Chapter 35

thirty-five

MARCO

“Put the helmet on, Angel,” I ordered, holding the motorcycle helmet out to her the moment I set her on her feet.

Kitania’s gaze darted toward the warehouse, and I swore she was debating how far she’d make it if she started running back to where we’d left my brothers. Truthfully, I hated leaving them behind just as much as she did, but there were too many variables, too many Alphas in one place, too many enemies intent on stealing her—or worse, causing her harm. With or without Dimitri’s orders, I would’ve scooped her up and gotten her the hell out of there.

“Don’t even think about it,” I warned, hoping she would make this easier on me.

This was the first time I wouldn’t be there to fight alongside my brothers, but our Omega was more important. And D, Gio, and Tommy would absolutely fucking agree.

Her lower lip trembled as she glanced up at me. The vulnerability in those ice-blue eyes made my chest ache. I could practically feel the war raging inside her—the urge to flee back to help the others versus the instinct to do what I’d asked of her.

“But... but what about them?” she whispered, throat tight, voice strained.

I softened my tone, trying to push as much reassurance into my words as possible. “They’ll be fine, Angel. My brothers are the toughest sons of bitches you’ll ever meet. Right now, we need to focus on getting you somewhere safe.”

Out here, we were sitting ducks. Alphas could come pouring out the side doors any fucking second. The urge to get her away from this place had me twitching with nervous energy.

Her delicate hands twisted together, nails digging into skin. The scent of her distress hit me like a punch to the gut.

Fuck, I hated seeing her this way.

“Hey,” I murmured, gently tilting her chin up until our eyes locked. “I promise you, they’ll be okay. But we need to go. Now.”

Kit’s gaze searched mine, desperation yielding to her trust in me. Because deep down, she knew I was right.

After a heartbeat that stretched for an eternity, she gave a tiny nod and reached for the helmet. Relief flooded through me as I helped her secure it, my fingers lingering a moment too long against the soft skin of her neck.

“Hold on tight,” I instructed as I swung my leg over the bike and felt her slight weight settle behind me. Her arms snaked around my waist, hesitant at first, then tightening as I revved the engine. Vibrations coursed through both of us, and I had to consciously banish the inappropriate thoughts that surfaced.

As we peeled away from the warehouse, Kitania pressed against my back, squeezing me even tighter. Wind whipped around us as I sped up, putting as much distance between us and danger as possible.

My mind raced almost as fast as the motorcycle. Where the hell could I take her that would be safe? Returning to our penthouse wasn’t a good idea until I could confirm it hadn’t been compromised. Any of our regular sanctuaries or hangouts were usually crawling with Alphas too, and while they were mostly family members , there were very few people I trusted around an unbonded Omega, especially my unbonded Omega. Her scent blockers were nearing the end of their effectiveness, and I refused to risk her safety by letting them wear off in public.

Without the extra protection my brothers provided, I didn’t like my odds. I wasn’t as strong as Gio or as intimidating as Dimitri. Even Tommas had an uncanny ability to talk his way out of situations without ever lifting a finger.

I needed a place off the grid, somewhere no one would think to look for us.

Thankfully, something came to mind.

As I wove through traffic, muscle memory took over, and I allowed myself a moment to revel in Kit’s closeness. Her warmth seeped into my body, contrasting the cool night air rushing past.

I tightened my grip on the handlebars, willing myself to focus on the road and not the intoxicating forest and floral scent that clung to her. My protective instincts were in overdrive, every fiber of my being screaming at me to get her somewhere safe.

Lights blurred as I pushed the bike harder, weaving through traffic with practiced ease. Kit’s heartbeat was a fast thrum, her arms locked around me as if I was her lifeline. And fuck if that didn’t go straight to my head.

As we left the city behind, the buildings grew sparser, giving way to stretches of darkness punctuated by the occasional streetlight. I knew these roads like the back of my hand, and I steered us up into the hills until the spot I wanted came into view. Pulling off the road, I stopped the motorcycle, braced my feet, and killed the engine, letting the silence of night bleed in.

For a moment, we just sat in the quiet, coming down from the adrenaline until we were both breathing a little easier.

Kit’s arms loosened, and she slid off the bike, gazing around through the visor.

“Where are we?” she asked, her voice muffled by the helmet.

Chuckling, I captured her hand and tugged her to face me. I reached up and gently removed it for her.

