Page 33 of The Packaged Deal
No, wait. I pull back, and her eyes snap open. For a heartbeat, there is pure devastation and uncertainty in her gaze, and then she shrugs.
“Fine. I’ll sleep in here. You take the couch.”
“Jade,” I protest, but she sighs heavily, her shoulders slumping.
“You leave on Friday, right? So what happens to me?”
“You can stay here in this house. I’ll make sure it’s okay. I’ll leave you everything, all the furniture. You can have a fresh start, make a new life. Kandi and Sven will protect you until Trevor is caught.”
“Okay, sure, Adrian. Thanks.”
Her tone is all wrong, but I can’t think of another way to reassure her. I’m scared that if I go near her again, I’ll take her, and I won’t stop until I bury my knot inside her.
I retreat carefully towards the door, and then leave before I can change my mind and go back. It takes me far too long to find my phone, the scent of her in my house is distracting.
“Sven,” I bark into the phone when he finally picks up. “What the fuck was that?”
“Don’t use that tone with me,” Sven growls
“Do you have any idea how awful you both made that poor girl feel?”
Sven grunts. “I’m surprised you care.”
“I’m not a monster,” I almost shout. I get up and start pacing the lounge room. Every part of it is soaked in memories of Sven and I. But, for the first time, this is not okay. He can play his games with me, that’s fine, but I can’t watch him hurt this tiny omega, especially not when he didn’t see what she looked like that first night. Her dead eyes, the fear she couldn’t erase, it soaked the air.
Tonight, she hadn’t been afraid. She’d been resigned. I don’t want her body bruised and broken with no life in it.
“You could always stay, Addy.”
I close my eyes. “And wish for things I can’t have?” I whisper.
“You can have her,” Sven murmurs back. His voice is hauntingly sad.
“She deserves better than someone like me. She is light and good, and I’m, I’m me.”
Sven stays silent on the other end of the phone. We both know he doesn’t agree with my self-loathing. Sometimes, I wonder what would have happened if he’d claimed me. Would I still hate myself so much? I can’t tell.
“I have to go,” I say in exhaustion.
“Don’t leave,” Sven says suddenly.
“Are you asking or telling?”
“Both. Don’t go. Stay here. Stay with her. She needs you. Stay with me.”
I inhale roughly, squeezing my eyes closed. “You don’t mean it.”
“You’re my best friend, Addy. I don’t want you to go.”
“I can’t be this anymore with you,” I admit with more regret than I have words for. “You’re my best friend, too, and I love you far more than I should. And that’s the problem. I love, and you care.”
“Not true,” Sven growls.
“I’m leaving on Friday.” I hesitate, hating myself for asking. “Will I see you before then?”
Sven is tense, silent. “I have to work.”
The blow is bitter. I should hang up, yet I cling to the phone as the silence between us grows.