Page 45 of Manny's Surprise Baby

I shook with anger as I stood in the middle of my bedroom. I just wanted to run. I wanted to get away and never talk to that liar again. But where would I go? Colin was one of my only real friends here in LA, and now I was pissed at Colin too. I knew it had to be him who had told Seth my pathetic story, although I couldn’t understand why he’d do that. It made no sense. Colin was someone I’d have trusted with my life.

How could he do this to me?

When Seth appeared in my doorway, I wanted to throw something at him. “Go away.”

His shoulders slumped and his eyes were dark with concern. “Pierce, come on.”

“Come on, what?”

Grimacing, his lips moved, but no words came out.

“Exactly.” I shook my head. “Go away.”

He didn’t go; instead he stepped into my room. “I don’t know why I pushed so hard. And seeing how upset you are, I wished I hadn’t.”

“Yeah, well, it’s too late, isn’t it?”

He rubbed his hand over the back of his neck. “I actually like you.”

“Oh, fuck off.”

Sighing, he continued. “I know that seems nuts since we do butt heads a lot, but I wanted to know why you’re so prickly.”

“Congrats. Your needs have been met. Fuck my feelings on the subject, of course, but then I’m just a lowly omega. Who gives a shit what I want?”

“It isn’t like that.”

“Yeah, Seth, it really is.” I gave a humorless laugh. “I have a right to keep my past private. If I didn’t want you knowing, that was my right,” I growled.

He hung his head. “Fuck. I know.”

I closed my eyes. “Exactly how detailed was Colin?” I felt sick waiting for his response.

He hesitated. “Not that detailed.”

“What did he tell you?” I opened my eyes, searching his face for any signs of pity.

“Just that Baxter tricked you and held you for three years.”

“I can tell by your tone that there’s more.”

He swallowed. “I know that he… he drugged you. I know that… he let alphas hurt you.”

Inhaling, I pushed back the bile in my throat. “He told you that?”

His face tensed. “He didn’t tell me what they did. He just said that these… disgusting alphas… wanted things their own omegas wouldn’t do.”

I shivered, trying to hold back a flood of memories that wanted to return. I was so embarrassed it was hard to breathe. My eyes stung with angry tears. “How the fuck would you like people knowing that happened to you? It’s humiliating. God, Seth.”

“Shit. I know. I’m sorry. I wish I could do it over again.” He raked a shaky hand through his hair. “But I don’t judge you. I fucking hate Baxter, but you didn’t do anything wrong, Pierce.” His voice was hoarse.

“Now every time you look at me… you’ll think about that. You’ll wonder exactly what perverted shit they did to me. Like I’m damaged goods.”

He shook his head. “No. That’s not true.”

“Of course it’s true. I just want to put it behind me. I want to build a new life and never think about that time again.” I swallowed hard. “But that’s never going to happen, is it? Because I don’t know how to be normal, and people notice that. And then they want to know why I’m weird.”

He winced. “No. I just screwed up. It wasn’t just simple curiosity. I thought if I understood you better, then maybe we could get closer.”