Chapter 2 #3
I blink at him in shock, watching as he takes a bite of the stolen bacon, brows raised. He licks the grease from his lips, and I’m embarrassed to admit there's heat forming in my belly.
Swallowing hard, I step back, afraid I’m going to do something stupid, like touch him.
It takes a moment before I can find my words. “What is your problem? You made me drop my egg.”
“Not my fault you’re so jumpy,” he drolls. “Just wanted this.” He holds up the half-eaten strip of bacon.
“Well, it’s not for you,” I snark back, snatching it from his hand and shoving it into my mouth, chewing angrily.
His lips twitch with amusement, pissing me off more. “Someone’s a little feisty this morning. Did you not get enough sleep? Surprising considering you have all the time in the world to do nothing.”
“Fuck you,” I mutter.
His nostrils flare, eyes glaring. I take another step back, heart pounding.
We hold eye contact for what feels like hours as an intense energy crackles between us. It fizzles when he turns away, and I suck in a breath.
What the fuck was that?
He turns his back to me and starts making something on the stove.
I’m too stunned, frozen in place, to ask what he’s doing.
My eyes wander as I take him in. He’s shirtless, and his muscled back is on full display. He’s dressed in low-slung workout shorts, and my eyes stop to admire his ass. Oh, the way those shorts fit his firm cheeks.
I have to close my eyes and bite the inside of my cheek to keep myself from perfuming and silently announcing the fact that I find my stepbrother attractive. Guess some things never change.
It doesn’t help that he’s gone from a hot guy to this sexy, hot man.
I don’t stop ogling him until he’s putting something on a plate.
“Here.” He spins around, holding the plate out in my direction.
My eyes don’t drop to the plate—nope, they zero in on the tattoo on his chest, right above his heart. Is that a... cupcake? Why the hell, out of all the tattoos he could have, why had he’d chosen that?
“Earth to Addie,” Damien grunts, still holding out the plate.
My eyes flick down. It’s a fried egg. Did he make me an egg to replace the one he made me drop?
I reach for it with shaky hands, my mind racing. My attention darts back up to his. “Why don’t you have a scent?” I blurt.
What the hell is wrong with me?
Not that it wasn’t something I wanted to know. I realized the first day I was back, when he was standing in my doorway, that I couldn’t smell him. I mean, I could, he smelled like soap and mint gum, but that can’t be his Alpha scent, can it?
And why the hell do I care so much about what his Alpha scent smells like?
His brows furrow, and his eyes darken. “I wear a spray that masks my scent.”
“Why?” I blink up at him. Shut up, Addie! Take your egg and go.
“Because...” The word comes out as a low growl. “I don’t need to accidentally scent match with some puck bunny.”
“Oh.” I blink again.
“Why are your nipples pierced?"
My eyes go comically wide. “W-what?”
His eyes flick down to my breasts, nostrils flaring. “Your nipples. They’re hard, and I can see the barbells through your shirt.”
My eyes drop quickly, and heat fills my cheeks when I see he’s right.
Quickly, I spin around and place the plate on the island. “None of your business,” I mutter.
“Whatever,” he grunts.
“Addison.”
My mother's voice has my spine stiffening, and my head snaps over to see her walking in. She’s dressed in a black pencil skirt with a blood red blouse. We share the same white blonde hair, but hers is pulled into an elegant bun. You can’t even tell she’s been on a fourteen-hour flight.
“Mother.” I put on my best fake smile. “Lovely to see you.”
She raises a brow, knowing damn well that I don’t mean it. “How have you been settling in?”
“Good,” I say. “All good.”
“Wonderful. Now that I’m back, there’s no point in wasting time.”
“Wasting time with what?” A look of confusion takes over my face..
Damien stands nearby, watching the two of us talk while eating more of my damn bacon!
“Damien, honey, it’s so wonderful to see you. Congratulations on your wins. Your father is ecstatic.”
“Thank you, Eloise. But it’s only the beginning of the season,” Damien replies.
“Of course.” She smiles, nodding. It’s her fake smile. She can’t even muster up a real one for her favorite child. She turns her attention back to me. “Tomorrow, make sure your schedule is free.”
It’s not, I was going to stream for a few hours before taking the weekend off.
“Why?” I ask, dreading the answer as soon as I ask.
“The Bancroft pack will be coming by to take you out.”
“What?” I gasp, face morphing with panic and shock. “What the hell! Why?”
My mother glares at me. “We talked about this, Addison. You were allowed to come back home and live under my roof with the expectation that you would find a pack. It’s time to grow up and stop wasting your time.
I gave you a chance to go to that school,” she spits the word as if the place is beneath her.
“And you’ve chosen to do nothing of value with that time.
That's on you. You’ve lived off my money long enough.
It’s not my job to take care of you beyond the age of eighteen.
It should be your pack’s responsibility.
Since you don’t have one, we need to rectify that, which starts with you courting packs of my choosing. ”
“You have got to be fucking kidding me,” I hiss, anger boiling inside me. It takes everything I have not to let the angry tears spill.
“I’m not messing around, Addison. I’ve selected some lovely unmated packs, all from well-established families. I’m not telling you which pack to pick, as long as you pick one. No matter who you choose, you will want for nothing.”
“You can’t do this.”
“I can, and I have. I will not entertain any arguments. Do you understand me, young lady?”
I grind my teeth, my nose stinging, and my eyes welling. I’m vibrating with fury, but I don’t argue, and I don’t lash out. If I do, I know I’ll be out on my ass.
I don’t answer her, though, grabbing my plate and storming out of the room.
I hear her mutter something to my stepbrother about me being a spoiled brat.
That stings. I’m not perfect, not by any means, but I’m not as big a disappointment as she makes me out to be.
Am I?