The Beginning – Lily #2
Crest is a short, heavy-set forty-year-old, but has the bearing of a much younger, taller man in his expensive suit.
According to the letter I received when I won the June Bloom contest, he’s the head of a very successful talent agency, which probably explains the confidence oozing off him in buckets.
He has the kind of toothy smile that reminds me of a shark, and even though my cocktail dress was far from the most revealing at the party, I didn’t like the way he kept touching me, a knowing leer in his dark eyes.
“Mr. Crest.” I frown as I tighten the belt on my silk bathrobe. Right about now I’d give anything for one of Logan’s thick flannel shirts, and I shift uncomfortably on my bare feet. “What are you doing here?”
“In the hotel suite my company paid for?” He chuckles as he shakes his head. “Weekend’s over, honey, but I suppose you’ve lost track of time, being in heat and all.”
I blink at his slimy tone and take an abrupt step back. “I’m sorry. Otley said he’d take care of the extra night’s accommodation…”
Crest loses his smile, his mouth pressed in a tight line.
“He did, but every good thing has to come to an end.” He takes an envelope from his jacket pocket and tosses it on the coffee table next to my purse.
“The car’s downstairs, waiting to take you to the airport.
I’ve got you a seat on the company jet, given your delicate condition. ”
Delicate condition? Ugh. He means my heat. But I’m too distracted to do more than wrinkle my nose as I look past him at the door. “Thanks, but Ellis and Otley said they’d be back with breakfast…”
He lets out a long-suffering sigh, but something nasty gleams in his eyes when they settle back on me. “Do you have any idea, Ms. Percy, how many cute young things come to LA looking for a free ride?”
“No,” I say slowly, crossing my arms across my chest. My heart is suddenly beating so fast, I can feel it knocking against my ribs. “But why would I? I won my ticket here, remember?”
“Yeah,” he scoffs, dragging his gaze over my wild hair and flushed face before settling on my swollen scent gland. “But you quickly moved on to the bigger prize, didn’t you?”
Is that jealousy I hear in his voice? Hurt pride, maybe? Oh, God. Did he think I was going to fall into his bed out of gratitude for winning a contest?
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, yeah?” he grunts as he jerks his chin back at the coffee table. “Then how do you explain the heat accelerants I found in your purse?”
“What?” I gape at the black clutch I borrowed from my friend, Kaysie. It’s so small, it barely holds my lipstick and cellphone, but I can see a foil packet peeking out of the top. “I don’t know where they came from, but they’re not mine!”
“Someone just put them there, is that right? These things are a hundred dollars a pop, but sure. That makes sense.”
I scowl at the derision in his voice. “It’s the truth. This was my first heat. Ever. Why would I bring accelerants on this trip…?” I narrow my eyes at him, even as my heart gives a sick thump. “You think I was trying to trap the guys?”
“Well, I’m not the only one.”
I blink, trying to read the look on his face.
I left the party in a hurry – for obvious reasons – but the guys assured me that it wasn’t an issue.
Not that I could have hung around while I was going into heat, but Otley assured me that the hotel was discreet, and no one needed to know about my situation.
I’d texted Rosie to let her know I was extending my trip, but I didn’t even contact Kaysie.
Everything just happened too quickly, and we were literally caught up in the heat of the moment…
But then Crest’s insinuation hits me, and I think I might throw up all over the expensive carpet. “You mean Ellis and Otley think that?”
“That’s why they called me this morning.” There’s a note of pity in his voice now, and I drop my gaze to the carpet, unable to meet his eyes. “They asked me to stop by and smooth things over with you.”
They sent Crest to… handle me? My eyes blur as I look around the suite.
We might have spent most of our time in the bedroom, but we came out here to grab snacks and to watch the sunset, since this room has the best view.
My heart gives a sickening thump as I realize the tuxedo jackets they’d slung over the sofa are gone.
I’m pretty sure they weren’t in the bedroom either.
But maybe they put them back on… to get French toast and lattes?
I don’t think that’s a thing, even in Hollywood.
