Chapter 14
14
P ierce peeked from the corner of his eye, unsettled by the sudden compliance Brett appeared to be giving. It wasn’t in his omega’s nature to surrender so easily. He wondered what Avery and Gray had told him during their conversation to shift Brett’s perception. Maybe he should ask and use it himself when they were arguing to create peace.
“I’ve made a decision,” Brett murmured after long minutes of silence, traveling down the Family Quarter country road.
Pierce stiffened, worried he wouldn’t like that decision. “What’s that?”
“I agree to work in the office full-time from now on.”
Pierce’s gaze whipped to Brett and then back to the road. “You have?”
“I have.”
Pierce narrowed his eyes, wondering what was behind Brett’s sudden acquiescence. He warred within a few seconds, the question he sensed he might not want to ask on the tip of his tongue.
“But I want something in return,” Brett added.
Pierce fought a smile. He’d known Brett wouldn’t simply give in without reason. “What is it that you want?”
“Hire a new general manager for the restaurant,” Brett stated. “If you do that, I’ll agree to work exclusively in the office.”
Pierce frowned.
That’s what he wants? Why?
There had to be more to it. What wasn’t he seeing? “I’d love to hire a new GM, but I’ve tried several times, and it’s never worked well. People make promises they can’t keep, and I end up cleaning up the mess left behind.”
“Max would be perfect in the role. He’s already doing some of the work the old GM used to. Give him a promotion and hire a new ma?tre d’ to replace him.”
Pierce fought another smile. It appeared his omega might have bent the rules, but he’d been quite observant to notice that Max was the right fit. “I wish I could. I suggested he step up before I hired the last GM, but he didn’t want it. He said he didn’t want those kind of responsibilities.”
“It’s a few years later… and people change. He’s already doing half the job. It can’t hurt to ask again now that he’s gotten comfortable with that.”
Pierce had wanted Max as his GM for years, so Brett wasn’t wrong. But he was curious why his omega wanted Max to run the restaurant instead of him. “I’ll ask him and even consider accepting resumes if he declines— if you tell me why you want me to hire a GM.”
Brett was quiet a few seconds. “We’re going to be living together. If I’m not pregnant already, there will be more heats to come—and we don’t need the worry of what’s going on in the restaurant when we’re out of it. Max is a great guy. He’s loyal and hardworking. He’d take care of the business… while you take care of me.”
Pierce snuck a peek at Brett, both shocked and pleased. It wasn’t only what he said, but the implications underneath. Brett was making plans for their future. He did his best not to smile.
“Not only did you miss five days of work, but you left in the middle of a service to come find me tonight,” Brett added. “If the restaurant isn’t your sole focus anymore, we need help to keep it on track. People we trust. You’ve worked hard to build Lambeau’s into something special. I won’t have it tarnished now—and have people blame me for that. Precautions need to be put in place.”
Pierce clenched his jaw, a wave of emotion hitting him in the chest.
“I don’t disagree with any of that,” Pierce replied after a few seconds. He snuck another peek before returning his gaze to the road ahead. “But I thought we weren’t making plans for the future until we had answers? You’re not even sure you’re an omega yet.”
Pierce was sure. There was no way he’d feel the way he did otherwise.
“After talking with Gray and Avery, I feel more confident that I am. I still want to see the doctor and have confirmation, but… I know it now.”
Pierce smiled. “I’m glad you feel more comfortable after talking with them.”
“Me, too,” Brett replied.
Pierce would need to send another box of food as thanks. The peace that Brett seemed to possess was a pleasant surprise—even if it was oddly disconcerting, too. Brett didn’t seem himself, and Pierce missed the spark that usually sizzled between them. He’d never imagined he’d miss the conflict, but he did.
“It also helped that Wilder could scent that I was an omega,” Brett added.
Pierce gripped the steering wheel so hard he felt it bend under his hands. Rage washed over him as the possessive primal part within demanded he take action and assert his claim.
“Are you okay?” Brett asked.
“I will be,” Pierce said through clenched teeth. He took a few slow, even breaths. “I suggest keeping things like that to yourself in the future. I like Wilder. I don’t like the sudden need to put my fist in the middle of his face, though.”
“Oh,” Brett murmured. “I’m sorry. He meant nothing by it. He was confused when he walked past and asked. That was all.”
Pierce swallowed the blinding rage and did his best to recover his control. “If an alpha is a true threat or has made you uncomfortable, tell me. Otherwise please don’t wave a red flag in my face. I might not always be able to control it.”
“I didn’t realize,” Brett murmured. He placed his hand on Pierce’s arm and squeezed. “I wasn’t aiming to make you angry.”
Pierce inhaled his omega’s scent and let out a long breath, the warm hand on his arm helping to calm him. “I know. This is all new to you and there’s a lot for both of us to learn about one another.”
“Can I ask… is that part of the reason you don’t want me to serve anymore? You don’t want to see me talking with other men because you’re afraid you might lose control?”
“Perhaps,” Pierce murmured, tensing for an argument.
“Even knowing it meant absolutely nothing and was only to get a better tip?”
Talking? Brett meant flirting and was likely choosing his words carefully. “The why doesn’t matter. Logic doesn’t come into play when an alpha sees red. I’ve seen patrons touch your hand or arm, and I nearly lost it then— before I realized you were my mate. If I saw it now? I don’t know what might happen.” He stopped at a red light and turned to capture Brett’s gaze in the dim light shot off by the streetlights. “I can’t operate a business fearing what I’d do to a man who touched you. It’s safer if you didn’t serve and didn’t feel the need to flirt.”
