Chapter 17 "I'm not letting you go anywhere with them alone," Hart says as he towers over me in the kitchen. "That guy walked in like it wasn't shady as fuck, and I'm genuinely surprised you're not freaking out right now." He frowns. "In case there's any question about it, I'm positive that I locked the door after I grabbed dinner from the delivery driver." "I believe you," I say, resting my hand over his heart and rubbing gently. His stress and anger are spilling over into me. Omegas are empathetic, but what I'm feeling from Hartley is more extreme than I've ever been able to pick up from another person. "I don't understand why this is even a question," Hart says, and his face betrays his agitation. "Get that guy's phone number, and tell him you'll meet with him somewhere in public to discuss the baby. Then we ban Trigg from the restaurant permanently, get a company in here to do a security sweep, and we can stay at a hotel for a few days. I used to employ Stone Security back when I needed full-time protection. They do a lot of celebrity contracts. I will hire us round-the-clock security." His muscles are so tense under my fingers, and his jaw is equally tight. It's clear he's trying to protect me, but the thing is, I truly don't believe I need to be kept safe from Trigg or Ridge. I'm the one who approached Ridge that night, and I owe him more than a few heartfelt apologies. Trigg... Well, he probably does look sketchy. There's just something deep inside me that says he would never hurt me. And logically, I understand it doesn't make any sense, but my gut is convinced. It's the same pull that made me feel completely comfortable shoving my face in his throat at the restaurant. Sure, I was embarrassed, but something in my stomach said that he wouldn't turn me away. "Seriously, Quincy, why aren't you telling them to get out?" Hart asks, raking his gaze over my face. I frown, glancing away. "Ridge and I might not know each other well, but if I had any way of finding him, I would have done it months ago." I swallow thickly, trying to force away the uncomfortable bubbling in my stomach. "And I know you don't like Trigg, but I do. There's some undeniable connection there. A pull, I guess you could call it. I think he's meant to be part of my pack." "There's no fucking way I can coexist with that guy," Hart growls, studying my face. "You like him better than me..." "No," I assure him as firmly as I can. "But I don't like the idea of having to choose between you, either. I mean, I don't even know where either of their heads is at⁠-" "Have you ever heard of a soul match?" Trigg asks, coming into the kitchen. "I asked for a minute alone with Quincy," Hart growls, taking a step toward Trigg. My hand falls from his chest, and I almost make a grab for his wrist, but he doesn't advance any farther toward Trigg. "Yes, you did," Trigg concedes. "I gave you one minute and forty-three seconds. I was feeling overly generous." He smiles like he's quite pleased with his joke. "Where's Ridge?" I ask, panic clawing at my chest. What if he left? I have no way of getting in contact with him. "He went to tell Knox that it's going to be a few minutes," Trigg says calmly. "Don't worry. He won't disappear on you. I think he just needed a moment to himself⁠-" "That would be a mindfuck," Hartley says. I sigh. This cannot be my life. "Now, I asked a question," Trigg says. "Do you know what the soul match scent is?" I shake my head. "No." "It's probably some bullshit he just made up," Hartley mutters. "It's not." Trigg shrugs. "You don't need to believe a word out of my mouth. The only opinion that truly matters is Quincy's." His gaze moves to me. "I started to wonder if there was some deeper meaning behind your scent. Lightning, electricity-whatever you'd like to call it-is the scent reserved for soul matches. It's one step up from a scent match. I found multiple trustworthy websites and even ordered a book about them; although, it won't be delivered for several days. The bottom line is, there is an explanation for why you feel so drawn to me." Trigg crosses the kitchen while my mind races. I've never heard of soul match scent, but it sounds a lot like the concept of soulmates. Hartley growls, but Trigg ignores him. He doesn't stop until he's directly in front of me. "Soul matches are happiest when they're in close proximity to one another. Even better if they're physically touching." Trigg brings his hand to my cheek, brushing my hair away from my face. "It's a soul-deep connection, and that leads me to believe that you can sense the truth in my words when I say I would never hurt you." His sincerity radiates in my chest like an indescribable warmth, and I find myself nodding. "You're a psychopath, aren't you? You have to be. Tossing around bullshit, saying whatever you have to say to convince her your lies are true," Hartley says, breaking the spell between me and Trigg. "What do I smell like to you?" Trigg asks, quirking an eyebrow behind his black