Knot So Perfect Omega (Omega Match #1)(11)

“They’ll spare no expense to make you happy. From the looks of your clothes, shoes, and suitcase, you are not the caliber they need to present to the world. There will be dinners and events you need to attend eventually. Plus, your everyday attire isn’t up to par.”

I looked down at my ripped skinny jeans, N’Pact band T-shirt, and combat boots. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing? You’re telling me they walk around in suits all the time?”

He pulled off the highway without answering me, and we spent the rest of the drive in silence. I wished Kara was with me to see all the humongous houses we were passing as we started into the Hollywood Hills area. She spent a lot of time on real estate websites, looking at properties. I couldn’t have cared less as long as it had a cozy place for me to set up a nest.

I might not have enjoyed all the things that came with being an omega, but creating a comfortable nest where I could hide out and calm my nerves was vital to my well-being and mental health.

We stopped outside a solid black gate, and Brian pulled an opener out of the center console. The gate swung inward, and I gasped as we pulled up into the driveway of a two or three-story ultra-modern-looking house that looked like it was made out of white marble.

I couldn’t quite tell how many stories it was because most of the houses in the area were built into hillsides. The two black, double garage doors were on the driveway level, and then back behind it up higher looked like two stories. There was a retaining wall at least ten feet high made of white marble with a subtle gray veining and a wide set of black marble stairs leading up to the front.

What happened when it rained? Were people just expected to slip and slide down the smooth surfaces?

A black stone ball sculpture sat on the corner edge of the retaining wall, serving no purpose other than to contrast dramatically with the sharp angles and light coloring of the house. It wasn’t inviting at all, and as much as I didn’t want to admit it to myself, I was disappointed.

“Are they compensating for something with that ball?” I chuckled to myself, trying to ease the small bubble of anxiety that was pooling in my gut. I could only fight my instincts so much, and this house screamed bachelor party pad.

“This house is an architectural masterpiece, and that’s an Alphaball art piece commissioned by Rio by his favorite sculptor.” He opened one of the garages with another click of a button but didn’t pull inside because there were vehicles parked there. “Eight bedrooms, ten bathrooms, ocean and city views, a gym with a sauna, cryotherapy chamber, and state-of-the-art equipment.”

“Jesus. What the hell does someone need ten fucking bathrooms for?” I grabbed my backpack and got out. The weather was very mild and sunny; I already loved it.

“Watch your language. Most of the rooms have one. The main level and entertainment and gym levels each have one.”

I had to bite my tongue from saying something else and followed him into the garage. “Hey, wait. My bag is in the back of the car.”

“I’ll let you in and then grab it for you.” He put a code in the door leading into the house and it opened into a space that had two large sectionals, a bar area, a giant television, and an all-glass wall looking out onto a lap pool and greenery. “I’ll give you a code to get in and out, and that sets the alarm and disarms it.”

“Is this the ocean and city views?” I gestured to the pool and outside area.

The room was cozier than the outside but was still mostly shiny stone and dark colors. At least the couches looked comfortable.

“This is the ground floor. Why don’t you explore while I grab your bag?” He went back out into the garage, leaving me standing there in awe of the space.

Down a short hallway to the left was the gym, which was practically the size of the one back at the academy. There were four treadmills and bikes, all the weight equipment four athletes could possibly imagine, and a glass sauna that looked out over it all.

I took my phone out and snapped a picture, sending it to Kara. She’d wanted pictures of their house, and I certainly was going to give them to her.

It was no wonder Brian and Beckett’s conversation had been so flippant about sending an omega back if they didn’t work out. A hundred grand was a drop in the bucket to these guys, and the tiny part of me that felt guilty for what I was doing decreased to just a tendril.

On the other side of the gym was another hallway that led to the opposite side of the entertainment space. The place was gigantic, and I could only imagine how many square feet it was if there were still two more stories.

Down another hallway, there was a movie viewing room with tiered recliners and loveseats in front of a massive screen and a guest suite. Brian still wasn’t back inside yet, so I went to the wide staircase leading up to the main level and had to pick my jaw up off the floor as I took in the view out the floor-to-ceiling windows.

The main living space was large, with a sitting area, an electric fireplace spanning a wall between the living room and the dining room, and a kitchen barely visible through the dining area.

But the dark colors and geometric elements of the space weren’t what I was focused on. The view was of the Los Angeles skyline, which was turning a faint pink as the sun began to lower in the sky.

I went to the large windows which were telescopic sliding doors that opened across the width of the entire wall. My first thought was of how many bugs and birds must fly in through it when it was open.