Page 66 of High Achiever
Spencer was right next to them the whole time. Ash knew because he hadn’t let the other alpha out of his sight.
“I’ll get my keys,” Spencer offered.
Ash nodded his permission, then tucked his head into Ryder’s chest. Maybe if he shoved his nose into just the right spot, he could make out the cedar under the chlorine.
He could hear Noah yell-talking at Spencer, and Eli’s murmured reassurances, and Spencer’s harried, “Later. I promise. Later.”
But there was nolater. There was only now, where Ash’s belly hurt and his skin ached and the sun was brighter than it had any right to be.
“Spencer,” he called.
And then Spencer was there again, next to Ash and Ryder, and they were all finally leaving.
Ash smiled even as his stomach clenched painfully.
Ash and his alphas. Going home. Back to their nest.
19
RYDER
Ryder took one look at Spencer’s stricken face as they left Eli’s house and grabbed the keys from him. “I’ll drive. You take care of Ash.”
Ryder shoved Ash into the back seat as best he could with Ash still attached to him. He tried to untangle Ash’s arms and legs as gently as possible. Ash protested fiercely.
“Shh,” Ryder soothed. “I’m giving you Spencer, okay? I’m taking us home.”
When that did the trick, Ryder withdrew from the back seat, quickly shoving a docile Spencer in next to Ash and slamming the door before rounding to the driver’s side.
Ryder was more than aware they were leaving a certain amount of devastation behind them. He should have gotten Ash out of there sooner—he’dknownthe omega was on the verge of heat. But then again, who was he kidding? Ash did what Ash wanted to do, and Ash had wanted to lay claim to Spencer first.
Ryder had thought that might entail kidnapping Spencer and forcing a sleepover, but instead Ash had done it all in a spectacular fashion he would no doubt kick himself over later.
Ryder didn’t envy either Spencer or Ash their conversation with Noah when this was over.
He started the car before glancing in the rearview mirror. Ash was huddled on Spencer’s lap, clearly suffering through another cramp. The sweet scent of his slick was thick in the air, as was the bitter char of his distress. “Get him on your dick.”
Ash craned his neck to scowl at Ryder through the mirror. “No. I want a nest.”
“Bright eyes, you’re hurting.”
Ash bared his teeth. “I want. My.Nest.”
Jesus fucking Christ. Stubborn until the bitter end. But it was the most coherent Ash had been since jumping in the pool, so Ryder put the car in gear and drove. Trust Ash to change his tune completely from one heat to the next.
Ryder didn’t quite match the snail’s pace of Spencer’s grandma speeds, but he wasn’t far off. It was bad enough those two goons weren’t buckled behind him, but his own head was hazy, muddled by Ash’s heat pheromones filling up the back seat. Agitation simmered under his skin, urging Ryder to unbuckle, muscle his way back there, and tend to his omega. But he fought it. Whatever his hormones were saying, Ryder’s path was clear: Get Ash home, keep Spencer at their side, and give them both whatever the hell they needed.
The grunts and soft groans coming from the back seat were distracting as hell though. Especially considering Ash had refused their offer of alpha cock.
Ryder turned back to look at them when they reached a stoplight. “What’s he doing back there?”
Spencer was wide-eyed with panic, his hands set gingerly on Ash’s moving back. “Um, just, like humping a lot. He snarls if Itry to touch his dick. But fuck, we’re only wearing trunks. I might—I might nut before we get there.”
“Youwon’t,” Ryder ordered. He turned back to the front just as the light changed. “Save it. Use your fingers on him.”
Ryder jerked forward as Ash kicked the hell out of the back of his seat. “No. Fingers!Nest.”
“I’m getting you there. Fuck. Huff some of Spencer’s pheromones.”
