Tilly
Withpeopleleavingwork for the day and others going out for dinner, it was prime commuting time in the city, making the drive to the hotel in Kensington slow and steady. The slowness meant I was stuck in the car with three alphas emitting their scents, each fighting for supremacy and that was worse than feeling his knot in my hand.
No, it isn’t.
My eyes flicked up to meet Jackson’s.
I kept my gaze on the London landscape for the rest of the journey, anything to calm my breathing while in this car. I tried to only use my mouth to breathe, anything to stop their scents from swaddling me in this small space. Not that it helped—I felt dazed.
The car stopped outside the hotel. It was a Georgian building with dark grey stone bricks and symmetrical windows, two stone coloured pillars with canopy over sat either side of the double doors of the hotel, and wrought-iron railings completed the front facade of the grade II listed nine-storey building. It was a charming hotel on a pretty road with newly bloomed cherry blossom trees lining the street. We’d had a bumper of a snowy winter and everything was behind, including flowers on the trees.
My feet scrambled to get out of the car, but a heavy hand landed on the handle before mine. He opened the door and held out his hand to help me get out.
As one guy rumbled a laugh, in my head I told him to “fuck off,” but what I actually said was, “Thanks.” And gave Jackson a quick glance. Then I dashed into the hotel and waited, crossing my arms over my chest.
The luxurious foyer had the usual black-and-white diamond marble floors that I’d seen in lots of London hotels. The walls were white, with the tiniest volume of black, to give an off-white colour. I walked through an archway and into the main reception and glanced around the room.
Tasteful navy and white furniture positioned in strategic places for guest use. Above the large oak reception desk was a sparkling crystal three-tiered chandelier, which was joined by hundreds of tiny lights in the ceiling.
A pink flush appeared on my chest and face as I looked at my reflection in the mirror. And right now, I wasn’t sure how long my medication would last.
“Our table is ready,” Jackson breathed into my ear, and I was sure his lips touched the shell.
I blinked hard and nodded.
Oh, my god. I need a new job.
I thought the same again only half an hour later when I was still stuck in Jackson’s gaze.
“We are, as expected, mainly a beta run office,” Sandy said, taking a sip of her wine as she ate her steak and vegetables. “And as most people agree, betas are the best workers.”
A growl came from across the table.
Sandy laughed out loud. “It’s true, I’m an alpha but happy to admit that the hard work is from the likes of Tilly here,” she said, touching the back of my hand with her palm.
Jackson’s eyes narrowed, glaring at her hand on me.
“Are you dating Tilly?” Luca asked as he studied me with cursory interest.
I smiled as much as my mouth allowed. “No, I don’t date,” I said.
What the fuck made me say that?
I glanced at Luca’s face again. He had thick eyebrows and dark chocolate coloured eyes and his jaw was sharp and angular, which matched his straight nose. I lowered my eyes to take in his generous shoulders and wide chest.
He wasn’t as wide or as tall as Jackson—though I was certain nobody would be.
Placing my knife and fork on the plate in front of me. I was only eating a light dinner of salmon and salad. Fish was a great counter to my perfume.
These alphas were devouring their food, while I was struggling with mine, but I wasn’t sure if it was the quantity on my plate or having pheromones blasting around me like an invisible scarf which had soaked in their scent and calmly wrapped around me.
Luca arched his eyebrow, and there was a flash behind his eyes. A flash of wonder—of knowing, maybe. Had he worked out what I was?
Or did Jackson tell him what happened?