Page 9 of The Omega Exchange: Omnibus (The Exchange)

Chapter Eight

Murphy

Murdering your employee would be frowned upon, right?

I'm fairly certain if I planned it properly, I could make it look like an accident.

Luke likes to snowboard. Terrible things happen on the trail.

I could find a bear, they're all over these woods.

It would be relatively easy to make sure it got rid of most of the evidence for me.

I scratch my jaw. Maybe I could buy one? No, that's way more complicated and would leave a paper trail. I could get some steaks and lure one, and the evidence would be minimal. Except it’s winter and the bears are hibernating.

Fuck.

Everly leans in close to Luke's side, and I crack my knuckles.

Do not sucker-punch one of your most reliable employees.

Not because I'm afraid I'll hurt the fucker, I'm definitely not.

That pretty face of his could use a little character.

A broken nose or a scar or two would… Okay, I'm definitely toeing the line of going feral.

"Murphy," Evie says when she spots me. A bright smile graces her face.

My pulse pounds so hard I can feel it in my ears. She looks happy to see me. No one ever looks that excited to run into me.

"Why are you carrying your jacket?" I ask. The words rumble out before I can hold them back.

Everly takes a step back, and Luke holds her in place with his arm around her lower back.

"It's too cold. You should be wearing it, not carrying it," I clarify, like that has a hope in hell of helping.

Luke shoots me a look that screams, What the fuck is your problem?

"I like your pants, they're pretty," I say. Yeah, that helped. My head hangs.

"Thanks," Everly says, glancing down at them. "The gift shop had these in stock. They kept me nice and toasty during our excursion. Although, I'm a little afraid to know how much they cost."

Luke scoffs. "Those are on me, darlin'."

I barely hold back the growl. He doesn't need to treat Evie to anything. I should be buying her things. All the things. If she needs it then I should be providing it.

I like the way she smells. I want to get to know her better.

Court her. Breed her. Claim her.

Or is it court her, claim her, breed her?

What order does that need to be done in, in order to be a gentleman about it?

"Thank you," she says, giving his arm a squeeze. "But you didn't have to do that."

Luke replies, but I tune his ass out. I'm here, but I want to figure out how to get there. To that place where she's touching me and leaning against my chest.

"Did you need something, boss?" Luke asks.

"Everly," I say, clearing my throat. I try to give her a reassuring smile. My facial muscles aren't used to the pattern, and they rebel against it. I probably look even scarier trying to smile than I do being who I am.

Luke grimaces, shaking his head no. I guess that answers that.

"I need to talk to Everly," I try again, this time without the smile.

"That works perfectly," Luke says, breaking the awkward pause. "I've got to get the tree up to y'alls place. Do you mind getting Evie to her room when you're done?"

Evie looks at me, and I nod.

"All right, I'll see you later?" she asks Luke.

I'm very sure I'm going to have to murder a friend before this week is out.

"Of course," he agrees.

Evie gives him a bright smile and comes to my side. I should chain her to my bed. Then she wouldn't be able to smile at him like that again. Once she's claimed she can be around him, but only if she gives me smiles like that, too.

I scratch at my jaw. I think my impulses are trying to cross the gentleman line again. Fucking Archie and his bullshit gentleman line. I still don't understand what the line is, and I think that's half the problem.

I need to refocus my attention.

"Let's get this on you," I say, taking her jacket and moving to help her slide it on.

Everly laughs but holds out her arms, allowing me to pull it on for her. "You're very worried about me catching a cold."

I grunt in response, and she laughs.

"Have you had lunch?" I ask as we follow the sidewalk up to the side entrance.

"No, have you?" She rubs her stomach. "I'm actually starving. I didn't realize how many calories we'd burn trekking through the forest."

"Your heat's coming up," I rumble, opening the door and holding it for her to go in first. "You need to eat every time you're hungry. Your system's stocking up for those days you won't eat much."

Her body's also preparing for the chance to grow a child. A low growl escapes at the thought, and my face heats. I want to put my baby in her, but I'm pretty sure I have to wait a while to say that out loud, or it might scare her.

Her matched pack still isn't here. I'm not wishing them serious injury or death, but any small inconvenience that might prevent them from showing up until it's too late?

Well, I'm not too proud to admit I've said a prayer or two.

Because if they do show up I might have to maim them, and I'm a little concerned that's the least I'd do.

We head for the elevator, and I briefly consider bringing her to the restaurant on the third floor, until I remember it'll be full of unbonded alphas at this time of day.

We pass the elevator and instead head for the buffet on the first floor.

Everly glances at the restaurant and back to the doors we entered through a couple minutes ago, back before we visited our ass to get to our elbow.

"I love this place," I say, hoping it'll distract her.

Everly grins. "The French toast was delicious. Do they have desserts?"

It's such an omega thing to say that a bark of laughter escapes.

"You have a really nice laugh," she says. Her eyes dart away.

My chest puffs up with alpha pride. My hand falls to her lower back, and I guide her to the long line of food selections. I grab a tray and toss it onto the bar.

"You can't only eat junk," I remind her when her eyes dart to the dessert table.

Everly lets out a little huff that makes me crack a smile. She's adorable. "Fine, but I'm boiling hot. I'm taking the jacket off."

"Let me help," I say, pulling her sleeve off then doing the other side.

"You're really good at taking care of people," she says, giving my forearm a squeeze. I'm in a long-sleeve t-shirt, but I swear her touch heats my skin through the fabric.

I awkwardly clear my throat and guide her down the line.

"Pick something nutritious," I tell her.

She stares up at me, blinking owlishly, and I nod toward the salad bar again.

Everly's bottom lip pokes out dramatically. "I don't like vegetables very much."

I snort. "Did Luke let you get away with this shit at breakfast?"

"There weren't a ton of veggies at breakfast, but he did make sure I had a few bites of my eggs and bacon. Do all omegas get a nutritionist during their stay?" Evie asks.

I bend down, getting close to her ear, and murmur, "You, little omega, are very lucky I'm not your alpha. That smart mouth would get you put right over my knee."

A shiver runs down Everly's spine, and I barely hold back the growl. My cock throbs at the faint scent of her perfume in the air. It's easy enough to see that her body is receptive to me.

Now I just have to find a way to make her like me as a person. Which sounds practically impossible, but I've never shied away from a challenge.

Everly's eyes fly to the plate of dessert, and I shove it a little further away.

"You can pout until your face gets stuck like that, you're still not getting those sweets," I say, laughing at the look of horror on her face. "Eat a few more bites of your sandwich or some of the salad."

Everly grumbles, complaining under her breath as she picks up the fork, poking at the Caesar salad. This is the most fun I've had in a long damn time. She's cute as hell. She alternates between glaring at me and hardcore pouting. Neither of which is an effective way to get what she wants.

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 grab the 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.