Page 20 of The Alpha's Arrangement

“You’re building a dating website?” Gold doesn’t even try to hide the scorn in his voice.

I lift my chin and scowl at him. “Yes. Problem with that?”

“No, not at all.” He says and scoffs.

I wonder if Acton would mind terribly if I dumped the remainder of his stew on Gold’s giant ego-filled head.

“What angle are you selling?” Barren asks.

I turn my head to focus on the omega. “I’m creating a place where people of different diversities can date safely.”

His eyebrows raise. “That sounds really interesting.”

I shrug. “I’ve always wanted to do it. Figured, why not?”

“What does your pack say?”

I snort before I can stop myself and then freeze, remembering my lie. “It’s my project. Why should they say anything?”

Taylor and Jet exchange a look that makes the hairs on my neck rise.

I feel my shoulders tense and force myself to ignore it, taking another mouthful of the stew.

“What do you guys do?” I ask in the silence.

“Acton creates art. Barren here,” Taylor’s voice drops to an affectionate purr, “hand sews quilts and pillows and such.”

I glance quickly at Barren and away. I do not want to admit I already have some of those and have been inhaling the scent every night.

“Gold is a consultant working across a couple of fields. And Jet and I both run a business that operates mainly online.”

I nod politely. “Sounds fascinating.”

And honestly, if I were anywhere else, I’d be asking them a million questions, but here, surrounded by these particular men, it’s all I can do to think straight enough to give a polite answer.

“How long have you guys known each other?”

Jet laughs softly and leans back, putting his arm across the back of my chair. “Taylor and I grew up together. We met Gold and Acton at college and found Barren a year ago.”

He says it all casually, but Barren stiffens beside me. I don’t mean to. I truly don’t even think. My instincts take over, and I reach out and put a hand on his thigh.

His eyes shoot to mine, wide, startled, and that knocks me back to reality. I snatch my hand back.

“I should leave.”

“For an alpha, you spend a lot of time running away.” Jet murmurs calmly beside me, flicking me a wicked grin. “We do love to chase.”

I hiss through my teeth and turn on him. “I’m not running.” There’s a ghost of a smile on his lips, and he leans in close to me. Now would be a good time to run, but I stubbornly hold my spot.

“Aren't you?” He murmurs, shifting even closer so our noses are almost touching. “Seems a lot like running to me.”

I growl.

His eyes flare. Like light up, amber lights of gold and green. He inhales, and it would just take-

“Red?”

I turn just my head so I can meet Gold’s hostile glare. “Yes, Gold?” Thank you! Good timing. Bad timing. Shit!

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