Page 32 of Bully for Sale

“The omega’s father has a prior…” Heath sucked his teeth and then rolled his eyes. “A priorattachmentto the idea of settling his eldest omega first, and, thus, he wants Felix to consider a very unorthodox arrangement.” He shook his head. “Fathers of too many omegas…pfft. Always trying to assert their sons so-called ‘best interests’ these days when they should just force them to—”

“Lie back and think of babies while we alphas have our way with them? Doesn’t that sound a little barbaric?”

Heath laughed. “I’m sure Adrien would glare at me for even implying it.”

Glare at him—yes, that would be about all Adrien would do. He was so mild in so many ways. Ned didn’t think he could stay interested in an omega like that. He preferred a man with bite.

Like a certain angry sky-eyed boy he’d heroically saved from having to sleep on the street last night. He looked at his phone, hoping to see a text of gratitude or acknowledgement from Ezer (or even Amos again) but there was nothing.

“Which brings me to this lunch. I wanted to see you while I was in town.” Heath’s thick brow raised. “I’ve heard more rumors.”

“About me?”

He nodded and leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. “Out with it.”

“Out with what?” Ned hadn’t done anything recently that could get him into trouble, despite the company he kept.

“Don’t play innocent with me. I hear that you’re still cavorting with Maddox and Tenmeter’s sons, and I have it on good authority they’re using Bright’s powder, screwing prostitutes, and making a general nuisance of themselves with omegas at school.”

“They are, but I haven’t done any of those things, Uncle. I swear.”

Heath’s eyes narrowed and he took a sip of his wine, considering. “It’s a good thing I believe you. But proximity to sin and criminal activity doesn’t reflect well on you either, Ned. It makes it look like you condone it at the very least, and then it reflects badly onmebecause your behavior makes it seem as if you haven’t been raised with any sense of morality.”

Ned cleared his throat, unsure what to say to that.

“Which seems a bit unfair to me, wouldn’t you agree? Since I didn’t raise you. No, that was on my idiot brother, and no doubt he’s at the heart of this continued friendship with these spoiled brats. Am I right?”

Ned fiddled with the napkin in his lap and wished the waiter would return with their food, or at the very least come back with a water for him to drink. His mouth was dry.

“Talk to me, Ned. Why do you continue to hang out with those bastards?”

Ned groaned. “If only they were bastards in the literal sense, then I wouldn’thaveto hang out with them at all.”

“Oh? So Lidell’s trying to extract money from their fathers in some way? What’s the game?”

“There isn’t a game. He has contracts—legitimate ones—with Braden and Finch’s fathers, and they’re all that are keeping us afloat.”

“Your trust money that I put aside for you? It’s gone?”

“No, it’s still there. I haven’t given it to him. He’s asked, but…” Ned flushed.

It’d been embarrassing when his father had pleaded for help, and scary to turn him down, but Ned knew that if he gave in, they’d be destitute. “Father found another way to fatten his wallet before he wore me down enough to agree.”

Luckily. Because he would have agreed eventually. He didn’t want to see his father lose their home, nor did he want to lose it either.

However, he’d have at least talked to Heath first before giving his father anything. While Heath wouldn’t have given Lidell any more money, hewouldhave given Ned good advice.

But, in the end, the contracts with the Maddox and Tenmeter families had come through, and none of it had been necessary.

“Hmm.” Heath frowned. “Are you are obliged to be friendly with these peerage brat hoodlums in order to secure the contracts?”

“That’s it, yes. No one evenlikesFinch, and Braden’s awful. But his omega brother, Ashden, has his heart set on me, and until recently Father wanted me to entertain that courtship.” Ned flushed again and looked down at his hands twisting in his lap.

Heath saw the truth. “But you’re not interested in the omega brother?”

“Ashden is very handsome and sweet, given his family, but no. I don’t want him. Still, Uncle Heath, Ihaveto play nice. If Ashden and Braden get angry, and if they tell their father to cut ties with my father, then we’ll be in financial ruins. Again.”

“Lidell always does put his eggs into rotten baskets.”