Page 44 of Cost of Courting (When it Raines Omegaverse #6)

Chapter forty-one

Selene

Bailey saunters into the Despair club rooms with the same confidence as he sauntered into the Mirakill mansion. He just has this completely reckless self-assurance that nothing will happen to him and, I guess, to him, there’s less risk.

Walking into the Mirakill mansion and coming face-to-face with Lia and her very tough biker bonded was nerve-wracking. Not because of who they are but because of the fact that they were related to Bailey.

Lia is nice, though. I can see us being good friends one day when she forgives me for hitting Bailey.

But now, we’re going to see Andy, and, the last time I was here, I used any and all methods necessary to get what I needed.

I was cold and harsh, and I did get my way.

Andy’s standing staring into the fridge morosely when we are led inside by Frankston.

“Who ate my beef?”

“What beef?” Frankston says with a wink in my direction.

Edric chuckles and sits down on one of the kitchen stools. “I’ve missed my chair.”

Andy lifts his gaze and glowers at Edric. “It’s not your chair.”

“It is. It’s got my name on it and all.”

“Where?” he demands. “My beef was in the fridge, ready for my lunch.”

“Ain’t seen no beef.”

“Argh! You knew I wanted that beef.”

“Also know your one and only son was coming for lunch today, so I told you I’d order pizza.”

“Don’t want pizza. I want beef.”

“Don’t eat, then,” Frankston snaps.

I look between the two of them and see Andy blush to the roots of his hair.

“Fine. I’ll have pizza.”

“Good boy.”

If the floor opened up in front of me, I’d step voluntarily into the hole. This is just cringe.

“Right. Let’s get this out of the way,” Mael growls. “Do you want us back, or are you going to leave us kicked out?”

Andy growls at Mael.

My alpha growls right on back.

“Yes, I want your dumb asses back. Wouldn’t have invited you here otherwise.”

“Good. Glad we’re back.”

“Me, too.”

The aggression between the two collapses, and they rush to do these manly chest hug-it-out things.

I roll my eyes. Bailey grabs my hand and glowers when Kingston presses a button that turns on strobing lights all throughout the room.

“Kingston! That is a silent alarm. For alarm things.”

“This is an alarm thing.”

“It is not!”

“Yes, it is.”

I lean against the wall, standing side-by-side with Bailey.

“Uh, are you sure this is a good idea? It looks like our alphas have descended into preteens,” I say dryly. No one even looks my way.

“Yes. I’m noticing that strange behaviour myself. I thought they must work well together, but it would appear my dad decided to foster when I flew the coop.”

Four sets of outraged alpha eyes lock on us and blaze.

“You didn’t fucking fly. I booted you out.”

Bailey puts a hand over his heart. “Ow, Dad. Cold, really cold.”

“Don’t make my alpha-omega sad!” Edric scolds.

“He’s my son!” Andy shouts with so much exasperation I wonder if his head is going to pop off. “I can make him sad if I want.”

“But,” Kingston says with the flash of that evil smile, “then you have to deal with us.”

Andy opens his mouth, pauses, and then closes it with a click of his teeth. “I will get you back for this.”

I hear a meow and turn with a smile .

“Oh, no, no, no! You are forbidden from bringing that beast here. Get it out. The last time it was here, it gave Benji a cut so bad he needed stitches.”

“Don’t exaggerate, Dad.”

He scowls just as two dozen men walk in and just make themselves at home.

Several of them go up and embrace my pack like they know them really well.

I realise this is their extended pack, the same way mine is my neighbourhood. Can we be part of so many packs? I guess we’re going to find out.

“Right, boys! Settle down, settle. These shitheads are back. All four of them. Positions reinstated, blah, blah. Now, where’s the beer?”

Bailey is pulled away.

But I’m content just to watch.

“As a Raines, he will never be able to hold a position in this club.”

I glance sideways at Andy. “I don’t think he aspires to a position, I think he just considers this his home.”

Andy pauses to let that sink in. “Are you going to be all right, stepping back and letting them lead?”

“This is their thing. As long as they don’t push too much on my turf, we’ll get along fine.”

Andy laughs softly. “Mael is going to run this club when I retire.”

“Retire? I thought the club was for life?”

Andy snorts. “I’m always going to be Despair, but I want to go and do things, see things. I don’t need to be prez forever. How was Dot’s funeral?”

“You should have come. She talked about you a bit over the years.”

“It didn’t seem right. I let her down.”

“It was nice. It was a good send off. She was loved, possibly more than even she knew.”

“I’m glad.”

“They were born for this.”

“I know.”

“All four of them.”

“I know.”

I smile and reach for a pizza box. “Shall we go eat?”

“You know, I think we’re going to get along really well.”

He leads me to his office and puts on a rerun of some show I haven’t seen yet. I open the box, and we just sit there eating and laughing until my pack come in with thunderous faces.

Andy holds out a beer. I clink mine with his and grin.

Yeah, this is going to work out fine.