“I’m so sorry,” I said quickly, holding out a hand to him, which he looked down at in horror.
“I’m really,reallysorry. Please forgive me. I-I don’t know why I said that. Sit down, please, and-and rest. Yes, that’s it! You should rest because, you know, because you look tired.”
He looked dazed and baffled by my behavior and with good reason. Even I didn’t know what I was babbling about.
“No. I’m not tired. I-I think I just need to go home,” Jax said, tears trembling on his thick eyelashes. He was ignoring my efforts to make him sit down again and edging toward the door. I started toward him to get in his way, but Ashworth yanked at my arm.
“Sir, stop! Don’t do this. You’re scaring him half to death. You have to get hold of yourself.”
Ashworth stepped in front of me then, putting his own safety in serious jeopardy and speaking to Kyle and Josh. “Please escort Mr. Jordan downstairs and back to his car.”
He turned and fixed his stern gaze on me, then leaned in close to whisper to me. “I’ll tell them to follow him home and stay outside to make sure he gets home safely tonight. That will give you time to get a grip on your emotions, sir.”
I nodded distractedly, hungrily watching every move Jax made and convincing myself it would be a really bad idea to eat Ashworth right here in front of everybody.
“I’ll talk to you soon,” I called to the boy, and he gave me a frightened look over his shoulder.Merde, did that sound like a threat? I hadn’t meant it to.
My manservant went over to talk to the others, while Jax gazed back at me across the short distance that separated us. He looked so adorably confused. He bit down on his lush lower lip, and it took all my willpower to stand there and watch him. I wanted him to stop looking so scared. What did he think I was going to do? Gobble him up?
On second thought—hell, I just might.
The door closed behind him, and I tried to dodge around Ashworth to go after him, but he blocked me again.
“Move, damn it, Ash. I need to explain things to him.”
“No. You absolutely do not. You need to calm down and think about what you’re doing. I recommend a stiff drink and a little rest before you say or do another thing. He’s your mate, isn’t he?”
I sighed and flung myself back on the sofa, slinging an arm over my eyes. “Yes. My true mate. And I’ve never had anything hit me so hard, Ash. The second I touched him, I knew who he was. I mean, his scent was already messing with me, but then I touched him … surely you noticed how strong his scent was.”
“No, not particularly, sir.”
“Seriously? It was like spun sugar. I thought he wasn’t taking his pheromone suppressants, but that wasn’t it, was it?”
“No sir, I suspect not.”
“Zut alors!Find out who his father is, so I can purchase him. Don’t barter with the man—no amount is too high. Just get the omega for me.”
“Sir, give yourself time to think this over.”
“What’s there to think over? I don’t necessarily have to live with him. More than likely. Not all the time anyway. I think I can get a grip on this thing in a month or two. Or three. Mostly, that is. It doesn’t have to control my entire life.”
“You’re calling him ‘the omega’ and ‘this thing.’ He’s a person, sir, and if you continue this, you’ll only make him despise you.”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“I’m urging you to slow down. Apologize to him and make some excuse for the way you acted just now. I clearly heard him tell you he has a new contract with Valleywood studios that he’s excited about. He’s hoping to make his business successful, and you can’t get in the way of that.”
I wondered if he’d suddenly taken leave of his senses. “He’s an omega and he’s my true mate. Of course, I can.”
“Not if you don’t want him to end up hating you.”
I was amazed at the idea and simply goggled at him for a moment.Hate me?That would be…intolerable.
“But he’ll have no need of a successful business. I’ll take care of him.”
“That’s not what he wants.”
“He doesn’t know what he wants! He’s an omega.”