38. Chapter Thirty-Eight

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Beth

G asping awake to the screeching sounds of the worst alarm I've ever heard, I sit up quickly and wipe my hand across my open mouth. It's as wet as it felt, and so is my cheek.

Ugh. Drool. I was drooling. Yuck.

Worse news just in; this also isn't my bedroom.

I glance to my right and realize to my horror I must have been sleeping in Enzo's lap, in the bar Gio brought me to, and that screeching sound is coming from the stage, where a huge guy with a high-pitched voice has replaced Jack front and center.

Grabbing my purse and hauling it open, my pink hedgehog springs out and makes a nose-dive for the floor. A quick hand to my left grabs it before it gets there, and I look up to lock eyes with the guy who brought me here.

"Can't lose this little guy after all the trouble you went through to get him," Gio tells me.

I manage a wry smile, then I remind myself I probably still have drool on my cheek.

I grab a tissue out of the pack inside my purse and wipe the area around my mouth quickly before I dry up the drool I already wiped onto my hand.

Okay, now at least I don't have saliva running down my face.

"Thanks," I tell Gio. "I should really …"

"Get going?" he asks, sounding disappointed.

I shrug. "I think it might be past my bedtime."

"You haven't been sleeping." Enzo's watching me with a sour expression on his face.

Doesn't seem like he's happy about what just happened.

"I didn't do that on purpose!" I exclaim, defending my weary ass.

I feel guilty as hell now that he's looking at me as if I'm some kind of weirdo.

"He knows," Arrow says, his softer toned voice putting me at ease. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm tired," I admit. "It's been a long day."

More than a day, but he doesn't need to know that.

"Well, Gio will make sure you get home safe, but I'm sure Jack would appreciate it if you could stick around for a few more minutes until he's done backstage. He was worried about you."

A few more minutes isn't a big ask.

At least not usually.

With these guys, I don't know.

They're all so sweet and good looking.

It's like being shoved in front of a table full of delicious looking desserts and being told they're all for someone else. I don't know how long I can resist all this cake when it's flirting with me.

"I can wait," I tell him, not wanting to see his beautiful face drop.

He smiles and snuggles back into Enzo's side.

The two of them are so striking together.

It's hard to look away.

When I do, I find Gio's gaze on me.

He has kind of an intense stare. It makes my heart start to pound a little faster.

Maybe he's not with Arrow.

It would be odd for one of the two Alphas in a pack to not be with the pack's Omega, but I know packs can be diverse, so it's definitely possible.

That could be why he's been flirty with me.

No. Don't start trying to justify this, Beth.

It's not worth getting involved with him.

He has a pre-formed family.

You won't mean as much to him, and he'll only break your heart when he ends things.

"Maybe I should hold onto this until you're feeling up to looking after him."

"Huh?"

For a second, I have no idea what he's talking about, then he waves the pink thing in his hand, and I realize it's the hedgehog.

He stuffs it into his pants pocket.

I laugh. "Are you serious?"

He smiles. "I'll give him back tomorrow."

Oh! Oh …

He's using my prize as an excuse to see me again.

It's flattering, for sure, but I don't know how to respond.

This Alpha's making sure he gets a second date.

He's interested even after I fell asleep in his pack brother's lap.

It's so incredibly tempting, but no good can come from any of this.

I waste a minute arranging the stuff inside my purse and then closing it, because I can't seem to make any words come out of my mouth. When I look back up, ready to get the hell out of this bar, I catch a flash of red out the corner of my eye and I realize Jack has arrived at the booth about a second before I turn my head to see him stop in front of us.

He smiles at me. "You came."

"Yeah, and that's kind of a long story," I start, wondering how it could be possible that Jack and Gio aren't involved with Enzo or Arrow if these guys are all pack brothers.

Unless they're actual brothers by blood.

I guess that could be it.

"I'm glad you made it," Jack tells me.

He turns to Gio, and I catch a flash of the purple bruising he's hiding under his hair.

Oh my God! If I ever see Rourke again …

"I'm assuming you're the one walking me to the emergency room?" Jack asks Gio.

"After I've taken Beth home, yeah. You're not getting out of it."

Okay. Clearly, that decision was made while I was passed out and drooling.

"Is your kit all packed up backstage?" Enzo asks.

I glance at the guy I fell asleep on, remembering how he took my hand to tug me closer.

It was such an Alpha move, and it definitely felt a little more than just friendly.

Maybe I'm making too much out of it.

Chances are he was just being nice to a woman his pack brother is interested in dating.

I'm the one thinking he's a real heartstopper.

He probably thinks I'm some kind of messy drunk weirdo.

We've barely met, and I just spent who knows how long passed out at his side.

I blink as Arrow jumps out of his seat and stands by the side of the booth.

I might have spaced out for a second, because I think I just missed something.

"I didn't bring it out because I thought you might kill me for lifting it," Jack says, shrugging.

Enzo casts one last look my way before exiting the booth.

Yeah, he so thinks I'm some kind of boozed up or drugged out freakazoid.

That was a disapproving glance, for sure.

There's no way to explain my sudden tiredness under these circumstances that won't sound suspicious, so I don't even try. I just throw out a tight smile and turn back to Gio.

"Can we go?" I ask, wanting to put the night behind me already.

He nods. "Sure. Let's head out."