Page 90 of Feeling the Heat: Part One
Most people want me for my body, but lose interest when I try to give them my heart.
Camille’s brow furrows as she searches my face. “That’s not why I want you here. I like all of you, Jackson. When I’m around you…” She looks away for a second, then meets my eyes again. “I’m comfortable for the first time since becoming an omega. You quiet all the worries that I’m not doing this right, and let me just be me.”
A lump forms in my throat at her confession, honored that I can be that for her and because I feel the same way. When I’m with Camille, the voice that tells me I need to work harder, be better, and stop being so silly to compensate for not being an alpha goes away.
“It means everything to me that I can be that safe space for you,” I whisper, pushing a lock of hair out of her face and cupping her cheek. “We haven’t spent a lot of time together, but I know I can trust you with my real self, too.”
She nods, eyes shining. “You can. I don’t want anything but the real you.”
I’m not sure who moves first, but our lips meet in a gentle, aching kiss that deepens when she lets out a breathy little sigh. Soon our limbs are tangled together, her hot core pressed up against my thigh as my dick digs into her plush lower belly.
Camille pulls back for air with a gasp, her eyes bright with desire and lips swollen from the kiss. Placing a hand on my chest, she gives me a sheepish smile. “Not to ruin the moment, but we should still talk about what happened.”
My dick yells at me to convince her that talking can wait, but I put some space between us and nod. “Good call.”
Camille takes a moment to compose herself. “So… that was my sister and her husband, back at Nesting.”
“I figured. She looks a bit like you.” That and the disgusting alpha mentioned choosing the wrong sister.
My blood boils just thinking about it. I wish I could go back and punch the leering grin off his face.
Somehow, I manage not to let my violent thoughts show on my face, staying outwardly calm and receptive to whatever Camille wants to say.
“It’s not a complicated or unique story. Megan marriedBryce a few years ago. He seemed normal, if a little bland, when they were dating, but once they got married, he became toxic and controlling. He’s part of that alpha rights movement, and he sucked Megan into the whole traditional pack values bullshit. Makes her pretend to be an omega.” Camille grimaces. “We’ve tried to convince her to leave him, but she refuses. He’s a disgusting asshole, as you saw yourself at Nesting, but she’s too far gone to see reason.”
My stomach churns. “That’s completely fucked. I’m so sorry, Camille.” A helpless sensation builds inside me, knowing there’s nothing I can say to make the situation any better.
“Yeah, it is.” Silent tears roll down her cheeks and I pull her against my chest, hoping at least my body can give her some comfort.
Camille sniffles. “I know I can’t keep hiding my omega, but I’m terrified of the alternative. That fucker barked, and I listened. Now he knows he not only has control of my sister, but he has that power over me.”
She shudders and I hold her tighter. “I won’t let him hurt you. Neither will Ambrose, or River, for that matter. There are ways to counteract a bark.”
“There are?” Camille perks up a little, brows arching.
“Absolutely. We’ll find a way to make sure you’re safe from monsters like him.”
If we can’t fix the alpha bark issue, I’ll be her 24/7 bodyguard. I don’t fucking care what it takes, as long as she’s safe.
“Th-thank you.” She peers up at me, swiping at her eyes. “I hate that I have no control now that I’m an omega.”
“Now, that’s where you’re wrong. As an omega, you hold the power. Don’t let fuckers like Bryce convince you otherwise. You could bring alphas to their knees, and have them begging for the chance to make you happy.”
Camille laughs dismissively, but after a moment, a mischievous twinkle appears in her eyes. “Just alphas?”
The shift in conversation takes me aback, but not in a bad way. Not at all, if the way my cock thickens again at her flirtation is any indication.
I’ve always been curious about letting someone else take control, but it’s not something I’ve explored. No one felt trustworthy enough to let go with like that. At least no one before Camille.
“Not just alphas,” I reply, voice pitching down into a low rumble.
Camille’s eyes widen. “Really? Mr. ‘I’m going to torture you until you’re begging me to fuck you’ would give control to me?”
My tongue darts out to wet my lips. “Fuck yeah, I would.” I glance over at a bag that I told Camille to go through once we’d finished setting up. She grumbled about me buying her stuff without asking, but I could tell she was intrigued. “There are handcuffs in that pink bag if you want to see for yourself.”
I groan, rubbing my cock with the heel of my hand as a burst of her perfume fills the air. Damn, my omega likes that.
She pushes herself up off the bed and goes to the bag sitting on the floor. “You bought me handcuffs?” Camille’s eyes go comically wide as she sifts through the contents of the bag.
