Wincing, I clap him on the shoulder as I head past. “Sorry, Max. Head in the game for the next one.”
Giving easy smiles to the people who stop me, I manage to duck out of the building without too much of a delay. There’s a whistle as I look up and down the street, and Axel raises a hand from where he’s leaning against his black Ford F-series truck.
“Need a ride?” he calls.
Hell yes.
I slide into the buttery leather with a sigh. Axel gets into the driving seat, his green eyes flicking over me with a hint of curiosity.
“You okay?”
“Have you spoken to Hudson today?” I ask, and he shakes his head, putting the car into drive and sliding out into the afternoon city traffic.
“Been busy,” he grunts, braking to avoid an over-enthusiastic cyclist. “Why?”
Looking out the window, I hide my smirk. “No reason.”
If Ax doesn’t know about the omega yet, then I’m not gonna tell him. His face’ll be a picture when we get home.
Assuming she’s still there, that is. A trickle of worry worms down my spine at the idea that she might have disappeared. Maybe the job wasn’t for her, or she got spooked.
My knee bounces up and down, and I can feel Ax frowning.
“Nate.”
“Mm-hmm?”
“Tell me.”
His voice is gruff as always, but I can hear the thread of concern, Axel’s mother-hen coming out to play.
“All good,” I assure him. “It was a rough shoot, that’s all.”
His face is suspicious, but he drops it, keeping his eyes on the road as we drive through the streets, heading back home. My fingers tap on the side of the door in anticipation as we pull up, Ax smoothly parking in one of our spots outside the restaurant.
“I know something’s up,” he says, calling me out. “I can feel it. That’s why I came to get you. But keep your secrets, Nathaniel.”
I’m practically jigging in my seat. I try my best to pull back on my excitement as I bound up the steps, but my head is on a spin as I slip past the afternoon diners, ignoring the stares and whispers as I duck into the kitchen. Axel follows me, his curiosity leaking through the bitemark on my chest that marks us as pack.
Veronica is first to spot me, her blonde hair plastered to her head as she kneads dough. Her hands flick flour at me as she scowls. “Out.”
“Ron.” I give her my most charming smile, and she snorts at me, unmoved. “I just wanted to check on our newest staff member. She still here?”
Axel’s curiosity ratchets up a notch as he lingers at my elbow. “New staff member?” he enquires.
Veronica purses her lips, her gaze flicking towards the end of the kitchen as her face softens.
“Leave her be,” she says, a little more quietly. “She’s working hard.”
“I won’t disturb her,” I swear, edging past as she glares at me in warning. “Just wanted to check in.”
I see her before she sees me. At my side, Axel sucks in a breath, his whole body tightening in realization.
Her dark hair is up in a haphazard bun, tendrils falling down her back and around her face as she darts around the washing up area. Plates disappear into the hot water as quickly as they appear, her brow furrowed in concentration as she stacks the clean ones neatly on the side for drying.
Rosemary reaches my nose as Hudson appears next to me.
“She’s still here.” I’m watching her greedily, taking in the way she moves around the small space so gracefully, even as more and more dishes pile up.
