Chapter Four
Jax
I didn’t bother Rider again for the next four days. It wasn’t easy not reaching out either. That first taste of him had been so good, I’d wanted more. Needed more. His lips, and the scent of his arousal had been addicting. I could just imagine what fucking him would be like, and I had trouble thinking of much else. But somehow, I’d held tight to my self-control, and hadn’t called him since our dinner.
He hadn’t called me either.
As I made my work phone calls and emails, Rider was on my mind. This was the day he was supposed to let me know his decision. I could admit I was nervous. I hadn’t run across an omega who had tempted me so much in years. Sure, I’d been horny. Yes, I’d fucked guys. But what I wanted from Rider was more than a one-night stand. I wanted him in my bed every night. Naked. Willing. Pregnant. I shivered at the idea of that. God, other than Thomas, I’d never wanted to get anybody pregnant before. Thomas and I hadn’t been in a rush to have babies. We’d been young enough we’d thought we had all the time in the world. Sadly, that hadn’t been true. Perhaps that was why meeting Rider, and finding him so tempting was a nice feeling. I was sure I’d never love again, but it would be nice to have an emotional connection of some kind with an omega. Rider made me think that might be possible with him.
I blew out a harsh breath, adjusting my swollen cock. Perhaps my preoccupation with Rider was just that he wasn’t falling over himself to say yes to me. My money and name weren’t enough to seduce him into agreeing to be my omega. His reticence was both frustrating and intriguing. If he said no, that would suck big time. Most depressingly, I’d have to start interviewing other omegas again. I wasn’t sure why Rider had clicked for me so quickly. There was just something about him that I liked. Maybe it was because he was kind of mouthy, and he teased me. I liked it. Most people tiptoed around me, telling me what I wanted to hear, but Rider didn’t do that. He was respectful, polite. But he called a spade a spade and it was refreshing. If I was honest, it sort of reminded me of Thomas.
My heart squeezed as thoughts of Thomas came to me. He’d been opinionated and funny. Our chemistry had been off the charts hot, and we’d never gotten tired of being around each other. We’d truly been best friends, and I’d never made friends easily. I’d always been suspicious if classmates wanted to be my pal because of my family name and money. It was hard to tell sometimes if someone liked me, or just the idea of knowing Jax Hamilton. People could lie right to your face so easily.
Rider didn’t strike me as a phony. I got the feeling he preferred to have the hard conversations rather than pretend everything was great. I felt bad that his alpha had jerked him around. Rider’s desire to be a dad was strong, and to think his alpha had taken advantage of his trust pissed me off. He should have been able to trust his alpha. Our job was to protect and shelter our omegas. To lie to him for years was unforgivable. Did he still have feelings for that jerk of an alpha? Was that one reason he hesitated to accept my offer? Was he hoping the asshole would come crawling home to him?
I leaned back in my chair, interlacing my hands behind my head. I’d lived alone so long, the idea of having a strange omega in my home should have freaked me out. But the thought of Rider being that omega calmed me. If all went well, we’d have a house full of kids. My mouth curved in a smile. It would be so weird to have children around. I’d never been big on kids, but this would be different because they’d be mine. Mine and Rider’s. What would that be like? I could just picture dolls and Lego's strewn around the room. On one hand that seemed annoying, but on the other hand, it gave me a fuzzy warmth inside. This house needed life and laughter. Nothing would do that faster than children.
Emilia was working nearby and she set her pen down. “Is there something you need, Mr. Hamilton?”
I shifted my gaze to hers sheepishly because I’d almost forgotten she was in the room. “No. I was just thinking about Rider.”
She arched one brow. “Oh.”
She didn’t like Rider. At first, I’d thought maybe I was imagining her disapproval, but it had only gotten worse since I’d had dinner with him the other night. I’d rarely seen her dislike someone so intensely, but from the first moment she’d met Rider, she’d detested him. I guess still waters truly did run deep because I couldn’t figure her out. I couldn’t imagine what Rider could have done to upset her, since they’d hardly ever even spoken to each other. But anytime I mentioned him, she got a pinched expression.
“Todays the day he’s supposed to give me his decision.” I studied her, noticing a deep line between her brows.
She shifted uneasily. “Are you sure this is a good idea, sir?”
“Marrying Rider?”
“Yes.”
“I need an heir.”
She sighed. “Yes, but, bringing another omega into this home. The home you shared with Thomas. It feels… wrong.”
I winced. “Thomas never lived here.”
“No. Not officially. But you stayed here together many a weekend during your college years. I know he loved this house, and he looked forward to one-day living here as your omega.” Her mouth drooped. “I can still hear his laughter sometimes. His very presence made the house so warm and vibrant.”
Depression settled in the pit of my stomach. It seemed whenever I managed to forget about Thomas for five minutes, Emilia always found a way of bringing him back into my thoughts. “I don’t know how else to get an heir. I don’t like the idea of using a surrogate. It feels too sterile. Besides, I want an omega here to help raise the children.”
“Oh, surely childcare could be arranged without you having to marry a stranger.”
I frowned. “What is your issue with Rider?”
Her pale cheeks tinted pink. “I have no issue.”
I laughed. “Emilia, yes, you do. You can’t stand him.”
“I’m not arguing against Rider. I’m arguing against bringing any omega here.”
“I’m not buying it. You seem to really dislike him.”
She avoided my gaze. “He’s just so average.” She sniffed.
