Chapter Two
Booker
Booker had always enjoyed his freedom to do as he pleased with his role in Starling Enterprises. And he wouldn’t argue that his adoptive parents didn’t deserve to retire after forty years of raising a family and managing their successful business. Hell no, they deserved to take things easy and do whatever retired folks did. He tried not to think about that when Popi and Dad appeared to have found a new lease of life that revolved around removing their clothes… a lot.
Booker blew out a breath and tried really hard not to think about the sounds and smells that drifted down the hallway at home. He was going to need to find a place to stay, and fast, if he wanted to keep his sanity. In reality, that wasn’t what was pissing Booker off, either. They’d handed over the company to their sons and as there were eight of them and they couldn’t even agree on something simple like where to go eat, his dads had to come up with a Hollis shaped solution.
He couldn’t say he didn’t like Hollis Adice, the head of the PAs, because he did. The guy had strong ethics, but Taylin, one of his brothers, had the serious hots for him. To Booker’s way of thinking, that meant they were all gonna get hit with the shit stick when it all blew up if Taylin—now home like the rest of them—acted on feelings he probably thought no one had noticed. Booker suspected the only one who hadn’t witnessed his mooning was Hollis. The guy was clueless.
But if Booker was truthful with himself, spending a few days back in Hazardville was fine when he knew he’d be leaving. Staying long term meant the likelihood of running into one of his old bear family, something he avoided like the plague when he remained conflicted by their betrayal, was pretty high. His past was not something he wished to confront on any basis. Like any sane bear, he’d put that shit in the forest of nowhere, where he wanted it to rot to nothing.
The steward, Sarah, on their private jet he’d boarded forty minutes ago to head home to finalize the rental of his house, released her seatbelt, signaling that Booker could turn his Wi-Fi back on. Eager to give himself something else to think about, he opened the email that pinged into his inbox when he saw it was from Hollis.
Reading the first three lines had Booker cursing loudly.
Sarah, pausing on her way past him to the small kitchen, got him glancing up to witness her alarmed expression. Too angry to read on when he’d seen flirty Frey’s name connected to his, he offered her an apologetic smile .
“Sorry,” he muttered, pushing the laptop away, only to bring it back a second later when his anger drove him to check who his brothers were unfortunate to get.
A sliver of humor returned at Kari ending up with Bowie, a miniature bull who spent most of his time appearing lost, despite his ability to do his job.
When he read on and saw who Hollis had paired himself with—Taylin—Booker wasn’t sure if he should be amused or not. His gaze traveled back to Frey’s name. He groaned under his breath at having the sexy fox in his space long term. Was it selfish to throw a spanner in the works and ask for someone else—anyone else?
Pushing the laptop away once more, he sat back and brooded when it was too late to contact Hollis. Friday, at two minutes to five, was the perfect time to do a hit-and-run email. Hollis clearly understood that his brothers could have issues with their permanent PA, and how to avoid too much push back. In the past, Popi or Hollis had assigned a PA depending on what they were working on. It worked, so why did that have to change now?
His grump increased as he reached into his suit jacket pocket to retrieve his phone and open the group chat—Alphaholes. This was Jupiter’s newest name for the group chat all the brothers shared. Jupiter had a weird sense of humor for damn sure and Booker hadn’t bothered to listen to the reason he’d picked this name. Whatever it was, Booker was sure it was derogatory towards them all!
Alphaholes
Booker: So who wants to talk about the damn hit and run that Hollis just did to us? Tay? Anything to say about your assigned PA?
Silas: As if he’s gonna complain ‘bout his good fortune.
Kodi: Good fortune… yeah ‘bout that…
Kari: Lennon is sweet.
Laken: If not a little quiet.
Rue: Anyone want to swap? Monty, he sometimes smells of fish… my rhino doesn’t like fish.
Booker: I never got a whiff of fish from him and my bear loves fish. Are you sure it’s not for another reason?
Rue: What reason would that be? Are you trying to piss me off?
Jupiter: Little brother on a stampede, that’ll be fun. Remember the last time you did that, you spent a week without any privileges. LOLOLOLOL
Rue: Fuck you! It was your damn fault.
Jupiter: Is it my fault you can’t resist a dare?
Silas: Jup, it’s always your fault…
Jupiter: That’s right, pick on me. You did see who I ended up with? Wilder! I mean, have you seen how often the guy shifts into his raccoon?
Kodi: He’s cute as fuck.
Jupiter: Then you take him and I’ll have Bowie.
Booker: You think it’s gonna be that simple? That Hollis will just allow us to swap about when he’s listed the damn reasons why we have the assigned PAs?
Silas: Tay… your silence is fucking telling. I bet he’s dancing naked around whatever effigy he has of Hollis.
Booker: Honestly Silas, if I never read this again in any lifetime, it would be too soon and I’m out before you give me anything else to fucking think about.
Closing the group chat, Booker brooded and stared at his laptop for the longest time before he pulled it back towards him. His hand hovered over the keyboard. He needed to set some ground rules for Frey—for himself—and make sure they stuck to them.
1) No fucking his assistant.
He eyed the screen. His attraction to Frey was an inconvenience, one Booker had in the main ignored because of the distance between them. Jupiter, his brother, had some sort of something going with Frey that automatically put him off limits. Poaching was not cool, despite how many omegas passed through Jupiter’s bed .
Half the time, Booker could lead himself to believe the attraction wasn’t actually real. If he ignored the fact he enjoyed the company of other fox omegas when he had an itch to scratch. A time or two, he’d signed up to fuck omegas in the clubs they had for single omegas looking for someone to help them through their heats. He’d always picked blond, pretty foxes. His bear had a preference.
Blame me…
The sarcastic tone from his bear got an eye roll from Booker, because he didn’t need to justify anything.
2) Spend no time alone with the flirty fox where things could get out of hand.
How workable was that going to be?
Laughter filled his head.
Fuck off!
So adult of you.
You want to go there? His threat got more laughter, and he snarled at the screen, typing on when his bear was rolling around in his mind, clutching his furry sides for effect.
3) Keep him so busy he doesn’t need to come with me on any trips.
Booker reread that last one with a sinking heart when Hollis had given them access to all the omega calendars for planning work related trips. They were an essential part of their job. There was no way to avoid them with the change to their workloads. He closed his eyes, rubbing at his throbbing temples.
Screwed… royally screwed!