Chapter 13

Thirteen

CALEB

" W hat the hell," groaned Jade, holding her face between her hands as she leaned forward on her lap.

I couldn't believe it.

I was looking for this omega for a full two years before I met Glenda, who was the next best thing at the time. I settled, but we had gradually grown into an understanding. My heart raced as I tried not to stare at Jade and crash the truck. I wanted to look at her again.

I remembered how magnetic her pull was at the party. Her sleek red mask and red dress. Her subtle sexuality pulled me in even deeper. It was a like a gut punch when I found her gone a couple of hours after we made love on the roof. Her being still pulled my heart to this day.

And even now. No matter how hard I tried to fight it.

Jade had lingered on my mind, and it was but a distant memory now. My heart beat hard in my chest, remembering her beautiful thick thighs and soft belly as I kissed her body that night. I couldn't believe I didn't recognize those thighs of hers. I literally masturbated the other night, staring at her legs and her pussy.

"I won't talk about it if you don't want to," I said, placing my hand on her thigh. She tensed, and I pulled my hand back. I didn't want to make her uncomfortable.

"It's crazy that we met before," she said softly, slowly lifting her face and looking at me. "No wonder your scent was familiar to me."

I kept my eyes on the road to avoid making her feel more self-conscious than she already was. I could smell her scent rising, turning into the scent of sour green apple from her nervousness. I tried to avoid inhaling her scent, but it was impossible in the truck. She hadn't worn scent blockers in a while, so her perfume intoxicated me. I wanted to pull the truck to the side of the road and fuck her until the morning. Ram my dick into her until she screamed my name.

But I couldn't do that. Bruce was right.

We shouldn't string this omega along if we weren't going to be serious.

"I looked for you that night," I said. "I searched for the girl in the red mask and heels for a long time."

"You're lying," she whispered, staring out the window.

"Why would I lie to you? That night was special to me," I said. "We had a connection that I can remember even today. Before we fucked, we talked and laughed for hours. Don't you remember?"

"I remember," she whispered, pressing the tissue against her wound. It hurt me that she was hurt. "Because you thought I was a beta, and we both wanted a one-night stand sort of thing."

"It was more than that," I said, parking the car at her residence. "No wonder you caught my eye at the Omega Ball."

She laughed.

"Well, it was a long time ago," she said. "Things happen over the years, and people change."

Jade

"Here we are," said Caleb, turning off the engine.

"It's okay. I can walk myself to the door," I protested. It was awkward enough being in the truck with him after his admission. His presence was too much for me, and I was overwhelmed. I didn't know what to think.

"I'll walk you to the door," said Caleb without hesitation as he hopped out of the truck.

We walked to the apartment, and I was sort of glad I was getting back to my normal life. I missed my room, art, and routine. I spent more than enough time vacationing with a bunch of alphas in their home. Things had gotten too sexual and out of control over there. It was for the best.

"Whoa, what are those boxes?" asked Caleb as we made our way to my door.

"No idea," I said, walking past the six boxes piled high on top of each other. I took my keys out and inserted it into the lock on my door. The lock wouldn't twist open. What the heck? "I can't open the damn door."

"Is this yours?" asked Caleb, and I turned to see him holding my pink vibrator by the rubber handle in his hands with a smirk on his face. My face heated instantly, and I snatched it from him. In a panic, I quickly rummaged through the box in the hallway, and sure enough, they were my things. My underwear, lingerie, and accessories were in this box. My paintings were leaning against the wall, put carelessly there. They were each worth a few hundred dollars.

Yep. I was officially evicted.

I opened another box containing all my clothes from my closet. The next box had all my kitchen stuff.

"I had two days left to pay the rent," I said, staring at the boxes and feeling like my world was collapsing under me. "I completely forgot while I was staying with you guys."

I quit my job and now this. I could beg the landlady to give me a few more days, but I highly doubted she would care.

"Do you have family to stay with? I'll help you take the boxes, and I can give you a ride there," offered Caleb. He didn't sound judgmental that I was homeless now and he genuinely wanted to help.

I didn't want to go back to live with my parents. They would dictate my life again, even though they thought they were giving me all the freedom for an omega. I started hyperventilating, my breaths coming in short gasps.

"I'm so fucking stupid," I said, collapsing against the wall and sliding down.

"Why?" said Caleb, sitting next to me cross-legged. I could feel the heat from his body as his knees were very close to my thighs.

"I should never have quit my job," I groaned. "Now I have to go back to my parents. I have an older brother, but he's mated now with two kids. I can't go there."

"How about any friends?"

"All my friends are mated with kids," I said. "I have no choice but to go back to my mom's house."

"May I ask why you quit your job?"

"I had a big gig to help my cousin with her wedding planning which she canceled," I explained. "I have a small business designing rooms, party planning, or selling paintings. I'm pretty much all over the place. Fuck my life."

"Is it that bad?"

I gave him a dead stare, and he chuckled.

"It is that bad," I answered. It was humiliating for him to see me like this. I'd rather live on the streets than go back to live with my parents. I loved them but not enough to move back in with them.

"I have an idea that might help," he said.

"Yeah?"

There was nothing that could help me now. I made all my life choices which led to a dead end. And there was no way I could stay at his place.

"I just recently purchased a home and need an interior designer," he started. "Do you think you can help with that?"

"Yes, I definitely can," I breathed, hope lifting inside me. "Believe it or not, I have an eye for interior design."

"Excellent," said Caleb. "For payment, you can stay at the new house until you can secure something for yourself. It'll buy you some time to figure everything out."

"Are you fucking serious?!" I said.

I couldn't believe it. This was the answer to my problems.

"Dead serious," he said. "Let's get your boxes into the truck and head over there."

"Thank you so much, Caleb," I said as I threw myself to him in a hug. He was startled initially but pulled me in for a hug. As if he was apologizing for something. When he released me, I was breathless but happy.

I was given a second chance, and this time I wasn't going to screw it up.