Page 123 of The Omega Exchange: Omnibus (The Exchange)

Chapter Thirty-Three

Carver

Mel calls her mom back once we make it home from the charity dinner. I don’t get to hear the entire conversation, but she’s visibly upset when she gets off the call.

“Is everything all right?” I toss myself down onto the bed at her side.

She rolls her lips together and shrugs.

“Have you told her about the baby yet?” I run my fingers over her soft cheek.

“No,” she whispers, glancing away. “I know it’s going to be . . .” She pauses.

I frown.

I’ve already told my parents about the baby.

They’re excited as hell and made me promise we’d visit soon.

I’ve been meaning to bring it up with Mel.

It would mean a lot to me, especially since my dad isn’t doing great health wise.

I mean, there’s nothing in particular wrong, but he’s pushing seventy-five.

I’d like to introduce them to Mel and hopefully the baby once he or she arrives.

She’s still quiet. It seems like she’s carefully trying to pick her words.

“I don’t think she’d keep it to herself.

She’s always pushed me toward Ben. I wish I knew why,” Mel says, sighing heavily.

“It would’ve been nice to have my mom on my side just once even.

It doesn’t matter. It is what it is. I learned that a long time ago with her.

She said she fell and that her health hasn’t been doing great.

” She rolls her lips together. “The thing is, you can never tell when my mom is being truthful.”

“Shit, sweetheart,” I murmur, pulling her over onto my chest.

“We’ll be there late tomorrow. I guess we’ll see.

” She runs her fingers over my chest, and for one of the first times in my life, I wish I was an alpha.

I’d purr right now to comfort my omega. Since I’m not, I run my fingers over the back of her head and do the only thing I can do, which is be here for her.

The trip to Texas isn’t an easy one.

Mel is sick for most of the private flight, and even once we arrive, we push to try to get her to stay in a hotel and get some rest before visiting her mom. She’s been doing so much better lately that it’s concerning to see how much traveling takes out of her.

Melody talked to her mother briefly again this morning. I’m not exactly sure what the problem is because Mel has been pretty tight lipped about it.

I get the feeling she thinks she might be right about there not being anything wrong with her mom.

Oliver immediately starts looking into home health care nurses that he can hire, so maybe I’m totally off-base.

We’re all in agreement that we aren’t sticking around Texas, but if Melody’s mom needs some extra care, we won’t leave her stranded. It’s just important that we do what we can to lessen the stress on Mel and the baby.

We need to pack up Mel’s apartment, inform that fuck wad of her pregnancy, and get back to Virginia.

Those are my priorities anyway.

Oliver found an ultrasound place in a town an hour away. Melody is willing to go have that done with the asshole, in case he’s interested, but I’m not holding my breath.

Okay, fine. I’ve said multiple prayers that he very politely and without insulting Mel chooses to bow out.

I don’t care if it’s fucked up.

I’m a human being and I’ve got feelings too dammit. I’m the one on the shakiest ground now. All of those assholes have a permanent bond with Mel.

All I can give her is a ring, which I did help pick out. We figured that might be best saved for once we get home.

Nik is having one of the rooms converted into a nursery while we’re away. It’s being painted and recarpeted from what he said.

Miller pulls up to a small yellow house with white trim. It’s an older style that shows its age without feeling dilapidated.

“You can park anywhere.” Mel points to a small, detached garage. “That’s my apartment.”

I’m in the far back row behind her and Oliver. Nik and Miller are upfront. We eventually pull to a stop on a gravel driveway. Miller keeps us close to the garage.

“I’d like to hold your hand if that’s okay,” Oliver says as we’re preparing to climb out of the SUV.

“Yeah,” Mel says, giving him a tight smile. “Please do.”

I’m again hit with a staggering pulse of jealousy. It’s frustrating as hell that they have a direct line to her emotions when I don’t have that same luxury.

We all climb out of the vehicle, and Mel approaches the side of the house.

There’s a slender blonde woman with her hair in a ponytail. She’s kneeling on one of those foam pads that people use for gardening.

The weather here sure is different from Virginia. Melody wasn’t joking about that.

The woman that I’m sure is her mother is pruning some type of flower. Which means she’s definitely not doing that poorly; not as bad as she made it seem anyway.

That’s some bullshit if I’ve ever seen it. Not that I wish the woman illness or injury, but we just flew across the damn country with Melody actually sick as fuck and worried about her mom.

I’m getting real heated the more I think about it.

“Mom?” Melody says, getting a look at the same thing I am. She actually stumbles back into Oliver’s chest.

