Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Brooklyn

I sit cross-legged on the couch, facing Noble, as we devour the pints of ice cream he brought. It's such a bizarre feeling to even hang out with someone these days.

I've been lonely for so long, it's hard to know if I'm taking advantage of his kindness. It's still dangerous for anyone to get close to me, but also, I'm tired of living like a hermit because of the fear of Avan's backlash.

"Wanna trade me a bite of chocolate?" Noble asks, running his tongue over the bottom of his spoon.

"Did I take the flavor you wanted?" I ask, tilting my head. He seemed indifferent to either vanilla or chocolate.

"Nope, I'm just a little jealous of your spoon." He chuckles, scooping a small bite of vanilla out of his container and holding it out to me. "Want a taste of mine?" He wiggles the spoon, and I lean forward, wrapping my lips around it.

It's cold and creamy, with a gritty vanilla flavor that my senses adore.

His eyes darken as his teeth dig into his lower lip. "It's good, huh?"

"Yeah," I agree, focusing on my ice cream to scoop him out a taste.

My hand shakes as I hold out the utensil.

Noble has his spoon back in his container, and his huge hand moves to cradle my wrist as he bends to savor the ice cream. His tongue swirls around the bottom, making a shiver run down my spine.

The way he keeps eye contact during the entire endeavor doesn't help anything.

"Now, that's what I was missing," he says in a breathy tone that makes my nipples ache.

The cool pint of ice cream rests in between my thighs, but my entire body heats up.

A devilish smile crosses his face as he grabs the spoon and tosses it into my pint. He moves mine to the table before doing the same for his container.

Dark brown waves fall over his forehead as he leans closer.

"You've got a little something…" His eyes sparkle as he bends low, licking the corner of my mouth.

My eyes squeeze shut as my chest rises and falls rapidly. With his electric scent so close, my instincts scream to melt into him. He flicks his tongue over my lower lip, and my mouth parts.

It feels like my heart could pound right out of my chest as his palm brushes my cheek and his fingers slide into the hair at the base of my skull.

His tongue teases, swirling around mine.

It's a magical kiss.

Slow and sensual and all-consuming.

The warmth of his skin against mine seems to make my nerve endings sizzle.

Noble tastes like a combination of chocolate and vanilla ice cream, but that's muted from the way his scent pulses in the air.

If I didn't know better, I'd say I could actually taste his pheromones.

They're delicious.

Okay, maybe I'm losing it.

Every sensation seems amplified as my head gets hazy. My instincts scream to tackle him to the couch so he can't escape. It's been a long time since my impulses have pushed me to act in a certain way.

Noble growls, the sound vibrating out of his chest as he deepens the kiss.

I moan in response, unsure if I climb over onto his lap or if he lifts me, pulling me to him. He cradles my face in one hand, and the other tightens on my ass as my fingers land on his shoulders.

He showed up in sweats and a white T-shirt, and neither do anything to hide his multitude of muscles.

"You taste like apple pie but so much more. It's insane," he murmurs between playful kisses. "Fuck, maybe I can taste your scent in the air."

I smile at the echo of my earlier thoughts as my hands dig into his shoulders. He palms my ass and pulls me down over his lap.

He's definitely not soft.

I mean, I don't think his cock is fully hard, either, but it's firm and poking my backside. I barely have time to focus on that because Noble kisses the hell out of me, distracting me from any and all rational thoughts.

My pheromones thump in the air, and everything feels muted and hazy.

Well, outside of my oversensitive skin and aching nipples.

He releases my face to move his other hand to my ass. It's incredible how small he makes me feel, with his hands spanning from my hips to the bottom of my butt cheeks.

I don't even get to be self-conscious about my stomach pressing against his because he lifts me, lowering my back to the couch cushions as he crawls over me.

It's a bit of a struggle to tug my legs out, so I can wrap them around his backside.

Once I'm settled, my eyes pop open.

