Page 84 of Sweet Omega
Luci winked. “See you later. Have fun,” he murmured, then strolled off with Jamue and Hym.
And just like that, he was gone. Gone.
He really left me here with him again,Ludiin silently cursed, a tremor of panic crawling up his spine. His pulse skittered as his body screamed to yank his arm free, to bolt for the door,but the room was full of eyes. He could feel them. Curious. Assessing. So instead, he let Baron guide him to the table.
Baron was attentive, annoyingly so, even pulling out Ludiin’s chair with a soft “Here,” as if that would earn him points. Ludiinsat stiffly, hyper-aware of every gaze trained on him as he tried not to trip over his own thoughts.
“What would you like?” Baron asked.
Before Ludiin could answer, a bright-eyed omega leaned forward. “They call you the Great Joy Inventor.”
“The great joy inventor?” Ludiin blinked. “Not genius inventor?”
Laughter erupted around the table. Ludiin stiffened again, unsure what he’d said that was funny.
“TheJoypart,” the omega explained, giggling. “Because your inventions… you know… tend to leave peopleverysatisfied.”
Oh.Thatkind of joy. Ludiin flushed, muttering a dry, “right.”
A serving bot glided toward them with a soft mechanical hum, and Baron took the lead, fingers dancing across the console as if he did this often, courting omegas.
“What would you like?” Baron asked again.
Ludiin barely heard him, his mind spinning off in a hundred directions as he tried to catch the fast-paced voices that seemed to all speak at once. He blinked, caught between overthinking and shutting down.
“Anything,” he mumbled, too distracted to care.
The bot beeped once and rolled away, disappearing behind a large door.
Lucky bastard,Ludiin thought.I wish I had wheels.
“How do you come up with your pleasuring bots?” the omega pressed, a sly glint dancing in his eyes.
“I think of what I like,” Ludiin said simply.
“Like?” the omega echoed, dragging the word out like it meant something salacious. He glanced around the table, clearly playing to his audience. “Baron said you’re…” he rolled his eyes as if that lazy gesture could finish the sentence. When Ludiin said nothing, he continued. “Off, you know… not normal.” Hewinced, then hurried to correct himself. “Mentally challenged. Wait…shit, is that rude?”
"What?" Ludiin blinked at the omega, his mind scrambling to catch up. The words hung in the air for a beat before they finally sank in, then it felt like all the air had been knocked out of his lungs. His chest tightened, stunned.
Baron told them.He fucking told them…about their disastrous date. Ludiin had suspected it the moment he stepped into the eatery, felt it in the way their eyes focused on him as if he was some fascinating creature.
“Henri,” Baron said, his voice low with warning.
“What?” Henri replied with a mock-innocent shrug. “It’s a valid question. I wanted to know how he can create some of the best pleasuring bots when he’s mentally challenged.”
“Don’t say that,” Baron ground out, his jaw tight.
Henri flinched, his shoulders jerking back as if Baron had struck him. His eyes narrowed, hurt flashing across his face. “You said it yourself,” he shot back. “I’m not making this up.”
The laughter and conversation died a sudden, violent death.
“You’re being rude,” Baron said flatly. The omega’s head whipped toward Ludiin, eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
“Was that rude? I…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I was just curious, that’s all. You’re brilliant, and at the same time you’re…” His voice trailed off.
Ludiin’s hands curled into trembling fists on his lap as he forced a shaky breath into his lungs. He knew this would happen. It always happened. Every time he tried to be social or interact with people. He ended up being humiliated. Every instinct screamed at him to run, but running would be worse… so much worse.
Ludiin stood up slowly with every dignity he could master.
