by Grace, Aria
I knew what I was signing up for when I agreed to be with him though. He's a businessman with interests that span the globe. He traveled extensively while we were dating, and that hasn't changed now that we're together permanently.
Of course, that was probably the biggest complaint I had when we first started dating. The amount of time he spends traveling was not something I was looking forward to. I don't really care for airplanes…or traveling in general. I'd much rather stay close to home where I can crawl into my own bed after a long day of work.
But from the moment I set eyes on him, I knew Garrett was the one for me. He’s the other half of my soul. My fated mate. I would walk through fire if it meant I could call myself his omega.
As I approach the front doors of my business, I stop to admire the name etched in the glass in beautiful cursive script: Omega for Hire. This is the business Garrett helped me launch.
My pride and joy.
While I technically don't need to work for a living, I don't like sitting around and feeling like I’m just being pampered. I like to work. I need to feel useful, like I'm contributing something to the world. And yes, technically Garrett could stop working tomorrow and we'd be able to live off the interest of his investments for the rest of our lives, but I still can't allow myself to sit around idly.
Thankfully, Garrett understands that and supports me completely. That's why he put so much effort into helping me get my business up and running. Because he’s the same way I am. That man is a machine that refuses to quit. I doubt he’ll ever retire because he’d wither away into nothing if he didn't feel like he was being useful somehow.
I smile at that image of Garrett as a little old man as I enter the plush lobby I put so much time into designing. White carpets, beautiful clean lines, and comfortable furniture were important aesthetic choices for me. The entire room exudes a sense of style and luxury that instantly puts me at ease.
Omega for Hire is my domain, and I rule over it with pride.
The receptionist behind the desk is a gentle looking omega with large brown eyes. His name is Timothy, but he’s somehow earned the nickname of Mouse. He's quiet and unassuming, but pleasant to look at. I chose him to man the front desk because he has a way of putting people at ease almost effortlessly.
"Good morning, Farron." He greets me with a soft smile and a nod as I approach him. "Your schedule is already on your desk. You've got a call waiting on line one and your first appointment is in twenty minutes."
"Thank you, Mouse." I nod gratefully as I pass him and head toward my office. One of these days, I'll get a secretary of my own, but until then, Mouse has been picking up the slack. I'm a little worried I might be overworking him, so I make a mental note to look for suitable secretarial candidates today.
My office is just off the lobby behind a glass wall because I like being close to the front of the building. Not only does it allow me to keep an eye on things, but it also means people don't have to walk very far when they come in to meet with me personally.
The office reflects the style of the lobby. Clean lines, lots of white, and plenty of plush fabrics that make everything look high end. I might have gone a little overboard with the interior design of the building, but we've more than recouped those expenses since we opened our doors two years ago. Officially, Omega for Hire has been operating in the black since six months after opening its doors. That’s something Garrett often refers to as an outstanding success.
I settle into the high-backed chair behind my desk and pick up the call that's waiting for me on line one of my office phone.
It takes me less than ten minutes to handle the conversation. One of our particularly high net worth clients has a special request for an upcoming party they're throwing. Usually, arrangements like this are handled by the scheduling department, but when it comes to our VIP customers, I prefer to handle things directly. Giving them personal attention is the best way to make them feel valued and keep them coming back to us for their future events.
When the call ends, I look up at the clock. I've got plenty of time to run down to the break room and get a cup of coffee before my first meeting of the day. I'm just about to head down the hall when I hear a commotion out in the lobby.
"You can't keep coming in so late. I'm gonna have to report you." Mouse's voice sounds unusually cross. "You've got clients waiting for you in room one. You're scheduled to give them a private vineyard tour this morning, or did you forget?"
"No, I remembered. I know my clients though, and they just love it when I keep them waiting."
I sigh to myself when I hear the second voice. It's Dante, again. He and Mouse butt heads almost constantly. It doesn't help that they're brothers as well as rivals. Thankfully, it’s mostly harmless banter between siblings as opposed to actual disgruntled co-workers.
"You have a responsibility to this company, Dante." Mouse's voice sounds strained, as if he can barely contain a rage bubbling beneath the surface. Damn. The last thing I need is for clients to show up and find our mild-mannered receptionist worked up like this.
I take a deep breath and barge out into the lobby with as much calm authority as I can muster.
Dante immediately shifts his attention to me when I come into the room.
"Hey there, Boss. I've got someone here I want you to meet." Dante completely turns away from his brother and steps aside to reveal an omega who was hiding in his shadow. "This is Jason. He's a friend of mine and he—"
If Dante continued talking, I wasn't aware of it. My eyes lock on to Jason, and I feel my skin temperature rise several degrees. What's going on with me?
I swallow back the lump forming in my throat as I rake my eyes over the new omega. He's not incredibly tall, nor is he particularly handsome, but there's something about him that I find absolutely captivating, like I could lose myself in his gaze. My heart drums against my ribs when he finally meets my stare.
This feeling. I know this feeling.
I press the palm of my hand to my chest to try and calm my thudding heartbeat. I can't let myself get carried away here. This can't be what I think it is. There's got to be some other explanation for it.
