Page 90 of Heat & Deceit
“Um. I’m cat-sitting.”
“Good. Then you can come for a little bit.”
“But—”
“What part of mandatory don’t you understand?” he snaps.
I close my mouth and bite my tongue. So, he’s pissed at me. His furious gaze holds mine, and I tip my chin up, refusing to wilt under his ire. He started this whole thing the moment he decided to interrupt my date.
“Good. We’ll send out the address by the end of the day, and if for some reason your brother’s birthday party is canceled, we’d love to have you there, Tonya.”
She nods. “Of course.”
He cuts a glare in my direction before spinning and storming toward the back, shoving through the supply room door with a growl of frustration.
“Attend a party with that asshole?” Tonya scoffs and shakes her head. “No thanks.” She shoots me a sympathetic smile. “Good luck.”
* * *
Four days later, I can still smell the heady undertones of his cum, can almost taste it on the back of my tongue. Somewhere between the playful banter and light flirting, Lycus got aroused.
Those pheromones were filled with need, making my mouth water and my core clench. He hasn’t been back to the shop. It’s probably the only reason I haven’t quit. He makes me want to break all the rules I’ve laid out for myself. If it were up to me, I’d skip the holiday party and avoid an awkward encounter.
It’s also been four days since my pills ran out. Surprisingly enough, there are no hints of my heat. At first, I was worried it would happen right away, but every day that passes is another ray of hope. I actually feel amazing. I especially love not taking the pills.
While they don’t get me high, I hated feeling dependent. I hated needing them.
My heat will come sooner or later, but maybe it won’t be so bad. I have that fancy vibrator, a few dildos with bulbous knots on the end, and enough lube to wet a Slip N Slide.
I study my reflection and fix a few pieces of hair, admiring my handiwork. With the right curling iron and shade of lipstick, an omega can take on the world. The tight dark-wash jeans, thigh-high black boots, and red wine sweater help too. I spent an abnormal amount of time getting ready, and while I’d like to say my festive spirit is the reason, I know what really made me take two hours to get ready. I shaved in places I hadn’t shaved in a long time. I plucked my eyebrows. I did my hair and makeup and found the perfect silver earrings to match the silver buckles on my boots.
The last time I got ready like this...was before I was assigned a pack.
Just the thought of them is enough to sour my mood. I shove those thoughts aside, refusing to let the sting of their rejection ruin my holiday spirit. Shoving my phone into a small black clutch, I grab my keys and jacket and head out, locking the door behind me. The air is chilly, and my nose tingles as I wait for the car. Javier sent out the details. The company party is at their mansion. I’m dreading being there again, but with the rest of the employees present, I’ll be okay. I can glue myself to Randal’s side to keep from being cornered.
My ride arrives, and I take a step toward it, but someone crashes into my side. I glance up to apologize, pausing when I take in the face of the beta who ran into me. Do I know him? He’s grinning down at me.
“Careful,” he murmurs.
“Sorry,” I say and step away from him.
“It’s all right. Going out?”
My face scrunches. “Yeah. Have a good night.” I get into the car and lock the door, avoiding looking at the beta on the sidewalk.
The drive takes twenty minutes, and by the time we pull up outside the mansion, I’ve forgotten all about the beta. There are mini trees outside, lit with pretty blue and purple lights. A large wreath sits prominently in the middle of a giant wooden door.
“Wow,” my driver whispers. “This is some house.”
“It’s my bosses’.”
“Okay, I see you. Hooking up with the boss.”
“It’s not like that,” I tell her with a hard shake of my head. “It’s a company party.”
“That’s too bad.”
You’re telling me, I add inside my head. “Thanks for the ride.” I get out of the car and watch her pull away. As her taillights fade, my heart starts to hammer. Maybe I should call her back and go home. I could walk, but it’s so cold and my nipples are already hard. My tits will freeze if I do that, and I really like my boobs.