That was surprising to hear because there was nothing average about Rider. Not his looks. Not his intelligence. He was definitely the opposite of average. “No he’s not. He’s great. To be honest, there are things about him that remind me of Thomas.”
She looked aghast. “How can you say that?”
Her reaction was so harsh, I felt like a child getting scolded by his teacher. “He’s warm and funny like Thomas.”
Curling her lip, she shook her head. “It’s disrespectful to have him here. I’m shocked you don’t see that.”
That annoyed me. She worked for me, not the other way around. Yes, she’d worked for my whole family for ages, but that didn’t give her the right to tell me how to live my life. This was none of her damn business, and trying to make me guilty was now just making me mad. “Do I need to remind you that I’m your boss?”
“Well, no. Of course not.” She squirmed in her seat.
“Would you prefer I live the rest of my life alone? I need an heir, and I want to have an omega in my bed. God willing, I have a lot of years ahead of me. I’d like to spend them with a companion.”
“I thought this was just about getting an heir for the Hamilton name?” She scowled.
Shrugging, I said, “That was what it was at first. But the more I thought about it the more I liked the idea of having someone beside me through life.” Especially after I’d met Rider, that had seemed like something I’d enjoy. “You must know if I could have Thomas, he’s who I’d choose. But I can’t have him. He’s gone. I still have a life to live, and I’d prefer not to do it alone.”
Her jaw clenched. “Of course, Mr. Hamilton. Forgive me for having an opinion on something so personal.”
I sighed. “I don’t mind that you have an opinion.” I softened my tone. “I know you were very fond of Thomas.”
Her lower lip trembled and she stared at her clasped hands. “He was like the son I never had.”
“I’m sorry.” My heart hurt for her because she truly had adored Thomas. They’d got along well, and she’d doted on him. I’d never seen her shower so much affection on anyone until she met Thomas. He’d definitely charmed her. “Thomas loved you too. But he’s gone, and I want more than to live alone forever. I think I could be happy with Rider as my omega. I’d like you to at least try and get to know Rider. I think you might end up liking him.”
She stood abruptly, looking flustered. “Would it be all right if I left early tonight? I… I have Christmas shopping to finish.”
Surprised at her obvious desire to escape, I nodded. “Of course.”
Stalking to the door with her spine stiff as a pole, she left the room without another word. I stared after her, frowning. If Rider agreed to be my omega he’d have to put up with Emilia’s snippy attitude. I hoped it wouldn’t be a problem. He worked with high school students all day, he probably had a pretty thick skin. Judging by how grim Emilia had looked just now, he’d need it.
When my cell buzzed on the desk, I gave it a nervous glance. I recognized Mrs. Littlebottom’s number and my heart began to pound. This was it. The moment of truth. My palms were sweaty as I picked up my phone. “Hello?”
“Well, hello to you too, Mr. Hamilton.” Mrs. Littlebottom’s lilting voice came over the line. “How has your day been so far?”
“Fine.” Not counting snooty personal assistants.
“Sorry I didn’t call sooner. I’ve been busy, busy. It’s that time of year when all the loose ends need tying. So many people want love around the holidays.”
“I can imagine.” I wasn’t in the mood for chit chat, not after Emilia had gotten me all wound up. I just needed to know what Rider’s decision was.
“There’s nothing like having that special someone in your life to make Christmas even more amazing. Don’t you agree?”
“Um… sure.” Trying very hard not to sound too impatient, I asked, “Any news?”
She sighed. “Yes, I have news.”
My heart sank at her tone. “Good news or bad?”
Silence stretched, and my stomach clenched with nerves. Then she said with a mischievous laugh, “Congratulations, Mr. Hamilton, you’ve been matched!”
The relief I felt was immediate and surprisingly strong. “Rider’s agreed to be my omega?” For some reason I needed to hear her say the actual words. I didn’t want any miscommunication.
“Yes, he’s agreed to be your omega.” She sounded cheerful. “He called me this morning.”
I cleared my throat, and tried to keep my tone nonchalant. “That’s great.”
“It is, isn’t it?” She snorted a laugh. “I’ll be honest, I thought he was going to turn you down.”
I frowned. “You did?”
“Yes. He was terribly conflicted. Poor dear really wanted to hold out for true love, but I guess in the end, common sense prevailed. I mean, love is wonderful and all, but I wouldn’t have a business if it was that easy to find.”
“Very true.”
I sympathized with Rider’s dilemma, but thought he’d made the right decision. It was best not to risk never finding an alpha. This way we could both get what we needed to be happy. A niggle of excitement went through me at the realization that Rider was actually going to live with me. I let out a shaky breath, trying not to think about him in my bed. There were so many other things that needed to happen first. We had to sign the contract laying out the rules of our coupling, have a civil ceremony, and move Rider into my home. Then I’d have to let him get used to being here in my house before I demanded anything intimate with him.
“I’ve sent the contracts to both of you. If you’ll just sign them, and overnight them back to me, this part of the process will be done.” Her voice chirped like a meadow lark in the morning.
“Will do.”
“Talk to you soon.” She hung up.
I bit my lip, stifling a smile. I was surprised at how pleased I was that Rider had agreed. I wanted to call him, which made no sense at all. This was a business arrangement. He didn’t need to talk to me on the phone like we were an actual couple. That was probably the last thing he wanted. No doubt he was feeling overwhelmed right now. He’d need space. I would respect that, and let him focus on all the details he’d need to handle so that he could be moved in here by my Christmas deadline.