Page 7 of Indigo

“What do you mean by that?” Hank’s harsh tone startles me. I didn’t know he was the one there with Nash.

“Last night. I asked what really happened between you and Indigo.”

“I told you,” Hank grits out. “I thought she was drowning.”

“Jesus fuck, man,” Nash breathes out. “Did you think she was—”

He never finishes his sentence before Hank growls, “Don’t go there.”

“Since the moment Dominic called us to come here, I’ve been afraid it was going to trigger you.”

“I’m not triggered.”

I scoff. Even I have to admit he sounds triggered as hell.

“I know it’s not the same situation but—”

“Exactly. It’s not the same, so stop bringing it up.”

Eager to know what Nash would say next, my lips close in a line, afraid that even the beating of my heart will alert them to where I am. From this angle, I can only see Nash through the gap. He’s tall, not as tall as Hank, but most humans aren’t. Nash has a softness in him that makes me uneasy. His short hair is curly, and his five o’clock shadow looks inexplicably soft. There’s a glow within his dark skin, and his eyes are so light hazel that they shine gold. I don’t fully understand how someone can be so masculine and soft at the same time, but I catch myself transfixed by him.

His expression changes with the words Hank is spilling, as if he doesn’t blame the other man for being rude. His acceptance of someone’s bad mood does something to me. I have never been so interested in what someone has to say, but I miss his next words when two warm hands close around my shoulders, and the soft masculine voice whispers in my ear, “Got you, little mouse.”

five

Cassidy

The peach perfume turns sour, like the sad fruit you forget at the bottom of the basket. My stomach drops as she turns to face me, fear written all over her face. Fuck, I didn’t mean to scare her.

Instead of addressing my mistakes, I find myself smiling. “So what the little lady is doing is eavesdropping?”

Indigo winces when I don’t bother to keep my voice low. Besides being weird to find her right here in the shadows, she’s not doing anything wrong, and I don’t want to feel like she is. My lips curve into a smirk, and she finally starts reacting the way I want. Her nostrils flare, and finally that rotten fruit scent leaves. Good, I prefer her to be angry.

“I was just going to ask Nash something,” she says, tipping her chin up.

“Good.” I nod and turn her around in my hands and push her forward. “Let’s ask!”

She splutters, digging her heels down, but she’s more than a foot shorter than I am, so I push her easily. Indigo kicks the door open accidentally as she tries to hold me back, getting everyone’s attention as we make an entrance.

“Look who I found eavesdropping,” I say merrily as we enter the room.

Indigo gasps, narrowing her eyes at me over her shoulder, and it’s honestly the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. Damn, Hank is right. She’s totally worth a midnight swim.

“Hey Indigo, how can I help?”

Nash’s voice turns serious and light at the same time, though he slices me a look, watching my hands on her shoulders. She doesn’t give me a chance to step away, but shakes herself off me as if I’m a pesky bug annoying her.

It’s like she’s part of the family already.

“I came to—” She licks her lips before glancing at Hank, as if he’s about to swim again for her.

It’s terribly awkward, and I’m delighted. Hey, the business of Omega bodyguard might be noble, but it gets boring after the initial shock. It’s all paperwork and room watching. This is way more interesting.

“Actually…” Indigo shakes her head. “I want to know what you are talking about. Why are you talking about me?”

I can’t stop myself. I whistle, impressed at her strong spirit as I drop into the couch. It’s absolutely disgusting, smelling like twenty years of indoor smoking, but then again, every piece of furniture in this dump is gross.

“Were you really listening to us?” Nash asks with his eyebrows raised.