Page 79 of Alpha Heat

“I’ll be out of your hair for a few weeks.” He seemed to summon some clarity of mind from somewhere. His eyes were still drink-bleary, but he spoke more clearly. “I’ve been called back to the city.”

Xan’s heart did a strange leap and fall. Janus being gone was good, fantastic,wonderful. He could spend more time with Urho without fear of being tattled on. But Janus going back to the city meant he’d be back under Father’s wing. And that meant Xan was still his father’s second choice for heir.

Xan clenched his jaw. “Why?”

“A promotion for me. I’m being assigned a new project in another city. I believe the Capital was mentioned,” Janus said with a drunken, smug smile. “Your father also wants to finalize the plans for the future of the office here in Virona.”

“I should be part of that discussion.”

“Do you really think so?” Janus cocked his head and sneered. “Your father doesn’t. He said you should stay here.” His eyes glinted meanly as he refilled his glass. “Which works out well, doesn’t it? Since, as it turns out, you haveguests.” The emphasis on the word implied things that, while accurate, Xan had to reassure himself Janus had no way of truly knowing.

Urho’s arm came around Xan’s shoulder reassuringly, but he shrugged it off, not wanting to let on anything Janus might report to Father. “When will you be leaving?”

“In the morning. First thing. I admit I’m looking forward to my triumphant return to the city.” His sloppy smile was back now, and he looked to Caleb as he said, “There’s a certain, delicious omega there that I’ve been meaning to visit again. He just might be the one for me. If only he wasn’t already spoken for.”

Caleb shot him a hurt, angry look, and Janus smirked like Caleb’s reaction pleased him in some way. He tipped his glass back to drain it.

Jason and Vale sat together, still as statues on the sofa, watching in uncomfortable silence as the scene unfolded in a mess around them. Urho lingered at Xan’s back, offering reassurance with his presence, but the pleasure Xan took in that kindness didn’t even begin to rival the embarrassment of his cousin’s behavior.

“And with that, I’m off to bed.” Janus’s smile became ingratiating. “It’s been lovely making your acquaintance, Vale.” He turned to Jason. “Good to see you again, of course. We’ll be working together in the future given our companies’ contracts.”

“Oh?” Jason said stiffly. “My father and I usually work with Xan or Ray directly.”

“Xan won’t be your go-to man for long,” Janus said, wobbling a bit on his feet. “I will.” Then he met Caleb’s eye. “Looks like you chose the wrong Heelies. I’d have taken better care of you.”

“At what price?” Caleb hissed and turned his back on Janus.

The room went silent and Xan heard his pulse pounding in his ears as his fists clenched and his vision blurred red.

“But wait,” Janus added, an ugly expression twisting the handsome features of his face. “It wasmewho didn’t wantyou, wasn’t it? How could that be when you’re so very perfect?” He snarled. “Luckily for us both, my memory on those details remains cloudy.” His eyes grew inexplicably wet with unshed tears, and he spit out, “Too much liquor tonight, you see.”

Only Urho’s hand on Xan’s shoulder prevented him from attacking Janus in his rage. He growled, “Get out of my house.”

“Now, now. You know it’s your father’s house and he wants me here.”

“It’smyhouse!” Xan lunged for him, but Urho held him back.

“Don’t want to give your father any more reason to cut you out, do you?” Janus’s laugh was as nasty as it was oddly broken. He paused in the doorway and shot Caleb’s back a yearning look. “If you’d have just let me…”

Caleb’s shoulders stiffened.

Janus shook his head hard and turned his attention back to Xan. “I’ll give your pater your love, cousin. He misses you. Though he’s the only one.”

Then he waltzed out of the room on clumsy feet.

Xan started after him, but Jason and Urho didn’t let him follow. “I’ll murder him,” Xan gritted out, struggling against Urho’s strong grip and Jason’s solid presence before him. “Let me go. I’m going to—”

“Stop!” Caleb said, his voice quavering. “Forget Janus. He’s drunk and horrible, but not worth another moment’s thought.” His cheeks pinked as if he’d been slapped. He closed his eyes and shuddered. “He’s loathsome. How did I ever think he was charming?”

Caleb stalked toward the sofa and sank down onto it beside Vale, who took his hand. Caleb smiled kindly but tugged his hand away, rubbing between his brows and trembling slightly. “Just calm down, Xan,” Caleb whispered. “And don’t make this worse.”

Jason and Urho exchanged glances, and Xan moved to kneel beside Caleb, but stopped when Caleb shook his head. “Just give me some space. He sucks all the air from the room.”

Said room trembled with awkward, emotional silence.

“Wow,” Jason finally muttered. “It’s like he walked in with dog shit on his shoe. The reek of him lingers.”

“Is it very wrong to hope there’s an accident and he somehow falls on the tracks as the train approaches tomorrow?” Xan asked, stalking to the liquor cabinet and pouring a generous glass for himself. “He ruins everything just by existing.”