Page 1 of The Omega's Surprise Baby
1
Kade
When I enteredthe small multimedia store around the corner, cool air from the AC blew in my face andLove Me Like an Alphaplayed on the speakers installed in the ceiling. Involuntarily, I sighed. I was getting sick of this song. The singer was a friend of mine, so it wasn’t like I was jealous or anything. It was a good song, but completely overplayed. That was all.
One of the other shoppers threw a furtive glance my way and I drew the cheap baseball cap I was wearing deeper into my face, wondering if they’d recognized me. It had been a year since I’d seen any real success to speak of, but music fans could still pick me out of a crowd. And then they turned to whisper to each other. I could imagine what they were saying.
Isn’t that Kade Ashton? You know, that omega who…
Oh God, yes, that’s totally him. Can’t believe he’s still showing his face in public.
Taking a deep breath, I walked farther into the store, toward the shelf with the microphones. I needed a new mic. If there wasanyway to make people forget about the scandal I’d been caught up in last year, it was by giving them something else to talk about—preferably good music. I could do that. Music was my life, and I was going to claw my way back up on a stage one way or another. For now, though, I figured building an online presence might be good. Record some of the new songs I’d written and throw them up there for people to judge.
I much, much preferred it when people judged my music rather than me.
I picked up a mic that I’d read about before. This model was supposed to have good sound quality—for a budget price, which was all I could afford right now. I couldn’t help but throw a longing gaze at the mics on the upper shelf, though. There were some real beauties up there. If only they weren’t so expensive…
Tearing my eyes off the things I couldn’t afford, I made my way to the register. No reason to spend more time in this store than I needed to. People were still looking at me. The thought struck me again that I should have ordered online, but it had been a long time since I’d left my apartment, and I couldn’t hole up in there forever.
The guy behind the register took the microphone from me and scanned it. From the name tag on his green shirt, I gathered that he was the store owner. Mr. Fisher.
I only saw the name tag because I refused to look him in the face.
“That'll be fifty dollars, please.”
I handed him my credit card, hoping he wouldn't stop to read the name on it. He didn't, he only swiped the thing. Thank God. But that wasn't where it ended. He swiped the card again.
I frowned, watching him. Was something wrong with the card? I hadn't exceeded my balance, had I? Sweat broke out on the back of my neck.Take the stupid card already,I thought, staring at the card reader.
“It looks like your card isn't working, Mr...” the store owner paused to read the name on my card. I sighed, waiting for his eyes to light up in recognition.
“Yes, Iamthat Kade,” I said, snatching the card from him before he could say anything. Then I dug through my wallet and waved another card at him. “Try this one.”
“Are you really Kade Ashton?” He asked, eyebrows raised.
“Yes. Now would you please...”
He finally took the card from me, but his attention was still on my face instead of my credit card. Of course. I could only imagine what kind of thoughts were going through his head. I admit, there was a time when I enjoyed being stared at. I soaked up the attention of the crowd and turned it into energy, pumping through my veins and driving me on.
Now, though, the stares made me slightly anxious.
Mr. Fisher put on a smile. A sleazy sort of smile that immediately put me on edge. I knew his type. This town wasfullof his type. Alphas who thought they owned the world, andespeciallyevery unmated omega in front of them.
It was disgusting.
He was going to come on to me. I knew it before he even opened his mouth. But he still managed to surprise me with just how disgusting he turned out to be.
“You know,” he started. “If you can’t pay for this mic in cash, I’m sure we can find some other way for you to compensate me for my goods.”
My mouth fell open. Had he really said what I thought he said? I blinked.
“Oh, don’t look at me like that,” he said, waving his hand. “Everyone knows you’re not above trading favors to get what you want.” He smiled again, and his next words turned my stomach upside down. “I promise I won’t tape it.”
That absolute bastard.
Who did he think he was?
The grin on his face was so wide, he must have expected me to panic, to stutter and blush at my shame like a good little omega.
