40. Cassidy
CASSIDY
The moment Harlan plucks my laptop from my hands, his long fingers closing over the lid before I can react, I know I’ve already lost.
“I’m still working,” I protest, making a grab for it.
He lifts it higher without hesitation, a stern look settling over his sharp features, his mouth flattening into its usual flat line. “No, you were working. Now, you’re going for lunch.”
I fold my arms, a pout settling on my lips. “I’m really not that hungry.”
My alpha mate tuts, raising a brow at me.
“You’ve skipped breakfast twice this week, and we’ve not said a word,” he says flatly. “But all I’ve seen you eat today is half a cereal bar because Isaac put it in your hand. Food.”
I grumble, letting out a low whine. It’s not until I hear more than one growl directed our way that I immediately flush, ducking my head.
We’re not alone, and I’m clearly upsetting more than one of the alphas here.
Fuck.
Harlan laughs lightly, but his expression is still severe. “You’ve reached your limit, Omega.”
Meanie.
A week ago, I’d probably have hidden in my office to keep working so he didn’t think I was slacking off.
Now, well, he’s been extremely attentive, and ignoring my needs gets him more annoyed than missing work.
“You’re banned,” Harlan says cheerfully. “For the next hour.”
I gape at him. “What? That’s excessive. It only takes fifteen minutes to eat.”
Harlan scoffs. “For your attitude, little luxury, that’s ninety minutes of banishment now.”
My jaw drops. “You can’t do that.”
“Want it to be two hours?” He smirks at me, knowing that he’s won.
I repeat, he’s a meanie.
“Evander’s free,” he says, already turning back towards his makeshift desk. “He’s waiting for you.”
“For me?”
“He has this strange habit of wanting to spend time with his mate,” Harlan says, giving me a genuine smile now. “Weird, I know.”
I roll my eyes, warmth blooming beneath my skin.
“Oh,” I murmur. “Thank you.”
“Go.”
“My laptop—”
“Is mine until this afternoon.”
“Harlan.”
“Cassidy.”
I sigh dramatically enough that Hallie snorts from somewhere behind me.
“The only time I ever see her argue is when it comes to taking care of herself,” Hallie mentions.
Harlan grumbles. “Trust me, I’ve noticed. Now, shut up and get back to work.”
“You’re not my boss or my alpha, Mercer,” she says. “You shut up and get back to work.”
I flush, ducking my head as I practically run from the department. I might be embarrassed, but for some reason, I’m still smiling.
The past week has been awful. The campaign is still a mess. Everyone’s exhausted.
The fashion floor still smells faintly of stress despite the industrial quantities of coffee, pastries, fruit, and donuts Harlan has somehow arranged to appear every morning this week.
Silas laid into him quite thickly last week, and Harlan’s been majorly repenting, even though it’s not needed.
He’s trying his best. Not just for the department, but for me, too.
He’s making sure I’m eating and drinking enough. Dragging me away from work before I even realise I need the break.
They seem like such little things, except, they’re not.
They’re the sort of things nobody’s ever really done for me before, and that means the world.
My throat tightens unexpectedly.
Fuck. I refuse to cry in the elevator.
Again.
The walk to Evander’s office isn’t long, but it’s enough to let my shoulders drop another fraction.
By the time I reach the familiar glass wall, I’m actually looking forward to spending the next… fifty-five uninterrupted minutes with him.
Eighty-five if Harlan was being serious about my banishment.
I round the corner and come to a sudden stop when I realise my alpha isn’t alone.
Odelia is sitting opposite him in his office, dark hair falling over one shoulder, the two of them laughing together.
I hesitate, not sure whether this is a work thing, or a personal chat, or… I don’t know.
Harlan said he was waiting for me, but maybe he wasn’t sure what time I’d get here.
Heat creeps up my neck as I instinctively take a step backwards.
I can always grab lunch downstairs and message him to let me know when he’s free.
They won’t even know I—
Evander looks up, and our eyes meet through the glass. A wave of love flushes through my side of the bond, and it’s immediately returned by him.
His entire face lights up, and he lifts his hand, immediately beckoning me inside.
Well, there’s no way I can pretend I wasn’t here now.
I slip through the office door, catching her scent first—vanilla and warm milk—before I hear the tail end of Odelia’s quiet voice.
“…they’ve never actually lied to me,” she says.
Evander’s smile fades, immediately cutting back to Odelia, concern etched into his expression. “Lia, that’s—”
She shakes her head before he can continue that thought. Her smile is small, tired, even.
“They haven’t, though, Ev,” she says. “They told me exactly what this was from the beginning. It’s not their fault I want to change the rules.”
A knot twists unexpectedly in my stomach, guilt curling in with it. I shouldn’t have walked in on this.
