Page 12 of Such a Sweet Omega

While he hadn’t said a single word about my distress the night at the restaurant, I had a feeling he knew. He saw that I was struggling to keep myself together and came over to help me—again.

He always seemed to show up exactly when I needed him.

Being a barista barely paid my rent. I didn’t have a lot of extra money to take him somewhere fancy or anywhere at all. As it was, I had intended to pay for my night out with one of my credit cards. It was an exception to my rules for life, since I could do that, but I hated running up debt.

I would consider it worthwhile to charge a meal for this alpha, so I needed to come up with a place. Sure, I’d had dinner with Jabez at a semi-fancy restaurant, but I wanted to bring him somewhere fancy. Somewhere we could have a nice sit-down dinner.

I didn’t even own anything to wear for that.

I was pitching above my league with Jabez. He was an owner of a club and a healer.

Hell, there was a chance that all of our interactions had been simply out of pity.

Still, something in me wanted to take a chance. On him. On us.

Since dating Aaron, I’d gotten to know some of the omegas at the club. Maybe they could suggest a restaurant where they had been with their alphas.

They were my only friends. Sure, I had some acquaintances at the coffee shop, but we didn’t socialize outside of work hours. They had families and lives. They had never invited me out, and Aaron would not have approved of my going even if they had.

I got dressed for Cuffed after a shower and a quick bite. Cheese and crackers, since I had to watch my pennies until payday and the cupboards were growing bare. Wrapping my coat around myself, I braved the chill of the night and arrived at Cuffed right as it opened.

Floods of people were coming in, all with dates or mates.

I wished Jabez were with me. Letting me nestle into his warmth and strength. Sure, I’d been to the club before, but never alone.

I gave the person at the front desk my name, and he took my phone and locked it up then told me to enjoy my night. I left my coat and wallet in a locker and moved on to the main floor.

Passing on getting a drink, which would take money I did not have, I looked around, wanting to take in some of the activity at the various stations, this time without Aaron balking or huffing out his disapproval over my shoulder. He only liked the knife stuff.

At the first station I came to, an omega was strapped to a leather-covered bench, ass thrust up into the air while his alpha spanked his pale skin to rosy red.

I might want to explore that. Of course, I’d have to have someone to try it with. My mind immediately went to Jabez. There was no one else I trusted. He would never harm me. I believed that with my whole heart.

The beast inside me called out for him, although I hadn’t seen him anywhere. Damn it. Maybe I should’ve texted to ask if he was here before coming.

A sinking feeling suddenly made me sick to my stomach. He could be mated. Perhaps he was dating someone or had a boyfriend. An omega of his own. Maybe I’d read all the signs wrong. He was only being nice. Taking pity on me.

This was a mistake.

Still, I wandered the club, hoping to see him. None of the omegas I knew were around tonight.

“There he is,” someone whispered, not to me, but it garnered my attention all the same.

“Who?” another one asked.

“Jabez. Goddess, he has the violet wands.”

Swallowing the boulder now lodged in my throat, I turned to where they stared.

That’s when I saw him. He had all black on. Black button-down shirt, cuffs rolled up to his elbows. Black pants. He stood in a pool of light, and all eyes were on him.

He stopped what he was doing and looked to the side. Not completely over his shoulder but as though he could feel me there—near.

I hoped he could. Not only did I want to see what he was doing, whatever it was, I wanted him to do it to me.

Chapter Eleven

Jabez

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