Page 48 of Dubious Match
“Oh yes,” she says. “Some people will do anything when they’re down on their luck and desperate. Emilia got a pack recently to attempt to kidnap an omega I was working with. They weren’t happy that their employers were notified that they have a penchant for attacking their dates. They were fired on the spot. I do not play when it comes to safety.”
“Damn,” Brice purrs. “Please continue to talk dirty to me.”
Hollis blushes as she takes a sip of her wine, and I can finally feel the moment my pack relaxes as a whole. This is going really well. Now. We just have let the conversation flow.
Fuck, who would have thought that courting our omega would be so nerve wracking?
Ten
HOLLIS
Remy and Felix are clearing away plates when I feel my phone vibrate in my bag. Glaring at it, I will it to shut up.
“That sounds aggressive,” Malcolm says teasingly. “Maybe you should answer it.”
“I’ve been trying to ignore it,” I say, putting down my wine glass to pull my phone out.
Frowning, I see that it’s an unknown number. I can’t ignore it since I’m a business owner who works off her cellphone, this happens often. I really should commit to a work and personal phone, but haven’t bothered yet.
“Hello, this is Hollis Edwards with Cupid’s Call, how can I help you?” I ask.
Malcolm smirks as I turn on my customer service voice. It’s a professional tone, which clearly says that this is a business interaction. Anything outside of that isn’t acceptable.
It usually works.
“Ah, Hollis. This is Emilia Richardson,”she says.
Fuck. My eyes grow wide at Malcolm and Brice, and I place my finger on my lips. Putting the phone on mute before hitting the speaker so she won’t notice, I resume the conversation.
“Hello, Emilia. What can I do for you?”
I notice Brice text someone, and I have a feeling it’s Felix and Remy.
“What you can do is cancel your silly little event,”she sniffs. “We both know it’s a distraction technique to pull people away from an event that’ll actually benefit them.”
“See, that’s where you’re wrong,” I murmur, making sure she can hear me.
It’s a reflex to pull the phone away from your mouth when you’re on speaker, but I can’t have her realize that others can hear her. I’m trying to cover my ass here. This is a woman who is very comfortable making people disappear.
“I believe that omegas can be business people, go to school, and do whatever it is that their heart desires. The bubble you insist on putting us in is damaging. Also, your antiquated ideas of what makes an alpha a ‘good’ person are skewed to your needs,” I remind her.
Emilia hums under her breath, and I’d be willing to bet money that she’s saying very unfavorable things about me in her head. Thankfully, I don’t give a shit what she thinks.
“My ideas are what will bring omegas to heel like the naughty things that they are,” she says.
My jaw drops in disgust. She’s an omega too! Why does she think that she’s better than everyone else?
“This isn’t a hierarchy of who is a better omega, Emilia,” I say. “I started my dating company because of people like you. The idea that there’s only one correct way to find a pack if and only if that’s something an omega wants is antiquated and wrong. There isn’t a chance in hell that I’m going to cancel?—”
“Don’t think I didn’t hear your radio interviews,”Emilia seethes, cutting me off. “Do you enjoy hearing yourself speak so much that you need so much air time? Omegas should be demure, something you’re clearly lacking in.”
Rolling my eyes because she can’t see me, I shake my head. For goodness sakes, I only did two interviews.
“I will never be anything close to demure, Emilia. I’m actually quite proud of that. I didn’t say anything I’d ever feel the need to retract during my interviews either,” I say. “It was all true.”
“You said your event was unbiased!”Emilia complains. “Hollis, this is slander. None of the things you said are true, and while I don’t want to get my lawyers involved, I will if you force my hand.”
“Do you think I don’t have a lawyer?” I ask, laughing. I probably shouldn’t be taunting her, but I’m annoyed. “I have three, Emilia. Depending on the situation I decide which one I call. I know for a fact that I didn’t say a word that was untrue, so please stop posturing.”
