Chapter 19 Kady #3
“I did.” I raise my chin. “But I heard my new boss can be an asshole.”
Hale snorts while Calder gapes at me, choking down disbelief.
“I think your new editor is very reasonable, if you must know,” Calder recovers quickly, his lips quirking up at the corners. “When omegas don’t steal his car.”
“Well, off the record,” I pull off my scarf, “I think you’ll find alphas who steal jobs deserve to have their cars stolen.”
“Let me take your coat.” Hale offers before Calder argues. After I unpeel the wet fabric from my shoulders, Hale takes it from me to hang up. He smiles down at my scarf. “I like your…” He holds it out to inspect the lumpy fabric that has a few holes in it. “Scarf?”
“My friend made it for me. It’s got holes in it because Larry attacked it.”
“Who’s Larry?” A vein in Calder’s neck pulses. “What did he do?”
I whip out my phone, turning the screen around to proudly show him off. “Here he is.”
Calder’s nose crinkles. “Why does his face look like that?”
“There’s nothing wrong with his face!” I glare at him. “You’re lucky he isn’t here, or he’d claw you.”
“Pfft.” Calder plops down on the sofa before swinging his legs up to recline. He’s so tall that they drape over the other side “I’m not scared of a cat.”
“You should be.”
Warren still has scars from the time he snooped around my bedroom upon my father’s instructions. Served him right.
Hale peers to get a look. “Can I see?”
Cautiously, I turn the phone around, feeling like an overprotective mother showing off a picture of her baby.
“Aw, look at the little guy.” A huge smile breaks over Hale’s face. “I’d love to meet him sometime.”
I monitor his reaction, wondering whether he’s being serious until the twinkle in his eye tells me he is.
“Hale loves animals,” Riven adds for my benefit. “He was studying to be a vet until—”
“Kady doesn’t want to hear about that,” Hale cuts him off, checking his watch. “I’m sure Ezra will be back soon. Why don’t you make yourself comfortable, Kady?”
I draw out a chair at the dining table then sit down, my knee jiggling under it. Their gazes scorch my skin as I avoid looking at them, taking particular interest in the books laid out in front of me. There’s a heap of puzzle books.
I pick one up, flipping through to find that most have been completed. “So I guess someone likes puzzles?”
“They help me unwind and switch off.” Riven sits down in the chair next to me. “Do you like them? Or games?”
“I like chess.”
Riven beams. “Hell, yeah!”
Calder groans while Hale shakes his head. “Don’t mention chess in front of Riven, he’s never lost a game.”
Riven smirks. “None of you are any good, that’s all.”
“It’s not exactly a fair game,” Hale counters. “Plus, Riven’s a mathematical genius.”
Riven shrugs, downplaying it. “Numbers just make sense to me.”
The door bursts open, and Ezra hurries in, swaying under the stack of pizza boxes in his arms. “I hope you’re all hungry.”
The guys spring into action. I offer to help, but Hale insists that I stay seated as they go about laying out plates and cutlery.
Intrigued, I watch as Riven brings out bottle after bottle of sauce.
They have an impressive collection of condiments, offering everything from cool ranch to spicy chili.
“I really shouldn’t stay.” I bite my lip, eyeing the bulging stuffed crust.
“You’re here now.” Hale pries open a box, unleashing the mouthwatering smell of melted cheese and spicy pepperoni into the air. “You may as well eat.”
My stomach growls as he pushes the box in my direction. What harm would eating one slice do? I’m only human.
Once we’ve all piled up our plates, I listen during the meal while Riven talks animatedly about the latest star constellation he’s researching, and the conversation turns to everyone’s days. I can’t believe how quickly and how much the guys eat.
“I was up at 5am for work.” As Hale runs his hand through his dark hair, I notice the slightly dark circles under his eyes. “It’s been a long day.”
“I remember you dropping off that hideous lion statue at the photoshoot.” I can’t stop my lips from kicking up on one side. “You make deliveries, right?”
“Something like that,” Hale replies, causing Calder to snicker.
This amount of food must’ve cost a fortune. Although Hale and Ezra work, I can’t imagine a professor and delivery boy get paid much. Riven told me he doesn’t have a job, and Calder’s busy with his editorship, although he gives me trust-fund vibes.
“I can give you money for the food?” I offer. My monthly allowance from my father is more than most people make in months. “It’s the least I can do to apologize.”
“This is on us.” Hale waves his hand like it’s nothing. “What happened wasn’t your fault. Consider it water under the bridge.”
“For you, maybe,” Calder mutters scathingly under his breath. “I still have bruises on my knees.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t have resisted,” Riven comments while mopping up some ranch with his crust.
“I really am sorry for how Warren and the cops treated you.” I hope they can sense my sincerity. “I haven’t spoken to my dad since it happened. I didn’t mean to drag you into our Sinclair family drama, and I shouldn’t have lied to you about my real name. Maybe now you can see why I did.”
I select another slice, mouth watering at how the melty cheese stretches.
Calder lets out a loud exhale of air. I expect he’s going to come back with another snarky remark, but instead, he says, “I get what it’s like to have a family in the spotlight.”
