Page 63 of The Rust in Her Hair

I keep replaying the way she looked up at me from the floor of that closet, wedged between a mop bucket and a stack of boxes, sure I was there to hurt her. I can still smell her blood in the air.

My fists curl as a sudden wave of rage grips me. Stop it, I tell myself. She’s okay. Safe and sound and maybe even lying in my bed.

I really hope she’s awake. I want to see her.

Talk to her.

Maybe even stand close enough to scent her one more time.

I close my eyes and lean my head back, and think about her small body tangled in my sheets.

I’m sure the sweet warmth of her scent has soaked into every inch of my room by now. I bet it smells like heaven in there. Sweet vanilla with warm almond all along the edges. My cock twitches, and I quickly open my eyes.

Stop it.

"How long do you figure the omega’s staying?" Mack's voice comes from the passenger seat, pulling me back to reality. My eyes snap to the side of Nico’s face, waiting for him to answer.

"I don't know yet," Nico says, keeping his eyes on the road. "Why?" A small smile plays on his lips. "Tired of her already?"

"I’m not saying that." Mack shifts to better look at the pack alpha. "I'm all for helping some scared girl who's got nowhere to go. You know me. But I was thinking, once she’s awake, it's going to be weird pretending we aren’t a pack. I mean, I wanted to slap your ass so damn much this morning, but I was worried she was gonna walk in at any second." He blows out a breath. "And she's a Van Houten on top of it. One wrong move in front of that girl and we're not just outed, we're outed to the daughter of the man who wants our kind obliterated."

"I know." Nico reaches over and sets a hand on Mack's leg, squeezing once. "I don't like it either. Believe me."

I shift in my seat, realizing that I hadn’t thought that part through.

Every hour that Lyra’s under our roof, is an hour that I have to pretend that Owen isn't mine. I have to stand next to Nico and act like he's a guy I split the rent with. I fucking hate that.

But then I think about her leaving. Walking out our door and disappearing into the city, alone, hurt, and with someone possibly hunting her.

That's so much worse than any amount of pretending.

I'd rather act like a stranger in my own home for the rest of my life before I'd let her go.

"I've got so many questions," Mack says, dragging a hand down his face.

"Like what?" Nico asks, turning the wheel into our neighborhood.

"Is she staying long-term, you think? And what do we do about her dad? You think he's already got people looking? What if somebody saw Owen bring her in? Should we be watching the street? Are we telling Renata, or⁠—"

"Honestly? I don't know." Nico pulls into the driveway and cuts the engine. His tone is a little tired, a man with no real answers. "I’ve been thinking about it nonstop, and I feel like I’m a little out of my depth." He shakes his head, pushing out a heavy sigh. "I'll be honest with both of you," he glances over his shoulder at me, "I don't know how to keep us safe from a man like her father, but I can’t bring myself to kick her out either."

"Good," I blurt out.

Nico turns a little more, looking at me, and Mack shifts completely in his seat.

"You know what?" Mack's grin spreads. "I think our Adrian's got a little crush on the girl. Just like Owen." He points at me, delighted with himself. "That's what this is. You want the pretty girl to stay."

"I’m just saying." I keep my voice level and my face easy, like I'm agreeing with my pack alpha, like this is any other decision about the house. "She's got nowhere to go, and what's out there is worse than anything her dad could do if he found her here. We keep her. We figure out the rest as it comes. At least that's my vote."

What I don't say is that the thought of her leaving makes me want to snatch her up and mark her hard and deep, forcing her to stay with us forever.

Nico's eyes narrow at me, slow and knowing, and for a second I'm sure he can hear every word I didn't say. I hold still, waiting for him to say or do something. But he doesn’t do anything.

He simply looks back out the windshield.

Mack, thank God, is completely oblivious.

"You know," Mack's grin slips, going unnaturally quiet for a second. "I lived on the streets for a while, back in the day. I did a lot of things I deeply regret, just tryin’ to survive." He lets out a heavy sigh. "It's no kind of life for anybody, and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy, let alone an omega." He nods like he’s made a firm decision. "So yeah. She stays."