I clear my throat and interrupt Dante when I realize he hasn't stopped talking this entire time.
“Don’t you have clients waiting for you?” I ask Dante, leveling my gaze at him.
“So, does that mean you’ll give him a job?” Dante looks at me impatiently without missing a beat.
A job? Is that what he was going on about this entire time? I try to hide my confusion and conjure up an answer as quickly and confidently as possible. “It means I’m willing to give him an interview.”
I clear my throat and try to focus my thoughts on something other than the feeling of my balls beginning to tighten in my pants. My body is sending me a message that I can’t ignore, but my brain is fighting back with everything it can muster.
I’ve already got a fated mate. There’s no way I can have another one.
24
Garrett
I look up from my newspaper and glance out the window to my left. Outside is a sea of clouds that stretches as far as the eye can see. I take a deep breath and turn my attention back to the interior of the private plane.
It's not mine. I'm not so filthy rich that I think buying my own plane is a smart investment. Things like that tend to depreciate in value a little too quickly for my liking. No one rich enough to buy a private plane wants to buy a used one after all.
Constantly chartering private flights might be more expensive than just purchasing a plane of my own, but this way, I can always be certain I'm flying in the most recent models and I have access to the best service. Plus, I don't have to worry about paying for things like fuel, maintenance, or staff.
And if it falls out of the sky, I can sue the pants off the airline.
"Mister Clayton?" The flight attendant is a little more timid than she should be. Clearly, she's not used to working on private flights or rubbing shoulders wit
h the wealthy.
"Yes?" I slowly shift my gaze toward her and try to offer her a reassuring smile. Underneath the loads of cash, the seven thousand-dollar suit, perfect teeth, and dashing looks, I'm really just a normal guy. And no, that’s not conceit. It’s confidence.
"I just wanted to inform you that we're nearing the airport," she says, trying her best to smile brightly. "We'll be landing in about twenty minutes."
"Thank you." I nod gratefully and shift my gaze back toward the window. I'm vaguely aware of her shuffling away uncertainly, but I don't say anything to her. My thoughts are already turning toward home and my omega.
I don't want to brag, but my omega is the best in the world. It's a fact. My thoughts constantly revolve around Farron, and I keep his picture as the wallpaper on my phone so I can see his face throughout the day.
We're perfect for one another. He's the yin to my yang so to speak. His bright eyes, positivity, and determination are the sparks that wake me in the morning and the lullaby that puts me to bed at night.
Before I met him, I was just blindly going through life.
I had climbed ladders, built bridges, and earned an obscene amount of cash relatively early in my career. From then on, I was so focused on multiplying my income that I didn't stop to ask what the purpose behind all of it actually was. It wasn't until I met Farron that I realized something was missing in my life.
Now that I have him, I would give up everything I own for him.
I smile softly to myself and mentally run through my plan for surprising him tonight. I can't wait to see the look on his face when he walks through the door after work. I can already picture his expression, and I can almost hear him asking me why I'm back so soon while he dives into my arms.
I'll tell him I couldn't bear to be away from him any longer, and then I'll sweep him into the bedroom for something a little more intimate.
The thought of his smooth skin naked against my own sends shivers down my spine. My mouth waters at the memory of tasting his lips, his skin…his cock.
I swallow hard as my cheeks flush, and I absently tug at the collar of my shirt to give myself a little more breathing room. I really need to save those thoughts for another time. We'll be landing soon, and it’ll be embarrassing to walk across the tarmac with an obvious hard-on.
Clearing my throat and my mind, I force my thoughts past the events that are sure to transpire in our bedroom tonight. Eventually, we'll be worn out, sweaty and glowing with satisfaction. And at that moment, when we're wrapped in one another's arms, I'll tell him the decision I made.
I've finally managed to put the pieces into place that will allow me to manage nearly all of my affairs remotely. I'll purchase some office space in the city and begin working from there as soon as possible. I'll still have to travel from time to time, but it won't be anywhere near as often as what I've been doing.
Maybe with that all settled, we'll finally be able to…
My throat tightens. I don't want to get ahead of myself. It's too early to get too excited. We've been trying to have kids since our very first year together, and there's nothing to suggest now is going to be any different.
Still, if I'm not traveling anymore, then maybe I'll be able to sync up with my omega's irregular heat cycle. Farron's not like most omegas who come into heat at normal intervals. There's something off in his system, and his cycle comes and goes as it pleases.
Timing has been the main barrier to us being able to conceive. At least, that's what the fertility doctors all seem to think. None of them can figure out why his cycle is so off the charts either. Whatever the case, it means that starting a family just hasn't happened for us yet.
Farron doesn't bring it up very often, but I know it hurts him. He made it clear from the start that he wanted a big family with lots of kids. I was an only child, so I was a little uncertain about it, but the longer I've been with him, the more infectious his dream has become. It's to the point now where I see other alphas with their families, or showing off pictures of their kids, and I get a pang of jealousy in the pit of my stomach.
