Page 81 of The Omega's Surprise Baby
“Do you have to go?”
He hesitated, but only for a moment. “Yes,” he said then, his grim determination back in full force.
I sighed, but that didn't stop him. I got the feeling nothing would.
In the end, I could only hope he'd come back soon.
31
Kade
“Where did Dad go?” Conner asked, coming down the stairs with his little sister tagging along behind him.
I wished I could tell him. “I don't know,” I admitted. “He said he had to go do something. He'll be back tomorrow.”
“So, um... it's just us today?”
“Yup.”
“I want to watch cartoons,” Mary said, apparently unbothered by her dad's absence. Oh, to be a kid again.
“You can watch a little,” I said, not really sure what else to do with the kids. The dog probably needed walking at some point, and I had to think of something to prepare for lunch and dinner, no matter how full they might still feel from yesterday's dinner.Icould definitely eat again. The fetus growing in me demanded sugars.
“C'mon.” Conner grabbed his sister's hand and led down the stairs. “I was going to meet Jake later,” he told me in passing. “But I can cancel.”
“No, that's fine. I can take you there later.” Nick could come round with the car.
Conner shot me a doubtful look as if he didn't want to entrust his sister's care to me. Yeah, he was omega all right, looking out for the baby of the family. I hoped he'd be just as good a big brother to my baby when it was born.
“It'll be fine,” I said. After all,Iwas omega too, and my aunt and uncle had made sure that I took all the child-rearing classes available in Goldstone. I could handle one adorable little girl all by myself.
Conner nodded, and together he and Mary went into the living room. Exhaling, I ran a hand through my hair. Out of nowhere, it seemed, the dog came up to me as if sensing my discomfort. He sniffed my hand and then licked it.Cheer up, buddy, I thought he was saying.
I stroked his soft fur. “Let's get you some treats, huh?” Shane had shown me where he stored them in the kitchen, so I walked there now, Max on my heels as if he knew exactly where I was headed. I laughed as he nudged my hand with his nose again, and then I got the bag of treats out of the cupboard and fed him one. It was small and bone-shaped and made crunchy sounds as Max ate it.
Now that the dog had lightened the mood a little, I could think more clearly about what had happened. The journalists must have gotten that goddamn recordingsomewhereand there was really only one person they could have gotten it from. Jimmy.
Jimmy was my friend, though. He would never have willingly passed on our conversation. They must have gotten it through some illegal means.
Don't be ridiculous, Kade. He betrayed you.
But why would he do that? It made no sense.
Absentmindedly, I kept petting Max. I really felt like he was helping me think just by being there. Going down on one knee, I buried my hands in the fur around his neck. “What do you think, Max? Would Jimmy betray me?”
He licked my cheek.
“But why?”
Max tilted his head at me in a curious manner. Probably wondering why I expectedhimto know. Yeah, I was being silly, but whatever. I felt like it had been a long day, even though it was barely past noon.
“He must be jealous,” I told Max. “Although, I don't know... he's much more successful now than I am.”
Max barked.
“You're right. I should call him and ask. You're such a smart boy.” I fed him another treat, which he took out of my hand gratefully. Then I went upstairs to the bedroom where my phone was and dialed Jimmy's number. It took a few rings until he picked up.
“What's up, Kade?”
