Page 38 of Bailey-Rose: The Complete Duet

Looking like he’d just been put through the air-fluff cycle in the dryer, Vili’s hair stuck out all over the place with his glasses skewed on his face. However, the man’s giant smile had me thinking he might be making this his permanent sleeping place.

“This is magnificent,” he shared while fixing his glasses. “So cozy and very, very soft and fluffy. This perfect for our sweet little kitten.”

Ulysses chuckled and clapped me on the back. “Come on, guys, let’s gather what we need while Vili makes the hot cocoa. Oh, V, make sure you put lots of marshmallows in the cup. Rosie can never get enough of them.”

As we headed down, I glanced at my watch. With work traffic, we had about fifteen minutes to get this set up and be downstairs to grab her. Taking off at a jog, I hurried to my room and slid to a stop in front of the shelf that had all my hoodies folded and stacked neatly. More than once over the years, people have commented on my particular need to keep everything in order, but I didn’t see a problem with it. So what if I color-coordinated everything and sectioned out by season? It gave me comfort to know I knew where everything was, so when I needed to find something in a pinch, I knew right where to look.

Instinctively, I went for my old college hoodie, the one I’ve had the longest and was worn from use. The original navy color was a little faded, but the embroidered emblem of Monarch University of Law was damn near perfect, except for some slight fraying on the thread. I’d been so proud to wear this crest, making me one of the few lucky enough to earn the right to wear it proudly. The memory became slightly tarnished after finding out my near-perfect academics and glowing recommendations hadn’t been the true factor for my admittance. The donation my father gave to the school to build the new library had. Thankfully, I didn’t learn that until my last year so I could live with rose-colored glasses and enjoy my experience.

Brushing a finger over the flaming wings of the butterfly, I couldn’t help but feel a little nostalgic. There had been another group of men I thought I was going to call my pack, but when I announced my intention to work as a public defender in some fashion, they treated me as if I’d died. They ignored me and never answered my calls, emails, texts—none of it. Those assholes hadn’t wanted me for a pack brother but the connections I could provide for them. Not a day goes by that I don’t think how lucky I was to dodge that bullet and find a pack who supported me so unequivocally.

Clearing my throat, I headed out of the closet and collected the three pillows on my bed, leaving one to sleep with if I ended up in my own bed tonight. Sleeping as a pack the past few nights has been a new and wonderful experience I didn’t think I’d enjoy as much as I did. At the last second, I grabbed the knitted blanket my grandmother made for me when I graduated high school. Not only was it warm and cozy, but it wouldn’t lose its scent with how long I’ve owned it.

Back in Bailey-Rose’s room, I awkwardly tried to place the pillows around the outer edge without falling into the damn thing. Then I unfurled the knitted blanket but paused and pulled it back out of the bed, choosing to place it to rest over the back of the couch. That way, whenever she sat here, one of us would be close to her whether we were home or not. Gareth stumbled into the room with a mountain of pillows in his arms, blocking his vision. Hurtling forward, I grabbed the one that fell before he tripped over it.

“Here, let me take some of those,” I offered. “Don’t tell me these are all from Warrick’s room.”

“There’s one of mine in there somewhere,” he said, tossing the pillows into the nest, clearly not planning to spread them out. “Okay, they’re all in, but I’m not sure we can fit more. Well, not without losing her in there for good. I’ll be worried the pillows will smother our little Omega as it is.”

Ulysses arrived carrying one pillow and two blankets but paused when he saw the state of the nest. “I thought this might be a problem. Why don’t I set these to the side so if she wants to hang out on the couch or something, she has things to snuggle with there.”

With that agreed upon just in time, an alert that someone was heading down the driveway caused our phones to buzz. The security feed showed Warrick’s bright yellow car with Bailey-Rose resting her head on his shoulder. Even with this grainy footage, I could tell she was drained. Whatever happened took a toll on our Omega, and I didn’t like it one bit. I might practice civil law, but I knew criminal law just as well growing up in the house I did. So if I wanted to commit a crime and get away with it, I knew what steps to take. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that, but it would be a cold day in hell before I ever let someone mess with my Omega.

The three of us hurried down to the main floor, where Vili was already waiting with a small silver tray. I did a double take when I saw the mug would take two hands to hold for anyone, let alone our girl. It was also in the shape of a marshmallow with a cute little smiling cartoon face. Taking Ulysses’ advice to heart, mini pastel-colored marshmallows were piled high to the point some fell onto the tray. I couldn’t help but smile, seeing how fast this woman had wrapped us around her delicate fingers. The best part was none of us gave a shit. We were happy to do whatever it took to make her know how we felt. This was what it meant to find the other half of your soul—you’re complete for the first time in your life.

