Dmitri folded his arms over his chest, surveying Johannes. “Look, whatever I was saying when you walked in, I didn’t mean it like that. It was more about me than you.”
“Yeah, definitely, because when I talk about myself, I often mention other men’s balls. Got it.” Johannes smiled, but the smile was a little on the nasty side.
Shit. I needed to do something, get in the middle of this in some way. I set down my tablet and put myself bodily between them. “Okay, look, actually, Dmitri needs your help.”
“Does he.” Johannes’s smile was starting to look like a sneer.
Dmitri glowered at him. “Forget it. I don’t need you here after all. Sorry to have disturbed you.”
I looked back and forth between them. “Okay, but Dmitri, you said you wanted advice about the omega—”
“Oh, the omega?” said Johannes. “I made plans with her for this evening already, not that you bothered to ask her when you ordered her to spend time with you alone later.”
Dmitri let his hands drop. “Oh.”
“You did say I should make her happy and charm her and do all the things you don’t think you can do,” said Johannes.
“Yeah,” said Dmitri. “I did.” He furrowed his brow. “Well, I should give her the choice—”
“No, she will feel as if she has to choose you,” said Johannes. “Tell her something’s come up, and that you need to reschedule. Then there’s no pressure on her.”
“Um, wait, you’re going to cancel your plans with her?” I said. “After you didn’t go meet her parents and didn’t meet her when she arrived and did whatever you did at this luncheon, which sounds like… what?”
“He yelled at everyone and then at her and then walked out,” said Johannes.
Dmitri’s face fell. “She… it’s just that her scent is… it’s hard to think straight when I’m near her.”
“Oh, well, yeah, granted,” I said with a little laugh. “She’s completely changed Johannes’s personality, so we’re all idiots in that way.”
“She hasn’t changed my personality,” said Johannes.
“Well, something has,” I said.
Dmitri nodded. “Yeah, okay. Well, I’ll reschedule with her.”
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea, though,” I said. “Let me talk to her.”
“You just said you didn’t know anything about women or omegas,” said Dmitri to me. He turned back to Johannes. “I’ll send her word that we need to reschedule, and Johannes, you smooth things over. Explain to her that I’m, you know, just flustered. You can make that sound good, right?”
“Sure,” said Johannes.
aurelie
I WAS IN my room, pawing through my closet. All the clothes I’d brought with me had been hung up in the closet by the staff, but I didn’t think I’d brought a single thing that I could wear clubbing.
Because apparently, that was back on.
I’d gotten a text on my phone, and I hadn’t even recognized the number. It just said, Turns out I can’t meet with you tonight, but Johannes is going to take care of you.
So, that was Dmitri, and I guessed I had his cell number now.
I guessed I should text back?
What should I say?
I settled on, Of course. I’m sure you’re a very busy man.
He texted back, You’ll have more fun with Johannes, anyway. We’ll reschedule.