The realisation hits hard enough to make my jaw tighten.
Omegas and alphas are the ones whousuallybother with blockers – and as defiant as she is, she doesn’t read like an alpha.
Which means shemightbe an omega. Or she might just be cautious. Either way, working here – with drunk, entitled men who feel free to grab whatever they want – isn’t safe.
And no one’s really looking out for her.
A quiet growl builds in my chest before I swallow it down.
I could – if she wanted help.
Thankfully my father leaves tomorrow and the waitress won’t have to face him for a few months. Me either. The relief I feel is almost palpable. This may be my last summer of freedom, and I may be dead against my father’s plans for me, but I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. Three months from now. Until then, I’m going to hang with my brothers and have the best goddamn summer ever.
I wait for the driver to collect my father and his business associates before telling him that I’m going back to the Butler’s house tonight. He scowls but doesn’t fight me. He can’t lose face in public.
With a terse nod he bids me goodnight, reminding me that we have a lunchtime appointment together at the hotel tomorrow. As if I could forget. It will be the final chance for him to remind me what a disappointment I am and what he expects from me while he’s gone. Namely, that I behave and don’t bring shame to the Nguyen dynasty.
I wait for the car’s tail lights to disappear out of the car park and up the winding track to the main road before following in the same direction to get to Kai and Koa’s place. It’s late for avisit, but they’re practically family and their home will be mine for the next three months despite the lavish suite my father has secured for me at the hotel. I prefer the Butler house. There’s no spies watching my every movement, reporting back to my father.
As I make my way up the hill towards their home, I can’t help but think about last night again. She’s been on my mind ever since I first laid eyes on her at the beach, but since our incredible night together, I’ve not been able to think about anything else.
And now, she’s gone without a trace. Leaving only a wig behind like some sort of weird Gen Z Cinderella story. It fucks up my plans to find her, now that I don’t even know what she really looked like.
Maybe I should have paid attention beyond her hair colour, but I was distracted by the way her short pink dress clung to her curves and the way it rode up her thighs as she danced.
She said her name was Flynn, but was she even telling me the truth? I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts. She was at the party so she must be either a new recruit, or someone’s friend. I can ask around. Someone will know.
Although, I can’t really let her distract me from the summer ahead. This is my time to let loose and be free, away from my father’s expectations and demands. My summer doesn’t include monogamy. According to my father, that’s what the rest of my life is for. To the woman he’s chosen for me.
Hard pass.
I’m here to win the bet. And this summer it means collecting the best sexual poker hand I can. Which I fully intend to do, with as many women as possible. I fucked up last night, swapping names with Flynn. If we’d kept it anonymous, I could’ve collected my first card – the four of hearts: sex with a stranger within twenty minutes, no names.
I guess my head wasn’t really in the game last night, but from now on it will be.
Except, I can’t stop thinking about her.
And something tells me, if I ever see her again, I’m not going to be able to let her go.
Just as I’m about to turn up the drive to the Butler’s house, the crunch of gravel behind me makes me pause. Looking over my shoulder I see the waitress from tonight walking a few paces behind me.
She sees me spy her and so I feel the need to make conversation with her. “Hi…Laney was it?”
“Lani,” she corrects me with a polite smile but it’s a little strained. She looks exhausted. I’m not surprised, our party stayed late – way beyond their opening hours and she definitely worked hard trying to please our table. No one should have to work twice as hard just to be treated with basic respect, but my father and his friends? They’re unpleasable.
“I’m really sorry about tonight,” I say, not even sure which part I’m apologising for. The man who grabbed her? That no one else stepped in to help? For my father’s behaviour? For not stopping that?
“It’s fine. I’m sorry the meal wasn’t up to your standards.”
She’s so polite, so formal, treating me like I’m still a customer inside the restaurant rather than two strangers out for a stroll late at night. There’s wariness in her stance, whatever she is tucked under that chemical edge.
She doesn’t want to be noticed.
Doesn’t want to be vulnerable.
I can tell she’s worried about the complaints affecting her job, it’s plain to see all over her face.
“Nonsense. It was the best burger I’ve ever had in my life,” I exaggerate, wanting for some unknown reason to put a genuine smile on her face. “It’s not your fault those old bastards don’t have a decent taste bud between them.”