by Grace, Aria
Thankfully, I really am tired and this bed is more comfortable than anything else I’ve ever slept on. Giving in to the drugs, I relax against the mountain of pillows and slowly fall asleep.
* * *
When I wake up, the natural light entering my room through the window has faded to a dull golden-orange.
I’ve slept the entire day away.
Pain shoots through me as I try to pull myself into a sitting position, instantly regret all movement. My arms and ribs are inflamed and sore. Even breathing makes me ache. Dropping back against my pillows, I let the feeling of helplessness settle over me like a down comforter.
My stomach growls loudly, begging for attention, and I know there’s no way I can just lay here for the rest of the night. I need something to eat, and I need some painkillers. Molly said she was going to go get my medication for me, so if I can just make my way downstairs, I’ll be able to find relief.
The journey should be simple, but this house is so big that the trek from the bedroom to the first floor might as well be a marathon.
Fuck, this is gonna hurt.
I gingerly pull aside my blankets and grit my teeth. Here goes nothing.
The worst part is sitting up. Muscles around my fractured ribs are inflamed and angry, and they don’t waste the opportunity to let me know. Once I’m upright, it’s not so bad. At least, not until my feet hit the floor, and I start shuffling toward the bedroom door. Every step I take feels like I’m jarring my injuries and irritating them to no end.
After what feels like an eternity, I finally reach the door and make my way out into the hall. The lights are on, but the house is quiet. It’s such a big place that there could be an entire party going on in one of the rooms downstairs and I’d never be able to hear it from here. The thought of traversing all that distance in search of Molly makes me groan, but the promise of sweet relief from this pain drives me on.
Shuffling down the hallway, I’m grateful my legs managed to avoid any injury beyond some light bruising. The only reason my arms got so battered was because I used them to shield the more important stuff, like my head. I guess I should be glad they’re not actually broken and that the stress fractures should heal on their own, but really, I’m just pissed.
Pissed that I wound up in this position to begin with. Pissed that all this happened just because I’m an omega, and I said the wrong thing to the wrong people. Pissed because those assholes will probably never have to answer for their crimes. Pissed that the only reason I’m able to heal right now and get the medications I need is because some dumbass, arrogant, rich alpha decided to take pity on me.
By the time I reach the stairs, I’m fuming. Fortunately, the fiery anger in the pit of my stomach has dulled the pain from my injuries. That’s good because the first couple of stairs really rattles things around. My face contorts in pain, and I have to stop to lean against the banister for a moment to keep from tumbling down the staircase.
It’s in that moment that the front door opens up, and Marius glides into the entryway with Molly and another woman I don’t recognize close behind him.
His eyes immediately lock on to me and the color drains out of his face. Like an Olympic hurdler, he sprints toward the stairs before anyone else can speak.
The anger inside me withers away at the sight of him. This is the man who saved my life. He may be a little naive about the real world, but he’s sweet and well meaning. In the short time I’ve known him, he’s proven himself to be thoughtful and kind, going way out of his way to take care of me.
All I want to do now is fall into his arms.
And that’s when I realize I actually am falling. My grip on the banister isn’t as strong as I thought, and I feel like I’m on the deck of a ship in a violent storm. The ground is moving, spinning, rolling up and down, left and right.
My eyes squeeze shut as I prepare for impact. This is gonna hurt.
My body is jarred by the fall, and I cry out in pain. Everything hurts, but…instead of bouncing down the stairs, I’m enveloped in a warm embrace. Strong arms cradle me gently, and I’m pressed protectively against a sculpted chest.
When I open my eyes, I find myself staring up into Marius’s face. I’ve never seen anyone look more concerned than he does. For me. He’s crouched on the steps, holding me like I’m the most precious thing in the world. What the fuck?
“Did I hurt you?” he asks me with that honey thick voice of his.
I swallow hard and force myself to look away from him, my cheeks flushing red as a shiver runs from my spine all the way to my cock. “Not as bad as hitting the stairs would’ve hurt.” My lips twitch while I try to ignore the strong effect he has on me.
“What are you doing out of bed?” He gently reaches up to brush some hair off my forehead.
His hand feels cool against my flushed skin and I lean into it instinctively.
“I don’t think you have a fever. The effort must’ve been too much.” In one smooth motion, he lifts me into his arms and rises to a standing position.
“I can walk just fine. My legs aren’t broken,” I protest, despite the fact that I’m extremely happy with my current position. His arms are so strong and his chest is so much broader than it first appeared to be. Being held like this makes me feel like one of those small, delicate little omegas I’ve always been so jealous of.
“You nearly fell headlong down the stairs.” Marius’s hold on my tightens just a fraction as he carries me back up the steps without so much as breaking a sweat.
All I can do is stare up at him as he takes me back to my room. The line of his jaw is fascinating. It’s so powerful and perfectly defined that I want to touch it. If my arms weren’t throbbing with pain, I don’t think I would be able to hold back.
As we reach the bedroom, I notice Molly has been following us the entire time. She slips past Marius and opens the door for him then flips on the lights and proceeds to get the bed ready for me again.
