Page 19 of Glitterati Omega

“And Rupert is the sole heir,” Winston explained softly, and Pearl stared at him for a moment.

“Well, I’m not the heir now,” Rupert huffed. “It’s mine.”

Pearl gave him a very critical look. Then she said, “I liked you better when you were Mr. Ndoni’s date.”

With that, she flounced off, leaving Rupert fumbling for what to say next. He looked to Winston, who grimaced and set down his drink. “I forgot she campaigns against environmental destruction by mining firms. I’d better go smooth that over,” he said, then slid off the bar stool and chased after Pearl. Rupert stared after him, then stalked to the bathroom.

He didn’t know why he felt so bloody affronted. She had been rude, in his opinion, but it was nothing he hadn’t experienced before.

Perhaps worse, he felt like the ass in the situation. He didn’t think he should, but he did.

He skulked in the bathroom for a while, pretending to fuss with his makeup when a couple of the jewel-bedecked omegas made their way in, gossiping and laughing loudly. He busied himself with finding something in his clutch; their mere presence made him nervous.

He’d never fit in with that kind of omega. Oh, they kept him around, because he’d had Daddy’s money to spend, but none of them had ever liked him. He knew the things they said behind his back.

He slipped out of the bathroom when the other omegas occupied stalls. He almost walked smack-dab into Winston, who was waiting for him.

“You won’t need to deal with Pearl for the rest of the night,” the lawyer said quickly.

“Oh?” Rupert asked as the alpha took his arm and steered him toward one of the white-swathed tables where dinner was being served.

Winston nodded, then gave him a critical look. “She isn’t like that normally.”

Rupert sighed. How many times had he heard that?

“Still,” the alpha continued. “It’s no excuse. I’d only ask that you still consider a donation.”

“Yes,” Rupert agreed guiltily, looking down at his shoes. Of course. Not donating would hurt sick children.

Winston gave him another curious look, then pulled out his chair for him.

The ossobuco was wonderful, but Rupert had no appetite. He didn’t even want the wine he was drinking; he just wanted to be drunk.

After dinner, while their plates were being cleared and coffee and tea were coming around, there were speeches. Rupert couldn’t hold his teacup, he was shaking so badly, as former patients narrated their stories. And then, of course, someone trotted out a video of the kids at the hospital, and Rupert almost started bawling.

“Are you all right?” Winston whispered to him urgently as a server set out silverware for dessert.

“Yes,” he managed. “It’s just … so terribly cruel.” He couldn’timaginehaving cancer as a child. It was too much, too unfair.

“Do you want to go?”

Rupert stared at dessert when they set it in front of him. He watched the panna cotta wriggle around, then nodded. “Yes,” he said, “yes, I do.”

Winston took him by the arm as he rose, leading him toward the exit. Rupert barely held his tears at bay as they headed down the corridor, his heart now sinking. He’d very much ruined the alpha’s night, hadn’t he? Oh, he should have just stayed home …

They charged out onto the sidewalk; it had started to rain and a cool breeze rushed under the canopy that extended in front of the hotel. Rupert wrapped his arms around himself, shivering, while Winston flagged down a cab.

He ushered Rupert in, gave the driver an address, then closed the glass between them. Rupert rubbed his arms, ruing his decision to forego a wrap. He should have known better. Just like he should have known about coming out tonight.

He gave the alpha a guilty glance, watching the city’s neon lights refract through the raindrops on the car window, reflect off his skin.

“I’m sorry,” Rupert said softly, lowering his gaze.

“For what?” Winston asked.

“Why, for ruining your evening, of course! I was rude to your friend, then cried through dinner, and—”

“I think that’s understandable,” Winston said, and Rupert blinked.