Chapter Eighteen
Booker
Booker sat opposite Silas in the sunroom and pretended like he wasn’t about ready to crawl out of his skin as he listened to the minutes tick by on the wall clock. What were Frey and Ziggy doing right now?
If you refuse to go to our little fox, then keep your thoughts to yourself!
You can block me, remember!
His bear was being a testy fucker and Booker had struggled all day, knowing that Frey was in heat… without him.
Your choice.
No, it’s Frey’s choice.
You never offered or gave him an option, did you?
“—you look at it?” Silas’s attention was on the laptop sitting on his knee, where it had been for the past hour.
He never looked up, so he didn’t see Booker frown. “Say again?”
Silas arched one brow as he flicked a glance at Booker. “The information from Design Detailing & Co on the employees. I sent it to you and our HR department. Did you look at it ?”
He spoke slowly, enunciating each word like Booker was deaf.
“I replied to your email.”
They still weren’t speaking, or not the way they usually did. Booker was at a loss on how to broach the subject. Not when he continued to brood over Silas blowing up so spectacularly at him for mentioning Ziggy fucking Frey. Like that was his fault!
Silas didn’t respond, his fingers clicking over the keys, offering the top of his dark head to Booker.
Infuriated, Booker got up to stalk out of the room, muttering, “It’s not like I wanted to fuck someone you were interested in, is it?”
There was the sound of something slamming down on wood and before he could register it fully, a large hand grabbed the back of his work shirt he’d not bothered changing out of. Pulled to a halt, he staggered back into the solid body behind him.
“What did you say?” Silas demanded angrily.
Booker wrenched free and spun, getting right in Silas’s face. “I said it’s not like I wanna fuck someone you’re interested in,” he spat out in fury. Not all of his anger belonged to Silas, but he was the only target Booker had right then.
“What the fuck are you talking ‘bout?” There was confusion, along with annoyance, as Silas met his stare .
Booker’s growl was all menace. “You never fucked Frey, did you? That was Jupiter! So what gives you the right to be pissed at me? I didn’t do anything.”
“I never fucked the flirty fox,” Jupiter exclaimed from behind Booker. “Who told you I did? And when did you become interested in who graces my bed?”
Booker swung around to stare at Jupiter, who was lounging against the wall, casually dressed for a Friday night. “You said you fucked him.” Booker jabbed a finger at him. “I heard you.”
“I was probably winding one of you up. I’ve fucked none of the PAs. I don’t shit where I eat, man.”
“What kind of saying is that?” Booker asked, baffled and totally getting off topic while he processed what Jupiter had said. Had he really not touched Frey? Was this another wind up? Jupiter, although he’d been out of sorts since he’d found out about what had gone on in Drinkwater, could remain a wind up merchant despite his mood.
If he hadn’t any interest in Frey, regardless of when, then that left Booker where?
Free! It stops your silly human side throwing excuses at us. His bear actually did an ass wiggle.
What. The. Ever. Loving. Fuck. Was. That!
“Don’t think I’m gonna let you change the topic of conversation when this is so juicy.” His brother broke through his thoughts as Jupiter looked pointedly at Silas. “I figured there was something up between you two, and with Popi staying schtum, I guessed it was major. I can see I was right, although what it’s got to do with me fucking anyone is beyond me.”
“It’s got nothing to do with you,” Booker snapped
Right as Silas answered, “The world does not revolve around you, as much as you like to believe it does.”
Booker saw pain flash in Jupiter’s eyes before it got masked with Jupiter’s ‘go to smirk’. “Oh, big brother, it totally does.” He thumbed his nose at Silas before disappearing as quietly as he’d arrived, leaving a heavy silence in his wake.
Booker blew out a frustrated breath. “Why did you have to say that to him after…” Booker couldn’t make himself say it.
Jupiter’s past was something no one talked about, not unless he brought up the subject, which he never did.
“I wasn’t thinking.” Silas gave a haunted look in the direction Jupiter had gone. They’d both been witness to Jupiter’s state when he’d first arrived at the house. Not something either of them would ever forget. “Fuck, he makes it too easy to have a go at him.”
Booker heard Silas’s sorrow. “Go say sorry.”
Silas stepped closer, his attention on Booker. “Seems he’s not the only one I need to say sorry to.”
