Page 34 of Scheme
Did he now?I thought wryly. Of course he got all chatty now.
Then again, Violet hadn’t mentioned the food festival, so Kit hadn’t beenthatchatty.
“I had a call with a client in Belize last week.” Which I’d scheduled deliberately, because I hated saying no to people without having a legitimate reason.
Violet made a grumbling noise of assent, hanging back while I finished dressing and carefully reapplied my makeup. As always, she looked cherubic without a stitch of makeup on, her freckled cheeks flushed red from exercise and the steam-filled changing rooms. The wispy red baby hairs around her face had curled up with the humidity, and she smoothed them back irritably, though they just added to the general halo effect.
Meanwhile, my entire face was tomato red and somehow pallid at the same time, my hair more thin and limp than ever after a heavy dose of Om-Guard shampoo, and where Violet’s green eyes sparkled after exertion, it only seemed to make the shadows under mine more pronounced.
I hated how sorry for myself I was feeling. With a little more force than necessary, I liberally applied my concealer, blaming my stupid hormones for my morose mood. Stupid heat. Stupid alphas. Stupid everything.
“I know you’re very independent, but I hope you know that if something is bothering you that you can always talk to me,” Violet said quietly. “And if Kit is being an asshole, you can totally tell me and Nico and we’ll happily tell him to pull his head on. We’re friends with both of you, but we’re both very aware that Kit can be a bit of a grouchy bastard when he wants to be.”
I snorted, sponging away all the redness in my cheeks. Her words were reassuring in a way I hadn’t expected them to be. After all, Kit had been their friend first.
My phone buzzed and I shot Violet an apologetic look as I pulled it out.
Layla: I need you to look after the kids tonight. I’ll drop them at your flat.
How thoughtful,I thought uncharitably.
Me: I can’t, sorry. I have plans.
Layla: Cancel them. This is family, Margot. You have responsibilities.
Me: Maybe next time.
It wasn’t what Iwantedto reply with, but I still struggled with the idea of upsetting my sister, even though she’d never shown me the same courtesy.
“Who’s put that look on your face?” Violet asked with a sympathetic frown. “Your parents? Layla? Calum?”
Ah. Kit had been true to his word and not told them about Calum. Unfortunately, I hadn’t told them either.
“Margot? What is it?” Violet asked, her scent souring with the distinct scent of omega distress at whatever she saw on my face.
Hearing his name mentioned so casually was jarring. Like for a moment, he was still alive, still occasionally sending me offensive messages demanding either my help or money.
“Calum… Well, he sort of died.” I winced. That had sounded a lot better in my head.
“Calum…what? When? How— No, you don’t have to answer that, I’m sorry. I’m just… I’m so sorry, Margot.”
We were drawing a little more attention than I was comfortable with. I quickly shoved the rest of my stuff in my duffel bag, linking my arm through Violet’s and pulling her toward the exit, cursing silently to find Nico standing outside, waiting for her.
It wasn’t as though either of them had ever met Calum—I’d deliberately had as little to do with my brother as possible after I left home, but they’d heard my complaints over the years.
“What happened?” Nico asked, looking alarmed as he pulled Violet into his arms, a low, soothing purr rumbling from his chest immediately in response to her distress.
Of all the intimate moments I’d witnessed between the two of them, hearing Nico purr for Violet was the only one that felt kind of intrusive. The only one that felt like a moment they would choosenotto share.
“I’m fine,” Violet gasped, pushing out of his embrace before his purr had her melting into a puddle on the floor. “Stop, I need to focus. Margot, tell us what happened.”
Nico’s purr came to an abrupt halt, his hand resting reassuringly on Violet’s back as he gave me his full attention. For all my cynicism, Nico was a reminder that thereweregood alphas in the world.
Alphas who listened to omegas, cherished them, and respected them.
Calum hadn’t been one of those alphas.
“Calum died,” I repeated flatly, not allowing one single tendril of emotion to bleed into my voice. “He attacked an omega who wasn’t in heat and sent himself into rut. The toxin caused heart failure.”
