“I’ll be right back.” I nod as he leaves the house.
I start packing the kitchen first, and I’m thankful that I hardly ever cook, and I’ll finish this space before Alexi gets back.
CHAPTER17
Charlotte is cackling so hard that if she doesn’t stop, she’s going to piss herself. I glare at her, and she waves a hand at me.
“I’m sorry,” she says.
“You don’t seem sorry, laughing at my expense.”
“I’m not, you know I’m not. I wish I could punch your dickhead father in the throat. But the fact that of all people, you’re moving in with Alexi. Piper, this sounds like a sitcom. The man is absolutely in love with you, and you still have no idea how to cope with your feelings.” I give her another glare, and she wipes the rogue tears from her eyes from laughing so hard. “You know you can come and stay with us. You don’t have to live here.”
Eli places one of my boxes in the empty bedroom and kisses his Omega’s hair before leaving us to go back out to the SUV. I nearly take her offer, but I can’t help but feel like a burden and that I would be infiltrating their perfect little family.
“It’s fine. It’s not permanent anyway.” Though I will likely need to find a roommate to afford a new apartment in the area, I’ll make sure I don’t overstay my welcome. I need to find out where Alexi needs me to chip in.
Charlotte wraps her arms around me, her pregnant belly hitting my hip. “You’re okay though? With what happened with the Colonel?”
“Yeah, I’ll be fine.”
“Piper,” she sighs, and I squeeze her a little tighter.
“You just worry about incubating my nieces or nephews, or one of each. You don’t have to worry about me,” I say with a smile. Charlotte hasn’t let go of me, and she sighs against my side.
“Just know that if you do want to talk, I’m here. I’ll always be here for you.”
“I know, Charles.”
“Just don’t do what you always do.” I let go and look down at her with a raised eyebrow. “Don’t act like you don’t quietly suffer all the time. Your dad might be a piece of shit, but you have people who care about you, if you let us.”
“I know,” I say before giving her one last hug. Anders comes in with the last box, and I give him a small smile. “Thanks again for helping bring all my stuff over.”
“No problem, if you need anything else, just let us know.”
“Thanks, Anders.”
Alexi walks in the room and claps Anders on the shoulder and looks around the room. “Do you need help unpacking?” he asks me.
I shake my head. “I’m good.” He looks at the disassembled IKEA bed on the floor, looking unimpressed, but he nods his head anyway. “I was going to order in. Do you guys want anything?”
“No, I’m feeling pretty tired,” Charlotte says. They woke up way earlier than she’s used to so they could help me move, and it has me feeling slightly guilty.
“Are you sure?” I double check with her. She shakes her head and gives me one last hug. Eli and Anders both wave and do a little bro-shake with Alexi. Mikael is at home with a sleeping Katie.
I watch as my buffers leave the house, standing in the large living room. I look around Alexi’s home—Alexi’s extremely fucking nice home. I should have assumed the man who has had a professional hockey career for nearly two decades would have a nice home, but I guess I didn’t realize how high end it would truly be. When he said he had a spare room, I was expecting maybe a ten by fifteen foot room. Not basically a whole owner-sized bedroom. It’s bigger than my bedroom at the townhome. The bathroom is in the hall, but that’s also bigger than the bathroom I had at my old place. The exterior has a historical look to it, just like my townhouse did, but he’s completely renovated the whole interior.
I really wanted to renovate the townhouse, but I just never had time. Thinking about it makes my stomach sink, the way he just threw me out and didn’t give me the chance to pay him rent. Just decided that because I wasn’t meeting his standards, I’m not worth his time. I’m genuinely considering buying a fuck-ton of crickets and putting them in the townhouse so my dad has to pay to get rid of them and doesn’t get a tenant right away. But I think enough damage has happened in the last two days. I only have four hours before my shift, and I’m hoping I can at least find my scrubs, favorite shoes, and enough time to put this fucking bed together.
Alexi shuts the front door, and I head over to the very sterile kitchen and open the fridge. It’s nearly as barren as mine is at home.
“I can have whatever you need delivered,” he says. I shut the fridge and turn around to face him.
“I can go shopping. I need to do something around here. Just let me know how much the rent is.”
He shakes his head. “You don’t need to pay rent.”
“I do,” I argue, and he crosses his arms over his chest.
