I stare at him, stunned. “Are you implying that all the crap you said to me in college was because you wereworriedabout me?”
“Worried. And stupidly jealous. I tried to warn you, but you were so… committed to him. Way more than he deserved.” His brown eyes shine with such sincerity, I can’t help but second guess my entire college experience for a moment. The cocky quarterback who thought I wasn’t good enough for his friend…was actually looking out for me?
“You’re joking, right?”
He gives a frustrated grunt. “He let you down over and over and you always patched things back up.” When I don’t reply, he leans forward, anger brewing in his eyes. “Your winter showcase he missed? He said he was working with me on a project, but he just ditched you and went to Atlantic City for the weekend. And when he told you he couldn’t get your asking price for the car he sold to our football buddy? It was because Lee pocketed most of the profit and spent it on some bullshit pyramid scheme that tanked.”
I shake my head again, but it doesn’t stop the buzzing in my ears. “Okay. Enough, Lachlan. You made your point. I was a complete idiot in college.”
“No, you were a young omega in love with a manipulative alpha. Lee was only ever interested in Lee, and as much as I don’t like him, I’m sorry you’ve ended up here.”
My knees shake and I slide into one of the patient chairs, my entire body heavy with exhaustion.Soulexhaustion, I realize, because Lachlan’s revelations have tarnished what I thought of as my ‘good years’ with Lee. But then, the more I think about our relationship without the bond in the way, the more it feels like it was always paper thin.
“I’m sorry, Kate,” Lachlan murmurs. “I shouldn’t have brought this up now.”
“You mean you’re not enjoying this little reunion?” He grimaces at my sarcasm, and I sigh, bemused. “What are you even doing here, Lachlan? I thought you moved back to Chicago after college.”
“I did. I'm just here for a few weeks, helping out with a rush of clients.”
I massage my temples, willing my headache away. A twelve-hour shift is hard enough without suffering through a migraine. “So there are more abandoned omegas in the Big Apple than the Windy City? What does that say about New Yorkers?”
Lachlan grunts. “That you'd get treated a hell of a lot better in my hometown.”
I look up at him, surprised by his serious tone. “Well, if that’s the case, maybe I should move there.”
He holds my gaze, his expression unreadable. “Maybe you should. I'd show you around and help you settle in.”
I’m not sure what to say to that, although the idea of fleeing to another city and starting over definitely has some appeal. “I thought you were going to start your own luxury sporting goods company. Didn’t you have some big contracts lined up in Chicago?”
“Yeah, well it seems I trusted the wrong people, too.” He pulls a face as he looks around the exam room. “I enjoy my job, but I never thought I’d end up here, to be honest.”
I can’t hide my wry smile. “Is that your sales pitch? Because I’m not sure I’m feeling the love right now.”
His head snaps in my direction, but when he sees my smile, he snorts. “Safe Haven is a great company, and I believe in what we’re doing. You’d be in good hands if you decided to give us a chance.”
“Okay.” I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt, but it’s nothisfuture we’re supposed to be sorting out. He will no doubt fall onhis feet again, since he’s always been charmed that way. “So, tell me about it. Do they really pay well at these… auctions?”
“They sure do.” He perks up, his dimples popping in the same way that used to annoy me in college. “We have a state-of-the-art facility for the auction, and while there are heat suites available for your use, we have arrangements with a couple of five-star hotels if that’s preferable. Most importantly, the vast majority of the fee goes toyou, not to the company.”
I’m not sure about the hotel part – especially if the Liberty is on the list – but I’m curious about the company itself. “I don’t get it. Are you some kind of charity for abandoned omegas?”
His brow creases again, and there’s no missing the flash of pity in his eyes. “This is just one arm of the business, but I promise it’s all above board and fully certified. If you sign up, trained facilitators will guide you through every phase, from your profile creation in the Safe Haven database, to the auction, and right through the actual heat experience. We’re onyourside, Kate.” I’m not sure if I believe him – Lachlan was always great at marketing spin – but I’m curious, and he must sense it. “On a scale of one to ten, ten being all in, how are you feeling about using our services?”
“I guess I’m… a five or six. Interested, but I have a lot of concerns.”
“Like?”
“Just… dealing with all those messy, broken bonds.”
It’s hard not to dwell on the last heat I shared with Lee, although now I can think about it without the lens of love getting in the way. He used to pride himself on being enough to satisfy me, and I never told him any different, but there was a lot of myself I held back, even when I was lost to the haze. Every time he passed out from exhaustion, I’d slip away to the bathroom to get myself off, feeling guilty for taking my pleasure out of my alpha’s hands. It used to feel like a betrayal, but now I can see itwas just Lee being his selfish, manipulative self, never giving me a safe space to tell him what I really needed.
Lachlan is still looking at me expectantly, so I shrug. “It just sounds like we’re putting a Band-Aid over a gaping wound. Won’t it end up being disappointing, for them and for me?”
“Or maybe it’s the perfect way to get a clean break from your past.”
I pause, weighing up everything he’s said. Could I really give myself over to a strange pack? What if they wanted more than I could give? Or worse still, what if I caught feelings from the intimate act, while they were just looking for a physical release?
“Ugh. I don’t know.” I drop my head onto my hand and rub my temple. “Lee did a lot of shitty things to me when he broke our bond, but putting me in this position has to be in his top three.”
