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Fingers crossed, I don’t get eaten alive when she finds out. Unless it’s the fun way. I could get down with some eating right now.

Focus, dipshit. We’re at work.

Right. Time to charm a client I hate.

Shoving into the meeting room, I give Sawyer, Dez, and Con my most apologetic face. “Sorry I’m late.”

“It’s fine. Moore isn’t here yet.” Connor looks me up and down, frowning as I do up the last of my buttons. “If you’re coming in here smelling like Daphne…”

“I would never.” No way am I letting other people smell her perfume if I can avoid it. “Had to get her courting presentsquared away, and it took longer than expected. Won’t happen again.”

“Will definitely happen again,” Sawyer corrects with a grin as I circle the table handing out hugs. “New omegas always fuck up schedules.”

Connor sighs, looking exhausted. “We’ll do our best to keep the interruptions to a minimum.”

Dez and I frown, but he’s the one to say it. “Daphne’s not an interruption or an imposition. If she hears you say that…”

The statement doesn’t need to be finished. Daph’s already struggling to accept our courtship because of her exes. If she thinks she’s affecting our lives negatively, she’ll walk away without a second glance no matter how she feels.

“That’s not what I meant.” Connor’s crestfallen, and I sweep him into a hug.

“We know that, but she doesn’t. We have to watch what we say.”

Especially him. Con’s spent years drowning in work to avoid his feelings and while he’s trying to do better, this is still so new. I don’t want him to hyper-focus so much on therapy and shoring up the business that he forgets Daphne’s a living, breathing person who needs time and attention.

The phone in the corner of the room beeps, Missy’s flat voice interrupting. “Moore is here.”

“Thanks, Miss.”

Because I’m closest, I head for the door, but Connor stops me. “Be good, Nate.”

“I’m always good.”

Maybe less so with Moore, but who could blame me? He’s twenty-five, rich and entitled beyond belief. On our last project together, Connor was so stressed he nearly had to be sedated. And for what? Bullshit someone’s brother’s friend’s cousin told Moore that wasn’t even remotely true.

So, yeah. I’m not a fan of the little punk. I’d be fine kicking him off our roster altogether, but Con’s twitchy about losing money, especially now that Daphne’s agreed to court us. How many times have I heard him muttering to himself about how expensive omegas can be? Yet another thing he needs to watch around Daph.

The walk to reception is short and in no time, I’m standing in front of the quintessential frat boy. His shoes cost more than my favorite wrench and he’s got this awful little neck chain I’m sure he thinks makes him look cool.

“Moore,” I say carefully, waving him toward the conference room. “We’re ready for you.”

“Nice to see you still keep customers waiting. Some things never change.”

Be nice to the client,I remind myself.Do it for Connor. He can’t handle more stress right now.

In the fifteen seconds it takes to make it to the others, Moore makes two more stupid comments that have me considering if I can toss him off the building. The only thing keeping me in check is imagining all the shit I can do for Daphne with his cash.

Bath bombs. Hair masks. Spa days. Oooh, couple’s massage.

As the others shake hands, I find a seat as far away from Moore as possible. No fucking way am I getting stuck next to him. That’s Sawyer’s job now.

Connor’s in full diplomat mode, with a careful expression and polite tone. “Thank you for coming to see the design, AJ. We’re excited to hear your thoughts.”

“I’m sure it’s fine. Even if it’s a shitshow from start to finish, you always pull it out in the end.”

Dez meets my eye, and I can almost hear him whisper, don’t punch the guy.

Jokes on him. I’m too busy thinking about a collection of silk robes to care anymore. Does Daphne make hers? I guess I could buy the silk, then find out. Oh, shit. What if she made more of those cute little pajama sets with the shorts that flash ass every time she moves?