Knot Broken (Hiddenverse)

10. Lilah

CHAPTER 10

Lilah

As luck would have it, Hailey’s also on our bus. The camera crew proceeds us onto the bus, while a few of the crew catch every move on the outside. I’m already dreading the day being under a microscope and pretending that I want to be here. That I believe love is maybe possible.

We load onto the party bus, fully loaded with neon lights and sidebar. Some omegas go straight for the mimosas and bloody Mary's already poured. While I settle onto the seat nearest the exit and as far from Rafe as physically possible.

He chats with Dawn, and I can't help staring at him. He's gorgeous. The ringlets in his hair give the appearance of a softness I'm not sure he possesses. His broad shoulders and chiseled jawline scream alpha, even if the rest of his looks didn't already alert everyone to that fact.

Chad ended up with Miles, and after this morning, that doesn't sit well with me. It's not like I have a claim on Miles just because I scented him, but damn… do they all smell like candy? It's almost as if his musk is made to draw me in.

Between the hint of his musk and the hint of Rafe’s from the club, a strange possessive urge fills me. Like they belong to me. It makes no sense, but it’s like an electric current that’s constantly running beneath my skin, a pure awareness of each of them that I can’t shake.

If I'm honest, it makes me want to stake a claim on them both, like Hailey had with Rafe. As if I’ve conjured her, she slides into the seat on the other side of Rafe and leans close. My stomach bottoms out, and I feel sick. If anyone here has a right to a claim, on him at least, it’s her.

Rafe’s gaze lifts to mine like he can hear my thoughts, and I suck in a breath. It feels like he’s touching my soul. Reaching for me. There’s a sort of helpless look in his eyes that pulls on my heartstrings. As much as he's smiling for the cameras, he doesn't want to be around Hailey.

Could I be projecting? Possible, but I don't give it another thought before I find my feet and close the distance between us. The bus brakes hard when I'm almost to him, and I end up sprawled across his lap.

Blocking out the entire scene, I squeeze my eyes shut, feeling my ears catch fire. I'm really destined to make an ass out of myself around him.

“Well, I much prefer this to vomit,” he says, humor lacing each word. His hands warm on my waist, holding me to him.

I crack my eyes open to find him staring down at me, a wide smile on his face. At least he didn't shove me to the floor. Although, when I puked on him, he didn’t shove me away either. In fact, he stood still so I could blot the throw up all over his shirt. Creating the perfect picture for the tabloids…the whole reason I’m here. But the pictures weren’t his fault; he didn’t take them. If I’m honest, he was nothing but nice that night. It was only his dismissive greeting here that got under my skin. Maybe we just got off on the wrong foot.

“There are drinks,” I reply, nodding at the leftover drinks on the built-in side bar. “I could try to test that theory. ”

Am I flirting? I think I am. My lips pull up into an answering smile when he tilts his head back and lets out a husky laugh.

“You can't be serious,” Hailey scoffs, venom dripping from each syllable.

Her words make me realize two things. One, his arms are still firmly around me, holding me in place. And two, I haven't even attempted to move out of his lap. I scramble to my feet, turning another shade of red and stammer out the apology I should have said in the first place.

“No harm done. Lilah, right?” he asks, as he finds his feet, holding onto the bar above our heads.

“The one and only.” I take a deep breath, ready to retreat. What had I been thinking anyway? How did I expect to save him from Hailey?

The driver hits the brake as if on cue, and Rafe automatically reaches for me, keeping me on my feet this time. I can feel the eyes of the nine other omegas on us, not to mention the cameras filming every tantalizing morsel, but I don't care. I lean into him, letting him keep me steady and absorb the warmth coming off of him in waves like he’s my sun.

It might be my imagination, but I'm almost positive that a low purr rumbles softly in his chest. I bite back the answering whimper, but don't stop myself from melting a little inside. I did not expect this reaction to any of them, let alone Rafe.

Chad attaches to me the moment I'm off my bus. His cheeks look flush and his eyes bright.

“Miles is completely into me,” he says, lowering his voice and turning away from the nearest camera.

“Is he?”

I glance at the man in question, and he's watching us, a soft smile on his lips. If it were for me, I'm not sure I would even want to try to ignore it. The remnants of his almost Almond Joy musk tugs at my memory.

“Don't make it obvious,” Chad hisses.

