18. Grace
Chapter 18
Grace
Because the universe wants to laugh at me even more than usual, the day after the sex toys arrive—two days after I embarrassed myself in front of everyone and the Alphas caught me sitting on Jesse’s face—we have a family barbecue to attend.
There’s no way to get out of it, either. My family takes their barbecues very seriously. I’ve asked Mom a million times if there’s something that we can bring, but she insists that Dad and Gram have everything covered.
I make some desserts anyway. Nobody can resist some good old gooey brownies or 7-up cake. They’re classics. And my mom was the one who taught me to never show up empty-handed to a party, especially a cookout. She can’t be mad that I actually listened to her advice.
Luckily it’s casual, so I just use one of William’s shirts that he left behind and a pair of jeans. I don’t have a lot of clothes, just the ones I packed and the ones that William didn’t take with him, and I can’t wear fancy skirts and heels all the time. Especially not for a backyard barbecue.
Besides, I scrubbed the asshole’s scent from it thoroughly, and it looks cute and little big on me, half of it tucked in and half of it hanging out. It’s laidback but still chic.
I put my hair in a cute ponytail and let the wavy blonde locks fall down, swinging every time I walk. I feel adorable, and that gets me through the nearly-silent car ride to my parents’ house.
“Grace!” Mom cries out when she sees me.
I’m glad that the men insisted on carrying the desserts in, because it means my arms are free as I burst into tears and hug my mother tightly. It’s the first time I’ve seen her since the ORD officers took me away, and I knew I missed my family, but I didn’t realize until this moment how much.
It’s different from being away and having my life in the city to occupy my time. I had way too much time on my hands, time to think, and I was in this organization and I didn’t want to be, and I honestly just wanted to be a kid and have my parents fix everything for me.
Now my mom is hugging me, and I kind of don’t want her to let go.
Mom practically carries me inside, and after a good long hug I’m passed to Dad, and from there to Gram. I apologize again for missing her birthday and she waves it off. “You had more important things to be doing. I have a birthday every year, you know.”
She winks at me and glances at the four Alphas as she says it, and I flush. My family has no idea this is all fake.
I don’t want to think about how betrayed they’ll feel when they find out.
But I can’t tell them. For one thing my parents are terrible liars and for another, if anything goes wrong, they have to be innocent. It’s bad enough that I’ve dragged these four good men into my scheme. If my family got in trouble for my actions, I’d never be able to forgive myself.
That means, though, that we’re lying to them. All five of us. I’m lying to my family, and the four men are lying to Aiden, their best friend since childhood.
This might be even more difficult than I’d anticipated.
Aiden hugs me last, after my parents and grandmother get their turn. Luckily I’m pretty much cried-out by then so it’s not too embarrassing.
“You’re settling in okay?” Aiden asks, sounding a bit awkward.
I will say, this is one perk I didn’t expect. “Aww, is my big brother finally feeling a little uncomfy about something?”
“Whoa, hey now,” Aiden blurts out, putting his hands up. “Come on, you’ve gotta admit it’s a little weird for me, seeing my best friends courting my little sister. Have a heart!”
“I think it’s hysterical that you’re feeling a bit awkward. All I did while growing up was feel awkward while you were the cool one, it’s my turn now.”
“And here I was, all prepared to say something nice about how I’m glad you landed such good, responsible men as your Alphas. Now I’ve changed my mind. I hope you burn all their food and let all the cows loose and curdle the milk and they trade you in for someone else.”
“Haha. I hope that you have an acne breakout like you’re fifteen again.”
“Ouch!”
“You started it!”
“No you started it!”
Mom laughs. “You two are impossible. We are happy for you, sweetheart. And that includes your brother.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Aiden’s grinning, though.
I’m a bit glad to know that he finds it all awkward. I’m sure that means he’ll find it a relief when this whole charade is over.
From there, it honestly feels like a normal dinner. The Alphas fit right in with my family—which isn’t all that surprising, given that they grew up coming here a lot. Mom is playfully annoyed that I brought dessert, and Aiden and Hendrix help set the table just before Hendrix’s parents arrive. They’ve been friends with my folks for years, and his mother greets mine with a big hug.
As I’m helping out with a few last minute things in the kitchen, Easton’s grandparents arrive as well. I know them, of course, just like I know everyone in this town—or so it feels like—but I haven’t seen them in ages. I know how much they love Easton, so I’m a little intimidated. This courtship might be fake but I don’t want them unhappy or for Easton to feel that they’re disappointed in his choice of Omega.
Luckily, they seem to be happy, or at least not displeased. They ask me a lot of questions about my work in New York, and are gracious enough not to ask me what I think I’ll do for my job now with the whole Omega thing.
Finally we all sit down for dinner, and we tuck in.
“You look so cute,” Mom gushes at me. “I love the oversized shirt look. Sorry.” She waves a hand. “I know, I know, but I haven’t seen you in so long, my baby girl.”
“I know, Mom. And I actually got this shirt from William, can you believe it? He left it behind and hey, finders keepers.”