I want to ask him more, but Riven holds out a pizza box which has everyone clambering and rock-paper-scissoring to get the last slice, which I politely decline. After Calder comes out as smugly victorious, I turn to Ezra.
“My friend, Faye, told me that you’re taking a break from teaching.” He scrubs his cheek, paying special attention to the food on his plate. Guilt bubbles in my stomach. “Is it because of what happened with me?”
Ezra shrugs. “Dean Rivers is only being cautious.”
Suddenly, I’ve lost my appetite.
“He can’t do that to you.” Their heads snap up when I slam my fist down on the table.
“I’ll speak to the dean and fix this. I was actually doing some research earlier.
Wait here.” I jump up and scurry over to my bag to get out a stack of printed papers with my scribbled notes on them.
“He can’t fire you over what happened. I have a whole argument drawn out and prepared. ”
“You did research? For me?” Ezra’s dark eyebrows shoot up his forehead. “To save my job?”
“Of course, I did.” I drop the papers in front of him with a whack. “I’m a law student. And from what Faye says, you’re a good teacher. I’m not going to let this rest until you’re back in the greenhouse.”
Ezra flicks through the pages, eyes wandering. “You didn’t have to do this.”
“I know, but I wanted to.” A flood of passion gives me a burst of fresh energy. “My father can ruin my life, but I’m not letting him ruin yours too.”
“I’m guessing your father’s pretty controlling?” Hale scratches his stubbled chin, giving me his undivided attention.
“He sent out a full-scale search party because I evaded campus security.” I cock an eyebrow. “Does that answer your question?”
Calder tilts his head. “You know, you never did mention how you managed to get out of SVU without anyone seeing you. The place is covered in cameras.”
I clench my thighs as the memory of his tongue exploring between my legs comes to front of mind. “Ezra took me through a hidden passageway.”
“I had to get her out fast.” Ezra’s voice thickens, like the words are stuck in his mouth, making me wonder whether he’s also mentally reliving what happened between us. “It was the quickest way. I did what any alpha would have done.”
His words sting, making me recoil. Of course, I was just an obligation to him.
“Regardless,” I change the subject, not wanting to linger on his comment, “I told my dad that I won’t be following his orders anymore. After the fake Blandon Pack fiasco, maybe he’ll finally stop trying to set me up with available packs.”
Hale looks up from his food sharply. “He’s trying to find you a pack?”
“Of course.” I point to my face. “I’m an omega, remember?” I roll my eyes. “All he wants is for me to bond, settle down, and have babies.”
“Do you want to find a pack?” An unreadable expression crosses Hale’s face, leaving me wondering what he’s thinking.
The atmosphere seems to shift. My pulse quickens, the casual getting-to-know-each-other vibe seeming to have escalated to something more intense.
“I’m not interested in a pack,” I state flatly. That’s still true, right? “I’m independent. I have my own dreams, and a pack would only hold me back.”
“See?” Ezra leans back in his chair, arms behind his head, almost smugly. “I told you.”
“What if you joined a pack that was different?” Hale holds eye contact with me, my palms sweating from the intensity. “A pack who could help you follow your dreams? A pack who would support you?”
“Faye recently bonded with a pack. A good pack. But I know how bonding works.” I chuckle sardonically. “Even with the best intentions, you end up making compromises because of your love for each other. I don’t want to make compromises for anyone.”
Hale winces, Riven grabs a nearby sudoku book and starts scribbling madly, while Calder reclines in pensive silence.
“Here, here!” Ezra raises a soda can. “An omega after my own heart.”
“Pack life just isn’t for me.” I shrug.
When Riven’s pen almost goes through the page, Calder places a surprisingly tender hand on Riven’s arm. It seems to instantly calm him, giving Calder the opportunity to gently take the pen away.
“Sorry.” Riven shakes his head in frustration. “Force of habit.”
Hale leans in closer to me. “I don’t believe that bonding means compromising on your wants. If you,” he clears his throat, “if an omega were to join our pack, we’d support her in following her dreams. Whatever it takes.”
Does he really meant that? My tongue feels too large for my mouth, my mouth as dry as sandpaper. I grab the nearest soda and take a long slug, the fizz burning my throat as I drink.
A hot rush of possessiveness sweeps through me at the thought of another omega sitting at this table, breathing in their scents.
“Anyway.” The chair legs screech across the floor as I jump up.
I can’t let my mind imagine what it would be like to be the Valen Pack omega.
A daydream. That’s all it is. A stupid daydream that shouldn’t make my whole body tingle with excitement.
“I really better go. I’ve already imposed enough.
All I came here to do was apologize, and I’ve done that. ”
“You can stay for dessert?” Riven begs me with his electric blue eyes. “The sCream Queen truck runs through Forestville tonight.”
As amazing as one of Vi’s ice creams sounds, I have to get out of here before I say or do something I may regret. Before anyone can even rise from the table, I grab my coat and practically sprint out of their apartment.
All this talk about bonding and the Valen Pack’s future omega is too much. It’ll be better for everyone if I keep my distance. At least that way I can avoid all of the involuntary fuzzy feelings I seem to get whenever I’m around them.