Page 56 of The Omega Verse

“I need to go in.” Tom said I switched back to beta in the night, so there’s no excuse not to get back into the swing of things at work. “I’ve had too much time off already, and I can’t expect Dusty and Lisa to keep taking up the slack.”

A scowl darkens his features, but then he sighs and buries his face in my neck. “Most newly mated couples lock themselves away in their nest for days, not work themselves to the bone.”

“Then let’s plan a holiday. We don’t have to go away; we can just take time off together.” I look around the luxurious kitchen. “I mean, this place feels like a resort, so it’s not like we have to leave home to spoil ourselves.”

He grunts in agreement. “I never imagined living in a place this fancy. You know I’m just an ordinary guy, Cass. I can’t really compete with these rockstars.”

“Lucky it’s not a competition.” I turn in his arms and reach up to cup his face. “And that I love the fact you’ve dedicated your life to helping others.”

“Love, hey?”

I squirm a little, but hold his gaze, wanting him to see how serious I am. “Yeah. I mean, I don’t have a lot of experience with it, but I think I’ve been in love with you for a long time.”

“Same, sweetheart.” His lips brush my mating bite, sending a bolt of shivery sweetness through me. “I never thought we’d end up here, but I always hoped we’d end up together.”

I pretty much float outside on those sweet words. I take one of the Range Rovers to Sandy Bay, in case Tom gets called back to work, but I really hope he doesn’t. He’s right about working himself to the bone. I can’t remember when he last took time off for more than a couple of days, and even then, he’d stick in town, always on hand to help someone out if they needed it.

And I was lucky enough to claim him as my mate.

The mind boggles.

For the first time I go into Sandy Bay with my bond marks on proud display. And I get the reaction from Dusty that I’m expecting, his brown eyes blowing wide and his jaw dropping open. “What the hell, Cassandra Amaro? Either we’ve got a hellacious rat problem, or a couple of alphas have been nibbling on your neck!”

“Tom and Silva…”

“Oh. My. God. The Terminator and Sid Vicious?” I laugh at his ridiculous eyebrow wiggle. “Tell me every salacious detail. And don’t leave out the part where they put the whipped cream in your sweet brioche bun.”

He holds up a maritozzo with an orgasmic smile on his face, and I toss a dish towel at him. “Ew, no. But how about we talk about this Mayor Fuckface note. Really, Dusty?”

“Would you have preferred a different descriptor?”

“I’d have preferred you didn’t have to mention him at all. And he really didn’t give you any details?”

“You know what he’s like.” Dusty wrinkles his nose at Greg’s shadiness. “It was probably just an excuse to come in here and ogle your buns.”

We both make retching sounds, but then we’re too busy getting ready for the day to waste any more time thinking about our sketchy mayor.

Which is why I’m caught off guard when Dusty calls me out of the kitchen during the lunch hour rush to talk to a customer. It’s been a crazy morning and I’ve barely had time to scratch myself, but it takes a sharp turn for the worst when I find Celine Quint sitting in one of my cherry red booths. She’s dressed in a mini sundress with an oversized straw hat and four-inch wedges, and I have to admit, she deserves the admiring glances she’s getting.

Noon is our busiest time in the shop, and it’s packed with a mixture of my regulars and tourists. Dusty is dealing with the rush as best as he can, but he shoots a sour look at the booth as I help him package up a large order. “She didn’t buy anything. And the guy with her gave me full-on creep vibes.”

I frown as I take in the man sitting opposite Celine. He’s nothing out of the ordinary to look at, but when he glances our way with a sly smile, I get the same uneasy feeling. “I’ll ask them to leave.”

Dusty just nods and deals with the next customer while I round the counter and make my way through the crowd. It’s standing room only, with more people waiting outside, which makes the shop’s two booths hot property. I’m not at all surprised that Celine commandeered one for herself, but it makes me more determined to get her out of here. I don’t know how she found me, or what she wants, but she has to go.

They both watch me approach, and I try not to feel self-conscious about my dirty apron and flushed face. Celine looks triumphant, but the uneasy vibe I’m getting from her companion only deepens as he licks his lips and rakes his gaze over me. He’s an alpha, too, and even in the packed store I can smell his sour, meaty scent. If it was coming from my kitchen, I’d be getting out the hospital-grade disinfectant.

“If you’re not ordering anything, I’ll have to ask you to leave.” A downside of it being rush hour is that I have to watch my manners with so many of my regulars in earshot. “These booths are for paying customers only.”

“You want to speak to me,” she says with a malicious gleam in her eyes, “or, you can read about it when my tell-all book comes out next month.”

My stomach cramps at whatever bullshit she’s planning to stir up, but I refuse to bite. “I don’t have time for this, Celine. As you can see, we’re really busy.”

She gives the crowd a dismissive look, her lip curling as she watches the family in the next booth demolish their pastries. “I have to admit, it explains a few things about you.”

The pointed look at my waistline is the last straw. “Just leave, Celine…”

“Not until I’ve had my say.” She nods at the guy opposite, who takes a camera from the seat beside him and snaps a quick picture of my angry face. “That could be a hook used on my promotional tour,” she tells me with a smirk. “Bitter sister of dead rock legend works in country bakery for minimum wage. I bet it would double your business overnight.”

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