Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
OLIVIA
Being an adult in your parents’ home is weird. You’re fully in charge of your destiny, and yet, they still feel the need to control. Or, at least, my mother does. I’ve been successfully avoiding her for weeks, but tonight, I barely make it out of my room before she corners me.
“Where are you going?” she demands.
My hackles rise. Why does she care? “Out with friends.” The lie almost sounds convincing.
She lifts a perfectly manicured eyebrow. “Friends?”
I sigh, not in the mood to play these games with her. And maybe the pack is rubbing off on me because, for once, I don’t sit back and take it. “Yes, Mother. Hard as it is to believe, I do have friends.”
“Hmm.” She tips her chin. “What are you and you’re . . . friends doing?” She says the word in such a way that I’m certain she can’t quite believe people would willingly hang out with me.
Frowning, I rear back. “Is this an interrogation?”
She titters. “Don’t be silly. A mother can simply care, can’t she?”
You haven’t before. Instead, I say, “We’re going to hang out, and I’m going to be late.” I sidestep her, but she catches my arm, spinning me around.
“You’re in my house,” she says, voice low. “Do not disrespect me.”
“Yes, Mother.” Just play along and appease her so you can leave, I remind myself.
Her eyes narrow, nails digging into my skin hard enough that I wince. “Carrie says you’ve been avoiding her calls.”
“Oh.” I glance away. I should have seen this coming, but I’ve been too caught up in the guys. “Work has been busy.”
“Clearly not busy enough if you can go gallivanting off, doing god knows what.” She steps closer, grip tightening. “You will not embarrass this family, understood?”
What exactly would I do to embarrass the family? Be myself? Heaven forbid. There are going to be bruises on my bicep if she doesn’t let up. I tug on my arm. “You’re hurting me.”
She huffs. “Don’t be dramatic.” Yet she releases me. “Did I make myself clear? Your actions define our family. You continuing to be single, at your advanced age—”
“Advanced age? I’m twenty-seven.”
“Exactly,” she continues, missing my point. “It’s a tragedy, really, Olivia. You should see the looks the other mothers at the Omega Social Club give me.” Her features harden, and that cutting gaze slices to me. “Call Carrie back, or I will, and you didn’t like the last pack I picked, remember?”
Trust me, I remember. Biting my tongue and the harsh words I wish I had the guts to spew, I simply nod and slip by her. “I’m going to be late.”
Nigel called in sick today, but I don’t mind driving myself.
After that encounter, I need some alone time.
I slide into my BMW and turn it on, my hands find the steering wheel, but I hesitate.
Mother won’t let up until I give a little.
As much as it kills me, I pull up the missed call list and dial Carrie’s number.
She picks almost right away, her tone pure condescension wrapped in false niceties. “Hello, dear! Goodness, you’re a difficult omega to get a hold of.”
“Hi, Carrie.” I infuse as much fake cheer as I can. This phone call is going to be like walking through hell. “So sorry for all the missed calls.”
“Don’t worry your sweet little heart,” she says.
Oh, good. Both of us are dancing around the tension with debutante smiles and saccharine tones.
“I was thinking about what you mentioned,” I begin.
“Of course you were.”
My eyebrows raise. Okay, Carrie, conceited much? “Right, well, I picked out some ideal traits for a pack.”
“Let me grab a pen.” Things tumble and shuffle around in the background, and she clears her throat. “I’m ready.”
“Well, for an alpha, I’d like someone who knows his way around cars.”
“Mmm. An alpha with an impressive car collection won’t be too hard to find.”
“Actually, I meant one that can fix them up. Change our oil. Repair flat tires, broken belts, you know, a full-service kind of alpha.”
“Uh-huh. Well, Olivia, I don’t have to tell you that the packs in our dating pool are far above that kind of manual labor.”
I make a tiny sound of surprise. “But, Carrie! You’re the best matchmaker in Chicago! If anyone can find me a pack, it’s you, right?”
“Obviously.” Her voice is tight. Guess I’ve struck a nerve.
“I knew my mother picked you for a reason. Now, as far as what the rest of the pack does . . .” I continue to describe the pack I’m already falling for, knowing that Carrie is near fainting by the time I’m done.
“I’m so excited to see what you find!” I tell Carrie and hang up before she can say anything else.
At least with my list, Carrie will have her work cut out for her, and delaying her and my mother’s agendas as long as possible is the best I can hope for until I find a place to live.
Right now, with my research going so well, I can’t afford to take any days off to deal with the fallout of informing Mother that I am, in fact, dating a pack and I think I’m falling in love.
