“Revenge,” I blurt. “That’s what this was supposed to be. Revenge.” My fingers twist the sleeve of my hoodie until my knuckles go white.
“Ooo! I love a revenge plot!” Bella sits up straight and claps her hands.
“Now is not the time, Bella.” Estelle gives the omega a stern look who, in turn, pouts.
“They killed my brother. But they’re not like that at all. They’re not like I thought it would all be.”
“The hockey player killed your brother?” Tia is now sitting up on her knees like that will help her understand better.
“So,” I say, hiccuping. “I was supposed to go on a date with Beckett, and I don’t know, make him fall for me, and then break his heart or hurt his pack. I don’t even know anymore. I can barely think when I’m at their house because Pierce smells so damn good. It scrambles my brain, and I don’t even know what I’m doing anymore.”
“Okay!” Estelle claps her hands and stands. “Tia, go get your whiteboard, we’re going to have to map this out. Ash, go all the way back to the beginning.”
“Here, Eugene will help.” Bella puts the stuffie back in my arms, and I immediately feel better.
“My mom died when I was really little. Papa was always working, so it was just Reed and me. And Pierce and Liam, his best friends. They were older and made sure I did my homework. Well, that was when I was going to school. I stopped going when Reed died, and after I perfumed… And I was always chasing after them. I had such a crush on Pierce. And I wanted…”
“Slow it down. Reed died. Let’s go back to that.” Estelle sits down in front of me and puts her hands on my knees to focus my attention.
With a deep, steadying breath, I spill out the whole story. How Papa and Reed were always fighting. So, I didn’t think anything was off that night. Then seeing Reed bleeding on the floor and Pierce running away.
“So, when I was on that dumb date with Timber…”
“Who’s Timber?” Tia has a handful of popcorn, like this is the best drama she’s ever seen.
“He’s a hockey player too. Their PR person set me up on a date with him. And it was terrible, but that’s when I saw Beckett with Liam and Pierce.”
So, I explain all that. Bella wants all the details about the other omega on the date. I fear I just put Ollie on Bella’s hit list.
“So, let me guess. You saw your brother’s best friend, who you think killed your brother, with another hockey player and then you, what? Conned, what was her name—Marilyn?—into a date with Beckett?” Estelle asks, fully locked into my story.
“We really do need that whiteboard,” Tia says, sitting back down with a fresh round of soda.
“Right. So, I go on the date with Beckett, and… Well, the plan was to seduce him and—”
Bella squeals. “How was the sex?”
“It was good. Really good. I didn’t know sex could be like that.”
She slides off the couch like this is the part she’s been waiting for.
“You two can dish about the sex later. Then what happened?”
I go over meeting Liam, and the museum, and the iPad, which got a bunch of “awww cute” from Bella. Tia asks a clarifying question about how it’s possible they didn’t recognize me. Estelle assures her that with the new haircut, I don’t look anything like the scraggly girl who walked into the diner that first day.
“And then I met Pierce. And his nose is broken and it twisted my guts.” I put my fingers in my hair and pull hard. “He just smells so good and I can’t think and…”
“Wait. Who broke his nose?” Estelle asks.
“His scent?” Bella sits up straight.
“I don’t know. I mean, I want to break his nose half the time. And then he gets close and my brain goes all…”
“And he was Reed’s best friend?”
“When you catch his scent, what happens?” Bella asks with a strange edge to her voice.
“Oh for fuck’s sake, Bella. You can get all into your omega feels later. Tell me about—”
