Page 32 of Briar
“That’s exactly what it is. A lot of the people who are here are either running from something or trying to heal from it,” she explains. A shadow crosses her eyes that tells me more than she knows, and I press my lips tightly together to keep the word vomit from escaping.
She’ll tell us when she’s ready. Crossing her jean covered legs, she shows off the crop top she threw on to come talk to us in. While I prefer the other outfit, I don’t think there’s anything Briar wouldn’t look stunning in.
“So, I know we’re here to talk…”
“We are, but I kind of want to go first if you don’t mind?” I ask, chewing on the inside of my lip. Jude comes over to rub my back slowly, and it reminds me not to torture my lips. “Jude and I understand you and Atlas are dating. Personally, I love watching how even now, he can’t stop staring at you.”
Atlas startles as he realizes what he’s doing before shrugging and leaning over to pick Briar up from the chair she’s sitting in and places her in his lap.
“This will keep me from being called out,” he whispers, without really being quiet. Instead, his eyes sparkle with humor. “I’m supposed to be paying attention.”
“Don’t blame me,” she says, though she’s smiling now.
“We don’t want to mess anything up between you,” I add. “Jude and I have always been open to adding to our pack and with the instant connection Jude and I felt while watching yousing, we would also like to date you, if that's something you’d be open to.”
“Just like that?” she asks, a hint of surprise in her brown eyes.
“I try not to overcomplicate things that aren’t,” I reply. Okay, that’s a lie. I do it all of the time, but I don’t want to do it now. “We can go as slow or fast as feels right. I can be a little intense, but I can try to dial it back.”
“I moved in with her a few months after we started dating, but that’s because I had broken my leg,” Jude says. “Willow is intense in the best of ways. She’s protective and a little stabby.”
“Like actually stabby?” Briar asks tentatively. Atlas also lays his full attention on me, and I’m not sure if we should back track or not.
“Would I kill for the people I love the way moms say they’d kill for their kids? Definitely,” I say.
Briar smiles, though it doesn’t reach her eyes, and I wonder what it is that I don’t know.
“Things were really dark when Jude was attacked after a performance,” I say, remembering how worried I was. Something didn’t feel right, and I’d never wanted more than for us to be bonded in that moment. “I reacted in a way that meant he lived and the douchebag who broke his leg did not. I won’t apologize for that.”
“And you shouldn’t. You should never have to apologize for keeping your omega safe!” Briar exclaims, almost surprising herself with her vehement tone.
“I had a stalker,” Jude confesses. “Everyone said he wasn’t a threat, but they were wrong. He was pissed that I wouldn’t put out, and that’s what ended my dancing career.”
“What the fuck.” She shakes her head. “That’s so messed up. I’m sorry. People are assholes. And I hate when they think they have the right to do what they want when they want,” Briarwhispers. “It’s crazy the amount of people who just don't seem to understand what the word no means and how to respect that.” I don’t like the way she says that, like she had to experience that first hand herself.
She takes a breath, rubbing her thighs as she gives Atlas a look. “I’m conflicted.” He gives her an encouraging smile before she turns her attention back to us. “I don’t let people in easily. Atlas would know, he and I have been dancing around an attraction for years. I’m not going to lie, I am interested. You’re a beautiful woman, Willow, and Jude… You have to know you're gorgeous.” The corner of her lips pick up before they fall again. “I want to get to know you both, but I have concerns.”
“Shoot,” I blurt, earning a confused glance from Briar. “I mean, tell me what they are,” I amend.
I don’t always feel the need to think before I speak, but maybe I should make an exception for this conversation. Next, she’s going to ask if I have some kind of serial killer kink because I keep making comments about death and weapons. Briar can’t see it, but I definitely have a gun hiding under this dress in a holster on my stomach. Bad shit can happen anywhere.
“Well.” She rubs at her arms like she’s nervous. Something tells me that's not an emotion this girl feels often. “Atlas is scent matched to Jude and so are you. I feel like the odd omega out,” she says hesitantly.
“The difference is that Jude doesn’t feel as if he has to piss on his alphas to be happy,” I say gently. Briar swallows a smile back while I shrug. I know I’m blunt. “He wants to get to know you better, to see if there could be something more between the two of you. If you two were clawing each other’s eyes out, this may be a different conversation. Jude? Do you feel any of those urges?”
“Not at all,” he chuckles. “What Willow means is, like she mentioned before, we’ve always wanted to grow our pack, and are open to that. We’d both like to date you with the knowledgethis could lead to courting. We can go as slow as you need. There’s no pressure. Atlas and I also lost our heads a little when we realized we were scent matches. He did tell me immediately that we’d need to talk about how the people already in our lives would fit. Just because destiny and biology made itself known, doesn’t mean what you’re building with him isn’t important too, okay?”
She chews on her lip hesitantly for a moment before sighing heavily. “Why are you both so amazing?” Briar asks, her lips trembling, trying to make a light hearted joke to keep herself from crying. No tears fall, but it’s clear she’s feeling big emotions as she leans into Atlas.
“Oh, I’m not always,” I tease her. “Jude told me about Atlas with his head between my thighs. He knew I’d be overprotective and growly.”
“That’s quite the picture,” Atlas breathes, his eyes on my crossed legs. When he forces himself to look up, I wink at him to show he was caught.
“Why don’t we go on a date together? We can even make a rule that we won’t have sex unless it’s within your company. Which honestly sucks because I’m horny.”
Briar grins at my honesty, and I shrug because it’s difficult to embarrass me.
“We’ll go slow, have fun, and see where this goes. It didn’t get by me that you said the omegas who live here have dark pasts, Briar.” She takes a deep breath at my words, knowing why I’m saying it.