The conversation turns to other things, everyone talking over each other and lounging around, chatting in groups as you do—but I feel a hand on my shoulder.
I look up and see Hendrix standing there. “Hey, can you help me with this for a sec?” he asks. His voice is soft and polite, but there’s a steely glint in his eyes, like a fire barely restrained, that I’m not sure I’ve seen before.
“Of course.” I have no idea what I’m supposed to be helping out with, but I get the feeling it doesn’t matter. He’s going to tease me and flirt like he always does.
“Good idea, taking me out of sight for a few minutes,” I tell him as he guides me around to the side of the house, out of view. “We can pretend we were making out or something. That’s what newly courting people do, right? The whole can’t keep their hands off each other thing? That’s how it always goes in the Alpha-Omega romances I saw at the publishing house.”
Hendrix turns around and gestures at me. “Take. It. Off.”
There’s no humor in his voice. No teasing.
I stare at him. Take what off? He can’t possibly want me to strip. What would be the purpose? He doesn’t look like he’s doing it for sexy reasons, or to tease, he looks—he looks angry.
Then it hits me. William’s shirt. I’m wearing another Alpha’s shirt.
I cross my arms. “Oh, absolutely not. What is wrong with you? I have barely any clothes as it is! And you were fine with this shirt five minutes ago.”
“Five minutes ago I didn’t know it belonged to that man .”
“Oh, please, don’t pretend that it’s because William was a jerk. This shirt could’ve belonged to any Alpha and you’d be just as pissed off.”
“Maybe, but I especially don’t want you wearing a single damn thing that belonged to your fuckwad of an ex.”
“You can’t tell me what to wear. For crying out loud, we’re not even really courting!” I lower my voice and hiss this part so that nobody can possibly overhear me. “This isn’t your decision to make, sorry, not sorr—hey!”
I’m interrupted as Hendrix grabs my shirt and literally rips it down the middle. I gasp, staring down at myself. “W-what the hell!” I splutter.
I might protest on the outside, but to be honest, I’m flushed with heat. Hendrix stares at me—at my bare skin, at my bra—and I feel hot all over. I want him to push the shirt the rest of the way off me and get his hands all over my skin.
Hendrix stares at me hungrily, like he’s going to have me for dinner instead of the brisket. And I want it. I want it so badly I can barely breathe with it.
Then he undoes his button up shirt and slips it off, leaving the white undershirt beneath on. My breath freezes in my throat, and hope springs in my chest. Maybe he’s actually undressing. Maybe…
But Hendrix just takes the button-up shirt and puts it on me. His fingers brush against my skin as he buttons it back up. It’s far too large on me, but I can partially tuck it in like I did with William’s shirt, and the pale blue color suits me.
“There,” he announces, stepping back.
“I cannot believe you just did that.”
“You’d better, ’cause it happened. And it’ll happen again, as many times as it takes, until you’re out of shirts from that damn bastard.”
I arch a brow. “So you’ll go absolutely bananas if I wear something that once belonged to my ex, and you’ll put me in your shirt instead, but actually giving me what I want and touching me? Having sex with me? That, you won’t do?”
Hendrix’s jaw ticks. “Yeah, exactly.”
“This is unbelievable.”
“What’s unbelievable is that a mature woman like you can’t see what a bad idea having sex with us would be. What’s unbelievable is that you’re still stuck on this.”
I narrow my eyes, my pulse racing. “Answer me this: do you even want me? Huh? Because I’m hearing a lot of protests, but ripping the shirt off a woman because it once belonged to another man and replacing it with your own? That generally means you want her .”
I step up closer to him and jut up my chin, refusing to let the height difference prevent me from being intimidating.
“So tell me, Hendrix. Do you want me?”
He huffs a breath, his nostrils flaring. “You’re asking the wrong question.”
“No, I don’t think I am.”
His jaw clenches. “It doesn’t matter if I want you or not, what matters is that sleeping with you is a bad idea.”
“See, you’re dodging the question.”
“You shouldn’t even be asking the question!”
“But I am, so here we are.”
I put my hands on my hips as I speak, a move I know pushes my breasts out a little, and I see Hendrix’s gaze drop to them. A rush of adrenaline floods my veins.
“You know what?” I cock my head to one side, letting a tiny smirk tug at my lips. “I remember when we were younger, we’d always fight over that last piece of my dad’s homemade cornbread. It was such a big deal. You slapped my hand once. I think I bit you another time.”
Hendrix furrows his brows a little, as if he’s trying to figure out the cause of this sudden shift of topic. “You sure did. Pretty sure I’ve still got the scars.”
“Well then, how about this?” I step in even closer, just close enough I can feel the heat of his body as I keep my gaze determinedly locked onto his. “I bet you the last piece of cornbread that you’re hard for me right now.”
Hendrix stares at me for a moment, and I can’t even begin to guess what the expression on his face means.
Then he turns on his heel and storms away.
I let out a breath, my shoulders sagging a bit. Well, that was kind of a disaster, but at least I stood up for myself. If they don’t want to sleep with me, fine, but they’d damn well better commit to it. I won’t be yanked back and forth like this.