That woman sure as hell didn’t take a serious fall a few days ago, and she looks as healthy as any other forty or fifty something person.

“Melody?” Marie Webber turns, pushing to her feet and dusting her hands off on her jeans. “I didn’t know you were on your way.”

“Everything you said was a lie,” Melody says like she’s talking herself into believing it. “It’s so messed up that I thought it was a possibility, but even then, I couldn’t risk being wrong.”

“We need you back home. Who are these men?” Marie asks, frowning as she approaches.

“Maxim Miller,” he says, holding out a hand. Melody’s mom stares but makes no move to shake. He finally pulls his hand down. Moving to Melody’s side, he wraps it around her lower back. “That’s Oliver, Nik, and Carver.”

“Why are you here with my daughter?” she asks in a fuck you very much kind of tone.

“I told you that I’ve got a pack courting me. You said you weren’t doing well and you might need to rent out my apartment for extra income,” Melody says. She never mentioned that. Not to me anyway. “I’m here to pack up my stuff.”

Oliver and Nik seem to be ping-ponging their gazes between the two women.

“You know that isn’t what I wanted,” Marie says, giving her a look I can’t quite figure out. I feel a little like I’m trying to decipher some kind of code, like neither are speaking as plainly as they would be if we weren’t here. “I need you home.”

“Mom, I’m paying rent for you to store my stuff, but I think we both know how spiteful you can be.” Mel leans further into Miller’s chest. “I wasn’t going to risk losing my things when you have an off day.”

“I don’t like your tone,” Marie says, planting her hands on her hips.

It’s a real struggle to hold back from saying something to the effect of I don’t like your entire fucking vibe.

The loud rattling sound of a truck exhaust approaches.

“No way,” Mel whispers, her hands flying to her face, and Miller turns her further into him. “Okay, so this is happening now. God, I bet one of the neighbors called him.”

Nik and Oliver stop standing dumbfounded and approach.

It’s going to be the ex. I know it before he climbs out of the lifted truck.

Haven’t we moved past the days of gas guzzling vehicles with no purpose?

The thing is immaculate, meaning there’s no way that monstrosity is used for any type of work on a ranch.

I guess maybe I’m being a judgmental dick, but I also don’t really give a fuck. I don’t like him, I know he’s not going to like me. If he even remembers me. Granted I wasn’t fucking Mel yet, but I was definitely daydreaming about it.

He’s a big guy; not quite Miller’s size, but he’s a problem in the making if he wants to show his ass. He’s got a backward baseball cap on and worn cowboy boots.

“Hey Ben,” Mel says, giving an awkward wave of her hand.

“What the hell is this?” Cow-bro asks, crossing his arms over his chest. “You said you’d be in town, but you never mentioned having an entourage.”

“Maxim Miller.” Miller tries again, extending a hand.

Ben scoffs. “Right. What the fuck is going on, Melody?”

Miller looks at me, gesturing between the two of them.

I give a clipped nod. I’m not leaving Mel’s side.

If the asshole doesn’t like it? Well, I’m just providing security for my bosses.

They’re bonded, so they automatically come off as more of a threat, or that’s what we figured when we discussed it extensively.

“We’re going to grab the boxes from the back of the SUV and start packing,” Miller says, kissing her temple.

“Everything on the bookshelves is my part of the list,” Oliver says, grinning. “I’m going to figure out your pen name even if it is slightly underhanded.”

“This is the key,” Mel says, grabbing it from her pocket and handing it to Nik.

“You know where we’ll be,” Nik says, winking at Mel.

“Can I talk to you?” Mel glances around. “I guess over by your truck?”

“What is this about?” Marie asks, planting her hands on her hips.

“It’s okay, Marie,” Ben says. “Could you give us a minute?”

Melody’s mom grumbles under her breath, but she turns toward the house, heading inside.

“What’s up?” Ben asks, shoving his hands into his front pockets.

Melody freezes. Her chest rises and falls, but she looks like she might hurl or keel over. It’s hard as fuck not to walk over and pull her into my arms. She glances at the SUV and heads over without a word.

I smirk at the asshole.

Ben glares right back.

I shrug and aim for Mel.

By the time I make it to the vehicle, Melody is pulling out the file folder with all the information and her lab results.

She spins around and her hands shake.

The way her shoulders hunch pisses me off. She’s got nothing to be ashamed of or feel guilty about. No birth control or pregnancy prevention is one hundred percent effective. If you’re going to fuck then you’ve got to be adult enough to recognize shit happens.