“Please don’t leave me in here alone again.” I can hear how pathetic I sound, but I can’t think of any better way to express myself. I don’t want to sit here alone, in the dark, without anyone to talk to. At least at Omega House, I’d have my roommate and the constant sounds of the other residents to keep me company.
Here, I only have silence.
Marius lowers me into the bed so gingerly I barely feel it. There’s still a dull ache in my ribs as my position changes, but it’s nowhere near as violent as sitting up had been.
“What would you like me to do?” he asks as he steps back from the bed. “I could have a TV brought in here for you.” He glances around the room as if confirming there’s space for it. “Or books. I’ve got an extensive library.”
I look away. “Those sound nice, but—"
Before I can finish speaking, my stomach bellows out so loudly that Molly freezes in the middle of tucking my blankets around me.
“Right, I’ll let Hanson know you need some dinner.” Marius’s face suddenly takes on an unmistakably relieved expression. “We’ll get a TV up here for you and...” His voice trails off when I meet his eyes again.
His expression fades, and I finally get a glimpse of the man underneath the suite. He looks...confused and maybe even a little afraid. But of what? He faced four alphas and beat them all without suffering so much as a bruise. What could he possibly be afraid of?
“Why don’t you have a seat here?” I gesture to the empty space on the mattress by my feet. “You can tell me about your day. I’m sure Molly can tell Hanson about dinner.”
“I’d be happy to,” Molly pipes in, eager to be of service.
Marius looks hesitantly toward the foot of the bed the back at Molly.
“I’ll have Hanson bring a chair in for you.” Molly steps toward the door. “The big lounge chair in the study down the hall is quite comfortable, and it doesn’t get used enough.”
“I’d love to stay and chat, but Jackie’s here and I need to talk to her about tomorrow’s schedule.”
Marius wrings his hands and backs away from the bed.
He’s pulling away from me again, and there’s nothing I can do to stop him. It’s not like I can force him to stay with me.
“Then you can talk with her in here, sir.” Molly blocks his retreat, putting her hands on her hips. “We’ll get some chairs brought in, and the two of you can plan your schedule right here. Actually...if we move that night stand, we can bring in the little table from the study as well. Then you can eat while you’re working.”
“Molly...” Marius gives her a subtle warning, but she ignores the mild threat in his tone.
“Sir, you’ve invited this young man into your home. You can’t just lock him up in a room and forget about him. He’s your guest. The least you can do is make an effort to spend some time with him.” Molly’s tone is strict and warrants no argument.
I’m suddenly very glad to have her on my side because there’s no way I’d want to be on the receiving end of her chastisement.
“Very well,” Marius relents, his shoulders slumping. “Let’s get things moved around.”
8
Marius
Two weeks later.
I had hoped the magnetic force drawing me toward Rubin would’ve faded by now.
After spending every morning and evening talking to him, sharing my day with him and getting to know him, I figured my confusion over our friendship would be cleared up.
If anything, it’s only gotten worse.
As I sit in my office, my eyes are fixed on the clock on the wall, following the motion of the second hand as it skips around the face.
Another minute gone.
Only thirty-seven more until I can leave for the day and go back home.
I wonder what sort of day Rubin has had.
His pain has decreased significantly over the last two weeks. He’s been getting up and moving around the house more and more frequently. He’s still not quite back to a hundred percent, but he’s getting there.
This morning, Rubin mentioned he was planning to spend some time out in the garden today. I’m sure he’ll have some stories to tell about what that was like. I catch myself smiling as I wistfully imagine him out there, getting muddy.
Of course, it’s not like my day is devoid of things that need to be done. There are still a few more proposals I need to look over and make decisions about before I can take off. Shuffling the stack of folders on my desk, I make an attempt to sort through them.
I’m about halfway through the stack when Jackie knocks on the door and lets herself in.
“I think we should probably discuss your current living situation,” she says as she shuts the door.
“What are you talking about?” My forehead creases with deep furrows, not at all sure what she’s referring to. “There’s nothing to discuss.”
“Maybe, but that’s not what the press thinks.” Jackie sits in the chair on the other side of my desk and folds her hands elegantly in her lap. “I was just asked for a comment by one of the reports for the City Daily Paper. They’re running a story for tomorrow morning’s paper about how the Mayor is keeping a secret omega lover at his estate.”
My heart slams against my rib cage so fast I’m certain it has whiplash.
“Of course, there’s nothing wrong with an alpha dating an omega. Plenty of high-ranking officials have alpha/omega relationships.” Jackie examines my face with those hawk-like eyes of hers. “The issue is that you’ve historically only dated women, and you’ve never brought your omega out in public. They’re speculating you feel some sort of shame about the relationship.”
Every word out of her mouth makes things worse. I can practically feel the layer of sweat covering my body as I rise from my chair and turn to the large windows behind my desk. The sun is beginning to set over the city and golden light reflects off the glass windows of the high rises surrounding us. Sadly, I don’t often take the time to appreciate the view any more. I’ve grown so accustomed to it that it doesn’t affect me the way it used to. But right now, the sight of it calms me deeply.
“What did you tell them?” I don’t even look back at her.
