Page 54 of Heat & Deceit
“You’re probably wondering why I’m here,” I begin as I take my seat. “I was hoping we could discuss the terms of the contract.”
She huffs. “Here, I thought you came to apologize.”
My eyebrows slam together. “Apologize?”
“You’ve made exactly four omegas threaten to never go on a date again.”
“That has to be a record,” I quip, then quickly school my face. “I did mention I wasn’t the easiest person to get along with on my best days.”
“Right. You also agreed to be on your best behavior and—” She flips open a folder and jabs a finger at it.
Warning signs go off inside my head. She’s got a folder, folks. Run for the hills.
“Four omegas. Four well-documented, very irate complaints. One said you spent half the night focused on another couple.”
“To be fair, it was only about twenty minutes.”
Jennifer’s lip curls. “You’re wasting my time and, more importantly, you’re wasting the precious time of our omegas looking for their true match.”
“So, we agree, then. You’ll release me from the contract.”
“Oh, no, you don’t. I have you locked in for five dates. You owe me one more.”
“But you said it yourself—I’m wasting everyone’s time,” I say with a shake of my head. “You know another date will only end in disaster. Why don’t we spare the poor omega the trouble?”
“As much as I’d love to do that, the date is already set.”
I scowl. “What? I wasn’t notified.”
“I sent you three emails and two texts.” Jennifer lowers her eyebrows. “Do you read anything I send you?”
Sometimes. Maybe. Definitely not. Grabbing my phone, I check my emails and texts. “Well, shit. Tonight won’t work.”
She scoffs. “Excuse me?”
“I can’t do it.”
“Why?”
Because I’m mooning over an employee, and she was just insulted by a dickbag, and I need to make sure she’s okay, even though I’m fairly certain she despises me.
“I have prior commitments.”
Jennifer shoves out of her chair and slaps her tiny beta hands on the desk, leaning toward me and giving off the menace of a chihuahua. “No. Unacceptable. You are destroying my track record, and if I cancel with this omega tonight, I’ll really be on the boss’s shitlist. The date is happening.Tonight,” she snarls.
“And if I say no?”
“If you say no, your pack will be banned from this agency, and I will make it my personal mission to ensure that no dating agency will work with you. Think your pack would appreciate that?”
I could sayfuck itand break the contract, but on the off chance the guys want to use an agency again, I won’t. After the last few disasters, we agreed we should take a break from the dates. Not to mention, we’re all a little preoccupied with the shop and our employees—maybe one more than the others. The guys were happy with me breaking the contract, but they didn’t know it would mean being permanently banned.
I cross my arms over my chest and glare at her. “That’s fucked up.”
“Until you came around, I had a near-perfect track record.” She leans toward me. “The date. Tonight.”
“And after this one, we’re done? Free of any obligations.”
“Jesus, fuck, yes. You go on this last date and you’re free. And please, for my sanity, try not to fuck it up too badly.”
