Page 53 of Talk About… Rivalry

“She needed a friend and I couldn’t let her suffer alone, but I still to this day cannot fathom how she left her child behind. Her husband? Sure. But if he was as cold as she insisted he was, then how could she leave her child there?”

“Wasn’t Megan saying that Sidney was on his side?” I prodded, trying to goad her into more information without outright asking.

“I don’t know. She mentioned how Sidney preferred him over her and I don’t know if that was true or not. I never really saw their dynamic. I always had questions about that, too,” she admitted. Mom fell silent for a few beats. Even the backgroundnoise had come to a stop. “Leo, why are you asking me about this?”

“I ran into Sidney and was just curious. It reminded me of those calls and curiosity got the best of me.”

“Lord, I was so glad when those calls stopped,” she said. “Megan just wanted to use me like an emotional crutch and I just didn’t have the capacity to give her everything she needed. Honestly, therapy was what she needed.”

“Was the guy abusive?” I asked, a pit forming in my stomach. Had I been a dick to her and she was abused at home the whole time?

“No. Her complaint was that he was emotionless. He provided and that was about it. You know how omegas are. We need that nurturing and caring and he just didn’t have that in him. Which is just another reason why I’m shocked that she would leave a child with him. I couldn’t imagine growing up with him as a father. Poor kid. She just wanted to be loved and her mom left and her dad was cold. I really should have reached out and offered them more support.”

The regret in her tone was almost as sharp as the regret that was filling my chest right now. Maybe there was more to her rejecting these dates than simply not having a scent.

Maybe it was about abandonment. She knew that would be the outcome all over again. The moment Taylor and Maverick would find a scent match, she’d be left behind, abandoned all over again.

Fuck. I’d definitely misread her.

Maverick

Inever should have agreed to this date.That was the thought that played in my head, over and over again, as I waited in my room to leave.

I’d gotten ready too early and now I had time to kill. That was the last fucking thing I needed right now.

Not when I was already on edge.

Of course, Nash was never one to leave things alone and barreled into the room a moment later with an excited grin on his face.

“Look at you looking all dolled up,” he teased, his hazel eyes dancing with amusement. Then his face turned serious and the grin was replaced by a frown. “You know… I’m genuinely shocked you’re going on this date, Mav. What the hell?”

I scoffed at that, a scowl forming on my own face that mirrored his. “Why? Because who’d want to date a big brute like me?”

Nash snorted as he sat down on my bed and stared at me in a way that felt like he was peeling away my armor and peeking underneath, trying to figure me out. He may be one of my brothers, but they didn’t know the extent of my obsession with Sidney.

“No, because it’s not Sidney,” he said as bluntly as ever.

Okay, maybe hedidknow about my obsession with the omega. Fuck.

“I don’t know who you thought you were fooling, but you’ve been looking at her every chance you got foryearsnow. Cam and I sure as hell don’t look at her that way.”

My alpha wanted to growl but instead a sigh came out. He shot me a smirk as I leaned against the closet, crossing my arms and forcing myself to let my brother in for once.

“Well, the feeling clearly isn’t mutual,” I bit back, my tone sharper than I meant for it to be.

Nash let out a humorless laugh. “Always so quick to bite our heads off, Mav. Here’s a thought… have you ever said anything to her, or did you just expect her to do the hard work for you?You’rethe alpha, Maverick. Aren’tyousupposed to take charge?”

“It’s not that fucking simple and you know it. I’m not going to push myself on somebody who sees me as a big brother,” I growled, pushing off of my spot and starting to pace again.

No part of me wanted to go on this awful date.

I didn’t need Nash pushing me about Sidney. She’d been on my mind ever since that omega asked me on a date. I’d given her a chance to argue, to give me any reason not to accept. A fucking sign at the very least.

She just looked away.

Sidney didn’t want me.

This obsession was one-sided and I had to accept that at some point. I had to move on or spend my life miserable.

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