Page 47 of Omega Island
Raimi
Isat on the couch, lights off. It was the middle of the night. Senta was still sleeping off the remains of his heat.
I scrolled through texts from Straten, the hundred which I had never answered and about a dozen more. In some places in the US, this behavior could be considered stalking.
Please come home.I have wonderful gifts waiting. Remember that pair of leather boots you always wanted?
Raimi,your behavior is uncontrolled and immature. We had an agreement. You will never be good to anyone if you can’t even keep your word!
I’mone-half of this partnership. I get a say, too! We need to meet!
Your name isoff our joint account. I’m letting your insurance lapse. Just so you know!
No one would batan eye if I just walked up to you and hauled you back home. No one will care about your screams. No one will come for you because that’s what you’re worth. You’re mine, do you hear me? And everyone in the community knows it!
Piece of shit.Fuck you!
You can’t just sayyes, that you like getting tied up and beaten, and then cry about it. I kept you controlled for your own good. We agreed!
A scuffling camefrom behind me. Senta appeared in a dark robe unfastened at the front. I could see all of him, the beauty of this amazing omega who’d managed to touch my soul.
“Everything all right?” he asked. He arranged his robe and came around the armrest to sit beside me.
“Yes.”
“News from home?” he asked.
“Uh, not really.”
“I apologize. I don’t mean to be intrusive.”
“It’s all right. If anyone should know, you should.” I flashed the screen of my phone at him. “All these are texts. From Straten.”
“Since you left?”
I nodded.
“He wants you back.” It was not a question.
“Yeah. I guess. He’s pretty pissed.”
“I’m sorry, Raimi.”
“For what? You had nothing to do with this.”
“That you have to go through this.”
The late-night shadows wrapped us in their private cloak.
“I’m done. I am. I really am.” I dropped my phone on the cushion between us. “You can look if you want to see what a fuck up I am.”
Senta frowned, staring at me as his hand went to my phone. “Fuck up? You left a situation you did not want to be in any longer. How is that wrong?”
“Because I made promises, I guess. Because I’m a failure. Just read a few of them and you’ll see. I made a total mess of it with a guy who I knew was unstable but thought maybe, if I was good enough and strong enough, I could learn to handle. To fix.”
“Ah.” Senta sighed. He glanced at my phone. His thumb scrolled for about one second. “Fixing people. It’s what I do here on this island. Or try to do. But it’s a profession. Never personal. That can get one into trouble.”
Tears welled up. It seemed to be happening to me a lot. “What was I thinking? I rolled over. For him. Because I thought I—I don’t think I ever loved him. Maybe once. I felt more of a duty, I guess?”