Noble stares down at me with his lower lip trapped between his teeth. He's still got one hand on my ass with his forearm beneath me, but he brings the other between us. The backs of his fingers brush over my sleep shorts.

"You know I can smell how slick you are…" He chuckles, applying firmer pressure directly on top of my clit. "Right, Mama?"

My cheeks burn as my eyes fall shut. It's been so long since I've been touched like this, but even longer since I felt truly desired by anyone.

"Nah, none of that," he murmurs, bumping my cheek with his. "Although, those pink cheeks make me wanna eat you alive." He brushes his lips over mine. "Is this good?"

It takes me several seconds to comprehend what he's saying, but then I feel his warm fingers sliding in through the leg of my pajama shorts. He teases my pussy over my hideous underwear, and if it didn't feel so amazing, I'd probably want to melt into the cushions.

I'm pushing seven months pregnant. There's nothing small or dainty about my panties these days. They go halfway up the bottom of my belly to help hide it when necessary and to offer support. I mean, the support thing is clearly what they're made for…

"You're thinking too much, or I'm pushing too hard," Noble murmurs, nipping at my lips. "Tell me to fuck off if it's the latter."

"Sorry," I whisper. "It's hard to feel sexy when I'm as big as a house."

He chuckles, keeping his hand inside my shorts. Holding himself up on his knees, he uses his free hand to cup my tit over the old Ruin T-shirt I'm wearing.

"You're sexy as fuck. So, that must mean I'm not doing enough to keep you here in the moment with me." He nips at my lower lip as his thumb flicks over my nipple. "Your curves turn me the fuck on."

I moan, clutching at his shoulders as my feet tighten on the backs of his thighs.

He's not allowed to escape.

I need him.

He grips the crotch of my underwear, tugging them to the side as he works his tongue into my mouth. He's in so many places at once, still teasing my breast, and the warm feeling of his fingers brushing my core seems to overstimulate my system.

My chest heaves as I kiss him back, suddenly very aware of the weight of his heavy cock brushing my thigh as I writhe under him.

His thumb circles over my clit, making my legs jerk as they fall farther apart against the couch cushions.

"Fuck me," he groans, tracing two fingers down the lips of my sex. "I'm not complaining, but fuck, pretty girl, I swear I haven't done a thing to get you this slick." He chuckles darkly. "Not yet, anyway."

He manages to keep the material of my panties to the side as he twists his hand, brushing my clit with his palm and burying a thick finger inside me.

My entire top half arches toward him as my eyes pop open. Hell, I don't even know when I closed them, but the look on Noble's face is intense.

He groans, leaning his chest closer to mine and pushing me back to the couch cushion. "That's unreal. I've never been with an omega. You are extra slick, aren't you?"

I bite my lip to try to keep quiet. We aren't in the most discreet of locations, but I'm completely clothed…

Noble rakes his teeth over my bottom lip and drinks down my sounds as he utterly destroys my composure. He seems to know exactly where to aim his finger, and just when I'm about to beg for it, he adds another.

My nails dig into his neck and hair at the base of his skull as he grinds his hard cock against my leg.

Damn height difference.

"Fucking hell," Noble growls against my lips. "I'm fighting my instincts as hard as I can, but you're terrible for my self-control. You keep clenching around my fingers like that, and I'm probably going to bust in my sweats like a teenager."

"You can get inside me," I sob, nodding wildly.

His lips end up against my cheek as he grins. I can't see it, but it feels like a dangerous kind of smile. "You've got no idea how much I want that, but I've got a significant amount of courting left to do before I bury my knot inside you." I'm not sure what he's doing until he slides a third finger into my pussy. My entire body starts to shake as pleasure builds in my lower stomach. "See, Mama. If you needed more, all you had to do was ask for it."

He applies firmer pressure on my clit, and I explode. His mouth moves back to mine, making sure to muffle my begging moans. His scent saturates my senses on every gulp of air I manage to intake.

