Chapter 98
(ARLO)
“Why then are you so worried about what I might get up to do while you’re sleeping?” I frown.
“Because your desire to take revenge against Sasha might outweigh your desire for my help. I don’t want you to jab a fishing pole into my brain while I’m sleeping p>
“You have your way with words.” I shudder, climbing the cot then I lie down, staying as far away from Miles as I possibly can.
“Why would I lie to you that I trust you?” He asks as he joins me in the bed, carefully lowering himself into the cot. The cot squeaks beneath our weight and his bulk takes much of the room. He isn’t trying to cuddle with me. That I know. Even so, our bodies are still pressed together.
“The feeling is mutual. I don’t trust you either.” I mutter.
“Exactly,” he says, turning his back to me. Honestly, I am relieved. I’m not sure I would have relaxed if he was watching me with those cold dark eyes of his. Being that his body is warm, I lean into him a little. After all, we are already crushed together so what’s the difference? He might be a thuggy jerk, but he is a warm thuggy jerk.
And I could very much use the warmth right now.
I rest my face against his big back. Surprisingly, he smells too good for someone who has stayed in this dump for days. Without a shower. The sweater he has on smells of mothballs, but it is his natural scent that attracts me. He has a masculine woodsy scent to him. The fact that I feel calmer beside him bewilders me. I’ve never been this much in touch with my omega instincts. Something about being close to Miles brings them out.
For a while, we lie like that and I soak in the heat of his body. I’m much warmer, but I’m not sure if I’ll be able to sleep. I’m pretty wound up. Part of me wonders what my father would say if he saw me cuddling with Sasha’s second. Perhaps he is rolling in his grave now. Is he? Maybe I would try and stab him with one of the broken fishing poles if I was that ruthless. But as he said earlier, we do need each other now.
We have all the time to fight once we are out of this dump.
Miles suddenly speaks and I jerk up. “Try and get some rest. I don’t think Dalton and his goons will wait till dawn to come back p>
“How would you know I’m not sleeping, maybe it’s your talking that woke me up p>
“I can tell by the way you are breathing that you are awake p>
My response is a grunt and I close my eyes. I’m more curious about Miles than I’d ever admit. I wonder what his childhood life was like. Why is he content serving Sasha? He is an alpha who commands respect. He needs to be in charge. Or is he simply content being Sasha’s puppet?
Sure, now I see why Sasha values him so much. He is one tough and smart guy. Instead of panicking in a tense situation, he stays calm and weighs his options. I saw him do that earlier today when Dalton showed up. What happened with my cousin took him off completely but he kept his head up. Was he born into this mafia lifestyle or was he forced to get accustomed to it like most mafia guys do?
I didn’t have a choice personally. But many people do.
“Jesus, kid go to sleep. I can literally feel your brain buzzing p>
I prop myself up on my elbow, feeling irked. “You know, I’m not as calm as you are. We have a few hours to our death. I don’t know how you can relax through that, but I can’t p>
“Well, maybe count sheep. Do anything. Just sleep p>
I scowl as I lie down. “Mind your business. Why do you want me to sleep when you aren’t asleep yourself p>
He sighs loudly. “Because we aren’t the same p>
“Oh, I get it. A weak omega needs his beauty sleep huh p>
This isn’t about you being an omega. This is because you are pampered. You can’t function properly without your beauty sleep. You probably need your sleep mask, humidifier and silk sheets to sleep, no p>
“Are you going to act like Sasha’s second sleeps in a squalor?” I grumble. “We both live pampered lives p>
He hesitates for a moment then says, “That could be true, but I wasn’t pampered from birth like you p>
I say that kind of hoping that he opens up about his childhood, but he knows better to not. “You’re the one who began talking. If anything, it is you keeping me awake.” I frown at his broad back.
“Alright then. I won’t say another word. Just go to sleep, okay?” he shifts in place, trying to get into a comfortable position.
I will my body to calm as I let out a shaky breath. He is right about the anxiety gnawing at me. I want to sleep, I’m tired and I could really use some rest, but that isn’t easy to do knowing morning will come and I could very well die. He shifts again and again then at one point he suddenly sits up. He scares the life out of me because I’m afraid he might have heard something.
“What’s the matter?” I ask, my heart beating out of my chest.
“Oh…uhm…nothing. My arm is just hanging out of the cot p>
“I’m not sleeping on the floor if that’s what you are trying to suggest p>
“I’m not suggesting anything, Arlo.” He sighs, and I can’t see his expression in the dark. I can however feel his eyes trained on me. “Maybe I could sleep better if I face you, is that okay?” he asks lowly. “My arms wouldn’t have to hang out of the cot then p>
“I…uhm, yeah.” I agree nervously, surprised that he asked for my permission to do so. “I can turn and face the wall p>
“It’s alright, you can face me p>
Facing each other doesn’t sit right with me. We are sworn enemies and that would be too intimate. We are enemies. We are supposed to hate each other. I’m only working with him now because I need a way out of here. So that we both don’t die.
“It’s fine,” I say as he turns to face the wall. I feel him shift his weight as he rolls over. His hands rest on my thigh and I stiffen.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
“sorry.” He says gruffly. “I just don’t know where to put my arm. The cot is cramped p>
“It’s not made for two,” I school my voice, hoping he doesn’t hear how breathless I sound. He begins to move his hand away then I say, “It’s alright, Miles. I know you aren’t trying to seduce me. You can rest your hand on me p>
“You’re sure it’s alright p>
“Yes p>
He shifts again then settles. I feel his warm breath on the nape of my neck. The feel of his chest against my back is nice. My dick twitches and it irks me. I don’t want to feel any sort of attraction to Miles, especially not now. Having any feelings aside from hatred for him is dangerous., but since I met him, I’ve felt a weird connection to him. I don’t think I’ve experienced this kind of connection with any alpha before.
It’s surprising when after a few moments of being uptight with him, I begin to relax. My breath grows slow and heavy as I begin to match his rhythm. His heat seeps into me and a serene sensation washes through me as I drift off to deep sleep.