“If you’d explained that to me, perhaps I wouldn’t have fought you.”
“I assumed it would only make the fight worse,” Pierce said.
“I don’t know. Maybe it would’ve,” Brett said before sighing. “Avery called our arguments foreplay. We aren’t really that bad, are we?”
“Foreplay?” Pierce chuckled. The light turned green, and he pressed the gas. “I don’t know about that, but we have had some intense fights over the years. I’m usually amped after, so I guess it’s in the neighborhood. Maybe.”
“Did you know about the pool the kitchen had?”
“What pool?” Pierce asked, his brow furrowing. It only deepened as Brett explained what Avery had told him. They’d been a joke to the entire staff, a joke they hadn’t been let in on. To make matters worse, one question circled in his mind. How had everyone else seen it but them? He hated that they’d all been watching the two of them, waiting for the explosion to happen while they’d been oblivious. “I wish they’d clued us in a long time ago.”
“You’re not angry? It pissed me off.”
“I’m not happy, no. It’s crass, and I can’t believe they’d do something like that,” Pierce said. “But were they wrong?”
Brett sighed. “No, but it’s not their business.”
“No, it’s not, but we’ve apparently been performing foreplay in front of them for the last five years. Perhaps we’ve made it an uncomfortable working situation without realizing. If that’s the case, this pool might’ve been a way to shift that discomfort into something humorous.”
“They made a mockery of us,” Brett said. “I might go in at five a.m. again to avoid as many of them as I can.”
“You can’t avoid them forever,” Pierce murmured. “Rip the bandage off. Walk in there with your head held high. You’ve done nothing wrong. We’ve done nothing wrong. If they have an issue with it, I’ll show them the door.”
“You wouldn’t fire them for disapproving of this, would you?”
“If they made it a big enough problem, I would.” Pierce gripped the wheel tighter. “No one’s going to disrespect my omega. No one.”
Brett grew quiet beside him. Instead of sensing discomfort, he felt an air of approval coming from the passenger side.
Pierce reached out and took Brett’s hand before lifting it to his lips. “I’m glad you’re finally feeling better. I was out of my mind with worry the last few weeks. Seeing you tonight, smiling and talking with friends, did me good.”
Brett leaned closer before growling. “Are you renting this or did you buy it?”
“You mean the SUV?”
“Yes, the tank. Please tell me it’s a rental.”
“It is. Just until my insurance company decides to hand over a check, which might take a while.”
“The next one you buy, make sure there’s not a massive console in the center getting in my way,” Brett snapped.
“Are you telling me— or asking me?” Pierce asked, lifting the brow closest to Brett.
“You think you’re cute, don’t you?”
Pierce smiled at the hint of humor in Brett’s voice. “I do. So do you.”
“Not right now I don’t,” Brett muttered.
“That’s not what you said earlier,” Pierce replied. “I’m hot. Like hot, hot according to you.”
“Hot and cute are two different things,” Brett argued. “You can be hot and not cute at the same time.”
Pierce snorted. “If you say so, darling.” He pulled up to another red light and eyed Brett. “I meant to ask… why do your pants look five times too big?”
“They’re yours,” Brett said. “The only pair of drawstring sweatpants I could find in your drawers. I hope you don’t mind.”
“I don’t… but where are the clothes you were wearing the night you went up?”
“It seems that I ripped them when I took them off. Badly enough that they weren’t wearable,” Brett muttered. “I was out of my mind. I don’t remember doing it.”
“I suppose we should stop by your apartment so you can pack enough to get through the next couple of days. We’ll figure out when we can get back for the rest later.”
“Everything’s packed,” Brett said. “Except for some of my clothes. The furniture isn’t mine. The apartment came furnished.”
“Why are you already packed?”
“I never un packed,” Brett answered. “I had no plans to stay there long-term, so I only pulled out what was essential. Everything else is still in boxes.”
Pierce smiled, glad they could make a fast escape from that hellhole. “How many boxes?”
“Maybe six… and a couple of big suitcases. Everything I had in my dorm room,” Brett said, an odd tone to his voice. “The rest of my belongings are still in my old bedroom—unless they’ve thrown them out.”
Pierce could almost hear Brett rolling his eyes—and feel a stab of pain from his parents’ rejection. He squeezed Brett’s hand, silently lending his support.
“They’ve probably tossed it,” Brett added.
“We could always stop by sometime soon and see,” Pierce murmured. “If there’s anything of value you’d like to have.”
“Nothing there really mattered,” Brett said, his voice lifeless. “They can send it all to the dump for all I care.” He snickered. “Though, it would be nice to see their faces when they find out I’m actually an omega.”
Pierce knew a confrontation wouldn’t likely make Brett feel much better, but sometimes calling out the people who’d caused you pain was healing. “I’ll stand behind you, whichever choice you make.”
“Honestly, I just want to move forward and leave that life behind.”
Pierce lifted Brett’s hand to his lips and kissed it, wanting to make all his omega’s pain disappear. He wished it could be that simple, but it never was. True healing took time and patience—and love.
He nuzzled Brett’s hand against his cheek, knowing he’d do just about anything to make sure his omega knew only love.