Too late, I realize what he must smell on me.
Lavender and vanilla.
Her scent is practically baked into my skin at this point, and even when I shower, it doesn’t fully come off. Just the way I like it.
Except now, it’s about to get me in a load of trouble.
“Why the fuck do you smell like my omega?” he growls, throwing his dominance out like a suffocating cloud around us.
I flare mine in response, but then Steve joins him, and I might be big, but they’re still two alphas against one. I can’t underestimate them, no matter my size.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I grit through my teeth, wishing I could scream from the rooftops that it’s because she’smy omega,not yours.
“Like fuck you don’t!” Josh lunges at me, grabbing my shirt in his fists as he attempts to throw me around.
Unfortunately for him, I’ve easily got seventy-five pounds on him, so he doesn’t have much luck.Regardless, I hold my hands up in a sign of surrender and slowly pull away, trying to widen my eyes like I’m scared and innocent.
It’s a tough act for an alpha to pull off, and I have no idea if I’m successful. But these assholescannotknow where to find Sage. They know my name, my business information. I might have moved recently, but it wasn’t all that far. I’m a lead that I can’t afford to give them.
“If I find out you’ve taken her, I’ll make you both suffer,” Josh sneers, then throws his hands up as he releases me.
“Honest, man,” I say. “I don’t have any omega of yours, I swear it.”
Inwardly, I smirk. Because it’s true. I don’t have any omega oftheirs.Sage is mine.
Josh narrows his eyes, exchanging a glance with Steve.
“Why do you smell like lavender?” Steve says, suspicious.
“Because I like lavender soap? It’s proven to have relaxing qualities,” I say. “What’s it to you?”
Steve turns his back to me, muttering in Josh’s ear. “He might be telling the truth, it doesn’t smell the same as what she did.”
“Close enough, I’d say,” Josh growls.
“Come on, man,” Steve says, squeezing Josh’s shoulder.
They eye me once more, then without another word, they turn and hop back up into the truck. Josh glares at me as he rolls his window up, and then Steve is gunning the engine as they drive away.
I slump with relief. That was way too close of a call. I don’t know if I convinced them, but at least they’re not convinced Idohave Sage. I take a long pull from my water bottle, then go back to trimming my new least favorite hedge.
Chapter Fifty-Five
Neveah
Brooks’ heavy steps announce his arrival as I’m getting ready to start dinner, but when I turn to greet him, his face is thunderous.
I immediately glance to the living area, reassured to see Riley and Sage where I left them playing video games together on the couch. Is it something with the lambs? His work? Maybe he has news about Sage’s ex?
“Hey,” I say, after he takes off his shoes.
He nods to me, but heads into the living room. Sage turns her face up to his with a grin, then purses her lips for a kiss.
“Welcome home, alpha daddy,” Riley says, then purses his lips for a kiss, too. Brooks obliges without any protest on the nickname, and that’s the second thing that has my hackles up.
Riley must sense it too, and he glances at me, then back at Brooks, then at Sage who is focused back on their game, before deciding not to say anything. Finally, Brooks meets me in the kitchen, pulling me into a kiss as well.
It’s a hard, desperate kiss—my third indicator of something being wrong.
