Page 41 of Omega's Refuge

I slowly approached and opened the door. Rex stood there on the stoop with his hands in his pockets. His face was flushed, his hat slightly askew, and the scent of whiskey mingled with his crisp cologne. While he looked emotional, he didn’t look as angry as I’d expected. There was a vulnerability in his eyes that softened me.

“You wanna come in?” I asked softly.

He looked thrown by my offer. “Oh.” He blinked at me and then he pulled his hat off. “Uh… I guess.”

I stepped aside as he moved into the cabin, coming to a stop in the middle of the room. I closed the door and leaned against it, facing him. He swayed slightly, and not wanting him to fall and hurt himself, I gestured to the leather chair nearby. “Sit.”

He looked like he was going to argue, but then he thought better of it. He lowered himself into the chair, still clutching his hat. He dropped his gaze, looking confused. “Sorry it’s so late,” hesaid quietly.

“It’s okay. I just got back from the main house. I was at the bar with Joe and the others.” I wasn’t sure why I was bothering to explain all of that. I doubted he cared. I guess I was just nervous because Rex was sitting in my cabin only inches from me, and even though I should have been furious with him, I wasn’t. For whatever reason, Rex brought out my more nurturing omega instincts. I wanted to comfort him, so he’d stop looking so stressed.

Don’t be a weak, idiot.

I needed to grow a spine. He’d played me. Led me on. He didn’t deserve my compassion. He’d flirted with me and asked me to stay longer at the ranch, and the entire time he’d had an omega in town. He was a player, and I needed to remember that.

I cleared my throat and decided to take the bull by the horns. “I heard you had a date tonight.” I hated that my voice wobbled. I wanted to sound forceful, but I ended up just sounding unsure.

He wrinkled his brow. “Who said that?”

“Ronny.” I lifted my chin. “He said you had a date with Vance.”

He scowled. “Ronny should mind his own damn business.”

He didn’t deny it.

I hesitated. “He said you and Vance have been off and on for years, and that you’re probably back on again.”

“Pfft.”

None of his responses were what I’d expected, and it threw me. I’d assumed he’d look sheepish because he’d been caught out. Instead, he seemed irritable and almost self-righteous.

“Why didn’t you tell me you had an omega?” I demanded. “Why didn’t you introduce me to Vance properly the other day? You acted like you two were just friends.”

He screwed up his face. “What in the world are you talking about?”

I frowned. “You should have told me Vance was your omega. You… you shouldn’t have flirted with me so much if you had an omega.”

Rubbing his jaw, he rumbled, “Tanner, Vance isn’t my omega.”

Was he flat out lying to my face, or had Ronny got it wrong? My legs felt shaky from all the adrenalin pumping through my body. “Ronny implied he was.”

“Well, Ronny doesn’t know what he’s talkin’ about.”

“He… he seems like he does.”

He huffed. “I think I’d know whether I had an omega or not.”

Confused, I sat on the edge of the bed. “But, weren’t you just on a date with Vance?”

A glimmer of guilt fluttered through his eyes. “Yes.”

My gut churned. “So you were lying to me just now.”

He once more scowled. “No, I don’t have an omega, but yes, I went out with Vance for drinks.”

I held his glittery gaze, feeling muddled. “Did I misread you, Rex?”

“In what way?”

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