No Reservations—Part One Read online

  Dexter chuckled.

  “Ford, what are you up to?”

  “Olivia, I collect the best and the brightest in my orbit, and you are definitely the brightest.”

  She got to her feet and slithered into her jeans. The seam was a little abrasive against her groin, but she had felt worse.

  Ford grinned. “He’s ready to take your measurements for the costume. He’s willing to take us on as a client where your clothing is concerned and has recommended someone else for our costumes.”

  “So, he’s that into viewing sex lives? That is an expensive kink.”

  She ran her hands over her hips, and Dexter straightened. When she passed Ford, he spun her and pinned her to the wall while he inhaled deeply. “Mmm. You smell like pie.”

  “Uh-huh. I have to go clean up.”

  “Already done. In case you wonder, Ambrose is telling Yemeen that he has to court you to gain entrance into the pride. Since the others are doing the same, it shouldn’t take long.”

  “What shouldn’t take long?”

  “Ambrose is working on a redesign for this place so that we can all fit comfortably. A few more small nests and hideaways, large rooms for them, a super plush nest for us. You can work with me or find other options over time. Finish your book.”

  She blinked. “Oh, right. I haven’t finished it. Damn it. I need to bring it with me to the therapist today.”

  He blinked. “That’s today?”

  “Yup. In four hours.”

  He sighed. “I will send you with Rick.”

  “You don’t have to. I was going to call a cab.”

  He leaned back. “You have no clue, do you? I am not going to let you put yourself in the deep end just because you haven’t seen the sharks.”

  She looked at him. “Are you worried for me?”

  Ford exhaled. “Yes.”

  She cupped his cheeks. “Then, I will go with whomever you choose.”

  He looked relieved. “Good. Your perfume is coming out more frequently, and without an alpha near you, you are going to look like fair game. Remember the motorcycles?”

  She shivered. “Right. I had forgotten.”

  He nuzzled her head. “It’s okay, baby omega. We will get you to understand what you are.”

  “I am not a baby.” She mumbled it against his neck.

  “Yeah, you are. You are less than two months into knowing what it feels like to just be free.”

  She mumbled, “I will remember that I am a baby and can’t possibly understand when you are in heat.”

  He whined suddenly, and she giggled. He licked softly at her neck and gnawed lightly. She gasped, and her toes curled. “Stop that.”

  “I am just following your instructions to Dexter. You really like it, huh?”

  “My toes just curled into the ankles. What do you think?”

  Dexter came out, and he had his phone in his hand. “Ambrose is really smug right about now.”

  She sighed. “I don’t like being used as a pawn.”

  Ford shook his head. “Honey, you are the board; we all just want our turn to get on you.”

  She punched him in the arm. “Not funny.”

  He grinned. “Not kidding. I have never met a female omega who wasn’t a total bitch to me until you. You, sweetness, are currently my favourite person in the world.”

  She ducked her head. “You are a nice person. It is easy to be nice to you.”

  “I am not a nice person, but you see that in me, and for that, I am grateful.”

  Olivia bit her lip. “I am still ticked at you using me as bait to provide your favourite flavour of alpha.”

  He laughed. “I like the felines. They aren’t clingy, and if they are all bonded to you, they won’t try to bond me, which means I get the benefits without being covered with triggers.”

  “Nice.”

  “Hey, I like my lifestyle a lot. I don’t want to be tied down to one or more alphas.”

  “So, during your heats, do you use protection?”

  “Yeah, and because I don’t have any alphas, I can take care of any complications immediately.”

  “You don’t want kids?”

  He shrugged. “Not on my own. Maybe if you have some for the alphas, you will be inclined to offer me a pity baby, so I don’t need to carry one.”

  She snorted. “It wouldn’t be pity. I am planning on keeping my birth control for one more heat, and then, I am going to throw caution to the wind, so to speak.”

  His eyes lit with delight. “I don’t suppose I can call dibs?”

  “Can two omegas even get pregnant? They really don’t cover that at the centre.”

  He grinned. “I don’t know, but I want to try. How long do you think it will be before you cycle again?”

  She blushed. “Uh...”

  She looked, and Dexter had gone downstairs.

  Her silence was enough for Ford. “You have a fast cycle?”

  “That is what they told me at the centre. Six to eight weeks. It has already been one.”

  “Oh, I wanna be there for that. Seeing you after was good, but I imagine that you are completely wild when it has you.” His eyes lit up. “How fabulous would it be if we synched up?”

  “Oh, god.” Her body loved that idea. “Can we go check on Yemeen?”

  “With you smelling like that? Oh yeah.”

  She punched him again and then realized that if hitting was against her rules for Ambrose, she should practice restraint. Fuck.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Her eyes were puffy, her chest felt cold, and her lips were numb when she left the new therapist’s office. The woman was very encouraging, very calm, and she supported Olivia’s efforts to document her life to date. She was to continue her writing until she felt comfortable with her situation and the people around her.

  When she stumbled into the lobby, she looked for Rick and didn’t see him. Panic ensued, and she retreated to a corner. She picked up her phone and sent a text to Ford.

  Where is Rick?

