Page 40 of Instant Bond

“I don’t, actually,” he informed me, tilting his head a little. “But you’re right that it’s time.”

Creaking the front door open, I slipped outside with him, closing it quietly behind me.

“You… You really were perfect today. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

“You don’t need to wonder what you’ll do without me ever, Cameron,” he murmured. “I’ll be here for you as long as you’ll have me.”

Sucking my lower lip between my teeth, I couldn’t stop myself from raising up to my toes to snake my arms around his neck. He lifted me, obligingly, treating me to a really lovely kiss.Firm and gentle at the same time. When we parted, his eyes were dark and intense, like he didn’t want to let me go.

“Text me when you get home so I don’t worry,” I whispered.

“I’ll see you soon, baby boy,” he said, planting one more quick kiss on my lips before heading to his car. My heart was doing flips inside me as I watched him walk away. Pressing a hand to my chest like I could stop it from the outside, I shivered and headed back inside.

KARTER

PUNCHING IN THEcode to unlock the door to my penthouse, I heard the familiar click of the lock disengaging. Pushing through the door, I loosened my tie before slipping it through my collar. It was Friday afternoon, and I wanted to change before picking Cameron up for our date. It was not going to be a date in the traditional sense, but I hoped he would enjoy himself anyway. If he didn’t, then my plan was a complete bust and I’d have to start all over again convincing him some other way.

The social worker had come to his apartment on Tuesday, and he’d been at maximum stress levels since, scrambling to find another apartment that was close to his work, close to Ty’s school, and that he could actually afford. Affording the monthly payments was only one problem. No one would take them unless he could come up with first and last month’s rent, as well as proving that his income was at least triple what they were asking.

Not that any of that would have been a problem if he would let me pay for it. At this point, I knew he would eventually give in on that front. After all, he wouldn’t let Ty be homeless for anything. But I was past that plan now. I didn’t have any intention of helping him move into some other run-down apartment in the middle of who knows where.

Sailing through my entrance area, I started unbuttoning my shirt as I headed in the direction of my bedroom.

“Well, aren’t you a difficult man to get ahold of these days?”

Choking on my spit, I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of a voice in what should have been my empty living room. With my chest pounding, I whirled around a corner to see my mother in a relaxed position on my leather sectional. There were half-eaten snacks from my pantry and a can of beer from my fridge sitting on the low table before her. And she wasn’t using a coaster.

Heaving to catch my breath, I tried not to make it obvious that I was possibly having a heart attack.

“I gave you my door code in case of emergencies,” I pointed out, a bit sourly. I hadn’t spoken to her since the other day on the phone.

“This is an emergency,” she informed me. “You haven’t answered your phone. How was I supposed to know if you were even alive?”

“We work in the same building,” I said flatly. “You have access to my office any and all hours of the day.”

“And the emails you send to your team,” she said. “That’s how I knew you were leaving work early today and decided to meet you here.”

“Is there an issue with that? I’m sure you know my team exceeds productivity expectations every single week.”

“I know all that,” she said, waving off my bitter tone. “I don’t care when you come in or when you leave, as long as you do your job. Which you always do.”

I didn’t have anything to say to that. That was about as much acknowledgment or recognition as I could expect from her.

“I noticed your office is empty.” She jerked her chin over towards what was now an empty room, formerly my home office. I’d had movers come in just the day before, transporting everything from that room into my bedroom. There was enough room in there for a decent desk setup anyway. And it was imperative to my plan that the room be empty. “You expectinga roommate?” She asked. Her tone had a mocking inflection of curiosity, like she felt as though she’d caught me doing something wrong.

“I’m getting into feng shui,” I responded in the most deadpan tone I could manage. “It’s important not to let the harmonies stagnate.”

She scoffed, giving me a withering look as she shook her head. “Your mom and I are just concerned about you.”

“Why?” I asked. I did feel a twinge of guilt for worrying my omega mom. She was more sensitive, and didn’t ride my ass constantly for every perceived misstep.

“You’ve been acting weird, Karter. You know it, and I know it. I’ve known you for 33 years, son.”

“I have a life,” I said in defense. Which led me to realizing that before Cameron, I hadn’t had much of one. I’d worked because that was what was expected of me. I’d socialized, occasionally, for the same reason. But until him there hadn’t been much I’d felt genuinely drawn to or protective over or motivated by. My priorities had majorly shifted, in barely any time at all.

“Is that so?” She responded, giving me an all-too-knowing look. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with some omega, would it?”

Crafting my face into a neutral expression, I made sure my voice didn’t sound too agitated as I answered. “Is that all you can think of that I could possibly be invested in?”

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