Page 37 of Excess

Dad laughed. “Suit yourself. You never did tell me anything. Just be smart. Especially with Freya involved. You know she can be a bit funny around women.”

I gave Dad a pointed look. “The kid just wants someone to talk to. And Inika is an omega, and she feels for Freya’s situation.” I shifted uncomfortably. “She wants to help. She’s… nice.”

“Thought she was a posh bird?”

“She is. And she’s nice.” Saying the words out loud made me confront the fact that I’d assumed she wasn’t. I’d made a lot of assumptions about Inika, and they’d all been wrong. I’d been rude to her right from the moment I’d met her. And for some reason, Inika never seemed to hold it against me.

An odd feeling that may have been guilt settled in the pit of my stomach. I had to do better where Inika was concerned. Not because we were ever going to have any kind of relationship beyond what we had now, but because…

Well, just because she deserved better.

Dad shrugged, looking away at the uncomfortable reminder that Freya didn’t have any omegas in her life anymore. “I trust that you know what you’re doing. And it’ll be a nice treat for Frey. Leo has been… well, he hasn’t made much of an effort this week.”

That was probably the closest Dad would ever get to criticising my idiot brother, so I made sure to savour it even if it didn’t make me feel any better.

Hearing that Leo was acting like a prick didn’t make him any less of one. It just reminded me that we were all still suffering for his choices.

A few hours later, we met Inika in the foyer of an expensive-looking hotel that had me wanting to crawl out of my own skin. Freya skipped across the marble floor in her purple party dress and rainbow fairy wings, throwing her arms around Inika’s waist like they were old friends.

It made my chest feel strange. Today was a day of strange physical reactions.

“I’m so glad you could make it,” Inika said, beaming up at me. She looked ridiculously, effortlessly elegant, in a cream linen dress and dainty gold jewellery that probably cost more than my van. If she thought there was anything weird about Freya’s fairy outfit, she didn’t say it. In fact, she made a show of admiring her sparkly wings.

“Thank you for inviting us,” Freya said solemnly, suddenly remembering her manners.

“Yes. Thanks,” I added gruffly because my niece was giving me an expectant look and I was trying to be less of an asshole.

Inika’s smile turned coy for a moment, as though she had me all figured out, before we headed over to our table.

Fortunately, Inika seemed perfectly in control and knew how it all worked because I’d have been completely lost in a swanky joint like this. I was slightly jealous that Freya got to eat off the kids afternoon menu. The portions were still stupidly small, but they were less pretentious than the adult versions.

What the fuck did “macerated” even mean? I wasn’t sophisticated enough for this.

“Are you enjoying your organic cucumber sandwich?” Inika asked me politely, somehow looking perfectly composed and on the verge of laughter all at once.

“It’s my favourite,” I deadpanned. “How did you know?”

Inika’s smile widened, eyes sparkling mischievously. “One of my many talents. I looked at you and thought ‘ah. There’s a man who appreciates a bite-sized organic cucumber sandwich,’ and what do you know—I was right. I just know you’ll adore the cauliflower tartlet.”

“Sounds delicious,” I replied drily, narrowing my gaze at Inika before eyeing Freya’s cheddar cheese on white bread enviously, wondering if she’d would tell me off if we stopped for fish and chips on the way home. How was anyone meant to get full off food this small?

“How was school last week, Freya?” Inika asked, taking her attention off me, which was probably a good thing since I was trying to be on my best behaviour, and the challenging look in her eyes made it difficult.

“Good,” Freya replied around a mouthful of bread. “Sierra, in my class, told me I shouldn’t be allowed to go to school because omegas should stay home.”

Inika frowned. “Well, that’s rude. And wrong. What did you say?”

“I told her that I’d punch her in the face like my dad taught me.”

I choked on my organic cucumber, spluttering for breath while Inika took an elegant sip of her tea, completely unruffled.

“And what did Sierra say to that?” Inika asked, leaning forwards in her seat.

“That she’d kick me in the face. So I told the teacher that Sierra said she’d kick me in the face but not that I said I’d punch her. And then Sierra got in trouble.” My angelic little niece took another bite of her sandwich, looking incredibly proud of herself.

Her poor teacher.

Though, I can see how she’d got away with it. From my own memories of primary school, little omegas were able to get away with murder. Even as children, they knew exactly which heartstrings to pull.

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