Page 2 of An Omega in Trouble

Me? I’d given up on alphas and relationships all together. I had enough to deal with in my own head without adding anything from the outside world.

I just wanted to work and live and stay safe. Survival of the fittest.

“Are you ever going to tell me exactly why you hate all things poker and casinos and anything remotely game-ish?”

He checked himself out in the mirror and our eyes met through the reflection. We’d had the day off and were able to swim in the pool and hang out most of the day. I lived for my days off. My feet were hurting in advance as I thought about the night ahead. Fridays and Saturdays were the worst in terms of busyness but the best for tips.

“You really want to know? It’s a sob story, and if you look at me with any kind of sympathy after I tell you, I’ll never talk about it again.”

Eddie clapped me on the shoulder then took a seat next to me on my bed. We all had the standard employee rooms with single beds and the basics. It was up to us to make it our own. Some went all out. I saved every penny I could. “We all have our stories, Trace. You’re the hardest worker I know. You’ve clearly turned your story into something good.”

“Okay, okay. I had a partner. I loved, him but he had a lot of issues. He was a drunk and while he never harmed me physically, the neglect and distress hurt more than any slap or punch could.”

“Man.” Eddie shook his head. “I hate a drunk. My dad was one.”

“I put up with him. He kept promising me that he would stop. He went to meetings, or so I thought, but really he was…”

“Oh my god. Wait. Was he gambling?”

I let out a laugh despite the fact that none of it was funny. Looking back, I could see the flaws in my logic. The way I let him get away with things I would never tolerate today. Matthew was the biggest learning experience of my life. “He ran through his savings. My savings. Credit card debt up to his eyeballs and then eventually he ran out of money.”

“So, he quit?”

“No. He tried to settle the entire debt he owed to a bookie with the biggest bet of his life. Me.”

Eddie turned green. I knew the feeling. “Fuck, Trace. What did you do?”

“I ran for my life. Ran all the way until my money ran out. To the desert where no one could find me. I happened to run into a man while I was looking for a job, and he and his mate own this resort. Said they took care of employees, and I was welcome here. They even gave me two weeks to collect myself before my first shift.”

“I’ve never met the owners but I’ve heard they are decent people. Good to the employees at all their resorts.”

“I’ve never been treated so well at a job. But you see now why poker and cards and the casino give me the ick.”

“I do. Hey, thanks for trusting me with that story. I hate that you had to go through that, man.”

“Me too. Now, let’s go get some tips. Your butt looks good in those pants. You’re sure to get a ton of cash tonight.”

“My ass looks good in any pair of pants. It’s no secret.” We laughed. Eddie was many things, but humble wasn’t one of them. “What’s your schedule tomorrow?”

I walked over to the door to our shared room where my schedule and his were side by side. I’m…oh shit. I’ve never done this before.”

“What is it?” Eddie sidled up to me. “Oh, those are easy. You take the golf cart and show the alpha around. First time visitors always get the tour and are told about all the amenities. You take them to their villa and make sure they have everything they need and then leave them. It’s easy and usually gets big tips. Get flirty. They love flirty.”

“All the alphas that come here love flirty omegas. It’s kind of the thing.”

“True.

The alarm on my phone went off as I did the last minute things like spraying cologne and brushing my teeth for a second time. Check my pockets for all the essentials. Mostly my work phone and key card. I didn’t bring anything personal with me into the resort areas.

“I’m not ready,” Eddie whined, throwing his head back. We did a thing where we were allowed to fuss and bitch about our shift but only once.

“I’m never ready. I’m tired, and we haven’t even started.”

He both nodded. Fussing session over. “Let’s get those tips, my friend.”

Chapter Three

Azlan