Page 17 of Galaxy Between Us

I’m stunned by that, thinking hard about it. Did I? I search my memory, but he must be confused. I usually provide food for Jaimie since we’re on the top floor of the North wing and the cleaners’ cafeteria is all the way on the bottom floor toward the West end. His entire lunch break would be spent walking there and back. It’s never been anything more than a kind gesture.

“You mean when I invited you to have dinner with me? That wasn’t a date,” I clarify.

“Oh.” His face goes red and his eyes go wide in embarrassment. Shit, was I too straight-forward? I didn’t mean to make him feel bad.

“Well, what about when you gave me a raise?” he counters.

“You deserved it. You’re a hard worker.”

He lets out a frustrated huff. I can read an Alpha like a book, but an Omega? That’s a whole other genre I’ve never gotten the hang of. Jaimie steps closer looking flustered.

“You’re telling me that you don’t expect me to, y’know, actually earn my raise?”

When I catch on to what he’s insinuating, my face starts to heat as much as his. I would never cross that boundary with an employee of mine. Especially with my growing fame in the media, a scandal is the last thing I need. I open my mouth to explain as much, but he continues.

“I don’t know what you want from me, or why you keep leading me on,” he’s pacing the room now. “Whenever I try to give you what you undoubtedly want, what any Alpha wants from me, you pull back. Why do you do that?”

“Jaimie, I– “

“And the fact that you’re about to apologize to me right now is just the cherry on top of the confusion cake. What kind of Alpha apologizes to an Omega who interrupts them?”

My brows furrow. I’m clearly not understanding the fit he’s having. Maybe he’s close to his heat which is totally understandable. Even on suppressants, Omegas still experience minor and more manageable heat symptoms. But I have a feeling he won’t want to discuss such a personal thing with me.

“So, you don’t want me to apologize for leading you on, correct?” I ask for clarity.

He places his hands on his hips.

“I’m just saying, Mr. Beckett, that if I spoke to anyone else in this company the way you let me speak to you, they’d slap me silly and no one would look twice because they’d all do the same.”

I wince at how truthful his words are. The rich assholes I work with come from wealthy families. They expect obedient Omegas to fall in their laps the same way money does. They weren’t taught to treat Omegas, or anyone they didn’t care about for that matter, with respect. Poor Jaimie must come from that world too.

With a sigh, I scratch my chin and face him. He’s been honest with me, maybe I should do the same.

“Look, Jaimie. I was always taught to protect Omegas, not use them.” He straightens and looks up at me curiously. “The truth is…you remind me of someone. Someone I used to protect. I guess I’ve been acting strange around you because I’ve been trying to fill the void that Omega left. So, in a way, I have been using you and leading you on. And for that, I’m sorry.”

Jaimie’s expression softens from frustrated to pitiful.

“What happened to the Omega?” he asks cautiously.

“I don’t know. His name was Arius. Life got between us as an Alpha and Omega.” I shrug, but the feeling of despair inside is anything but casual.

“Did you love him?”

Nothing, and I mean nothing, could have prepared me for that whiplash of a question. I have to clear my throat before I choke on my own bubbling emotions. Did I love Ari?

“Yeah, I mean, uh. We were close friends, but we were pretty young, so. I, uh, guess I loved him in a way.”

I cringe at myself.

Real smooth, Knox.

What I should’ve said was yes. Yes, I loved him obsessively, but I didn’t fucking know that.

As a growing Alpha, I didn’t have my feelings sorted out yet. Every day, for years after he left, I regretted never asking him out and making him mine. By now, he’s most certainly mated off to some other Alpha, probably has a few kids too, and he’ll forever be the one that got away.

I can’t read Jaimie’s expression, but he nods in understanding and resumes cleaning, avoiding me for the duration of his shift.

Chapter IX