21
Jai
Jai felt like he was in a fog. With every word his alpha – or he guessednothis alpha, had spoken – he felt like the nightmare became more real. He felt like someone had put their hands in his chest and they were squeezing his heart.
He was shattered. In less than twenty-four hours, everything he thought was true, every dream that he had let into his consciousness, disappeared in a puff of smoke. The conversation with Nickolas had knocked him for six. How did he go from being on top of the world, to have it crashing down on him?
The worst part was the alpha felt as though there was a way to justify what he’d done. Like there was a way to wash away the shame and mortification Jai was feeling. Maybe he was hopelessly naïve, but you married the person you loved. You married the person that made you feel like every day was worth living. The person that saw you, flaws and all, yet still thought you were perfect. The person that you couldn’t wait to get home to and share all the good and bad stuff about your day with. If being wealthy meant selling your happiness, he wanted no part of that world.
Leaving Nickolas’ office had felt like leaving a part of himself behind, like a limb had been forcibly severed from his body, but what else could he do? Stay and be some sort of kept omega to a married alpha? He couldn’t bear the humiliation.
Jai didn’t even bother letting anyone know he was leaving for the day. He would not be returning, so what was the point? Sitting in his apartment that night, he felt the loss of his alpha – no,not hisalpha – more than he ever imagined possible. The apartment he’d always thought manageable suddenly felt hopelessly dark and depressing.
And the small voice in his head pushing him to check out his competition was growing louder. Not that Asa could really be considered his competition, seeing as he had clearly already won. Not that Jai wanted the cheating alpha. The voice calling him a liar was even louder.
He couldn’t stop himself, he had to know, so like someone trapped in a daze, he reached for his laptop bag at the side of his drawer/side table where he kept it when he returned from work. He turned on the old model and waited for it to grind through the boot up. Some minutes later he was sitting on his bed, staring at the most beautiful, creature he had ever seen. His eyes were blue, his bright smile showing a row of perfect teeth, and he was standing next to Nickolas whose arm secured the petit man to his side.
He had a mane of baby blond hair and flawless features. He was just beautiful, like really, really,reallybeautiful. There was something ethereal about someone that beautiful and blond. He looked like an angel was all Jai could think
…Nickolas Cosmo Ricci, the eldest son, and heir to the Ricci Corporation and Asa Tatum Rutherford, only son of Real estate Magnate Jedrek Rutherford celebrating their engagement, forging an alliance destined to set the corporate world abuzz…
Jai didn’t want to read on, but like a fool, he just couldn’t stop himself. There were photos and articles about the stunning couple, and like the country bumpkin he was, Jai had fallen for the first alpha to pay him attention. Wasn’t he going to be a laughing stock? Jai had given it up the first chance he got, and hadn’t bothered to even check if the alpha was available. So, some of the blame rested with him. Didn’t it? He was paying the price for being free and easy.
Nausea took a sudden hold of him, sending him lurching to his feet and rushing for the bathroom, where he was horribly sick. He struggled to get a grip on himself, but he couldn’t get Nickolas and his perfect omega, Asa, out of his mind. Two very beautiful human beings perfectly matched. God, how could he have believed in him, trusted him? He was a nobody… how could he have allowed himself to forget that?
Feeling like a robot, he freshened up as best he could and crawled back into bed. But before he knew it, his body was moving like on autopilot. Pulling out his two suitcases, he began to pack. He couldn’t stay here. He couldn’t watch the man he’d fallen in love with marrying someone else. And he didn’t want to face Nickolas again any time soon.
How could he have loved someone he hardly knew? Jai had to get over him and do it quickly, but the craving for Nickolas, his alpha, nagged at him like a constant pain, because although he might not be Nickolas’ omega, Nickolaswashis alpha. How did one get over the bone-deep longing for another person?
Jai packed his bags and left the apartment behind. He went to the first place he could think of at that moment. He went home. Never had he been so glad that his Aunt Betty had forced him to keep in touch, and she’d told him, he was always welcome at her house anytime.