Liam is waiting for me outside the bowling alley, wearing a grin, as I park beside his car. My heart races at the sight of him, and when he tugs me into his arms, I melt into his embrace. His lips are soft and warm.
He breaks away with a hum. “Hello, gorgeous.”
“Hey,” I murmur, smiling up at him, but there’s still a pinch between my eyebrows.
“What’s wrong?”
“My mom.” I shake my head. “She’s set me up with a matchmaker and is determined to make my life miserable.” I suck in a breath and rush to continue. “I’m not dating anyone else, and I never would. My mother is only—”
“If I was worried about you doing what your mother told you to do, I wouldn’t know you as well as I say I do.” He shrugs. “We know what you’re dealing with, and we’re not upset.”
“I wish I could move out,” I complain. “But that would mean a huge fight, and I’d have to take days off of work, and right when our research is going so well. I don’t have time to look for alternative living arrangements.”
He searches my face, begins to say something, but then his phone rings. “Sorry,” he mutters. “That’s Cici’s ringtone.”
“Please, take it.”
Exhaling, he nods and tugs his phone from his pocket.
Fall air licks at my cheeks, chilly and vaguely threatening an extreme winter. I shiver, even though I’m wearing a sweater, and Liam pulls me against his side as he answers, grinning down at me.
“Hey, C, what’s up?” The smile immediately drops, and he stiffens, a scowl forming. “He did what?”
My heart skips. There’s really only one he in Cici’s life right now. George. The asshole alpha.
“Are you okay?” He nods at whatever she says.
“Okay. Go to your room. I’m coming to get you.
No, Cici, I’m coming to get you, okay, pretty girl?
” His features crumple at whatever she says.
“Of course they love you. I’m coming to get you, all right?
Okay. Stay in your room. Okay. Yeah, I’ll hurry. Bye.”
“What is it?”
His jaw flexes, anger turning his face red. “George invited friends over and was—” He chokes off, eyes misting and fingers curling into a fist around the phone. He sucks in a ragged breath. “He was bargaining with his friends over Cici. Arranging her mating to make a fucking business deal.”
My eyes narrow and my chest aches for his sister. What a prick. “I’ll drive.”
“No, you shouldn’t—”
“Liam,” I cut him off, gently placing my hand on his chest. “You’re upset and Cici needs you. Let me drive so you can get to her, okay?”
Nodding, he walks around the BMW, opens the door, and drops into the passenger seat. I shoot him a worried look before pulling out of the bowling alley. “Should I call the guys?”
“No,” he says, voice pained. “I have to call my other dads first.” His hands shake as he holds his phone. I hate that I can’t help him.
Navigating onto the busy road, I head toward Liam’s childhood home, not so far from my own. He places the call on speaker, hand pressed to his mouth, jaw clenched tight as the rings reverberate through the car.
“Hey, son!” a deep, masculine voice greets.
“Did you know that George is auctioning off your daughter?” Liam demands, tone hard and unrelenting.
“What are you talking about?” another voice asks.
“You heard me,” Liam snaps. “George is at home right now with his friends. They’re all vying for Cici to mate their sons.”
“Goddammit, George,” the first guy growls.
“No, goddamit, you!” Liam practically shouts.
“Liam, that’s not—”
“You left her there!” Liam snarls. “With him. You know how he is.” There’s so much pain in his words, I reach over and link my fingers with his.
“The courts—”
“Screw the courts, Josh. Have you even called her lately?”
“Son.” The other one exhales. “It’s not that simple.”
“Lalo is right, Liam. It’s complicated.”
“What’s complicated about giving a shit about your kids?” Liam’s voice cracks. This incident with Cici might’ve been the catalyst for the confrontation, but they’ve clearly hurt Liam as well. I squeeze his hand in support. I’m all too familiar with being hurt by family.
“You’re right,” Josh murmurs. “We should have done more.”
Liam sniffs hard, curses, and swats the moisture on his cheek away. “I’m going to get her, and you two are going to put together a case for custody.”
“How?” Lalo asks, sounding hopeless. “George buried us last time.”
“There are mics in the house.” Liam takes a steadying breath.
“What are you saying?” Josh’s voice is a touch louder, like he scooted closer or picked up the phone.
“I planted them a while ago because I don’t trust him.”
“Okay. We’ll call the lawyers. Send the recordings.”
Liam clears his throat, fighting through his emotions. “She needs good dads.”
There’s a weighted pause, the unsaid words as clear as day. Liam needs them too. “We’re sorry we failed you both.”
“I have to go,” Liam says in a rush, hanging up and dropping his head onto the headrest.
“That was really brave.”
He laughs and it turns into a half-sob. “Fuck,” he growls, scrubbing his face. “I’m such a baby.”