Page 54 of Silas's Sweetheart

“That’s wind!” Jupiter scoffed at him.

“Are you two squabbling over my daughter?” Frey came into view.

“Not me, I’m off out.” He skirted past them both and headed down the hallway, not listening to Jupiter argue he needed to change Emmy’s diaper. The man had lost his mind.

“Where are you off to?” Popi asked, appearing as Silas reached for his car keys in the dish by the front door.

Silas ground his teeth together to stop the curse and glanced at Popi, thinking on his feet. “I’m going to meet a friend for a beer.”

How weak was that? Why hadn’t he come up with something better than that?

“Oh, who?” Popi asked, coming and messing with the collar of his shirt, his gaze pinning Silas.

“I…”

“Leave him alone, my love,” came a shout from the direction of the small downstairs office.

Taking that as a sign, he kissed Popi and shouted a goodbye to Dad. Barely seconds later, he was out the door, not stopping to catch his breath until he was in the car and on his way.

He drove faster than usual, and he felt sweaty by the time he parked outside Hidden Desires. Once inside the privateentrance, he didn’t have a chance to key in his code because the door opened.

Sax was frowning as he stepped aside to allow Silas in. “Why, this is a surprise. You normally check before you come, to see if we have an omega that meets your needs.”

Silas stared blankly at Sax. “Isn’t the snake shifter here?” he questioned, without thinking.

Sax’s frown deepened, furrows appearing over his usually smooth brow. “Which one? You’ve had several over the years. And sorry, my darlin’, we don’t have a snake shifter omega here tonight. I could have told you if you’d called me. But we have other omegas you might be interested in.”

Silas hadn’t even given it a thought to call, and that showed just how messed up he was. “No!” he snapped, then took a breath. “Sorry, I… are you sure the omega snake shifter isn’t in tonight? The one I met last time I was here?”

“I know every person in the club, and that little treasure isn’t here tonight. He’s not booked in for a room, either.”

It was a gut punch, and he visibly jerked back at the one question that tore at his control. Who was helping Ziggy through his heat?

“Tell me what’s wrong with you?” Ethan questioned.

“Too much on my plate,” said Silas, knowing the fact they were on a video call made it pointless to deny it.

“That’s the best you’re gonna give me? Those black circles under your eyes look like you’ve gone all goth and put on eyeshadow.”

Silas rubbed at his tired eyes before he remembered he still had contacts in. “Fuck!” He wriggled his finger over his closedeye, putting the lenses back in place. “Let it go, alright? How are the new ranch hands doing?”

“Amos quit.”

It was the first laugh he’d had in two days. “I knew it.” He met Ethan’s gaze. “Was this before or after you tried to get him naked?”

“I never have to try,” Ethan replied cockily. “Before. But it was actually Cassidy’s chickens… or more, should I say, how he dresses them up.”

Silas ran a hand through his hair, body shaking with unrestrained laughter. “It does take a little getting used to Cassidy’s quirks.”

“That’s one way of putting it. The damn things are now in tutus,” Ethan spluttered while trying to restrain himself. He gave up and roared. Rocking forward, he wiped his leaking eyes. “If Cassidy wasn’t such a hard worker, I’d fire his ass for all the crazy he brings with him.”

“Stop that shit. You love Cassidy ‘cause of his crazy,” Silas pointed out. Cassidy was adorably sweet with his chickens. Heck, he just plain loved animals and fitted right in at the ranch the moment he’d stepped foot through the gate.

He’d come from a program that offered non-shifting omegas with family issues the opportunity to come and experience ranch life with the potential of a job. Cassidy had come and never left. He was one of the best decisions for the ranch and he’d come up with some ideas that contributed towards the overhead expenses.

“I do. And he probably did me a favor with Amos.”

“Then why do you sound peeved?” asked Silas, ignoring Ethan’s mock glare. “Anyway, let's talk about the others. How are they working out?”

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