Which is why I've been working so hard lately to get the groundwork laid for me to stay home more. I don't care how long it takes, I'm going to breed my omega and give him the child we both crave.
I take a deep breath and try to chase away the primal possessiveness that's taken root in my chest. He's my fated mate. The one I'm bonded to for life. Because of that, I get a little carried away sometimes when I think about our bond. Farron always says I get a deep scowl that he calls my "alpha face."
Apparently, it's a bit off-putting for people who don't know what it means. So, I try to be aware of that when I'm out in public places.
I stretch in my seat and look around me. It was a long flight, and I've got things scattered across the accompanying seats. My laptop, some papers and folders need to be cleaned up before we land. If Farron were here right now, he would probably scold me for being so messy.
"You're rich, powerful, and devastatingly handsome, but you've got the manners of a frat boy. Have a little dignity." I smile as I hear his words in my mind. Then he would click his tongue against his teeth and shake his head disapprovingly.
God, I miss my omega.
25
Jason
"Would you like to maybe get coffee sometime?" As soon as the words leave my mouth, I regret it.
I'm sitting in Farron's office and he has just settled back in the chair on the other side of the massive desk. When he hears my offer, he freezes in place and only his eyes move to glance at me.
I can tell he's feeling what I've felt since I first laid eyes on him. The pounding in my heart, the sweat running down my neck, the shortness of breath, and the heat in my skin are all driving me to distraction. At the source of it all is the most attractive omega I've ever seen.
He's totally out of my league, but I can't help myself. If I keep my mouth shut, I'll regret it forever.
"Or if you're not into coffee, we could just grab lunch or something," I say, desperately trying to act casual. I know it's too much. Other than exchanging names and pleasantries out in the lobby, we haven't said anything to one another. For me to come on to him like this is highly unusual…even for me.
Farron clears his throat audibly and takes a deep breath as he folds his hands in his lap.
"Look, Jason, I'm flattered." His tone instantly tells me that he's more than flattered, but I know he's rejecting me before he's even done talking. "The thing is…I've already got an alpha. He's…he's my fated mate. I don't know if you know what that is, but—"
I hold up a hand to cut him off. "I know what it is." I can't hide the bitterness in my tone as I speak. This is the second time that an omega I've been attracted to already has an alpha who is his "fated mate."
That kind of bond is supposed to be rare, isn't it? Lately, it seems like everyone's got one. Everyone except me, that is. Some omegas have all the luck, don’t they?
"So, you understand why I can't take you up on your offer, don't you?" Farron meets my gaze. His expression is complex, and I can't quite pick up on all the emotions he seems to be projecting. Whatever's going on in his head, he's conflicted.
I sigh and nod my head apologetically. I need to take a step back and try to think about this logically. How would I feel if a random omega came up to me and started hitting on me after I was already mated to someone else?
"I'm sorry," I begin, trying my best to smile. "I was being too forward. I shouldn't have come on to you like that. If you'd like, we can start over. Pretend I didn't say any of that."
Farron glances toward the door and takes a deep breath. He nods slowly and then turns his attention back to me. I can’t help but feel disappointed that he agreed so quickly.
"Okay then, Jason. Dante seems to think you'll be a good fit for us here. Let me ask, what sort of work do you see yourself doing?" He rifles through some papers on his desk before finding one and holding it up. He makes a few notes in the margins and then
turns his attention back to me.
"Well…" I'm not quite prepared for his sudden shift back into work mode. It catches me off guard, and I verbally stumble around for a few moments as I try to get my thoughts in order. "I feel like I can… What I mean is that I have a lot of great qualities that… Well, I suppose I could…"
I clear my throat and try to ignore the sinking feeling in my chest. I can't quite wrap my head around what I need to say. The more I search for the words, the more difficult it is and the worse I feel about myself.
"The truth is, I don't think I have any particular skills. I'm a normal omega with no hobbies. I go clubbing at night, I wake up late, I get coffee for breakfast, and I do errands at Omega House. That's it." I avoid meeting Farron's gaze, ashamed that my life is so pitiful. Hearing that has got to be disappointing to someone like him.
"You're from Omega House?" His tone is completely different and he sounds somewhat surprised. "We don't get a lot of applicants from there. Most of them seem to think all we do is pimp omegas out for kinky alphas."
"Yeah, I guess I thought that too. But Dante convinced me to come see what it's all about." I continue to avoid his gaze, afraid of what I’ll see there. Instead, I look up at the pictures on the wall behind the desk. I should've checked those before I started flirting with him. There's plenty of shots of him with an absolute beefcake of an alpha to clear up any crossed signals I thought I was getting.
"Clearly, we've got a bit of a branding issue when it comes to potential employees," says Farron with a soft sigh as he continues to make notes. "Anyway, there are plenty of generalized tasks that you might be useful for. Modeling jobs, photo shoots, extras for film projects, stage hands, stuff like that. A lot of people prefer omegas for that sort of work."
I relax my hands and wipe them on my thighs before I finally look up at Farron. "Honestly, I know the camera doesn't love me. I'm not photogenic enough for any of those types of jobs."