"That's it, come all over my hand. Be a good girl and coat me in your slick." He thrusts into my pussy, spreading his fingers even wider as my body tries to lock them in place. "I've got you," he murmurs tenderly as my entire body spasms. "Goddamn, you're so fucking pretty."

My orgasm goes on for so long that it's hard to comprehend how much time has passed, but his dirty musings and soothing praises light up my insides.

My entire body sizzles as he slows his movements and pecks a soft kiss on my lips. I'm still so blissed out that I barely comprehend what's happening when he removes his hand from my sex and lifts me.

He carries me into my bedroom as I try to figure out if there's a sexy way to undress when I'm almost seven months pregnant.

Noble lays me down on the mattress and moves to stretch out at my side.

I roll to face him, and my hand moves down to cradle his thick cock. It pulses in my grip, and he growls.

The sound makes my neck snap to the side as goose bumps break out over my skin.

"I'm legitimately going to want to punch myself in the face for saying this, but…" He gently pries my hand off his cock. "Tonight isn't about me. I'm here so you can soak up my pheromones, and maybe a little because I want to fall asleep next to your fine ass."

"What?" I choke.

"Yeah, I know. I'm surprised, too, but I was serious about courting the fuck out of you. Whenever we do take that step, I want you to know we're good. I haven't been with anyone since my last checkup. Everything was negative. And I've always used condoms."

My face heats.

We probably should have had this talk in the living room. "They tested me for everything at my first appointment because it's even more important to know that stuff during pregnancy, but all the results came back negative for me too."

"I wasn't concerned, but thank you for telling me. Now, hush and get some rest." He slides his arm behind me, tugging me closer until I have to lift my face to rest it on his chest or end up with my nose buried in his side. He teases his fingers down my hip and sighs. "It's been so many years since I purred, but I'm trying."

My hand moves to rub over his pec. "I really don't want to assume anything?—"

"I'm into you," he says. "There's a gift in that bag for Libby. It's my first courting gift for the shortstack."

My heart drops as my fear pulses in the air. "There's a good chance I'll have to leave soon…"

"Leave New York?"

"Yeah, the only reason I haven't already is because I didn't want to leave Lennox all on her own, but if it comes down to it…" I sigh. "I can't keep the new baby a secret forever."

"You shouldn't have to," he growls, moving his hand from my hip to cradle my stomach. "But I'm not picky. I came to New York for a job. Once that's up, I'm good to go wherever your persnickety omega instincts desire."

My God, I don't think he could possibly comprehend how much hearing something like that means to me…

There's also a lot he doesn't know.

"It's complicated." My head shakes as I try to find the words to describe the mess that is my life. "There's a good chance that Libby and I will need to leave with very little advance notice."

"Yeah, and I imagine you might need to pick up a new name too." He soothes his hand over my stomach, and the baby moves.

It's still pretty light, in comparison to what I remember from Libby in the last couple of months.

I doubt he'll even be able to feel it.

He slides his hand up the bottom of my T-shirt and feels around my bare skin. "Is that…"

"Yep, I didn't know if you'd be able to feel it."

"That's crazy," he whispers.

Neither of us says anything for a few long minutes while his fingers follow the movements.

"Listen, Brooklyn. I get that you don't fully trust me yet." His chest begins to vibrate with a ragged, underused purr. "I even understand why. There's a fair amount that you don't know about me in return. That's why we need to put a little effort into getting to know each other."

"You don't understand. I'm not running from an abusive relationship. Avan never put his hands on me. Not like that?—"

Noble growls. "There are all different kinds of abuse. The fact you're terrified to tell him about the baby tells me all I need to know."

"I get that, but what I'm trying to say is…" My eyes ache. I'm pretty sure, once I tell him the scope of the problem, he's going to run. And he'll have every right to. "He kills people. Or, at the very least, he orders his men to do it. His family is involved in organized crime, like the crazy stuff you see on television."

