"Yes, of course." I nod in agreement. "I've already handed out key cards and room assignments to the omegas. They should be getting settled in now."
"Wonderful." Warren pulls back the curtain and peeks out the window. From here, he's got a perfect view of the beach. "Tomorrow, that beach is going to be filled with guests. I've got people coming from all over the world to spend a few days with us. I almost can't believe we've finally reached this point, Duke."
“Me either.” He’s right. Anti-climactic is good.
He looks back at me and grins. "If this goes well, I foresee an entire chain of resorts just like this one. Scattered across the globe, catering to the rich and famous. Or, maybe we just stay here. One location, exclusive access, limited availability. We'll be booked solid year-round and can ask whatever price we want." He rubs his hands together and looks at me with determination in his eyes.
Other people might have accused Warren of materialism and greed. That's what I thought when I first met him. Now that I've taken the time to get to know him, I’ve realized something profound. He's not trying to build up his wealth. He's still trying to prove himself. Despite separating entirely from his father, cutting all ties with his family, and starting dozens of businesses with various partners, he's still judging himself by his father's standards. He's never going to be happy or stop working until he can get his dad to acknowledge him.
For that reason alone, Warren is driven.
I kind of admire the man. Even though my personal goals are nowhere near as lofty as his.
I'm getting close to my thirtieth birthday now, and although I'm happy, my entire life revolves around work and working out. I've dated a few omegas in the past, but none of them ever really stuck. I'm not a passive individual. I don't just let things happen to me. I take action and push back when something gets in my way. And what I’ve discovered about myself is that I need an omega that's capable of doing the same.
Unfortunately, most omegas have been conditioned to believe they're only desirable if they're sweet, airheads who worship the ground their alpha walks on. I'm not interested in someone like that.
Which is why I'm still reeling from what happened in the dining room. That omega, Isaac, stood up to me when I was getting a little too intense. Not only did he stand up to me, but he stood up for his friend. It might have just been a fluke, but he's certainly gotten my attention.
Even if I don’t like his friend, I can admire Isaac’s attitude. He’s the sort of omega I’d like to have in my corner. Definitely.
"Have you finalized the work schedule?" Warren asks, interrupting my thoughts and pulling me back down to earth.
"Not yet," I admit. "At least, not for the omegas. The rest of the staff have their shifts already planned. I've given the omegas until dinner to figure out what shifts they want to work. I plan on finalizing the schedule tonight."
Warren nods his head in agreement. "Makes sense. If you don't mind, I'll tag along with you when you talk to them. I want to try to get to know some of them a little bit."
From the sparkle in his eye, it's clear he means one omega in particular. At least I don't have to worry about him getting tangled up with an impostor anymore.
That thought doesn’t sit right with me. It niggles at the back of my mind and won’t leave me alone. Anders’s identity has been confirmed, and he’s not an impostor. Does that mean he’s not dangerous in some other way? What is it about him that has me on guard? I want to tell Warren to be careful, but I have no basis for my concern.
There’s too much to do for me to be wasting this much time worrying about one omega. I’ve got a final punch list that’s a mile long and only one more night to get it all done.
For the rest of the afternoon, I work on finalizing the security checks. The cameras in the hallways are all working properly, the keycard system is up to snuff, the guest rooms are all secure and cannot be entered from the outside. Unless someone leaves the balcony door open that is. In which case, that’s not something my security team can be held responsible for.
Of course, we're also on an island. We don't have to worry about random people sneaking in. Everyone who sets foot on the island is either an employee or a guest. At least, they should be.
My guys are patrolling the marina and checking IDs to confirm everyone has a reason to be there. There's no other place to land a boat, other than the beach, but it's in full view of every building here.
I feel confident in the preparations I've taken. This place is like Fort Knox. No one is getting in who isn’t supposed to.
Taking a moment to appreciate how far we’ve come, I lean against one of the columns supporting the patio roof and just breathe. The last several months have been hectic. Warren has been extra demanding, asking me to weigh in on all the security decisions for the entire resort. He's dragged me to every meeting, made sure I know all the staff as well as he does, and he expects nothing but perfection from day one.
I have to admit, the high-end business world is not my cup of tea.
It’s nothing but business meetings, starched suits, and painfully fake smiles.
From now on, I just hope I can focus on my actual job instead of serving as Warren's wingman for all the hard decisions. I'd rarely even say anything at his business meetings. I just stand there behind him and look intimidating. He says it adds weight to his words when there's muscle to back it up. I don't know if that's true or not. What I do know is that tomorrow is going to be a nightmare.
Hundreds of rich and famous people are going to descend on this resort, and I still don't feel like we're ready. I've double checked everything I can think of about a hundred times, but it still feels like there's something missing. Something that wasn't done correctly, or something that could be done better.
My jaw hurts from gritting my teeth as I suppress the urge to punch something in frustration. All this pent-up energy needs to go somewhere though. A cool breeze blows across the island and beckons me out onto the trails. The island might not be very big, but the gravel trails are set up to zigzag through the forest. If you take your time and avoid straight lines, you could get a decent run in. Of course, we've also got a complete, high end, gym available as well. But the gym isn’t what I need right now.
Without a moment's hesitation, I set off at a fast jog, just shy of breaking into a full run. Blood pumps through my veins and fills my ears. My muscles expand and contract with each stride as I head away from the main buildings.
It's been a while since I've had a chance to go on a run. I used to do it all the time. The repetitive motion, the feeling of using my body for something physical, is infinitely soothing to me. I can clear my head, balance my turbulent emotions, and end the run feeling refreshed and satisfied.
As I turn down the isolated trails, I catch my thoughts turning to Isaac once more. He caught me off guard earlier. Standing up to me, challenging me, and protecting his friend. It was both embarrassing and exhilarating. There’s an attraction to him that I can't explain. And it terrifies me, to be perfectly honest. He's so much younger than me. If I were to make a move, he'd probably just shut me down. Even if he didn't, I can't exactly go around dating the staff. Technically, there’s no rule against it, but there probably should be.