Page 20 of Glitterati Omega

“It is?”

The alpha nodded. “Of course. It’s understandable that an omega might have mood swings at the onset of a heat cycle.”

“I … what,” Rupert spat. Then he stared. And stared some more. He blinked a couple of times, then said, “I’m not in heat.”

Winston regarded him cautiously. “Perhaps,” he said finally. “But you’re about to be.”

Rupert shook his head. The idea was ludicrous. He hadn’t had a heat cycle in two years now. The doctor had said he was unlikely to recover ovarian function, even though they’d worked to preserve his fertility. Still, he’d been in remission for months now, and his cycle hadn’t started again.

Winston gave him a reproachful look. Rupert shook his head again. “I’m not,” he repeated, noting his voice had pitched higher. “I’m justnot—”

The alpha smiled and looked away. Then he looked back. “It’s all right,” he said.

Rupert almost choked on his own heartbeat. He looked frantically at the front of the cab, the lights of the city. Then he turned back to Winston. “Where are we going?”

He hadn’t taken Winston to be a kidnapper, but he didn’t remember giving the alpha his address. Why hadn’t he called Moose?

“To my house.”

Rupert shook his head so hard, he made himself dizzy.

Winston landed a hand over his, and he jerked back. “No!”

“Rupert,” the alpha said, his tone still unfazed.

“No, no, no, no,” Rupert said, then huffed a desperate breath. “I’m not going into heat, and I’m not going home with you. I want to call Moose and go back to the penthouse, especially if I am going into heat—and I’m not, but if I were—”

Winston reached for his hand again. “Rupert,” he said evenly, “I know.”

Rupert stilled and let the alpha twine their fingers. He peered deep into Winston’s brown eyes. The alpha lifted his brows. “I thought you might be more comfortableawayfrom people while you wait for your car.”

Rupert swallowed. Winston patted his hand. “I’m not trying to take advantage of you.”

Anger flashed through Rupert like a lightning strike. “Why?” he asked waspishly. “Am I not good enough? Not pretty enough or—or—”

Oh, good, now he was going to cry again. He sank his teeth into his lower lip.

Winston glanced him up and down. “That’s not it,” he said slowly. “I’d just rather not risk a lawsuit—you’re drunk and going into heat.”

Rupert wasn’t sure what he wanted to say—if he wanted to actually say anything at all—so he just strangled noise in the back of his throat before practically flinging himself across the backseat of the cab, into the alpha’s lap. “But you want me,” he accused, desperately needing it to be true. “If I said yes, you’d have me, if—”

Winston pried him off and forced him back to his own side of the car. “You’re drunk. You’re going into heat. It doesn’t matter if you say yes.”

“Well, I’m saying yes right now!”

“Sh.” Winston glanced toward the front seat. “There’s no need to yell.”

“I’m saying yes,” Rupert hissed, and Winston rolled his eyes. “I won’t sue you. How’s that?”

The lawyer shook his head. “Rupert.”

“Please.” It was a whimper, because he couldn’t stand the thought of being rejected, not now, not when the alpha had basically admitted that he wanted Rupert. Rupert hadn’t wanted anyone in so terribly long, hadn’t had any interest at all, and it felt like evenlongersince anyone had wanted him—truly wanted him, not just his money or their maritalright, as Thomas had put it. So it would be a cruel twist of fate if he couldn’t get it, not when Winston wanted it, when he wanted it, so much that he felt he was burning up with it—

“Ah, fuck,” he spat, and Winston turned to look at him, surprise all over his face. Rupert glowered at him, even as he fanned himself with his hand. “What? I’ve just realized you’re right. Don’t alphas like to be right?”

Winston shook his head, his brows crunching together. “What does it matter if I like to be right?”

Rupert huffed, then squirmed. “I don’t know.” He tried rolling down the window, then threw himself back in the seat in frustration when he discovered the child locks were on.

“What’s the matter?”

“What’s the matter! You already know! You knew before I did, and I’m the bloody omega, so you should be damn-well pleased with yourself, you—”

He jammed at the controls a couple more times. He appealed to the lawyer when there was no relief. “How much further? I’m too bloody hot.”

Winston glanced at his phone. “Not much further now.”

“Thank God,” Rupert grumbled. Thank God Winston had asked him if he wanted to leave. Thank God Winston had recognized what was going on and let him leave. Thank God he’d said yes. He couldn’t imagine …

Actually, yes, he could imagine, and it made him want to sink through the floor and die.