Page 87 of Slow Heat
Aside from the awful rebound heats, he’d never had an unexpected heat in his life. He shook his head firmly. He refused, absolutely refused to even entertain the idea. All his behaviors could be explained as due to finding hisÉrosgápe.
Nothing more. Nothing less.
Because there was no way he was going to be obliged to attempt negotiation of a contract while descending into heat. The universe wouldn’t be that cruel. Would it?
He wasn’t a praying man, but he closed his eyes and whispered, “Don’t let me down on this. If you force me to suffer such an injustice, I’ll never forgive you.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Jason fidgeted inhis chair at the long dining room table, separated from Vale by four feet of polished wood, the company of their attorneys, and the presence of his parents. His cock was half-hard and had been since the moment Vale had entered the room smelling of musk and the beard oil he’d started using. If everything went well today, he might be able to consummate with Vale that very night. And if that was the case, he was glad he’d forced them to wait yesterday.
The day before he’d returned to work in the garden with the betas, making a great deal of headway despite their constant jeering over what they believed had taken place with Vale in the house while they’d been alone. They hadn’t been far off from being right. If it hadn’t been for the cool distance of alpha quell, he’d have fucked Vale silly while kissing him breathless, and then flipped him onto his stomach and done it again.
He shifted in his seat, watching Vale and Yosef read through the preliminary papers detailing the topics to be covered today. Vale glanced up at him, his cheeks above his beard flushing and his eyes darkening with arousal like he knew exactly what Jason was thinking, before he shook his head and focused on the paperwork again.
Jason licked his lips. He wanted to see Vale’s dick. It was cut, he’d said, and he wanted to know what it looked like. If they could just get on with things, then he might have a chance to do that in just a few hours’ time. Why hadn’t he done it yesterday? Stupid. He’d had every chance.
He sat forward trying to concentrate when Bisme Freet, Father’s attorney, a tall, thin beta with a bald head and narrow glasses, asked if everyone was ready to begin and started to read aloud from an outlandishly boring legal document. Jason already knew what it said. He’d insisted on looking over the proposed contract the night before and he hadn’t seen anything wrong with it. Every word was stamped into his memory.
Father was asking for Vale’s consent for Jason to consummate the imprint, consent for Jason to take control of Vale’s assets (a courtesy gesture since legally the assets belonged to Jason from the moment of imprinting), and at least one live birth. There were other details too, like discussion of the potential disposal of some other assets, but everything else covered in the contracts described what the Sabel-Hoff family would do for Vale.
Jason’s heart grew full thinking of all he had to offer Vale. Surely, since every request was reasonable and the attraction between them strong and mutual, Vale wouldn’t turn him down.
But it wasn’t long until the negotiations started to go pear-shaped. Vale, for all that he couldn’t seem to help returning Jason’s heated looks, seemed distant and brittle. Not at all the warm, passionate man he was on the telephone or had been while writhing with Jason on his kitchen floor the day before. His shoulders were tight by his ears and his jaw worked like he was gritting his teeth. Yosef noticed, too, and he kept rubbing Vale’s back and whispering in his ear, which only made Vale grow stiffer. Jason wanted to tell Yosef to shut up, that he was just making it worse, but he had no idea what ‘it’ even was.
And because wolf-god didn’t seem to be smiling down on them for this negotiation, Father was strangely irritable and unsettled as well. Worse, Pater didn’t quite seem himself. Everyone was on edge, and Jason didn’t understand why. After what he and Vale had done together the day before and the confidences they’d shared, he’d allowed himself to hope negotiations would be a breeze.
Maybe Vale had changed his mind about Jason and Xan’s indiscretion? Jason sought out Vale’s eyes again but didn’t see anger or resentment towardhimwhen Vale glanced back. He didn’t hold his gaze, though.
Jason wished he could call the meeting to a halt and get some time alone with Vale to find out what the problem was, but that still wouldn’t explain Father’s irritation or Pater’s. His stomach knotted and worry climbed ever higher.
As soon as Bisme was finished reading through the legalese, Father said, “Does that all seem satisfactory or do we need to belabor these issues?”
Vale’s eyes glinted dangerously. “I get the feeling that negotiating with me is distasteful to you.”
“It’s not that it’s distasteful.” Father sighed and shook his head. “Your parents should be here to speak for you.”
Vale’s lips curled up in a nasty smile. “My parents have been dead for many years. I’m not a green omega with no experience outside Mont Juror. I’m an educated adult with a career and holdings. I deserve to be treated with the respect you’d show to a man you consider your equal.” He tilted his head. “And if you won’t, I wonder how Miner feels about that?”
“My apologies if I came across impatiently,” Father said, glancing Pater’s way. “Please understand it’s not a reflection on you or my opinion of you.”
Vale’s brows lifted, but he remained silent. Jason’s scalp grew damp with nervous sweat. What was going on? Nothing felt right at all. Why was Vale being so aggressive toward Father?
Yosef broke the silence by saying, “Most aspects of the contract are acceptable. However, my client requires a change to the clause regarding a live birth.”
Bisme picked up a pen to take notes. “Go ahead.”
“Mr. Aman willnotcontract for any births at all. None. The number must be reduced to zero and all other clauses pertaining to a live birth removed.”
Father growled quietly, and Bisme sat his pen down without making a mark. Pater patted his shirt pocket for his silver cigarette case and matches. Jason licked his lips, opened his mouth, and was interrupted before he could speak a word.
“He is our only son, and the contract will stipulate one live birth.” Father poked the table with his forefinger, his blue eyes glinting.
Jason started to speak again but was immediately forestalled by his father’s hand raised in his direction. Yosef didn’t get a word in, either. Before anyone could say anything else, Vale hissed, “Yes, he’s your only son. Let’s discuss why that is, shall we?”
Pater looked away, his eyes shuttering as he released a long stream of smoke from his lips. Quickly, he took another drag from his cigarette.
Father took hold of Pater’s free hand, squeezing once to comfort him. He then shot such a malicious glare at Vale that Jason’s hackles rose. He didn’t want to fight his father over this, but if he so much as spoke out of turn to Vale, he’d show him how much he’d grown.