“He’s more important right now.” Booker nodded in the direction Jupiter had gone. “Go sort it out and then come find me.”
Silas hesitated before he nodded and disappeared.
Booker stood for long seconds, staring into space, coming to terms with just how happy he was that Jupiter hadn’t touched Frey. It was stupid really, when he was damn positive that Frey would have had many alphas touch him. The guy was gorgeous, who wouldn’t want him?
He’d taken one step and abruptly came to a halt. Then why was Frey using an omega to help him through his heat?
Booker had witnessed firsthand Frey’s flirtatious side. The way he brought conversations around to sex wherever possible. Wouldn’t it stand to reason that he would have lots of alpha options for his heat?
He went to a sex club, goddamnit… yet…
Something felt off. Booker’s gut was mincing his supper better than a meat grinder. What was he missing?
Booker rubbed at his temples, his frown deepening.
Omegas with omegas… was that an actual thing? If it was a thing, then why did Frey only really flirt with alphas?
He had no answers and the man who had them was doing… whatever, with Ziggy right now. Booker was so damn confused he didn’t know which way was front and which was back.
“You feeling alright?” Popi asked a second before an arm slipped around Booker’s waist, making him aware he remained standing in the sunroom's doorway, staring at nothing.
“I was… thinking,” he stuttered when he met Popi’s gaze and couldn’t tell an outright lie and say he was fine.
“About?” Popi asked, guiding a reluctant Booker to the seats in front of the windows.
“Stuff,” Booker replied noncommittally.
Lane chuckled and patted his knee when he sat next to him. “You know it’s just best to tell me, or I’ll only worry.” He gave him a practiced look that made Booker want to confess faster than someone in a confessional.
“Popi, do you know anything about omegas liking other omegas to help them when they have a heat?” he hedged, going with a question Popi, being an omega, might have an answer to. One that made sense. As Booker had referred to this before about Ziggy and Frey, maybe it wouldn’t come across as odd—possibly.
“Not something I’ve heard of being a common practice.” His slim shoulders shrugged casually in the lightweight, rose wool sweater that suited his complexion. “There are so many things available to omegas to aid with their heats that I can’t see why any would wish to get another omega to assist them.” He patted Booker’s knee once more. “Unless they feel attracted to each other—or are in a relationship. It happens, I’m sure.”
Booker’s head wanted to explode when what Popi said got lodged inside his brain, and the possibility of genuine attraction between Frey and Ziggy would not let go. “You… really… what… well dammit all!”
Popi reached over and stroked the side of his face, his lips twitching, Booker thought, but then he must be wrong because when Popi spoke, he sounded concerned. “I’m not sure what you are trying to say, sweet boy.”
“Neither the fuck am I,” Booker answered truthfully. His brain had turned to mush at having ‘the Jupiter situation’ resolved and now to be met with another possible barrier—Ziggy !
“Maybe if you explain why you asked me that question, it would help? Or maybe I can guess it has something to do with what we talked about before?”
Booker balked at the very idea of going back over the conversation and explaining that he was interested in Frey and that he knew Ziggy was doing the horizontal mambo with him right now.
“I… oh fuck, yes, okay, it is,” he said sullenly, when no one in the world could resist Popi’s encouraging smile.
“Frey’s a lovely man.”
“Popi,” he fired back in warning. “It’s not like that.”
Back was the knee patting. Popi was totally humoring Booker, he could tell by the smile gracing his face. “Booker, my darling boy, there’s nothing wrong with having feelings for someone.”
Booker shot out of the seat in panic, his eyes wheeling around the room to check no one had heard what Popi was implying. He breathed just a fraction easier at seeing none of his brothers as he held up his hands. “No Popi… it’s not like that”—the smile never left Popi’s lips—“it isn’t,” Booker reiterated forcibly.
“Whatever you say.”
Silas chose then to reappear, and Booker breathed a sigh of relief.
He walked to Silas before he could take more than a step into the room. “Weren’t we going out for a beer?”
Silas wore a look of confusion for a second when he glanced between Booker and Popi. “Oh yeah, right. ”
He gave Silas a grateful smile and hooked his arm. “Come on, then.”
He dragged Silas with him as he headed back out of the room, calling over his shoulder, “Catch you later, Popi.”
Much later… like five years' time later, when he’d forgotten the silly notion of me having feelings for Frey!
His bear laughed all the way to the car.