A laugh pops out of my mouth, and I drag my gaze back to Chad. “Trying to play hard to get?”

He rolls his eyes as if that’s a stupid question. “If I didn't have to do all the work, maybe I wouldn't have to.” He pins me with a bold stare that screams he thinks I'm the slacker.

It would be so easy to open my mouth and share what happened this morning, but I keep it inside like a secret. That isn't for the show. And it’s nothing. Right?

He studies his fingernails before glancing back up at me, a bored expression on his pouty face. “Did you at least do something to repair your image on the bus ride over?”

I laugh again. Okay, so maybe I enjoy his abrasiveness.

“Okay, what did you do?” He props his hands on his hips.

“I got his attention again.”

Interest flares in his eyes. “How?”

“I fell into his lap,” I sigh before pressing my lips together. Thomas calls for our attention, and it cuts off any response Chad may have had.

We're paired back into our bus groups to venture into the apple orchard. The tangy scent of fresh apples fill the air, mixing with the smell of warm cinnamon donuts. My favorite. Pair them with apple cider, and life’s perfect.

At least it would be if I was here without a film crew.

Hailey clings to Rafe like velcro the entire time. The other omegas grumble, and I can see them already planning the downfall of the model. Other than the cameras and the fake conversation, the weather’s perfect for today's outing.

Late summer with a touch of fall in the air. The sun shines down on us, brushing my skin like a soft caress, and I turn my face up to the welcoming warmth .

I put some distance between the group and myself, dropping to the back. Stopping, I eye a red and yellow apple, and my stomach grumbles. The man said we could eat as many as we wanted. Glancing around self-consciously, I pluck it from the tree. Using my shirt, I shine it like I used to do as a kid. Then I take a big, mouthwateringly bite.

It's so refreshing, a pleasure-filled moan slips out as my eyes fall shut. Flavor bursts over my taste buds, and I chew slowly and swallow, before opening my eyes.

A squeak of surprise parts my lips when I find Rafe within touching distance, his eyes fixed on me like he's a man dying of thirst in the desert, and I'm the oasis he's been searching for.

“Rafe,” I say, the air leaving my lungs like it never gave me life in the first place.

His arm raises as if in slow motion, and my whole body vibrates with the expectation of his touch before it arrives. His pointer finger ghosts over my lower lip to the corner of my mouth.

He licks his own lip, as his gaze burns the same trail his finger just took. “You have a little juice?—”

Then he brings his finger to his mouth and sucks the digit between his lips. It feels as if he's just sucked my clit between his perfect lips instead, and my knees go weak in response. I'm not going to survive this show.

When I stare at him, probably looking like a fish out of water with my mouth hanging open, he grins the most rakish smile I've ever seen and steps back.

It's then I realize cameras are locked on us, and the other omegas are watching me with envy shining from their eyes. But none of that stops the butterflies in my stomach. Not even the open hostility flowing from Hailey.

Rafe reaches forward, tangling his fingers with mine. “Can I have a one-on-one with you? ”

Words. What are words? I nod instead, when none escapes my throat. Another smile that makes me feel things I shouldn't, and then he's leading me away from the group to a picnic table in a field between all the trees. A cameraman follows closely behind, but I barely notice him with Rafe’s strong magnetic presence next to me.

Did I bump my head on the bus? It doesn’t matter because excitement bubbles inside of me. Maybe finding a pack is in the cards after all. Because I would be lying if I didn’t admit that I’m drawn to all three of them.

I perch on the warm wooden surface and face him, pulling my leg up to the bench, when he sits next to me.

“I'm glad we can talk for a minute,” he says, before lowering his voice so low I'm positive the camera would need to be in his face to hear him. “I know you're only here to paint me as a playboy in the hopes that they can show my reform. And even as tantalizing as I may find you or my pack might find you…I think you should quit the show and save yourself more embarrassment because we will never pick you.”

I blink at him, feeling as though he's slapped me. He watches me, his gaze doing a lap around my face, a flirty, fake smile on his lips for the cameras. Something in the depths of his eyes showing his wariness. He really thinks he can just tell me what to do?

I paste a smile on my face and drop my hand to his thigh. A spark of awareness shoots through my fingertips and up my arm. And I almost yank my fingers away. Instead, I run my palm over his leg and squeeze lightly.

Is he all muscle? Dang. Focus, Lilah .

