Faith & the Dead End Devils (Sweet Omegaverse, #8)(96)

34. FAITH





I stayed out of the way for the next couple days, and even tucked away in the nest, or catching my breath by hanging out with Chance and occasionally Ghost—who was funny and careless and too handsome for his own good—I could still taste the tension in the club on the air every time I walked through the halls.

It was morning now, not so early that I was the only one up, and I kept my eyes on the floor as I passed one of the alphas. I didn't know if he supported King or Rider, but he stopped and watched me walk by without speaking, his stare prickling against my back.

King's room was directly below Bear's. It'd been him with someone else that I'd heard that first night, and I had no right to be as jealous as I was over the knowledge. I still was, though. I knocked now, biting my bottom lip. I hadn't seen King for more than a couple hours since Rider had challenged him in front of everyone, and he hadn't come back to the nest at all. Church was taking place in an hour, and I didn't know if I'd come to his door to try to talk him into declaring me his omega or denying any connection between us so he could keep his position. I just needed to look at him—maybe talk, if I managed to think of any words.

"What?" he snapped from inside.

I had to clear my throat twice. "It's me."

The door was opening before I finished speaking, and the only thing to reassure me was that King didn't look angry to see me at his door.

"Get in here, princess," he said, reaching for my arm.

He pulled me into his chest, swinging the door shut behind me, and his hands dove into my hair, lifting it in his hands as he bent over me. I nestled my nose against his throat and he breathed, letting out a long purr.

"Been too fuckin' busy, missed the smell of you," he said.

I sighed and wrapped my arms around him. He was being sweet. I couldn't stand it, and I couldn't get enough.

"I should be there today," I whispered against his throat.

King pulled back abruptly, and I cursed myself for ruining the moment. "No way."

"This argument is about me," I said, looking up at him and frowning. "It's my fault."

The last thing I expected was for King to smile at me. "It isn't, princess. Rider's been itching to unseat me for years."

"But I've created the excuse."

King sighed so heavily, it ruffled my hair. "Come relax with me for a bit."

We didn't have long before he would have to appear before the others and let Rider spin a bunch of bullshit together to try to convince the club to impeach King from his position. But I couldn't refuse him. I was still greedy, and I hadn't had enough of his time in the past couple days.

But King led me into the bedroom area and my steps slowed, my face growing tense and pinched.

He laughed at me. "What?"

I glared back at him. "It smells like other people."

King's smile went slack, his eyes wide. "Huh? Still? Princess, it's been since…"

"I know when it's been since," I said, scowling at the bed and thinking of the noises from the woman I'd heard moaning the first night. "You haven't washed your sheets?"

King cleared his throat and scuffed his hand over the back of his neck. "I…didn't—Sorry. I can't smell them," he offered as a weak defense.

I walked slowly closer to the bed, sniffing. The smell didn't get any stronger the closer to the bed; it was just a stale remnant in the air. If anything, the bed smelled more like King than anyone else.

"You jealous, princess?" King asked.

"Yes," I bit back, shooting him another glare over my shoulder for sounding so pleased with himself.

He laughed and walked past me, falling back onto the bed and patting the mattress at his side. "Serves you right, for everything I heard during the heat," he said, pointing above his head.

Damnit, now it was my turn to blush. I hadn't really considered that if I could hear King and whoever he was with the first night, he definitely would've heard me, Bear, and Chance plenty. Which made me wonder if hearing us had done the same to King that it had to me. Over and over, for days.

I stared down at my own feet and mumbled out the words, "I'm sorry I was so determined to…to have you fuck me. To make you get involved during the heat, and—"

King sat up, scrambling to the edge of the bed, ducking his head to meet my eyes. "You regretting things between us, princess?" he growled.

I blinked, my eyes stinging and my head shaking. "Not like that, but if I…if I hadn't come to your office, would you have…ever—"

"God, I hope so," King whispered, drawing my words to a halt.

I stared at him, aware of the guilty tear rolling over one of my cheeks. He reached out, hands circling the backs of my thighs.

"You did me a favor, princess."

"I didn't care what it would mean for you or the club," I admitted, breathless and nervous. "I was being selfish."

King smiled. Why was he so damn calm today? "I know."

"So it's my fault. It's my fault that Rider has a reason to make a case against you today."

King didn't disagree, and I didn't fight him as he pulled me in, lay down on the bed and drew me over his chest like a blanket.