So with that thought, I opened the front door and marched out to collect that missing piece. Knowing she was struggling even the slightest had my protectiveness rising from vigilant to overbearing. Everything in me needed to know she was okay and safe within our home as soon as possible. Before my brain could catch up to what my body was doing, Bailey-Rose was in my arms, clinging to me as I nuzzled her hair, purring my reassurance.

“You’re home now, sweetheart. We’ve got you,” I whispered, pressing a kiss to her temple.

Wrapped up in Yun-Sun’s arms, I felt protected. Not that I didn’t feel safe with Warrick—he’s the only reason I hadn’t let Randall’s words send me into a spiral. Yet there was something about this stoic Alpha that grounded me. It was as if he took my underlying anxiety and calmed it, allowing me to breathe easier. Maybe my connection with his scent to happy moments of my youth brought that on, but all I know is I didn’t ever want him to leave me.

Once we were in the house, another hand brushed down my back soothingly. “Hey, Rosie, Vili’s made his famous hot chocolate for you.”

That had me perking up enough to lift my head and see the cutest mug overflowing with multi-colored marshmallows. Yun-Sun kissed my cheek, warning that he was going to put me down. He didn’t let go of me, though. The weight of his hands on my shoulders let me know he wasn’t far.

Vili beamed at me as he offered up the beverage. “This, my kitten, is famous family recipe. My mormor taught me how to make it and no one else,” he leaned in and whispered. “I was her favorite grandchild.”

You couldn’t help but smile around Vili. He was filled with joy and all the good things life had to offer. Even though I was feeling out of sorts after today’s events, I returned his smile easily as I took the mug from the tray. There were so many marshmallows in the way, I was forced to eat some of them first, a hardship I was willing to suffer.

“Come on, baby girl, let’s get you settled on the couch where you can manage that sugar rush more easily,” Gareth suggested, holding out a hand to me.

Shifting my hold on the giant mug, I got a solid grip on it before threading my fingers with Gareth’s. He guided me down the step into the living room and over to the nest of sorts I’d made the other day. It seemed I was already leaving my mark on this house. As if I was as light as a feather, he grabbed my hips, lifted me, and plopped me down in the middle of the blankets before removing my sandals.

Using my tongue, I collected a few more marshmallows to munch on as the guys settled in a semicircle around me. Gareth on my right, Vili on my left, Lysse dead center, and the other two filling in the gaps on either side. I wasn’t looking forward to this conversation as it meant I had to tell them what happened. The last thing I wanted to do right now was to relive the moment. It didn’t matter that I had them now—rejection and betrayal weren’t something you brushed off because you found something better.

“War, why don’t you tell us what you know and give Rosie time to actually taste the hot chocolate before talking,” Lysse directed.

Warrick nodded and leaned forward to brace his elbows on his knees. “I had to run into the stockroom to get a few things for the drink we were going to make. Care Bear here decided to call it Clouds and Daydreams, but we hadn’t built it yet to make sure it was the right combination. I was only gone for a max five minutes, but when I returned, she wasn’t at the bar where I’d left her. Instead, some fucknugget had his hand on her, yelling at my Omega in the middle of my goddamn bar. That man is lucky he walked out of there alive the way I saw red.”

Hearing the rage in Warrick’s tone made me feel guilty and embarrassed. Randall had not only caused a scene in The Fat Mule, he repeatedly shared his opinion on how beneath him he felt the place was. Not once had I defended Warrick’s hard work or argued that Randall was wrong in his thinking. I’d just crumbled under Randall’s hold and thought only about myself.

“Pretty lady,” Vili whispered as he cupped my jaw and urged me to look at him. “Why are there tears?”

I hadn’t even realized I was crying until he used his thumb to wipe it away.

“There is no need for tears. You are safe now with family,” Vili explained. “Warrick’s anger is not for you, my sweet kitten. Do not take it to heart. He is upset for you and at himself for letting this man close. Nothing is your fault.”

Hands took the mug from me, but I was trapped by Vili’s caramel-colored gaze, looking more serious than I’d ever seen. His sweet, comforting scent hand me nuzzling against his arm, picking up the slight honey of the graham cracker and smooth milk chocolate brought together with a perfectly golden marshmallow, gooey and perfect inside. Vili was my kindred spirit in that regard. Like me, he preferred to see the good in the world around us.