I take a moment to get my emotions back under control, then go to rejoin the others. I can feel a lot of people looking at me, but none of them say anything. When I sit down at the table, though, Aiden’s brows just about fly up to his hairline, and I can see my mom smothering an amused smile.
I don’t dare look at Easton, Jesse, or Cade. I don’t want to know what expressions are on their faces. Clearly everyone’s noticed that my shirt is now a cute, light blue button up instead of the oversized t-shirt I was wearing before. But I’m sure as hell not going to be the one who comments on it first.
Instead, I focus on eating and enjoying the meal. My dad has really gone all-out, and I notice that my mom seems to be especially attentive toward the three Alphas, spoiling them a little. I hope it’s not just because of me and because she thinks these men are destined to be her future sons-in-law.
The food is delicious, as always, and we’re all eating like ravenous wolves. I see Mom setting aside a large plate for Hendrix, since he’s still not back. I wonder what he’s up to. I can’t believe I upset him enough with this stupid shirt that he has to walk it off for this long.
If he would just admit that he wants to fuck me, if he’d just do something about it, I’d probably be flattered. I can’t help but admit to myself that it’s hot that he ripped my clothes off, and that he was so possessive. It’s the refusal to admit it, and the refusal to go the distance and sleep with me, that’s so damn frustrating.
Finally, just as I can see Dad gearing up to announce dessert, I see Hendrix return. He seems calmer, more settled, but also like he’s steeled himself for something.
“Hendrix!” Mom holds up the plate that she prepared for him. “We were just going to send out a search party. I saved a plate for you.”
Hendrix gives her a warm smile and accepts the plate. “Thanks, Mrs. Whitmore, I appreciate it.”
“Oh, there’s one more piece of cornbread left,” Dad says, clearing plates to make room for the dessert. “Who wants it? Hendrix?” He grins. “I remember how you used to fight everyone for it. Usually Grace.”
“Actually…” Hendrix sits down. He looks at my father, not at me, but I still feel pinned like a butterfly on display. “That last piece is for Grace.”
My breath catches in my throat.
He’s admitting it. He’s admitting that he was hard, earlier. That I turned him on, that I was the reason for it.
My fingers shake a little as I take the piece of cornbread, but I try to maintain my composure. I don’t want the others knowing what’s going on. Both because I don’t know how the other three Alphas would take it, and also because I don’t need my parents and grandmother and who all else knowing about something like that.
I put the cornbread on my plate and dare to look at Hendrix. Our eyes lock. I feel like my heart is thudding so hard that surely everyone at the table can hear it.
He watches me eat it. I can feel his gaze on me the whole time, and it’s a struggle to keep from doing something insane like lick my fingers. My entire family is right here, I can’t flirt with him like that in front of them.
But god, is it tempting.
Desperate to hide what I’m sure is my bright red face, I help to clear the table with Aiden while Dad brings out dessert. Everyone’s grinning, excited, and I don’t blame them. My father’s always been a fantastic cook.
To my surprise, my desserts are brought out along with some others, but there’s also a three-tier chocolate cake that has thank you written on it in icing. Dad places it in front of the four Alphas with a smile on his face.
Jesse groans. “Oh, really… you shouldn’t have…”
“Hush, if we want to celebrate your kindness, we will,” Mom insists.
“Kindness?” I look back and forth between them. “What kindness?”
Please don’t have this be about me. If it’s about me and how they’re courting me then I’m going to combust from guilt and embarrassment. I don’t know if I could handle my parents thanking these Alphas for being so generous as to help them keep their daughter close when it’s all a lie.
“It’s nothing,” Jesse mumbles.
Cade looks like he wants the earth to swallow him. Easton’s cheeks are pink. Even Hendrix is avoiding making eye contact with anyone.
“It’s not nothing,” Dad insists. “We appreciate it deeply.”
“What are you talking about?” I ask.
“The land,” Mom says, beaming. “You know, the extra land that we showed you when you first got here? The expansion? Jesse and his pack bought it and gave it to us.”
My jaw literally drops. I wasn’t sure that was a thing people did in real life, but here I am, mouth gaping like a fool.
I turn to look at the four Alphas, who all look incredibly embarrassed. “It was nothing,” Jesse reiterates.
“We were happy we could help out, is all,” Hendrix adds.
Still, that’s absolutely huge that they did this. I can’t even imagine how much that would’ve cost and all the trouble they had to go through.
“Well, anything that can be done against those goddamn McAllisters is a good thing in my book,” Aiden mutters. “And we also got to benefit, which is just icing on the cake.”
“Literally,” Dad teases, gesturing at the dessert.
I frown. That last name is familiar. The three McAllister brothers were in the same year as my brother in school, but I crossed paths with them a few times even though I’m a bit younger than them.
“Wait, wait.” I shake my head. “What does this have to do with the McAllisters?”
Everyone’s faces darken.
“You remember them. That group of Alpha brothers,” Dad says, in a tone of voice I haven’t really heard from him before. “They tried to take the land to squeeze us out.”
My jaw drops open. Oh my god .