Page 21 of The Omega Exchange: Omnibus

I've got three dads, and I've seen every single one of them have this same disagreement with my mom. Granted, nothing is keeping Everly at this table. She could tell me to go to hell and walk away at any time, but something inside me says she won't.

I bet, like most omegas, Everly feels safest when an alpha is offering gentle guidance. It's part of the entire dynamic of why alphas and omegas work so well together. I like that she feels comfortable enough to test boundaries.You're creating a story in your mind to indulge your own fantasies.Shit, it's entirely possible.

I've never actually spent one on one time with an omega that I wasn't related to. I've run security for The Exchange for five years, and I've never been drawn to an omega the way I'm drawn to Everly Chastain.

Everly tilts her head, blinking up at me from beneath her dark lashes. "Let's negotiate. I want to make sure I save enough room for dessert."

I toss my arm around the back of the booth and scoot in close to her side. Everly sucks in a sharp breath.

"How about we negotiate my hand on your ass if you don't take a few more bites of that turkey sub," I growl close to her ear as I lay my hand on her hip.

"That escalated quickly," she pouts, grabbing the sandwich and dramatically taking a bite. It's a struggle to keep up the serious facade. She mutters her way through a few more bites, and I grin.

"Such a good girl," I say against the shell of her ear. "You can have the pie now." My arm brushes her chest as I stretch to grabthe plate, and the overpowering scent of apple pie fills my nose. Everly squeezes her thighs together and shudders out a breath. Yes, this little omega and I are quite physically compatible.

It's encouraging that she yields to my not-so-gentle attempts to care for her. If by some stroke of luck she ends up with my pack, my domineering ways will only intensify. Bonded alphas have the almost uncontrollable urge to care for and protect their omega.

Everly is soft and especially sweet. It signals to some primal part of my brain that I have to be even more dangerous in order to properly protect her.

I vaguely wonder if she'd be opposed to a tracker. She wouldn't need to know it existed if it was strategically placed in a piece of jewelry she frequently wore.

I add 'check the internet for jewelry trackers' to my to-do list. I'm sure other alphas have been faced with this same dilemma when trying to protect their omegas.

Soft mews of pleasure escape her lips as she takes several bites of multiple desserts. My chest pounds. I want to seal my lips to hers so I can devour all those delectable sounds. My hand tightens on her hip, and I pull her closer to my chest. Everly doesn't seem to mind. She's too focused on the plate of desserts.

A group of assholes sits at a table nearby, and they won't stop glancing over. I must be losing my edge. I haven't made any grown men cry lately, and it's making them brazen. I bare my teeth. They quickly glance away.

I know they're staring because I'm with Everly, but if she sees them pointing and whispering, I'm pretty sure it'll make her uncomfortable.

I need to find several bears. A bear family to devour their carcasses.

Yeah, it's time for us to go. My impulses are getting a little too violent to contain. I'm pretty sure Archie's attempts to turn me into a gentleman are pointless.

Chapter Nine

Everly

"Are you done?" Murphy asks. His dark eyes stare into mine. It sends a shiver through my entire body. Dominance rolls off him in waves, and it makes me want to stretch out in offering.

I give him a nod. The pants are making me sweat, or maybe it's Tom Murphy and the way he looks at me.

"Jesus Christ," Murphy says, sliding out of the booth. His gaze scans the tables around us. A low, feral growl rumbles out of his chest. Turning back to me, he continues, "Now, little one, let's go before I have to murder someone."

A table full of men watches us intently. Their heads are leaned together, and it's clear they're talking about us. My face instantly heats. Murphy pulls me to the edge of the bench and grabs my jacket. He tosses the heavy thing over one shoulder and lifts me out of the booth. "All right, up you go."

My body wraps firmly around his front, and I bury my face in his chest. His gasoline scent fills my nostrils. I bite back a whimper. This is the horrifying part of being an omega. Our impulses and biological responses are so strong it's difficult to hold back physical reactions. This close to a heat, it's basically impossible.

"Dude," a guy with shaggy blond hair says. "I never thought I'd see the day."

Murphy grunts. I'm pretty sure his hand leaves my back to flip them off. They laugh, and Tom stomps us out of the cafeteria. My back lands against the wall a few feet down a hallway I don't recognize.

"You're very pretty," Tom says.

My heart flutters at his words, and my legs tighten around his waist.

"You are too," I whisper, then blanch. My face falls to his strong chest, and I groan. My brain is obviously not working.

Tom laughs. "You're an absolute treasure. I hope you know that."