Liza shook her head, then stopped and stared at the screen as if in deep thought. “Michael, my brother, scraped his arm up really badly one time when he was trying to save me from falling off my bike. I cried all over him because I felt so bad that his arm was so black and blue and swollen. The next day, it washealed.” Her mouth twisted to the side as if she’d only just now considered that she’d had a hand in her brother’s healing.
I cocked my head to one side. “Completely?”
“Yeah. My parents said it was because Michael healed so quickly.” She scoffed. “I remember them giving me a few examples of him overcoming viruses within a day and only needing a quick nap to overcome a headache.”
“Did you believe them?”
“I did.” Liza shook her head as if she was only now considering that there might have been another explanation. “That is, until Michael scraped his knee a week later. It took three days for it to heal, and it wasn’t nearly as bad as his arm had been. I never really questioned it, though. I just figured it was a fluke. I didn’t give it much thought. I moved on with my life.”
We sat in silence for a few minutes until Liza spoke up again. She cleared her throat and lifted her gaze to meet mine. “Do you think I had something to do with healing that rabbit?”
Of course I did, but how could I tell her without suggesting that I thought she might be an omega? Instead, I lied. It wasn’t a great precedent to set, but I didn’t think I had another choice. “No. I was just wondering if you saw something I didn’t since you were closer to the rabbit.”
Liza studied me for a few long seconds before finally nodding. There was nothing more to say, so I turned the movie back on and lowered the lights. We finished eating in silence, the movie only serving as background noise to our thoughts.
Liza placed her empty tray on the floor and tucked her legs under her body. “You’d tell me if you knew something I didn’t. Right?”
Her question surprised me. It made me wonder if she had an inkling she was different. If she hadn’t before, my questions might’ve stirred some realization in her. Damn it.
Somehow, I managed to keep my composure, though I completely understood the concept of being a damn deer stuck motionless in headlights. I didn’t let my heart skip a beat before answering her. “Of course, I would. We’re going to be mated, and the worst thing we could do is keep things from one another.” I meant that, and I would tell her everything. Just not yet.
My answer seemed to satisfy Liza. She cuddled up next to me, resting her head on my shoulder. I wrapped my arm around her and turned my attention back to the screen.
I paid no mind to the psychotic killer loose on the screen, or to the innocent people running and screaming through the night, trying to escape the slash of his bloodied knife. The only thing that mattered to me was the fact that I’d just lied to Liza.
I was a fucking tool for not being honest with her, but I needed more proof before I said anything about her possibly being an omega.
After several more minutes of thought and contemplation, I decided it might be time for me to meet my future in-laws.
19
LIZA
“Spell that last name for me.” I typed a new client’s information, careful to get their last name correct.
“It’s Boling: B-O-L-I-N-G, no W.” The woman laughed. “I can’t tell you how many people think our name is spelled with a W.”
“And Wednesdays work for your family?” I pulled up my calendar, double-checking that I wasn’t overbooking and spreading myself too thin.
“Definitely. Our kids have baseball practice on Wednesdays, so we can leave a key for you, and you can work uninterrupted.”
Perfect.
“Let me reiterate, Mrs. Boling, that it won’t bother me if the kids are running around.” I typed a note to myself. “It’s your house, and I don’t want to disrupt your flow. If baseball practice is ever canceled, don’t worry about it.”
After I’d lost a few clients due to Cecily’s temper tantrum, I was happy to add a new family to my weekly dinner rotation.
My phone vibrated on my desk, and I glanced at the message that popped onto the screen. It was from Ty.
Hello, beautiful. I hope you’re having a fantastic day.
My heart fluttered. No matter how many times Ty texted or called, I couldn’t quite get used to someone checking in on me so frequently.
My parents had always kept close tabs on me, sent me regular messages just to make sure I was doing well, but this was different. Ty cared for me in a way a parent didn’t. He cared like a lover. He’d proven that in the way he’d taken care of my heat a few nights ago. Just the thought of that night sent delicious shivers through my body.
I ended the call with Mrs. Boling, then sat back, letting my mind wander as I looked out the window. Ty’s tongue was magical. I hadn’t known oral sex could be so satisfying, but his warm tongue had sent me into convulsions.
I sighed and forced myself to focus on something else—anything else. I switched off my computer and gathered my paperwork.
