Page 54 of Talk About… Rivalry

This date was me officially making an attempt to move on.

So, why the fuck did I feel so miserable? Nothing Nash said was news to me.

I was already beating myself up over it.

Nash moved into my path, stopping me with a hand on my shoulder. He gave it a squeeze, his face solemn.

“Maverick. That girl has not seen you as her big brother in a long fucking time. For years, she’s been stealing glances at you almost as often as you have been. She looks at you like you’re going to sweep her off her feet but never do.

“No.” It was loud, causing him to flinch but I couldn’t have this conversation anymore.

Sidney was everything I wasn’t. She was vibrant, outgoing, the life of the party. Independent, yet soft. My omega was gorgeous and fun, always making people around her laugh.

And I was this ‘rough around the edges’ alpha who grunted more than talked and hated people. While she loved going out, I’d rather be at home in the quiet. Especially if that meant holding her.

I was happy to blend into the shadows, and Sidney’s personality drew me in like a moth to flame.

“There’s something going on with her,” Nash said as he ran a hand along his stubble, forehead creased as he thought it over. “Have you ever noticed that she never has a scent around her? I always wondered how you guys could be so perfect for each other and yet never connect.”

“Of course, I’ve noticed,” I said. I’d caught snippets of conversation here and there between Sidney, Avery, and Mom even before I overheard them the other night.

Honestly, it never mattered to me. I wanted her no matter if I could scent her or not. The issue was that she never reacted to me either—in interest, or to my own scent.

If she didn’t want me, then I wasn’t about to force my presence on her.

“No, this date is for the best,” I said out loud as if I was trying to convince myself and my brother.

“Cameron thinks you’re being an idiot,” he tacked on as he stood up, knowing I was dismissing him and this fucking conversation. “He knew he had no place to say anything so he’s beating the shit out of some punching bags down in the gym, instead.”

Cam was right, he had no right to say anything. He literally rejected his mate that he’d already been with for years because he was too depressed after our fathers died to function.

She was there the entire time, supporting him and us, and he turned his back on her.

It had been years and he’d made zero attempts to find her. Instead, he’d enforced some strange celibacy on himself. At least he was less insufferable now that we had the lives and social media to focus on. It brought him out of his stupor enough that he wasn’t a dick all the time, just half the time.

If only we could smack some sense into him as well.

Then again, I guess that’s what Nash was trying to do to me right now.

Fuck, this was a mess.

“You’re an idiot, brother,” he said, clapping me on the shoulder and leveling me with a look that said more than he put into words. “I have a feeling you’re going to regret this.”

With that lovely pep talk he walked out of the door, leaving me to brood on my own.

My phone dinged and I picked it up to see the omega, Kelly, messaging me. We’d exchanged numbers that night to make it easier and she’d been messaging me ever since.

I didn’t respond more than I talked out loud but she kept the conversation going enough for both of us.

It didn’t have the same effect as Sidney doing the same. With this omega it drove me crazy.

When I clicked on the message, I was hit with a sexy picture and flinched. Her hair and makeup was done to perfection and she was giving a sultry look to the camera as she stood in front of her mirror.

Her slender, but curvy, body was in full view, a matching pink lace lingerie set covering her creamy pale skin.

This would have any alpha in his right mind going feral.

Yet, it did nothing for me. My dick didn’t even try to twitch to life.

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