glasses. "Lightning or the weather right after a bad thunderstorm," I whisper. Trigg beams. I've seen teases of smiles that seemed sincere before, and a few that felt like he was smiling because it was what was expected, but this is a true smile. It completely transforms his face as his eyes sparkle. "And that would be the soul match scent," Trigg says, wrapping a hand around my lower back and pulling me closer. "You're quite literally made for me." My chest gets tight as he marks my cheeks with his scent, one after the other. It's almost like I can feel Hartley's anger radiating in the air. Why is it so hard for alphas to share? Shouldn't evolution have taken over and helped to curb their jealous nature? Being made for Trigg sounds like a dream...except the whole stalking part. Then again, I would have straight-up pulled his name off of his credit card if he had ever paid with one. Once I had it, I wouldn't have been able to stop myself from looking into him. But you wouldn't go as far as putting cameras in his house. Would you? "You said you wouldn't harm me," I say to Trigg, staring into his dark eyes. "I want that same guarantee for Hartley." Trigg's eyes narrow. "If you don't give me your word that you won't hurt Hart, then I won't be going anywhere with you." I shrug, refusing to look away from his piercing stare. "It's that simple." The baby rolls around, stretching against something important. I jolt, bringing a hand to run over my lower stomach. "Are you okay?" Hartley asks. At the same exact time Trigg hisses, "What's wrong?" "I'm fine," I assure Hartley with a soft smile. My gaze moves to Trigg's. "She stretched, and it didn't feel great. It's also not my favorite thing in the world to still not have your promise that you won't hurt Hart." I've never seen such a petulant look on a full-grown man's face before. It would be cute if my feet weren't starting to hurt. "I will not kill your boyfriend," Trigg grumbles, rolling his eyes. "No guarantees that Ridge won't try when he learns the two of you spent most of last night having sex." "That has nothing to do with anyone but Hartley and me." I squint up at the sullen alpha. "You know what, Trigg? I'm not even going to waste my breath telling you how inappropriate it was for you to not only put cameras in my bedroom, but to watch private moments you had no right to intrude on." I pat his chest and step back. His hand falls from my back, and I step over to Hart, who tosses an arm over my shoulder. "I need a moment to speak to Hart without an audience. Once we speak, and if he agrees to come with me, I will go with you and Ridge, but fair warning, I have to work the day after tomorrow." Trigg's head tilts. "You never need to work another day in your life. I will gladly provide for you and the baby." Damn omega instincts. I'm fully aware that his words could sound ridiculously sweet or mildly creepy-I know some people use financial abuse to trap partners with no way to escape-but I choose to view his statement as thoughtful. Mostly because I know if I were trapped in a terrible situation, I could call my mom and dads, and they would send me money for a plane ticket, no questions asked. Things have been strained between us since I asked for assistance cleaning out Gran's house after she passed away, but if I was in a truly dangerous situation, I know they would be there to help me. "Tonight has been crazy, and it's not over yet," I say, giving Trigg a tired smile. "If you could give me a minute with Hart, I would appreciate it." "Hey, Quincy, right?" The guy in the driver's seat turns around as I climb into the middle row of the SUV. "Yep. Hey, Knox." I force a smile and a friendly wave. It's really starting to mess with my head that they've been this close the entire time. Trigg is already in the back row, but Hart climbs into the middle row next to me as Ridge takes the passenger seat. "Shit, this is going to be weird, but I need your autograph for my dad. He's a big fan." Knox puts the vehicle in reverse and pulls out of the driveway. It takes me several slow blinks to realize he's talking to Hartley. "Yeah, no problem, man," Hart says, but it sounds forced. This is going to be an uncomfortable ride. I only packed a few outfits and necessities, like my phone charger and prenatal vitamins. My head is a wreck. Ridge and I need to have a conversation without anyone else around. I also need to have a talk with Trigg about what is and isn't appropriate behavior. I'm probably more forgiving than most, simply because my dads used to hover and obsess about my mom. They still do. I just don't have to see it play out on a daily basis. It's all leftover evolutionary instincts from back when the world was a more lawless place, and alphas were solely responsible for their omega's safety. The ride is mostly silent other than the soft sounds of the radio playing some rock song in the background. Not more than five minutes pass as Knox heads south, turning toward the water. Okay, I've been down