“That your guest is nothing more than a friend who’s down on his luck.” I should take comfort in the confidence of her tone.
“Did they believe you?” I slowly turn back toward her and that her expression has fallen slightly.
“I don’t think so.” She frowns. “I’m sorry, sir. I’m not sure what else I could’ve told them.”
“It’s not your fault. I’m not sure how they got wind of this. It’s not like Rubin ever goes out anywhere.” I run a hand through my hair and rub the back of my head in frustration.
“They could have spotted him through the windows. You’d be amazed what these people will do for a story.” She pinches the bridge of her nose and sinks deeper in her chair. “I wouldn’t be surprised to hear they were camping out in the woods behind your house with a telescope or something.”
The very thought makes my skin crawl. “What are my options here? I don’t want people to make assumptions about my stance on omega equality from some article based on nothing but speculation.”
“Well, that’s the thing. What is your relationship with Rubin?” She looks me in the eye, expecting full disclosure. “If you really have taken him as your omega, the solution is simple.”
“That’s ridiculous,” I sputter and wave my hands to emphasize my words. “You know that I’m not interested in omegas. I date women. I have no interest in pursuing that sort of relationship with Rubin.”
“Sir...” Jackie’s voice is dripping with disbelief. I can tell by the way she’s looking at me she doesn’t buy it for a second.
“It’s the truth.” I drop heavily into my chair, avoiding her eyes. “I’m not...I’ve never...Rubin is just a friend. He was being attacked behind a bar I visited a few weeks ago. He was badly injured, so I offered him the safety of my home to recover from his injuries. That’s all.”
Jackie takes a deep breath and nods slowly. “I think we might be able to salvage this if we put forth the entire story then. Let’s not let them run wild with this. We can invite the reporter to your home and let him interview both you and Rubin. We’ll clear the air, and it’ll make you look good in the process.”
“I didn’t save him as a political move, Jackie.” Her plan makes sense, and it’s probably the best move I could make given the situation, but I don’t like the idea of using Rubin like that.
“Your only other option is to let that story hit the press tomorrow morning and deal with whatever speculations they decide to run with.” Jackie rises from her chair and folds her arms as she looks down at me with fire in her eyes. “How’s this for a headline? ‘Bigot mayor ashamed of omega boyfriend.’ Or wait, this one’s better. ‘Mayor keeps omega boyfriend hidden out of sight, out of mind.’ I could go on for days with these.”
I cringe at her words. The press would have a field day with this. By the end of the day, the story will have spread and everyone will be talking about it. It’ll damage my credibility irreparably, especially when it comes to dealing with the omega community.
My eyes fall closed as I exhale. There’s no other option.
“Let me call Rubin first and prepare him,” I tell Jackie as I open my eyes again. “You can arrange a meeting with the reporter this evening. We’ll sort this whole mess out.” A pang of guilt shoots through me as I reach for my cell phone. Going along with this whole thing feels like I’m betraying both Rubin and myself somehow.
“Yes, sir.” Jackie nods her agreement. “He’s waiting downstairs. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled.” She quickly turns and exits the room.
With a heavy sigh, I swipe through my phone’s menus and bring up the contacts list. Rubin’s name is in there now since I picked up a new phone for him the other day. He hadn’t been too thrilled I was buying stuff for him, but he accepted the gift graciously nevertheless. He likes to pretend he doesn’t want to be pampered and showered with nice thing
s, but I see a twinkle in his eyes every time I bring him something new. He’s very coy about it though and reluctant to let me know just how much he enjoys his presents.
He doesn’t think I notice the way the corners of his mouth tug upwards ever so slightly, the way his irises dilate, or that his voice kicks up an octave. His excitement is evident in the way he gently picks up and holds, or softly caresses, each new thing he receives. The appreciation, the joy, oozes off him and immediately spreads to me. It’s infectious when it happens, and I find myself going to further lengths to find things that will bring him that same level of happiness.
I don’t want him to think all of this has just been for political gain. Our friendship means more to me than that.
“Hello?” Rubin sounds like he’s in the middle of laughing. There’s a slight breathlessness in the way he speaks, and I can hear a smile in his voice.
“Rubin, hey...there’s something I need to tell you.” I try my best to keep from sounding dour but this isn’t necessarily bad news I’m giving him. As efficiently as possible, I summarize the situation and share the options I’m left with. I need him to understand my thought process here. He has to know I’m not using him.
“So...you intend to give this interview tonight?” Rubin asks after I finish explaining.
“Yeah, as long as you’re up to it, that is.” I don’t want him to feel like I’m pressuring him.
“I’m fine.” His words are right, but I sense something wrong in his tone. “And you’re going to make sure everyone knows there’s nothing…you know, going on between us.”
“Yes, that’s the plan. The interview shouldn’t take very long. I just need you to confirm the story I’m telling him is true.” I’m getting a strong sense that I’ve said something wrong, but I have no idea what it could be.
“Right...of course.” Rubin sighs loudly, like he’s resigning himself to something he feels obligated to do.
I desperately want to tell him he doesn’t have to participate. I’d love nothing more than to say he doesn’t have to be involved in any manner, but the truth is, I need him.
