Page 10 of Such a Fierce Omega
I did, once he listed them for me.
Chapter Nine
Blaze
I opened the back door to the club and inhaled the cool night air. My tiger was more than happy to get out of the hot and stuffy kitchen and away from all the people. He didn’t mind others, but we’d worked and lived alone for so long that it was overwhelming to be around so many others, human and shifter alike.
“Good morning again,” Darsh’s voice echoed through the alleyway. The lights around us flickered as he spoke. If I was a believer in Fate, I would’ve taken that as a sign, but signs were cheap and many when you were seeking them.
“Good morning. That’s gonna take some getting used to. Leaving in the middle of the night.”
I stepped out of the building and into the alley. Darsh leaned against a wall, legs crossed at the ankles. The man was born to be a leader. He pushed off with only his shoulders and walked over to me. “It does take some time to get used to. I have to admit, I haven’t quite gotten the hang of it yet. You’re off for the night?”
Nodding, I slung my backpack higher on my shoulder. “I am. Are you?”
“I finished up all my paperwork about a half hour ago.”
My stomach fluttered with nerves. “But you’re still here?”
“I was waiting for you. I thought maybe we could go get some breakfast. I know a diner a few blocks from here. Great french toast. Would you join me?”
“Oh. Are you sure? Isn’t that against some rule?” I’d read things online before applying for jobs, since I’d never had one. Bosses and employees or even employees and employees were often forbidden to date. Fraternizing, they called it.
“We don’t have those rules at Cuffed, Blaze. If you’re not hungry or don’t want to, that’s fine. Perhaps I overstepped.”
“No. No, not at all. I’d love to have breakfast with you but I haven’t gotten paid yet, and money is pretty tight for me right now.”
He smiled and winked at me. No one had ever winked at me. My knees melted. “My treat. It’s the least I can do after you gave me so many fantastic ideas.”
“Okay. French toast sounds really good.”
Chuckling, he nodded his head and we walked toward the diner. He opened the door for me when we arrived. The diner was bright and inviting with red-and-white striped booths and neon signs.
We sipped orange juice and waited for our food. I’d ordered a small plate of french toast and bacon while Darsh, well, he ordered enough for a small army. The waitress didn’t bat an eye at him.
“I presented some of your ideas to the other owners at our meeting the other night.”
“Oh?”
“They loved them. A big draw for new members who will stay for a long time. I told them many of the ideas were yours, by the way. I didn’t take credit for what you’d come up with.”
Huffing out some air through my nose, I shrugged. “Most alphas would.”
He cocked his head sideways, regarding me. “What kinds of alphas have you been around, little tiger?”
I froze. I hadn’t told him I was a tiger and clearly I hadn’t been as stealthy as I thought I was. “How did you know I was a tiger? Are you going to tell anyone?”
Darsh smiled but before he could answer, the waitress came back with enough food to fill up the whole table and cause a clanking of dishes louder than the ones in the kitchen back atthe club. He’d ordered one of everything, it seemed. “I won’t tell anyone if that’s what you prefer, but the owners, and especially me, have no problem with other species.”
My shoulders relaxed maybe for the first time that night. “I thought the club owners and members were wolf-leaning shifters. They preferred everyone to be a wolf.”
“Where did you hear that rumor? That’s a nasty one. We prefer no one over another. We invite everyone to apply for membership at the club and work there if they desire. Our club is about the freedom to be who you are and animal preferences would be against that principal.”
“I’m half wolf,” I admitted.
“I scented that. At first, I thought you were all wolf, but when we were removed from everyone else, I detected feline. My wolf let me know you were a tiger.”
Please don’t blush. Please don’t blush.“Your wolf spoke to you about me?”
