Knight Life In Vegas (Sin City Omegas #3)

Chapter 11

I ce filled my veins and my throat closed up with panic. How was there another one ? What kind of sick game was the universe playing here?

Ava tugged me into the kitchen and pushed me into one of the chairs before setting a glass of water in front of me. “Take a breath.”

“Ava, what the fuck is happening?”

“Your guess is as good as mine.”

Bryce joined us, his father at his heels. Beau looked no better than the last time I had seen him, his shoulders stooped with exhaustion, and purple shading beneath his eyes. I probably didn’t look any better with my body rebelling against leaving my scent matches behind.

“Charlotte, we need to talk,” said Beau.

“No, we don’t. I have had enough of fate trying to shove scent matches down my throat this week and I am not going to entertain another one.”

“Another…”

“You’re number four and I simply cannot deal with this.”

“Mommy, you’re here!” Ollie bolted from his bedroom and threw himself at me. I squeezed him tightly, clutching him to my chest as if he were a shield against everything. “Why do you smell burny?”

Fuck. My scent blocker had worn off and I probably had a cloud of omega distress floating around me. “Mommy is just a bit stressed.”

Micah, Jesse, and Luke flooded in from upstairs, quickly assessing the tension in the air.

“Sammy, Ollie,” said Ava, “why don’t you help Micah pick out some breakfast?”

Ollie extracted himself from my arms, and Sammy got himself a hug before Micah ushered both of them away.

Bryce approached me carefully, holding up a hand to tell his father to stay back for now. “Why don’t we go into one of the private rooms and talk things over?”

“I’d rather go home.” I wanted my nest, pitiful as it was. It wouldn’t fix anything, but maybe if I was buried in blankets, my instincts would stop shrieking at me.

“Charlotte,” Bryce said softly, “you know it’s not that simple.”

I did know. I hated that fate had to interfere like this. I had been doing just fine rebuilding my life after my divorce.

“He can have five minutes,” I ground out.

Ava led us to her media room, which was soundproofed. A solid choice, all things considered, because I could feel a good scream coming on.

“I’ll be right outside with Bryce,” Ava promised.

When the door swung shut behind Beau and me, it was like a shackle closing around my throat.

“Why are you here?” I couldn’t bring myself to look at Beau.

“I wish I weren’t under these circumstances. My body doesn’t care that my rational mind has no interest in a scent match.”

No interest…

It shouldn’t have cut so deep when I didn’t want a scent match either, but then none of this was about logic.

“And what am I supposed to do about that?”

“Come back to New York with me so I can actually function as a human being.”

“Excuse me?”

“It won’t last for long. This is a biological reaction. It will calm down. I can’t afford to feel like this while running my company. There’s plenty of room in my suite for you and your children. I’m happy to arrange private tutors and handle any expenses you might incur doing this for me.”

“Absolutely not.”

“I understand you’re attached to Las Vegas…”

“I’m not attached to anywhere. I used to live in New York.”

“You’re already familiar with the city? That’s even better.”

“No, it’s not. I left there for a reason, and I don’t want to go back. You can’t just march in here with this Mr. Darcy bullshit and expect me to fall in line to make your life easier.”

“Who is Mr. Darcy? Is he another of your scent matches? Will he need to join us?”

Frustration bubbled in my chest and I was about ready to rip my hair out. I snatched up one of the pillows and screamed into it.

“It’s not that bad,” he grumbled. “Most omegas would be thrilled at this opportunity.”

I hurled the pillow directly at his face. “I’m not most omegas. I was married to a wealthy man for twenty-two years. Your money and this opportunity doesn’t tempt me. I don’t want to have scent matches.”

“Neither do I, but fate has dictated otherwise.”

“I can’t believe you would have the fucking audacity to even suggest any of this to me. You want me to uproot my entire life to make things easier for you?”

His cheeks flushed. “Only temporarily.”

“I’m not doing it. If you want me around so badly, why don’t you come here and stay for a while?”

“I have a business?—”

“And I have a life.”

“There has to be a way to amicably resolve this,” he insisted.

“Sure doesn’t feel like it when you’re running in here telling me what I should do.”

Beau sighed. “I realize this is not ideal, but it’s the only solution I can think of. I have a company in New York, people that are relying on me. I’m not asking for a commitment, only a reprieve from this misery. Please.”

He looked so pitiful I almost felt bad for him. Even if I wanted to, going to New York would only solve his problem, not mine. Scent matches complicated things. Now that my omega nature was aware of their existence, it wasn’t going to shut up about it. New York would separate me from three of them, and as much as I didn’t want to need their presence, it was only a matter of time before I looked as desperate as Beau.

“I can’t.”

“ Please .”

Begging wouldn’t change reality. “I’m sorry. You’re going to have to figure it out.”

I swept past him, nearly colliding with Bryce and Ava outside the door. I avoided eye contact with both of them. “I don’t want to steal the boys from their breakfast. Please let me know as soon as they’re done and I’ll get them out off your hair. Thank you again for spending time with them. I really appreciate it.”