“This is one of my favorite overlooks. Not many people know about it, but you can see the entire city from up here. The lights spread out in every direction. They almost look like stars.”

I hadn’t lied. Up here, the view was incredible. But it paled in comparison to how beautiful she looked under the moonlight, her creamy, pale skin nearly glowing, the striking blue of her eyes resembling sapphires in the dark.

Her attention returned to the scenery. “It’s... it’s gorgeous,” she whispered.

I couldn’t resist. “Yeah, it is.”

But I wasn’t looking at the vista. My gaze was fixed solely on her.

My throat tightened at the sight. There was no doubt I’d fallen for her already. I was pretty sure I was a goner from the first hit of her scent, and my infatuation had only deepened once I got to know her.

Kit caught me watching her out of the corner of her eye, and the blush that tinged her cheeks as she smiled and tucked her windblown hair behind her ear was so fucking adorable.

I couldn’t help but smile, drinking in her reaction. “I used to come up here all the time when I was a teenager,” I admitted, surprising myself with the confession. “Whenever things got too intense at home or with family shit. It was my escape.”

Curiosity shone in those mesmerizing blue eyes. “Really?”

I nodded, running a hand through my hair. “Yeah. I’d park the bike, sit on that boulder over there,” I gestured to a large rock jutting out from the hillside, “and just... breathe. Watch the city lights flicker on as night fell. It helped clear my head.”

My Omega’s gaze followed where I pointed, then returned to me. There was a softness in her expression that called to the vulnerable parts of me I never let anyone see. It made me want to continue opening up, if only to keep that look on her face.

“Thank you for sharing this place with me.”

I shrugged, trying to play it cool even as warm fucking fuzzies spread through my chest. “Figured you might need a moment of peace, too.”

She nodded, her gaze returning to the view. A gentle breeze ruffled her hair, carrying with it a faint trace of her sweet scent. My fingers itched to reach out and tuck those wayward strands back into place, though I’d use just about anything as an excuse to touch her.

Fuck it. I gave into the temptation, marveling at how soft her skin was under my fingertips.

A tiny smile tugged at her lips as her eyes settled on me again.

“You must’ve had your bike for a long time then, if you were riding it in high school,” she mused softly.

I couldn’t help the smirk that crept onto my face. “Well, you know, I had to keep my badass reputation somehow.” I winked at her playfully. “I’m not a fighter like Gio, a little crazy like Tommy, or intimidating as fuck like D. Every man’s gotta have his thing.”

Her laugh rang out, a melodic sound that instantly became the highlight of my night—hell, maybe my life. Light and airy, it reminded me of wind chimes dancing in a gentle breeze, easing a tension in me I hadn’t even realized was there.

“Is that so?” she teased.

“It is.” My smirk dimmed slightly, and I swallowed, wondering if Kit would change her opinion of me if I admitted the rest. “But it’s always been more than that.”

Kitania’s head tilted, studying me with genuine interest. “What do you mean?”

I hesitated, worried she’d think I was defective if she knew. But something about the way she looked at me, the openness and warmth in her gaze, made me want to lay my shit bare.

“I’ve struggled with ADHD my whole life,” I confessed. I couldn’t look at her if I had any hope of getting this out. I focused on a random point in the distance. “It’s like there’s this constant buzz under my skin, this restless energy that never quite goes away. It’s hard to think sometimes. Hard to focus. But when I’m working on an engine, taking it apart and putting it back together, everything else fades into the background. It’s soothing, in a way. The mechanics of it, knowing how to fix what’s broken. I have the same feeling whenever I’m on a bike or behind the wheel.”

I shrugged, a little self-conscious as I tried to gauge her reaction. To my surprise, there was no pity or judgment. Only a gentle understanding that shook me.

Kit took my hand, her smaller fingers threaded through my larger ones, giving them a compassionate squeeze. “I think it’s amazing that you’ve found something that helps you focus and feel calm,” she said softly. “Everyone needs an outlet, a way to cope with the challenges that make life hard. There’s no shame in that, Marco. And there’s nothing wrong with you either. Sometimes, people’s brains just work differently. But now that I know, maybe I can help to make things easier on you.”

I squeezed her hand back, marveling at this woman’s capacity to blow me away. Never in my wildest dreams had I expected someone to embrace my eccentricities with such an easy-going acceptance.

