Page 89 of One for the Money
Before he has a chance to register my reaction, he’s sprawled out on the ground, clutching his stomach. Matteo stands over him, fists clenched at his side, breathing heavily.
“Donottouch her,” he seethes. “Never touch her.”
Trevor groans, slowly climbing to his feet. “Why the fuck did you kick me, Matteo?” he shouts, lifting his shirt to examine the damage. “That was fucking low, bro!”
“You tried to touch my Omega,” Matteo says through gritted teeth. “You don’t touch her. Never touch her. She’snot yours.” His voice is several octaves deeper than usual, and he looks furious.
Trevor’s eyes bounce between the two of us, and he takes several steps back. “Well, this is quite the development indeed. I suppose I must take my leave. If you need me, Doc, you have my number.”
I nod tightly as Trevor saunters off. Matteo stalks closer to me, crowding my space.
“I tried to give you a moment alone,” he says through labored breaths. “I wanted you to have a moment to catch your breath. But he was so close to you. Hetouchedyou.”
The new bond is riding him hard, and now that I’m no longer focusing on blocking him out, I can feel a myriad of emotions flowing from him to me: fear, heartache, confusion.
I messed everything up.
Since the moment I got here, I’ve done everything wrong.
This was a horrible idea.
I never should’ve joined the circus.
At the thought, my gut twists with guilt. He can feel my emotions now, and I have no doubt he realizes exactly where my head is at.
I keep fucking things up. I always fuck everything up.
I’m stupid. A stupid fucking Omega that let her instincts get the better of her.
I have to apologize. Apologize to him, beg his forgiveness, and figure out a way out of this mess for him.
“Matteo, I…” I can’t get the words out. Eventually, after clearing my throat several times, I manage a strangled, “I’m sorry.”
Emotion flickers across his face, and he reaches for me, slowly, giving me enough time to step away. He grabs myupper arm gently. “We need to talk, and the guys just got back.”
I shake my head so fast it makes me a little motion sick. “I can’t. I can’t talk to them. Not until we figure out how I can fix this.”
My Beta groans and takes a step closer to me, holding both of my shoulders. His hands are shaking. “Alex. Please. Come with me.” The strain in his voice makes my knees work, brings my body back online.
I upset him. My poor Beta.
He doesn’t give me another opportunity to deny him, instead spinning me around and directing me back to my trailer. The lights are on, and I can see shadows flitting in front of the windows.
When we enter the sitting area, Quinton pops his head out. “Well, there you two are. Come up for air? I went to get you two from Jude’s trailer, but could smell the slick, so I figured I’d give you two dirty birds some time to-”
Quinton chokes midsentence and runs across the room. He ducks his head and rubs his cheek across Matteo’s neck, scent marking him and inhaling his pheromones.
I count backward in my head for the explosion that I know is coming.
I bonded his Beta without talking to him, without either of their consent.
I’m a monster.
“You’re fucking joking,” he says breathlessly. “Are you fucking with me? Is this for real?”
Matteo shakes his head, wrapping his arms around Quinton and kissing the top of his head, which is only possible since Quinton is still hunched, face buried in Matteo’s neck as he inhales deeply. “Not fucking with you, Alpha.”
Quinton releases Matteo and turns to me, tears in his eyes.