Noble's hand tightens on my stomach but not in a painful grip. "I understand why you're scared, but I've gone up against men like your ex before. I told you I did time in the military. After that, I spent a couple of years doing private security, but I enjoy working for myself."

His words instantly remind me that he knows nothing about Maverick and Gunner.

"There's probably something else I should tell you." I run my fingers over his purring chest and try to calm my anxious nerves. "My ex's cousin, the woman who stopped by the other night, she's the one who warned me how dangerous he can be. Bless isn't estranged from their family, but she doesn't participate in the stuff they do, either. She's who will help me get away when the time is right. She runs some type of security company. Kinda like what you explained." I pause, trying to parcel out how much to share. "Before I found out I was pregnant, I went out one night. I met two guys. They're very nice. I mean, we were just getting to know each other. We only hung out for a few hours before reality caught up, but as it turns out…" I exhale heavily, trying to catch my breath after all that rambling. "They work for Bless. One of them came into my job tonight."

"He's who you were with earlier tonight in the hall?" Noble asks, teasing his hand over my stomach.

"Yeah," I agree, frowning.

I didn't know Noble even saw me and Gunner together.

"Having more people looking out for you isn't a bad thing." He doesn't sound upset, and it's almost like my system doesn't know what to do with that.

Avan exploded about everything. Even the most ridiculous things, like a doorman smiling at me as he said goodnight. And although a huge part of me understands that wasn't normal, another part of me waits for the cutting barbs.

"Ahh, he's interested in you too." Noble curls closer, nuzzling his cheek to the top of my head. "Well, he's clearly got excellent tastes."

"There are two of them," I say before I can hold the words back. "I think they're partners or a team. Something like that."

"And how do you feel about them?" He holds me close, and it soothes my system, which craves that confined, safe feeling.

"We met one time, and then I bolted. I haven't seen them in six months. Well, before seeing Gunner tonight. I don't…" My eyes squeeze shut as my chest aches. "I wouldn't choose them over you, if that's what you're afraid of. They haven't even met Libby, but Gunner is the person who stepped in to save her at the grocery store. So, I guess maybe they have met, just in a really informal way."

"I like him already," Noble says. "But if they wanted you to themselves, they should have acted faster."

My face tilts to look up at him as my eyes pop open.

"Don't look at me like that. I can't stand it." He exhales heavily, pulling my face back down to his chest. His other hand stays on my stomach, rubbing tender circles. "My biological mom is the omega of my parents' pack. I get it. The omega builds their pack. More than that, we're still getting to know each other. Even if we were exclusive, I'd give you my opinion, but in no way would I ever try to control your actions."

I know that's how packs are supposed to be built in our society, but I guess I just haven't seen a healthy example of it before. My dads aren't great to my mom, which probably made me put up with Avan's crap for longer than I should have because, at first, it seemed…normal.

It's also why I knew I had to set a better example for Libby.

"I don't want to control you, Brooklyn. I'd just like to be considered an option as you build your pack."

My forehead wrinkles, and I push up enough to look him in the eyes. "How does one start a conversation about exclusivity while the building of that pack happens?"

"Me exclusively with you?" Noble barks a laugh. "You're too fucking cute. Don't worry. I got the picture when you heckled me over my coworkers. I wasn't exaggerating when I said I haven't been with anyone in years. I've got one person on the brain, and in case you missed it…" He smirks. "That person is you."

My teeth dig into my lower lip as my heart races. I grew up in a pack, too, but things were never as rosy as it seems like they were for Noble.

He pulls my face back down. "Soak up my pheromones and get some sleep."

I nod, snuggling closer. "Good night, Noble."

"Good night, Mama." He keeps rubbing my stomach with tender touches. "I've got a job tomorrow that I can't get out of, meaning I'll probably be gone by the time you wake up."

"Okay," I say around a yawn. "Thank you for the warning."

"I didn't want you to wonder, but I'll text you or pop by once I'm done. And feel free to give Libby her gift. Just tell her it's from me, if you would."

Good god.

How could I do anything except melt for this man?