Page 40 of The Omega Verse

Cass’ cheeks turn bright pink, but I rumble out a laugh. “Nah, it didn’t. And it’s a meal I won’t forget in a hurry.”

Silva just smirks as he nibbles her neck. “Like I said, I’m planning on having thirds.”

Jett comes into the room like a smirking panther, dressed in black jeans and a skin-tight black tee that shows off the ink on his arms. He ignores his manager and lawyer as he comes over to the kitchen island and flings an arm around my shoulders. Whatever tension he was dealing with before seems to have melted away as he winks at a startled Cass, who’s wriggled away from Silva, and is chopping up salad ingredients like a machine. Right now, she has a baby bell pepper under her wickedly sharp knife and it’s damn impressive watching her reduce it to juicy red strips. But Jett just snares her with his electric blues and taps the counter. “Careful there, or you’ll lose a finger.”

“Then I’ll just get you to suck it better,” she murmurs back, then almost drops the knife. “God, sorry. I had an accident the other day at the bakery and that’s how Tom fixed me up…”

Her blush deepens while the rest of us stare, no doubt picturing her intense alpha mate giving Cass his ‘treatment’. I know that the sight of Tom shoving his huge knot into her swollen pussy isn’t one I plan to forget in a hurry.

I just hope it’s not written all over my face as she pushes the salad my way and murmurs, “Dinner’s nearly ready if you want to set the table.”

I make a trip there and back while she assembles a side dish of honey-coated carrots and prosciutto-wrapped asparagus. The garlic bread is the last to come out of the oven and it’s the real deal; not just a tiny sleeve of soggy croutons, but thick wedges of sourdough slathered in butter, garlic, and parmesan. My stomach gives an appreciative rumble, and she smiles at me. “Hope you’re hungry.”

“I love my food,” I admit, rubbing my belly, and then cursing the gesture when her gaze drops to my waist. With my hangup about my build, I don’t like to advertise my size, but there’s a warm glow in her eyes when she lifts them to mine.

“I like feeding people,” she says as we carry the food to the table. “When I was growing up, there was never enough. And then Cookie – my boss – taught me how to make a little go a long way. It was like unlocking some secret magic.”

I stare down at her, dazzled by a lot more than the weird metal chandelier hanging over the table. “Mm, I get that. My younger brothers are on the slim side, but I was always hungry. No matter how much mom fed me, I never felt full.” I realise she’s probably talking about a different level of deprivation as a foster kid and I grimace. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to compare our situations.”

But she just gives me a thoughtful look. “Hunger is hunger. Kids shouldn’t ever have to deal with it.”

I nod, but then we’re all sitting down to the meal in front of us, Cass on my left and River on my right. The suits are at the other end of the table, eyeing the feast with impressed eyes. I wave at Jett, who’s out on the balcony on his cell, but he just motions for us to start. I’m pissed, but Silva saves things from getting awkward by lifting Cass’ hand and kissing her knuckles. “Thanks for feeding us, sugar. You’d spoil us if we weren’t already a bunch of pampered pricks.”

“No problem,” she says with a gracious smile. “No one ever goes hungry in my kitchen. It’s a rule.”

“Then you’re staying here, too?” Hoover suddenly asks, watching her closely as he reaches for a hunk of garlic bread. “You guys getting close, I take it?”

His gaze scoots around the table before stopping on River, since he’s the only “client” at the table. Cass doesn’t miss the pointed look, and I watch her knuckles whiten on the serving knife as she carves up the lasagne.

“Close, yes,” she says cautiously, fiddling with the blue scarf around her neck. “But I’m just here for dinner. And my reason for getting in touch with the guys hasn’t changed. I still want to learn more about my brother.”

“And that’s what we want, too,” River speaks up, his voice cool as he studies his manager. “But we also want Cass around for her own sake.”

She gives River a sweet smile and finishes doling out portions of lasagne to everyone. When she gets to his plate, she only carves off a small slice and ducks down to his ear. “Just eat what you can. I won’t be offended.”

I doubt anyone else notices the gesture, but it touches a soft spot in me. River is a ghost of himself compared to three months ago, and Jett and I have talked about the amount of weight he’s lost. But he picks up his fork as Cass bustles around serving sides, then settles into her seat. I’m itching to dig in, but I have enough manners to wait until she starts before falling on my own food.

But then Hoover speaks up, almost killing my appetite. “The logical next step is a DNA test, Cass. Just to confirm your relationship with Steven. Are you comfortable with me setting that up?”

I clench my fork, but when Silva reaches out and covers Cass’s hand, that ever-present twinkle in his eye is suddenly as sharp as a blade. “You’ve got to be fucking joking.”

Hoover waves a hand, like it’s nothing. “I know this feels very official, but Steven was a wealthy guy. And unfortunately, this isn’t the only claim we’re dealing with.”

Cass stared at him; pale faced. “What do you mean?”

“A few romantic entanglements, a couple of supposed business deals, and even a connection through one of your foster families.”

“Which one?” she asks, looking sick.

“The Shipleys. Peter and Dawn. They said you were with them for eighteen months back in 2004.”

But she’s already shaking her head. “Never heard of them. And Steven and I weren’t with any family that long. Not together, I mean.”

“Yes, our investigators came to the same conclusion. But you can see why we’re keen to have a DNA confirmation.”

“I do,” she says carefully, “but I’m just not really comfortable with that kind of test. I like my privacy, and that would put me on public record, wouldn’t it?”

“No more than any other medical database.” When Cass squirms, Hoover’s gaze sharpens like a wolf on the scent of prey. “Do you have some reason to be worried about public attention, Ms Lynch? Because claiming to be the long-lost sibling of a famous musician is going to put you in a pretty big spotlight.”

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