I kept walking right out their front door. My hands were shaking too hard to drive safely so I set off down the street on foot. It was ungodly hot and I broke into an instant sweat, but I couldn’t stay there.

“Are you okay?”

I looked up to see a brunette omega just climbing out of her vehicle in the driveway of an enormous house, shopping bags in hand. “Yeah. Just a rough few days.”

“Do you live around here? Why are you outside in this heat?”

I shook my head. “Visiting friends, but I needed a break.”

“Well, it’s the temperature of Satan’s asshole out here. If you’re hiding from them, did you want to come in for some water?”

I hesitated, but when I turned to look back the direction I had come, I could see Beau in the driveway. It was too hot to run, and I wasn’t overly concerned for my safety with an omega. “Sure, that would be lovely.”

She beamed. “Cool. Come on in. I’m Madison.”

“Charlotte,” I replied.

The air conditioning inside her home was a wall of ice that I welcomed. I followed her into the kitchen where she filled me a glass of ice water from her enormous fridge. Every bit of her home was intricately styled, not a single item out of place. The interior decorator must have cost a small fortune.

She passed me the water.

“Thank you. Your home is beautiful.”

“Thanks.” Madison grinned. “I designed all of it. I do design for all of our friends too.” She got herself a drink as well and sat down at the kitchen island, looking at me expectantly. “Want to tell me why you’re crying in the street?”

“Nonsense with scent matches.”

Her eyes glittered. “I wish I had a scent match. Tyler’s been dragging his feet forever about bonding. If we were scent matches I think he would’ve done it years ago.”

I took a careful sip. “My ex-husband never bonded me.”

Madison rolled her eyes. “Some alphas are so ridiculous about it. I’m sorry you had to wait around for that. I’m still hopeful my bonding is coming.”

I didn’t want to say too much. She chattered away, telling me how she and her boyfriend had been together for nearly a decade and he had been refusing to bond with her every heat. In my experience that meant he was never going to, but if she wanted to hold on to the fantasy, who was I to say anything about it?

The more of the iced water I consumed, the better I felt. Being in a separate environment, listening to Madison’s stories about everyone she had designed for was exactly the distraction I needed right now.

No universe existed in which I would go back to New York. If Beau wanted some relief, he was going to have to come here and stay. I didn’t even know how to get in contact with my other scent matches, so I was shit out of luck getting any relief myself.

Iced water turned into pastries and fancy coffee. I ate more than I probably should have, but Madison seemed delighted to have me there and kept adding more options.

“I hope the rest of your day is much kinder to you,” she said as she picked apart an almond croissant. “How far from Vegas do you live?”

“I’m in the city.”

Madison brightened. “Really? If you ever wanted to hang out again, I would love that. I know I’m just a random person you met on the street, but this morning was so nice.”

I hadn’t thought I was very good company, but maybe she was lonely and didn’t mind. “I’ll try not to cry the next time.”

Madison waved her hand. “Anyone who ever shames an omega for crying needs a swift kick in the teeth. Oh, the babies are here!”

She hopped to her feet, and I turned to see two little feline faces poking around the corner.

“You’re not allergic, are you?”

“Nope.”

She scooped both of the cats up and brought them over. “This is Poppy and Pepper.”

I assumed Pepper was the black cat, which meant Poppy was the tabby.

“My little dumpster babies. Tyler hates them, but I overruled him,” Madison said with a laugh.

I gave them each a scratch behind their ears, earning some vigorous purring. “They’re gorgeous.”

“Do you have any pets?”

“No. My ex hated animals, and it wasn’t worth the fight. I used to spend a lot of time with horses, though, and had my own for a few years.”

“Shut up. That’s so cool.” Madison passed Pepper into my arms and the cat curled up the moment I started petting her. “You should totally go to Night of Knights! Nothing like hot men on horseback to improve your mood.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. It certainly wouldn’t hurt my mood. “I bet my boys would like it.”

“Absolutely. Kids get a huge kick out of it.”

My phone beeped and I checked the screen.

Ava:

The boys are done eating

You can leave them with us for a while longer if you want

Get some rest

“You have to go?” Madison asked.

“Technically. I’m sure they’re having fun, but I should get my kids home. We could all use a quiet day.”

Madison nodded thoughtfully and gave me her number. “Don’t be a stranger, okay? And let me know how you like the show when you go.”

“I definitely will. Thank you so much. You’re a lifesaver.”

Madison gave me a hug and collected Pepper back from me. “No need to thank me. Omegas have to stick together.”

On my way back, I texted Ava.

Charlotte:

You’ve done more than enough. I need to get them wound down, but thank you.

Would it be too much to ask that I not see Beau when I get there?

Ava:

Bryce has him upstairs

We’ve got your back

Thank goodness for that, because if fate was going to be an unruly bitch, I was going to need all the backup I could get.