  He asked if he could go for coffee. Why?

  I am alone, and I don’t feel particularly calm.

  Shit. Okay, he’s on his way.

  Thank you.

  Stay where you are.

  Rick showed up with his coffee and saw her in the corner. He eased up on her and said, “Okay, Olivia. We can go home now.”

  She nodded. “Okay. Thank you.”

  She uncurled and walked with him to the car, silent and messed up.

  She got back to Ford’s place, grabbed her laptop, and went out into the yard, climbing a tree to get herself up to where it was safe. She made herself comfortable with her legs braced in the branches, and she started writing.

  It was about two hours before she felt tugs on her marks. She put her hand on them one at a time to notify them that she was okay.

  Ford came out to the yard, and he called, “Olivia!”

  She sighed and closed her computer. She climbed down from the tree, and he stared at her when she stood on the ground. “Hiya, Ford.”

  He walked up to her. “Honey. Have you been up there since you got back?”

  She nodded. “I needed to get some writing done.”

  “You could have used my office.”

  “I don’t know where that is, and you were busy.”

  “I was talking with Yemeen. We were designing your outfit for the video.”

  “Don’t let me stop you.”

  Ford looked at her warily. “Are you all right?”

  “I am still a little freaked out. I haven’t felt like that for a long time, and I had forgotten how bugged out it makes me.”

  Ambrose was walking toward them across the grass. He picked her up and held her the moment he was close enough to grab her.

  Ford blinked. “Why do you look so serious, Ambrose? She said she’s fine.”

  “She isn’t fine. Her emotions are a raw riot. She’s
scrambling around in there trying to find a way to escape.”

  She let the big fat tears fall and held onto Ambrose with one hand. He took her computer and handed it to Ford, and then Olivia held onto him with both arms and legs.

  Ambrose murmured, “Do you want to go cuddle in your nest, precious?”

  She nodded.

  Ford murmured, “Use mine. She’s comfortable there.”

  Ambrose nodded and walked inside with her, stroking her hair and murmuring to her.

  Yemeen looked at her. “What happened?”

  Ford put the computer on the table, and Olivia heard as Ambrose walked up the steps. “I forgot that therapy sessions ended ten minutes early, and I sent her bodyguard away, so when she came out, there wasn’t anyone, and she was in a particularly raw state. So, she’s in a strange city with a new therapist, and she’s newly omega, and there were alphas in the area starting to watch her. Apparently, she perfumes when she is upset, which is progress. Fear used to shut her down.”

  She didn’t want to discuss it, she just held onto Ambrose until they were in the nest, and he stripped her down to her underwear, did the same for himself, and then, he cuddled her under a furry throw. She blinked and relaxed against him; the scent of cinnamon buns and vanilla icing was right. It was her mate.

  He traced her lips with his finger, and she licked it then sucked on it. He purred, and she lifted her gaze to his. “Ah, so precious. Stubborn, determined, independent. And very beautiful. I have been trying to treat you like a standard omega when you were born to be with off-standard alphas.”

  She bit down on his finger gently, and he chuckled and stroked his fingertip along her tongue. “Aw, you don’t like it when I don’t say you have the best alphas ever? You had a trying day, huh?”

  She nodded.

  “Therapy is scary?”

  She nodded again. She stopped sucking his finger, and he pulled it out from between her lips.

  She burrowed her face against his neck. “So many things I don’t want to think about, and I have to, so they echo in my head for the rest of the day. Which is why they space it out. So, you don’t end up insane, but you do go there for a while when you talk to the therapist.”

  “So, why do you do it?”

  She knew he knew the answer, but she told him anyway. “Because someone I had to trust because they had the duty to care for and protect me denied me that care and protection. They hurt me, and when that couldn’t stop the manifestation, they had someone else hurt me. Then, it was endless rounds of beatings and verbal abuse.”

  “How did he die?”

  Olivia let out a throaty chuckle. “Like a man filled with rage should die. He had a heart attack while he was beating me. He told me to call for help, but I couldn’t move, and I didn’t know how to use his cell phone. So, I lay there, and he died next to me. Lara called for an ambulance, but it was far too late.”

  “Good god.” Ambrose held her tight. “What did the authorities say?”

  “What authorities? I was dragged into the screaming shed and locked there until the first responders were gone. When she let me out two days later, he had been buried, and Lara was in charge. She couldn’t hit as hard.”

  “What about your injuries?”

  “They healed. They always heal with no trace. There were other experiments that Lara tried, locking me down, so I am sorry that I can’t be the tied-up submissive that you long for who needs to take punishment to please you.” She started to cry big, fat tears.

  “Aw, precious. My preferences were a toy to play with. They are my past. If my precious doesn’t want to play, we won’t play. Having you in my arms is all the blind trust I need.”

  She smiled weakly. “And the occasional fucking.”

  His arms tightened. “More than the occasional. It is a need now, through the link. When you brush against it while combing your hair, I ache. When your body throbs because someone arouses you, I feel it. All that feedback was dumped into me, and you weren’t here to hold. It hurt.”

