s nothing new.I’ve been dancing since I was three, and extreme pressure is hardly a new state of mind for me. “I’m fine. It was just a wobbly moment.”
“You could’ve really hurt yourself,” Bram says as he comes out of the bathroom in his own damp towel. His leather and ink scent curls around me as he brushes my cheek and I lean into him instinctively, even though we just shared more than a few caresses in the shower. A naked Bram and expensive body wash is a hard combination to resist.
If Corbus is elegant, Bram is pure alpha dominance, to the point that he’s one of the few of his designation that can be labeled an uber alpha. Too powerful to fully control, and too rare to be common knowledge, society has always kept ubers in the shadows, the government never officially recognizing their existence. Bram doesn’t talk about it much, but he was careful to make me aware of his status when we first started courting. I appreciated the heads-up, since ubers are more than just permanent knots and the intense ruts you see in alpha porn. They possess a voice command that can send you to your knees, and while it’s one of my happiest positions when it comes to Bram, it could be a dangerous weapon in the hands of the wrong kind of alpha.