here once when I got lost. The houses are all expensive, and there are private neighborhoods scattered about, some with views of Burlington Bay and Shelburne Bay. My blood runs cold as the houses get larger, and it looks less and less like the neighborhood my grandmother's house is in. These have to be multi-million dollar homes, and all I can seem to think is that Ridge is going to assume I baby trapped him for his money. Which is ridiculous. I had no idea about his financial situation when we met. Honestly, I didn't think personal security got paid all that much, but I must have been wrong. The baby bounces around, and it almost feels like she's rolling. I can feel what might be her forearm as she moves about. It's always strange when I try to match up what body part I'm feeling. Hart stretches over, running his hand over my stomach. My eyes fly to his, and he gives a soft smile. I grab his hand, interlock our fingers, and give him a squeeze to let him know... I don't even know what. That I appreciate him coming with me? That I'm sorry I got him tangled up in my mess of a life? Anxiety pulses through my system, and I do my best to relax. Whatever will happen will happen. Ridge will either want to be a part of the baby's life or he won't. The neighborhood Knox drives into is intense. There's an actual guardhouse with two men inside, but they wave the vehicle through as Knox rolls down the window. We don't drive very far into the community, but the houses are spaced far apart in that way that makes each piece of property feel sprawling. Knox turns into the driveway of a massive dark blue house. It has a covered white porch, and it's at least two stories. Maybe three, based on the tiny triangular windows at the top. That might be an attic, I'm not sure. He brings the vehicle to a stop in front of a four-car garage on the right side of the house. I refuse to use the word mansion, even mentally, or I will be too intimidated to walk inside. My door pops open, and I jolt. Ridge holds out a hand. "It's only a short walk until we'll be inside, but you might want to put your coat on." I shake my head and grab it from the floorboard. "I'll be fine. I get hot really easily." He frowns but nods. I place my hand in his as the sounds of the garage door opening fill the air. He helps me from the SUV and steps back. "I have a dog. Are you allergic?" "No, I love dogs," I say, shivering as a gust of cold wind blows through. Huh. Maybe I am stubborn. I should have put on my giant wool coat, even for the ten- or fifteen-foot walk. "Good, his name is King." Ridge grimaces. "He's friendly...once he gets to know you. He'll just ignore you at first." I can understand that. After all, I'm about to be a guest in his home. "The two of you can grab Quincy's and Hartley's bags," Ridge says in his deep, growly tone. "Come on, I've got to unlock the door." He steps back and strides off. My stomach tightens. I'm not sure why it hurts so badly to see him walk away, but I thought he might escort me inside. This is such a weird situation. "I can't believe I let you talk me into this," Hartley mutters, wrapping his arm around my lower back. "We stick together, promise me." I nod, nuzzling close to his chest. "I'll ask Ridge to give us one room to share, but he and I do need to have a conversation. I feel like that will be best without an audience." "Come on, it's freezing, and you're barely wearing anything," Ridge growls from inside the garage. He's standing on the top step, holding the door open and glaring at Hartley. Or that's what I tell myself. If he's glaring at me... No, I'm not even letting my head go there. I will explain the circumstances, apologize, and then we can see where we go from here. If I could go back in time, I would do everything so much differently, but hindsight is twenty-twenty. "This is King." Ridge gestures to the adorable English bulldog on the couch. He's lying on a throw pillow, and he truly does look like a king on a throne. "Just ignore him for now. He doesn't like new people, but we will get him used to you before the baby comes." I nod, leaning deeper into Hartley's chest. I need to find a way to get a few minutes alone with Ridge, but he seems completely shut down. Something similar happened to me when my gran died. My system went numb, and everything felt hazy, like it wasn't real. I spent several days just coasting through, making decisions that should have fallen to the entire family, but since no one else was around, I had to make those calls. "Once Knox and Trigg bring in your bags, Knox can show you to the primary bedroom. It has an attached bathroom." Ridge shoves his hands into his pockets. "I'm going to find a menu and order dinner. Anything the two of you need to avoid?" Hartley's head shakes. "No seafood, please. Even the smell can make me sick sometimes," I tell him truthfully. "No fish, no shellfish, got it." He nods and strides off while I'm still majorly confused if he even wants me here. That might be all Trigg.