Page 5 of Endless

He shook his head. “No. But she made it seem like there would be some days where we weren’t needed. I can fit them in around this.”

Hawk crossed his arms. “Just don’t let Isolde see your rope bag.”

“Based on the questionnaire, Isolde might very much want to see Cade’s rope bag,” I said.

Under the very long lists of interests we included, rope, bondage, and a host of other things were checked off. But the shibari classes Cade taught weren’t a part of his persona, and since she didn’t want sex, it wasn’t going to come up.

Rowan stretched. “It was a good list.”

It was.

A damn good list.

But we weren’t looking for something permanent. Our dream of an Omega had died. Been there, done that, watched the ship sail into the fucking sunset.

After matchmakers, dates, well-meaning friends and family didn’t find us one, it wasn’t likely. It hurt, the empty nest in our home pulsing like a bruise. But with jobs like this, we all got to fulfill the pieces of our instincts that longed to protect and care for someone. It wasn’t enough, but it was the best we had, and it hurt less when we set the terms.

This arrangement was better for everyone involved.

Vaughn nudged my shoulder with his. “Incoming.”

I looked up and did a double take. The woman in front of us was stunningly beautiful. Fiery red hair that was slightly messy, like she’d just woken up. Or used a bed in a morefunway. Leggings which clung like a second skin, showing lush hips that could only mean an ass that was worth worshipping.

Her teeth worried her lower lip like she was nervous as she approached.

And then it hit me.

Herscent.

The first thing I smelled were roses, but it wasn’t just that. Something deeper and even more floral, with a darker undertone of sex and secrets.

Omega.

Every instinct I had flared to life, and every thought of our dream being dead evaporated like morning mist. I smiled at her, but inside I was straining to break free and haul her into my arms and just fucking breathe. The way Vaughn stood rigid beside me told me enough.

This little Omega was our scent match.

Our client.

The woman we were going to pretend to be in love with for three weeks.

A woman who made it clear she wanted absolutely nothing to do with sex—or us—outside of the arrangement.

Who had no idea what was happening to us, because for Omegas, scent matches only manifested during heat.

She had no idea that she walked up to the five of us and turned our entire lives upside down with a single breath.

And fuck me, all I wanted to do was drop to my knees between her legs and be a throne for her to sit on like a queen.

“Umm, hi.”

“You must be Isolde.” How I managed to keep my voice from shaking, or myself from purring, I had no idea.

“Yeah,” she laughed nervously. “That’s me.”

I held out a hand. “I’m Joel.”

Vaughn’s head whipped toward me when I told her my real name, and I sensed the shock going through my pack, but I couldn’t lie to her. No matter what happened, I wasn’t going to spend the next three weeks pretending to be someone I wasn’t while this Omega was with us. She wasours.

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