“Don’t worry about it,” she says quickly. “I’m just being silly.”
A strange ache settles in my chest. I don’t know what I’m walking into.
I shouldn’t even be listening to them.
But the sadness tucked beneath Odelia’s voice makes something inside me want to wrap her up in the biggest nest I can build.
“No, you’re not,” Evander says carefully. “You’re hurting. There’s a difference.”
Odelia lets out the tiniest laugh I’ve ever heard. “Maybe. I’ll figure it out, okay?”
Evander sighs, giving her a soft look that she turns away from.
“Hello, little daisy,” he says brightly. “It’s about time Harlan let you escape.”
“Let me?” I say, shaking my head. “He kicked me out.”
“He what?” Odelia gasps, spinning to face me, grey eyes wide, her golden earrings catching the light as she moves.
She gives me a warm smile, and if I hadn’t overheard what I did, I’d believe it was authentic.
She’s clearly just exceptional at wearing a mask.
“No, sorry, oh, my gosh, I didn’t mean from, like, home,” I say quickly. “Just from the Fashion floor. He’s banished me for lunch. So I eat something. Not kicking me out. I swear.”
She grins. “Okay, phew. I was going to have to have some serious words with Ev, there.”
I giggle, moving towards him, and he reaches for me immediately.
“You look gorgeous,” Odelia says.
It’s like whatever serious situation Evander and her were discussing never happened at all.
“Thank you,” I say immediately. “I didn’t realise you were busy. I’m so sorry for interrupting.”
“You’re not interrupting,” Evander promises, already pushing back from his desk to make room for me.
His scent reaches me before he does, dark chocolate and coffee curling warm through the air, and the affection in his voice loosens something in my chest before I’ve even rounded the desk.
“You’re really not,” Odelia promises. “You could never.”
I hover awkwardly for half a second before Evander catches my wrist and gently tugs me between his knees, close enough that his dark chocolate and coffee scent wraps around me.
His hands settle on my hips as naturally as though this is where I’m supposed to be.
Maybe it is.
“I’m just… having a lovely time being surrounded by men,” Lia says, scrunching her nose up, one hand toying with the pen still clipped to her notebook.
“And, unfortunately, my choices for complaining are Emme, who is currently in the middle of some crisis here, Oscar, who could never understand, and, well—”
“I’m a delight, thank you very much,” Evander protests.
“Yeah, now that Cassie has trained you,” Odelia replies.
I don’t smother my giggle fast enough because Evander tickles my sides in revenge.
“You little snake,” he says. “I do not like this ganging up behaviour again.”
I smile, brushing back his hair. He’s pouting at me, and I personally don’t think it’s fair how beautiful he looks like this.
“Again?” Odelia asks. “I take it Em was a great person to have on your side the other night?”
I laugh and nod. “Honestly, between Emme sharing all the embarrassing stories, and Dellan slightly preferring me—”
“Sure, slightly,” Odelia says with a laugh. “Dellan’s absolutely obsessed with omegas, so I’m not surprised he loved you more than he loved Ev.”
“You’re cruel,” Evander says with a frown. “I am his uncle. His godfather. I should win.”
“I mean, I am his aunt and his godmother, so we are pretty even,” Odelia says with a laugh.
“Traitor,” Evander mutters, looking up at me as though expecting me to defend his honour.
I smile innocently.
“I can’t argue the truth,” I tease. “But also, I quite liked being his favourite.”
He gasps dramatically, pressing a soft kiss to the scent gland on my wrist. “You’re evil, Cassidy Hargrove. Evil, I tell you.”
Odelia laughs so hard she has to wipe beneath one eye.
“You absolutely deserve this,” she tells him. “You’ve been trying to gain points over me since day one.”
“I’ve done nothing of the sort.”
“Liar.”
Evander huffs, but I can already feel the amusement rolling warmly through our bond.
It’s nice. For just a few minutes, the weight that’s been pressing on everyone’s shoulders feels… lighter.
Odelia glances towards the clock mounted on the wall before letting out a tiny sigh.
“I should probably let you two actually have lunch and get myself home before someone comes searching for me.”
“You don’t have to rush off,” I say before I can think better of it. “You’re more than welcome to stay.”
The words leave my mouth so naturally, I’m surprised at myself. I give her an almost hesitant smile, hoping it doesn’t come across as a grimace.
Did I just… invite someone else to stay in Evander’s office, after already intruding on their conversation?
Fuck, do I have no sense of propriety?
My face goes hot, and I try to step away, but Evander’s grip tightens on my waist.
“I mean—only if you wanted to,” I add quickly. “You obviously don’t have to. I just… if you’re hungry, then…”
Wonderful.
Excellent recovery, Cassidy.
Evander’s side of the bond twitches with his amusement, but he wisely says nothing.