I gave him a slow pat on the chest, not really sure how one comforted a demon. However, I could hear his pain in his voice and his pauses. I wanted to not feel anything for him, even sympathy, but he was making it hard. Maybe, this group of alphas was actually one of the exceptions. I still wasn’t sure about him, but it would be something I would think more about. “I’m sorry.”
He opened his eyes after a moment. “You did nothing. And you don’t have to worry about that happening to you. We aren’t as ambitious as we used to be. At least not in matters that give us a lot of power. Daniel runs a successful restaurant. Lance is a firefighter, and Ty is a writer.” He cracked a smile as if laughing at a joke only he could hear. “I’m just a lazy bum living off my passive income. I’ll have to get a job eventually so that my mates won’t continue to call me a loser. We’re all well off, but they want to keep working. You’d never have to want for anything.”
I moved my hand away from him. “I have my own career, thank you. But I do love a hard-working man.”
Kai adjusted in his seat, taking off his sunglasses, an earnest look in his eyes. “Well, let me get myself a job.”
Another pang of warmth in my heart seized me. Was he really so desperate to have me that he would change for me? I would have to find out.
CHAPTER6
KAI
By the third night with Billie, I was thoroughly convinced that I could wear her down. The more questions she asked, the more I believed that she would seriously consider us for her alphas. And it wasn’t only that. She seemed to actually be having a good time around me. We’d spent the day on a nature excursion, and even with Lila there as a distracting third wheel, we had fun. In all honesty, Lila was far from distracting. She was becoming my biggest cheerleader.
I thought maybe she’d be the negative voice in Billie’s ear telling her to be cautious, but instead, she seemed to want us together. Through my conversations with her, I began to realize that she was just as afraid for her friend as Billie’s father had been. They all knew there was no cure for the change to an omega. They also knew that leaving her out there to change on her own was a safety risk.
That night we went to a local restaurant on the beach. It was casual, and we planned to call it an early night because of the long day. Billie had been unusually silent at dinner but said she was fine.
I really wanted to whisk her away. I hated us even being out. Too many men were looking at the women. Lila wasn’t an omega, but I didn’t want some clown approaching her and being inappropriate. She was my omega’s friend and, therefore, mine as well. Most importantly, I didn’t want any attention on Billie. Her omega scent was coming through more and more, and men, including betas, were looking too hard at her. It made me want to tear every man apart who laid eyes on her.
Billie pushed her seat back. “I need to go to the ladies’ room. I’ll be back.”
I itched to follow her back there but was sure that wouldn’t be met with a good response. I watched as she walked away, swaying in her tight jean shorts. I adjusted in my seat, the fullness of her ass distracting me more than it should have since I was supposed to be on alert.
Some asshole at the table next to us leaned back in his chair, straining his neck as he looked at her walking.
Fiery anger seared through me. I was seriously getting sick of these guys looking at my lady. I leaned forward and tapped his shoulder. “Hey, buddy, can I help you with something?”
He turned to look at me with annoyed eyes and snorted. “No.”
Okay, well, this being nice thing was bullshit. I grinned at him, baring my full set of sharp teeth. “Great, so then stop staring at my woman before I poke out your eyes and shove them up your ass.”
The man paled and turned around to face his table, his fellow diners looking wide-eyed and equally scared.
Lila leaned toward me, her hazel brown eyes wide with worry. “That felt like an appropriate reaction to you?”
I shrugged. “Eh, being appropriate is overrated.”
She gave a slow nod, clearly not agreeing. “You really do like her, don’t you?”
“More than you can imagine.”
“Huh. Does she know how long you’ve been watching her?”
I stiffened. How the hell had she found out we’d been observing her all this time? Who was this woman? Leave it to Billie not to hang around idiots. “No.”
She grinned. “I get it. You weren’t going to fall for her just off some kind words from her father and pictures. As long as you didn’t overstep any boundaries, it’s okay.”
I crossed my arms. She had no idea how much I wanted to. “I was a boy scout.”
“Yeah, right. Well, you’re going to have to tell her the truth. Just don’t be a dick to her, or I’ll freeze your balls off.”
I sat up, crossing my legs. Something told me she would make good on her promise.
She rested an elbow on the table, eyes clouding with concern. “I think Billie’s going to change any day now. She’s sweating out her sheets every night. It’s like a freezer in the room. I’m going to have to send her to you, or I’ll get hypothermia.”
I narrowed my eyes with worry. I’d suspected. Today her scent was strong. I was thankful no other alpha was around, or they’d go nuts. She’d go into a mini heat when she officially changed, and she couldn’t be out in public. “We need to get her home. I don’t even want her on the plane. I can teleport her back.”