  She was going to apologize, but he pressed his finger to her lips again. “Don’t apologize. I was too smug, and I knew what I had asked of women before. But you aren’t the others. You are my mate and deserve my respect and my attention. I knew a portion of what you had experienced, and I still tried to control our interactions instead of just enjoying your presence. I tried to put you in a category that you didn’t belong in, and I am sorry.”

  “Why are you apologizing?”

  He chuckled. “It’s therapy day.”

  She smiled and kissed his chest. “Therapy can have benefits.” Her hands started to move over his skin and the taut muscles underneath.

  “Really? I don’t think your psychologist would approve. Sleeping with a patient and all.”

  She chuckled. “Good thing that you were just sharing and that I am not your therapist.”

  He smiled slowly, his golden features glowing happily.

  “What do you think if we can do if we keep some clothing on?”

  He chuckled. “Something I haven’t done since I was a teen.”

  “Well, I never got that chance, so let’s take something off my list.”

  Ambrose kissed her and muttered, “One torturous teen make-out session with dry humping coming up.”

  She giggled. “Oh, I doubt it will be dry, but do the best you can.”

  He rolled her to her back, and with his mouth above hers, he murmured, “Challenge accepted.”

  She laughed until the kiss got serious, and then, she let his caresses burn out the last bit of pain and fear to just leave heat.

  * * * *

  Ford watched Yemeen. “You look concerned.”

  “She is so delicate, and she’s in therapy? What kind of omega is that?”

  “A strong one. You don’t have to court the pride, you know. You can just let things be.” Ford watched Yemeen stiffen at his words.

  The designer looked grim. “You are kidding, right? I can’t get the taste of her out of my head. She’s so clean and sweet with heavy overtones of sex.”

  Ford laughed. “That is a good description. Don’t tell her about the overtones, though. She thinks she just smells like peaches.”

  Yemeen looked at him and chuckled. “What is your CG budget for the video?”

  “Non-existent. This is all on Leora. Ambrose is providing the locations. Argus is building any sets that we need, and Dexter is doing the accessories. If you help with the costumes and I provide the filming crew and editing, we are set.”

  “Hmm. I had a thought about getting Olivia into as many costume changes as possible then putting the costumes up for auction or, at least, keep them to play with later.” Yemeen showed him the tablet.

  Ford stared, and he looked back at Yemeen. “You had these waiting?”

  “I drew them while we were talking. The moment I met her, my mind started filling with designs for her. I am going to start the courtship, but you had better brace for me to be here. I am going to be pursuing her between dates as well.”

  Ford nodded and put the elegant and highly erotic images down. “I am sure the guys will be accepting... or you will have to head to the gym and wrestle out rights to time with her.”

  Yemeen blinked. “They still do that?”

  “It is the best way, given what they are. No teeth and hand to hand.”

  “What are you getting out of this?” Yemeen asked him curiously.

  “Ah, it is my chance to get an omega of my own and alphas that I want and trust. They have her, so I won’t push for a bond, and she is what I want. So, to have her, I need them. It is a trade I am willing to make.”

  “I thought all male omegas were alpha crazy, male or female?”

  He chuckled. “I want a woman that I can be the protector for. Olivia is tough, but she is also vulnerable as hell. It is quite the mix.”

  “What about when she steadies herself?”

  “Then, she
is going to be spectacular. She has been out of her situation and community for less than two months, and she has already shed a lot of societal norms. I wouldn’t have guessed that she would have lost the urge for concealment. It means she’s feeling secure. That is definitely new.”

  “Oh, you mean when she shot out of the water, and my cock exploded? Yeah, she’s pretty body confident. I mean, she has a right to, but it will be fun to design for natural breasts again.” He grinned. “Or any breasts, for that matter.”

  Ford got a text from Ambrose, and he chuckled at the image of Olivia sweaty and spent across Ambrose’s chest. The attachment was what he had been waiting for. The pride was expanding, and they wanted kids. The house needed an expansion, and Ambrose had one ready to go.

  Yemeen looked over at the screen. “What’s that?”

  Ford projected it onto the screen that rose up from the counter. “That one there next to Dexter’s? That’s your room.”

  Yemeen glanced over his shoulder. “A little presumptuous.”

  Ford brought up the image of Olivia, sweaty and sleepy, with a slight smile on her face and her skin flushed. “Really?”

  Yemeen started a growl that ended on a whine of need. “Fine.”

  The expansion would provide quiet spots for Ford and Olivia, as well as some hidden spots that only they could access. Little cuddle spots where no alpha was allowed.

  The upper floor was full of bedrooms. The central floor was full of family entertainment spaces, and the main floor was for public access. Ford still had to party, after all. The hidden nest in the basement was for heats. It would have supplies, a communication centre, and a few grosses of condoms. It also would have the ability to lock down the house when they were distracted and vulnerable. That was important. Ford had been caught unawares once, and once was enough.

  Olivia walked into the kitchen with Ambrose, and she blinked to see the guys and Yemeen sitting around the table with Ford. “Uh, what’s going on? I am not defiling another countertop.”

  Yemeen’s eyebrows hiked. “That sounds interesting.”

  Dexter chuckled. “You have to be tall.”

  Yemeen nodded. “I am tall.”