In our world, it always felt as though Alphas had to be perfect. I’d worried that if I ever found my Omega, she’d find me lacking in some way. For years, I’d stressed about what would happen if she didn’t understand the things I struggled with. Like starting projects that I never got around to finishing, sitting still, or fucking focusing long enough to do simple tasks, such as cleaning clutter off the counters or making it through a full laundry cycle without forgetting my shit in the dryer.

Or worse… What if she preferred not to have children with me because she worried about passing down my brand of neurodivergence?

My oldest fear was that an Omega would choose my brothers and want nothing to do with me.

Meeting Kitania, however, had changed all of that.

This incredible woman was a fucking dream. She was beautiful from the inside out and so damn sweet it would give you cavities.

There was no resisting her innocent charm, but it was the way she saw past surface level to the heart of who my brothers and I were. She accepted our strengths and weaknesses, balancing us out. Somehow, she effortlessly fit with each of us, giving us exactly what we needed, though we were vastly different men. I was in awe of her. Completely fucking smitten.

“Goddamn, Angel.”

I tugged her close, easily lifting her until she was straddling my lap while I straddled the bike, feet planted to keep us steady.

“You don’t know how much that means to me.”

Kit’s arms wound around my neck, and her fingers delved into my hair. Tingles erupted over my scalp, and I released a groan.

The fabric of her dress rode up her thighs, and my hands went straight to her ass, landing on soft, bare skin.

My Omega blushed when I traced the edge of her thong, toying with where it disappeared between her cheeks.

Fuck, that was hot.

Kit’s breath hitched, her pupils dilating as she gazed down at me. The scent of her arousal hit me with the force of a freight train, making my head spin.

“Marco,” she breathed.

My name on her lips was like a siren’s call. I couldn’t resist capturing her mouth with mine, swallowing her soft gasp as I pulled her flush against me. The kiss was hungry and desperate, all the pent-up desire and worry from the night pouring out as I tasted her.

Kit responded with equal fervor, her fingers tightening in my hair almost painfully as she pressed herself closer. The heat of her core against my rapidly hardening cock had me groaning into her mouth. I rocked my hips up, seeking more friction, more of her.

“Goddamn,” I panted as we broke apart for air. “You drive me crazy.”

Her eyes were dark with desire, cheeks flushed. “You too,” she whispered. “I can’t... I can’t think straight when you touch me like this.”

I smirked, running my hands up her sides, taking her dress with me. The heat of her body against mine was intoxicating.

Kit shivered, her breathing coming in quick little pants that made my cock throb.

“Good,” I growled, nipping at her lower lip. “I don’t want you thinking about anything but how incredible I’m about to make you feel.”

I captured her mouth again, swallowing her whimper as I ground my hips up against her. The friction was maddening, not nearly enough, but so fucking good at the same time. She rocked against me, chasing that feeling, and I groaned at the sensation.

My hands found her breasts, kneading them gently through her dress. When I brushed my thumbs over her nipples, Kit broke the kiss with a gasp, throwing her head back, face tilted toward the stars.

I took advantage of her exposed neck, trailing kisses and little bites along the column of her throat. Her pulse raced under my lips, and the sweet scent of her perfume grew stronger.

“Marco,” she cried, her nails digging crescents into my skin. “Please...”

That breathy plea nearly undid me. I captured her mouth again in a searing kiss, swallowing her moans as my hands roamed her body. One went to her hip, my thumb perfectly positioned to rub circles over her clit. The only thing separating us was the thin layer of damp lace.

“You’re so wet for me already,” I murmured against her neck, nipping at the crux of her shoulder.

She gasped, grinding against my fingers, trying to get them exactly where she wanted them.

A dark chuckle rumbled in my chest as I teased her a little longer, then gave her what she so desperately craved.

She gave me the sweetest keen. “More! Oh, God… Please! More!”

I couldn’t resist those sweet fucking pleas.

Capturing her lips again, I kissed her deeply as I pushed her panties aside. My fingers found her slick entrance, and we both moaned as I plunged two inside.

“So fucking perfect,” I growled. “So goddamn slick. Is this all for me?” I coaxed as I pumped my fingers, stretching her, learning her body and memorizing what she liked best. Like the way I curled my fingers and added pressure to that sweet spot on her upper wall.

Any remaining blood in my body rushed straight to my dick, my knot already throbbing in time with my heartbeat.

Kit moaned, arching into me, taking everything I gave her and begging for more. “Please, Marco. I need...”

“What do you need, Angel?” I asked, nipping at her collarbone. “Tell me.”

“You,” she breathed.