I wanted to take it, plunge it into his heart, and clean it off in front of him.
When our food arrived, Jerome took one look at it and signaled for the server.
“I asked for my meat to be prepared pink.”
She flushed. “I’m sorry, sir. Health code won’t allow us to serve undercooked poultry.”
He set his jaw. “I asked for it the way I wanted it, and you will give it to me that way.”
“Sir, I?—”
Jerome’s eyes glinted. “I want to speak to your manager.” Once she’d scurried off, he glanced at me. “The server smiled too much. She should be quiet and unobtrusive.”
And you shouldn’t be such an arrogant asshole.
I had to wonder if my parents knew anything about the guy they’d chosen for me. Then it hit me. I wasn’t marrying Jerome—this was a business alliance.
“And I wanted to be sure you were aware,” he continued, his tone still clipped. “When married to an Omega, the dominant partner can have up to three others on the side. This means I’ll get my needs met, and I’m the one who decides who will take care of them.”
Oh, fuck.
I’d hope to hell he’d choose someone elseeverytime. The thought of him touching me made my skin crawl. He wasn’t even nice-looking. He had acne, which wolves generally didn’t get. Now, I wasn’t so shallow to think of that as a dealbreaker, but he also acted as if he was a gift to everyone, women and men. It was as if he expected them to drop to their knees in supplication just because he deigned to speak to them—even if what he said was rude or condescending.
The night wore on, and he continued to drone on about himself. How great he was. How rich he was going to be, especially after the merger. Then he dropped the bombshell. My parents had told him about my dream of going to college. He would graciously allow me to go to school.
Allowme? Like I was some kind of slave for him? Yeah, yeah. I knew he had the final say in it, but I hated him. His smarmy face. His very existence. Still, I sat there and listened.
Which I’m going to be doing every day for the next forty or fifty years.
“I want you to remember one thing. You are not allowed to engage in sexual relations with anyone while you’re away at school. On our wedding night, you will be untouched and unsullied. Is that understood?”
I. Hated. Him.
“Yes, I understand. Thank you for allowing me to attend college.”
Jerome leaned back in his chair, his gaze focused on me, and for some reason my skin prickled.
Uh-oh.
“There are things you must remember. Every Sunday at six p.m. our time, you must call to check in with me. I will question you about your week, and you will answer me truthfully. No deception, no hesitation.”
Oh, for fuck’s sake, could he be any worse?
I cleared my throat. “When I return, where will I be allowed to work?”
He scowled at me. “Work? In the house, of course, taking care of the children.”
“But I was going to school to learn to be a nurse.” Because an Omega was all about taking care of others.
He scowled. “And you canstillgo to school, but when you’re done with that you’ll come back and assume your position as an Omega.”
My blood began to boil. “Then why am I even going?” I said through gritted teeth.
“Because I’m not ready to be married yet, so this will keep you occupied until then.”
Now it all made sense. School wasn’t me building a future, it was keeping me out of the way so he could do whatever until he figured he was ready to settle down.
You bastard.