Still, it’s hard to surrender the little hope I have left as I glance at my phone on the coffee table.
My fingers twitch to grab it, but what am I going to do then?
Call them up and demand they come back and face me?
We haven’t even got around to sharing our full names yet, let alone exchanging numbers…
I rub my chest like I can cram the growing hurt back into my heart.
“Can we call them? Please?” It’s embarrassing to beg, but I can’t just walk out of here without trying to get an explanation from them.
I mean, it doesn’t make sense. Not after the way they tended to me, so sweet and hungry at the same time.
Like I was the most irresistible omega they’d ever met, Otley growling encouragement in my ear as he coached me through taking Ellis’ knot…
It was embarrassing, hot, and perfect at the same time, and even as my haze started to wane, they were still telling me how much they wanted to bite and bond me.
Unless those were just heat-of-the-moment words, and this whole thing was… hormone overload?
“You gotta see how it looks to them,” Crest goes on, rocking on his heels and giving me one of his oily smiles.
“Cute omega from the farm sets her sights on two eligible alphas… You practically mowed down a waiter to get to them at the party. We all saw it. And hey, I’m not judging.
They’re rich, attractive guys. You had to shoot your shot. ”
I try to swallow, but my throat is prickling with tears. “It wasn’t like that. I didn’t target them. I approached them, yes, but they were the ones who followed me outside.” Into the moonlight, where they got drunk on my scent, then followed me upstairs to my hotel room…
“Sure. Sure. I believe you.” He waves a hand, but when he glances at his watch, something curls up inside me like a dying flower.
Because I can see the clock on the wall and it’s clear that breakfast was over hours ago.
The truth hits me like a bolt to my aching chest. The guys didn’t go to get food; they snuck out of my room so this guy could come in and smooth things over.
“Look, the boys aren’t complaining. You all had your fun, but now that’s over and you need to move on. ”
Not complaining? I might be withering inside, but a flash of white-hot fury burns through my blood. What the hell did they have to complain about exactly? Three days of non-stop knotting?
I want to scream at him, to tell him to stop twisting my heat into something ugly.
All the moments of tenderness we shared have been playing on a loop in my head, but now they make me feel sick.
Were they lying about us being scent matches?
Was it just my hormones spiraling out of control?
I mean, we were all riding high on a tsunami of pheromones, but the guys were so patient and careful with me.
Was it just an act, and now it’s over, they were worried about me… what? Going shopping for bonding rings?
It's such a ridiculous notion, I almost laugh. And when did this whole attraction become so one-sided? I’d been eager, sure, but the guys had ripped off their own clothes like they were on fire.
I’m talking bouncing buttons and airborne shoes, their lusty enthusiasm making me feel every inch the irresistible omega. ..
“You spoke to them?” I hate asking, but I need to know. “This morning?”
I can’t remember exactly when they snuck out of bed, but I can still feel their kisses lingering on my lips. Was that two hours ago or three? Was my scent still on their skin when they called Crest, asking him to take care of their mutual problem?
“The way I see it,” Crest goes on, “if you go without a fuss, we can just chalk it up to a bit of summer fun. But if you try to contact them, or push for any kind of compensation, you’re in for a rude shock.”
Wait. He thinks this is about money?
“Just… stop talking.” I take an unsteady step back towards the bedroom. “I want to pack my things and go home.”
“Look, how about I sweeten the deal?” Ignoring my broken murmur, he takes a wallet from his pocket and starts counting out crisp fifty-dollar bills. “We’ll make it an even three grand. Will that put the smile back on your pretty face?”
I stare at him with a mixture of shock and revulsion. “I don’t want your money,” I hiss, swallowing back the nausea in my throat. “I’m not going to take a damn cent from you.”
“Don’t be coy now, Ms. Percy.” He clicks his tongue as he steps towards me and tucks the folded money into the belt of my bathrobe.
He’s so close I can see the red lines in his eyes and the shiny veneers on his teeth as he gives me his shark grin.
“Just because you didn’t scoop the main prize doesn’t mean you have to go home empty-handed. ”