Page 44 of Scheme
“Of course.” I shrugged, buckling myself in while Kit did the same. “Bryce and Kane always throw the best parties.”
Theywerethe best parties—everyone was fucking, safety was paramount, there was always a great range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks to keep the participants hydrated, and they always ordered the greasiest cheese pizzas in the early hours of the morning.
Nico mentioned an old school friend he’d run into, and he and Kit fell into a one-sided conversation, where the usually quiet Nico was doing most of the talking as we headed away from the city. Eventually, Nico gave up and turned on some music, and I stared out the window as the houses grew larger and further apart. Out of habit, I undid the clasp on my purse, pulling out the travel tube of Om-Guard and rubbing some into the pulse points on my neck out of habit, feeling Kit’s eyes follow every movement. It was ultimately pointless—there was no way to hide my scent when the slick got going, and I absolutely intended for the slick to get going tonight.
“Here we are,” Nico said, pulling up to the enormous wrought iron gate and speaking to whoever was on the other end of the intercom until it slid open. From the outside, Bryce and Kane’s grey stone mansion was the height of old money respectability.
On the inside, it looked like a sex shop and a particularly tacky circus had given birth to their interior design scheme. Everything was jewel-toned silks, interspersed with the occasional gold-painted sculpture that was always at least a little bit phallic-looking. I loved it.
We climbed out in front of the front steps, and Nico handed the keys to the valet to go and park the car.
Usually, Violet would be half all over Nico by now in anticipation, but she linked her arm through mine, shooting me a reassuring smile as we went up the steps to the front door.
“We can leave whenever you want,” Violet whispered. “Just say the word. You’re always bending yourself around our plans, tonight is about you.”
Thank you, I mouthed, giving her arm a squeeze. I wasn’t entirely sure where this weird mood had come from—was it having Kit here? Or was it because I was close to my heat and worried? Safety-wise, I couldn’t be more protected here, but instincts were instincts.
“You look remarkably reserved,” Nico was saying to Kit right behind us. “You used to get really excited about these nights.”
I held my breath waiting for his reply, but Kit only grunted.
Kane was there to greet us at the door, his bushy beard twitching as he shot us a beaming smile, ushering us inside.
“Kit! Is that you? It’s been forever, how are you?”
Kit gave him a half-smile, looking more relaxed than he had all evening and giving Kane a one-armed hug, careful to keep some distance between them. Probably because Kane already reeked of Bryce’s arousal, and Kit was being careful not to pick up the scent.
“I’m good, man. You? You smell like you’re already having a good night.”
“I told Bryce he’d regret being so greedy so early in the night, but he whined, and I couldn’t help myself.” Kane grinned. “He’s sprawled out on the couch, trying to find the energy to move.”
I snorted, undoing the belt on my coat. Bryce was a delightfully, willingly, gratefully spoiled omega. He had his whine down to an art form, and Kane was helpless against it.
“Is that Margot?” A familiar voice rang out. “Oh, it is!”
I gave her a little wave as Nora approached, blue eyes raking down my body from the swell of my breasts to my exposed thighs, visible under the silky emerald slip dress I was wearing, skipping over my face entirely.
There were no games, no artifice with Nora. She was an alpha with cum for brains, a particular appetite for my slick, and gave me orgasms until I begged her to stop. After that, we went our separate ways with a smile and no expectations. It was usually the perfect level of superficiality but tonight, the idea had me feeling a little hollow.
Suddenly, I found myself being dragged backwards, my back hitting Kit’s chest while his forearm wrapped tightly around my waist. Vaguely, I was aware that Nico was saying something, but was too surprised by the sudden show of possessiveness to register what it was.
“Don’t tell me you’re spoken for this evening.” Nora shot Kit a sullen look over my shoulder, undoubtedly mad he’d spoiled her plans.
Spoken for.
I wasn’tmeantto be spoken for. That wasn’t our original agreement. But based on how tense Kit was behind me, how surly he’d been since we got the message from Bryce, and how uncharacteristically touchy he was being…
“I am.” I rested my hands on Kit’s forearm, stroking his skin with my thumbs, trying to soothe whatever alpha urges that had him suddenly feeling so territorial, knowing he’d be mortified later. “Though I’m sure you’ll have plenty of willing participants to spend your night with, Nora.”
“Yes, but now that you’re here, I wantyou,Margot.”
I wished I could permanently kill with fire the stupid omega part of my brain that perked up at being told by an alpha—any alpha—that they wantedme. It was an embarrassing physiological reaction that I should have long since outgrown.
Kane opened his mouth, clearly ready to intercede and tell Nora to back off, but he didn’t need to. A deep, rumbling growl emanated from Kit’s chest, travelling through every inch of my body where we were connected and making everyone take a healthy step away from the two of us.
He was growling… for me? No alpha had ever growled for me before.
Don’t read into it!The warning bells in my head were now blaring sirens, practically screamingdanger ahead. Control of this situation, of this night, of the whole relationship in general was rapidly slipping between my fingers, and while part of me was worried, another part was happy to stand by and watch the chaos unfold because I was enjoying Kit’s company too much to be sensible.
