Page 21 of Excess

Leo was the fucking problem. He was absolutely delusional if he thought that this system he had going on now benefitted Freya. He didn’t spend the daytime with her. He spent it in bed recovering. And he wasn’t making anywhere near enough to actually support the two of them.

Maybe I’d been coddling him too much by never asking anything of him. I couldn’t even fathom how difficult it must have been for him to lose Ella—the few years after they were mated and before she’d died had been the only few years I’d genuinely liked my brother. She’d made him tolerable with her infectious calm and positivity.

But it had been two years since she’d passed now, and while I understood that he’d carry that grief forever, I couldn’t accept how that grief was destroying both his and Freya’s futures.

Dad leaned against the doorjamb, a cup of tea in one hand, a chocolate biscuit in the other. “No point arguing with Leo. You know what he’s like.”

“So we all just have to be held hostage to his whims forever?”

Dad winced. “Not forever. Maybe just a little while longer, son. I know it’s hard on you. Losing a mate… it’s not easy to come back from.”

And I could hardly argue with that, could I? Mum had died a few months after Ella’s accident, after a protracted illness. Dad had been closer to Leo even before their mates had died, and they’d bonded again through their grief.

I was the one who didn’t get it. Who would never understand. Who had no idea what they were going through.

“Fine, I’ll go with him to Leviathan. You’ve got Freya?”

Dad nodded. “Perhaps you could take her to dance class tomorrow. You know Leo won’t be in any shape to do it, and she much prefers when you take her out than her slow, old grandad.”

“Sure,” I sighed, silently farewelling the sleep-in I’d been contemplating having. “I’ll take her.”

“There’s a good lad. Give me a hand with tea, will you? I want to hear all about this new job you’ve started on this week. Mayfair, did you say it was? Bet it’s a posh place.”

“Very,” I agreed, following him down into the messy kitchen where he would undoubtedly make egg and chips shortly.

“What’s the wanker who lives there like?” he laughed.

I cleared my throat, immediately heading for the sink to wash up the day’s dishes. “She’s an unmated omega.”

Dad choked a little on his chocolate biscuit. “You kept that very quiet, son.”

“There’s nothing really to say,” I lied, turning my head to the side and discreetly giving the hoodie Inika hadn’t even seen a quick sniff. Definitely no trace of omega on there.

“Well, don’t get yourself in trouble is all,” Dad said gruffly. “I was a young alpha once. Worked on a building site for an unmated omega customer. It was different times, of course.”

I gave him a sidelong look. “What does that mean?”

“Free love and all that.” His ears turned red. “I think she might have hired us because there were so many unmated working-class alphas on our crew.”

I snorted, scrubbing the sink. “Different times, indeed. I’m extremely confident that had nothing to do with Inika Dara’s decision to hire me.”

But it might be a large part of why she was fucking me, and that was just fine. It wasn’t like it could go anywhere anyway. We may as well enjoy ourselves.

What I wouldn’t give to be back there now. To be anywhere but here.

Chapter 7

BLAKE

“Hey Blake,” Landon said from the other side of the bar, immediately grabbing a pint glass. “The usual?”

I nodded, exhaling heavily and wondering if I should get a coffee instead to wake me up. The fight was late enough tonight that I’d managed a few hours’ sleep first, before Leo had dragged me out of bed, but I was still fucking exhausted and wanted to be just about anywhere other than here.

“There’s a new guy tonight.” The beta bartender pushed the beer over to me while I patted my pockets, looking for my wallet. “Don’t worry, this drink is on the house. You might need it to steady your nerves—the new guy is who Leo is up against.”

“Thanks. Is he? Leo didn’t mention a new guy.” My brother had immediately vanished to greet his “friends” the moment we’d arrived, ignoring me now that he’d been allowed on the premises. They weren’t actually his friends—they were punters, and Leo was a good bet, nothing more. Leo’s ego didn’t allow him to see that, though.

“Leo might not know about it yet. Ronnie only brought the new guy on a couple of hours ago. He’s a big bastard.”

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