Page 22 of Single Omega Dad
Father had never spoken of that night. Nor, to my knowledge, had ever apologized. Neither had I for my part in the drama. I’d blamed Kris and threatened him myself, seeing Kris as a threat to the way of life we’d always known in the mansion growing up. Kris was the outcast. Kris was the problem.
But I had only been eighteen at the time. I was thirty now, and the weight of my past deeds and my own unhappiness woke things inside me I’d never dealt with before.
I wanted to defy Father. Something I’d never dared in the past.
I swallowed hard, trying to keep my mouth shut but not succeeding. “I could walk across the street right now and invite him and his bond-mate to dinner. Then it would be complete. Our family.”
Father’s chest expanded. He stared at me so hard it felt like a crushing pressure. Finally, I looked up and directly met Father’s eyes.
Father’s face was like rock, his eyes volcanic. “You may be excused from this dinner.”
I got up. I glanced at my brothers. The twins and Trigg were all staring at me, their mouths slightly parted, their eyes big.
I boldly met each gaze. There was no way I was going to show submissiveness tonight. To any of them, Father or my brothers. No way would I buckle. The repercussions might be extreme. Father could take things away from me, money, job… I had a lot to lose. But probably it would all blow over.
At least I owned my own house. If it came down to Father firing me, or freezing my huge trust fund, I could sell it. Plus I had my own savings from my exorbitant salary at the bank.
But surely Father wouldn’t do anything so rash just because I’d brought up Kris. Kris was, after all, still Father’s son, and my and Trigg’s litter-mate.
I went immediately to the front entrance, ignoring the butler, Reilly, who held the door for me. I got into my car and sped away, though slowed when I came the short way, just down the lane, to Kris and Thorne’s place.
It had been twelve years. I hadn’t seen or contacted Kris in all that time. Once we’d been close. Trigg, Kris and I had done everything together growing up in that house. Nearly every moment of my childhood was with Kris and Trigg by my side. I had no memory of that time in my life without them both there.
As I drove by, I had to bypass the small hill that blocked the sweet, two story house where Kris lived. But when I could finally see it, a dark square against a moonlit sky, the windows glowed amber, as if all the warmth of the world had settled there, peaceful and comforting. I knew Kris and Thorne were very much in love. Bondmates. Married. Thorne had risked everything to take Kris from Father and keep him by his side.
I had always been envious of Kris growing up. He’d been smarter, the only blond in the family with a beauty that was called exotic, and then even before his first Burn, Kris had found true love.
Jealousy was a possessing demon of rage. That was what I had felt most of his life.
But now I didn’t like that feeling. Not one bit. Not anymore.
As I drove slowly by Kris and Thorne’s home, I thought again of Saber, of the lunch I hadn’t tasted but was the best sandwich ever, of the Omega who certainly didn’t need me but who had gotten under my skin nonetheless.
It was as if my mind filled up with the lilac-hot scent of Saber. I could almost feel him sitting next to me in the passenger seat.
Already, my mind went to work, figuring out a way that I could see the Omega again. It was ridiculous, really. My responses outside the Burn, my reactions to the guy’s kids… I didn’t want a family. I didn’t want to marry.
But Saber would not leave my thoughts.
Chapter Eight
Saber
Tybor wailed and Luke kept trying to put his arms around him.
“Luke, leave him be,” I said. “He has a time out.”
Luke looked up at me with a worried stare.
“Come, Luke, come with me.” I stood in the doorway of their bedroom and beckoned him out.
Luke followed me and I closed the door on Tybor’s crying. Luke put his fingers in his mouth and hunched his shoulders.
“It’s only for ten minutes,” I told him. “We’ll come back and get him when he’s calmed down.”
Luke nodded but said nothing. I knew ten minutes was an eternity to a child, so I put my hand on his head and petted his hair. “That’s just a little while,” I added.
I took him with me to the kitchen and sat him at the table with a coloring book and crayons while I started dinner.