“I'm not going anywhere,” I say, determination filling me. Who is he to tell me I should quit? I lean forward, making it look like we are flirting. “And honestly, pick anyone but me at the end.”

He sucks in a breath hearing the truth in my words. Or at least I hope that’s what he hears. His jaw sets like he’s made some sort of internal decision. “I hope you can act like your sister can then.”

“You know—” my words are cut off, along with my air, when he leans forward and kisses me.

The taste of crisp apples and butterfingers explode on my taste buds as his tongue brushes mine, and my fingers reach up to tangle into his shirt, pulling him closer. I sink into the first kiss I've had since—I push the thought of my ex away—enjoying the way Rafe’s lips glide against mine.

Butterflies erupt in my belly again as he deepens the kiss, drawing a full body reaction from me, all the way down to my toes. I cling to his shoulders as our lips dance.

He pulls back, resting his forehead to mine, his breaths too shallow to say he isn't affected. “You're a natural like your sister,” he whispers.

His words shove me right out of the moment. Straight back into the fact we are on a show with cameras watching our every move, and he just kissed me…for the show. Did he kiss my sister too? Is that why they were on the tabloids together before? My stomach sinks, and I force a smile on my face as I untangle my fingers from his shirt, smoothing the fabric down in an almost nervous motion.

Controlling my breathing the best I can, I focus on my hands before lifting my gaze to his.

“A natural?” I whisper back, as he straightens, a brief look of concern darkening his eyes.

“It’s nothing against you, Lilah, but I'm not here for love. I'm here to fix my image and indulge my pack mate. You'd be a great shield. But love isn't on the list.”

My heart beats loudly in my ears as I blink up at him. The cameras aren't close enough to catch his words. And by some miracle, I don't flinch when he reaches out and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, giving me a tender look .

“A shield.” I glance at the other omegas as the meaning of his words sinks in. “You want me to pretend to fall for you?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper, each word feeling heavy and foreign in my mouth.

His face brightens with relief, as if he’s been waiting for me to understand. “Exactly. I don’t want to break hearts. It’s a perfect solution for us both.”

I wet my lips, the taste of his kiss still lingering there, and take in a small, shaky breath. “Okay,” I whisper, the word slipping out before I can fully process it. It feels so small and insignificant, like it’s not even my own voice. I’m not here for love—he’s right, I think—but this isn’t something I ever imagined agreeing to. Not with the feelings that have been swirling around inside me, growing stronger with each passing day. The hope that had begun to sprout within me is suddenly crushed beneath the weight of his offer, and I feel like I’m trying to steady myself on a spinning merry-go-round, my footing uncertain.

He cups the back of my neck, his fingers trailing over my ear and down my throat, sending shivers through me. His thumb brushes over my pulse point, and my heart slams against my ribcage in response. His touch is as mesmerizing as it was the first night I saw him dancing at the club, and yet, it feels different now—tinged with something that doesn’t sit right.

I swallow, trying to steady my thoughts. “What exactly do you expect from this…shield?” I force myself to ask, needing clarity, even as I feel myself slipping further away from the reality I thought I knew.

His hand lingers on my neck for a moment longer before he steps back, his expression calm, almost detached. “For the cameras, the other omegas, the world—we need to make it look real. I need you to act like you’re falling for me, and I’ll do the same. We’ll give them a show, keep everyone off our backs. But that’s all it is—an act.”

The words hit me like a cold gust of wind, chilling me to the core. There’s something so calculated about his tone, so matter-of-fact, that it makes my skin prickle with unease. He’s asking me to step into a role, to play a part in a story that isn’t mine, and it feels wrong—like I’m losing something important, something real, in the process. But what choice do I have? He’s offering a way out, a way to survive this without getting hurt…or so he thinks.

I force myself to nod, though the motion feels stiff and unnatural. “Okay,” I repeat, the word sounding hollow in my own ears. I don’t know if I’m agreeing to the plan or just trying to convince myself that I can handle this, but either way, it’s done.

He tucks my hand into the crook of his elbow, leading us back to the rest of the group. As we walk, my mind races, and I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve just agreed to something that will end in disaster. The other omegas glance our way, their eyes narrowing in suspicion, as if they can already sense the shift in the air. It’s as if they’re planning my downfall now instead of Hailey’s.

Freaking fantastic.