“Are you cold?” he asked, stopping at the base of a massive steel staircase.
“Just a chill.”
“Yes. This place can be quite cold.”
“But it’s spring, almost summer.”
“Yep,” he replied, taking her hand and walking up the stairs with her.
To anyone looking on, he would appear to be falling in love, doting on his future mate. Only Kay knew the truth. Every move had been rehearsed prior to tonight, every detail discussed. She was to be flattering, but not overly so. It was important to be believable. Stolen glances, light touches of the hands, kisses on the cheek, on the lips, on the side of her neck . . . all laid out in advance to create a scene in which they were happily betrothed. It would be a surprise to no one when they eloped.
“Ready?” he asked as they finished climbing two flights and stood on the top floor of the building.
She nodded, and he opened the door, his hand still in hers. They walked into a large, mostly dark, room. Though it held a beautiful, ornate king-size bedroom suite decorated with heavy drapes and matching bed covers, none of it seemed to be in use. Instead, they made their way over to a hospital bed situated on one side, away from the windows, in the darkest part of the room.
“Walt? Are you awake?” Bradley whispered to the frail-looking man lying there.
“I think so. Who knows,” came a wilted reply.
“How are you feeling today?”
“Like shit warmed over.”
The statement was followed by a coughing spell that, at first, seemed endless. The man finally caught his breath and turned ever so slightly in the bed to look up at Bradley.
“Oh, it’s you, son.”
“Yes, it’s me.”
“You bring her?”
“I did.”
“Well, let’s get a look at her then.”
Bradley extended his hand toward Kay and she walked around the edge of the bed until she was in full view of the man.
“Hello. It’s nice to finally meet you. Bradley talks about you so much.”
“Does he? Anything good?” the man replied with a knowing smile.
“Of course, it is good,” Bradley interjected, causing the old man he had called Walt to smile widely, a smile that was quickly replaced by a grimace as his body seemed to pucker in its entirety.
“You’re a lovely woman. Omega?”
“Yes, Sir,” she replied.
“You don’t have to call me sir. Walt is good enough for me. As late as a few years ago, I’d have given this fellow of yours a run for his money. Not anymore. I do good to see the sun rise each morning now.”
Kay wasn’t prepared to say anything and looked helplessly at Bradley to save her, but Walt continued on without noticing, it seemed.
“This is a big place. A lot of people depend on its livelihood. I can’t risk just handing it over to some young buck who might decide it is too hard, too demanding. The man that takes this ranch when I die needs to be dedicated to it and he needs a good woman by his side. Are you a good woman?”
“I like to think I am. I try to be,” she half stammered, feeling near tears.
How was it that this man, who was a complete stranger to her, could touch her so much in a matter of moments? Was it just facing a man who had death on his doorstep that was yanking every emotional switch she had and pulling it upward into the “On” position?
“I’m guessing you are. Bradley is a solid man and he’ll do right by you. Together, I trust you will do right by me and all of our clan. That’s enough to let me go to the skies in peace. I thank you for that.”
It was all Kay could do not to turn and run out of the room. She fought back tears as she stood there, trying to conjure up just a single word of comfort. Anything she could say would only sound empty to a man in his position, and she hated being trite.
“Thank you, Walt. We won’t let you down.”
There was a slight nod from the man, and he closed his eyes. Within seconds, there was a light snore coming from him. Bradley pulled the covers up around his shoulders before walking her back out to the hallway. The tears were no longer holding back. They fell freely down her face.
“Are you okay?” Bradley asked.
“Yes. I’m sorry. That poor man and what we’re doing...,” she began, but Bradley cut her off.
“None of that here. Ears are everywhere. Dry your eyes and let’s get down to the party.”
Kay was taken aback by his callousness. This had all seemed so easy to her when she had accepted his offer, but now it was far too real. They were duping an old man on his death bed. She was being paid to trick him into giving something that was very important to him over to a man who he might not otherwise choose as the new alpha. She wondered who the man would have chosen if not being manipulated by Bradley’s farce.