I stand there for a moment, listening to his footsteps fade down the hall, trying not to drown.
Then I hear voices.
I move closer to the ajar door, pressing my ear against the gap like the nosy person I apparently am.
“Are you serious right now?” It’s Sandy’s voice, sharp and angry. “You think you can just show up here and everything’s fine?”
“I’m not trying to make everything fine. I was doing my job.” Jasper’s voice is calm. Too calm.
“That’s why you stopped answering my texts. Because of your job.”
“Sandy—”
“No. You were the one who wanted to spend time together. And then the second I started actually caring, you disappeared.”
There’s a pause. I can almost see him standing there, probably with his arms crossed, that serious expression on his face. It makes me wonder what other crap these Alphas are pulling with Omegas in their jobs. Perhaps I should chat with Sandy to get some dirt on Jasper. For the research, of course.
“I didn’t mean to hurt you,” he says finally. “But I told you from the beginning I wasn’t looking for anything serious.”
“You sure acted like you were.” Her voice cracks slightly. “God, I’m such an idiot.”
“You’re not an idiot. I’m an asshole. There’s a difference.”
“At least we agree on something.”
I hear a door slam.
Silence.
I wait, wondering if Jasper is still out there, when I hear him sigh. It’s a heavy sound, tired and maybe a little sad.
Then his footsteps retreat down the stairs, and the front door opens and closes.
I step back from my door, exhaling slowly.
Well.
This job just got interesting.
I’m supposed to start at Wilde Charters tomorrow morning. As Ash Monroe, Beta male, marketing coordinator.
I need to take my suppressants tonight. No one can know I’m an Omega. That’s the whole point of going undercover.
I shut the door, move to the kitchen, and pour myself a glass of water from the tap, my hands shaking slightly.
This is fine. I’ve planned for this. I have my story straight. I know what I’m doing.
Except I didn’t plan for hot landlords. Or ice-blue eyes and devastating grins and the way my entire body went haywire the moment his scent smothered me.
I take a long drink of water and stare out the dark window at the mist rolling in from the harbor.
And if I happen to run into Jasper tomorrow?
I’ll just have to convince him I’m Ash, not Anita.
How hard could that be?
4
