Chapter 24
Ispent two days in the bedroom by myself, not from their lack of trying to invade my space, but because I barricaded the door. Crossing my legs, I scooted higher on the mattress to lean against the headboard.
The dresser pushed up against the door wouldn’t last much longer. The Alphas had made it clear the ‘space’ they allowed me would come to an end today.
Already the time between their coming to knock and talk through the door was growing smaller and smaller.
They were becoming restless, but I didn’t want to eat.
Or see their faces. I kept myself buried under the covers, looking up everything I could about them.
It took a little digging, but in researching HeatLink it led me to their profile and the charities they donated to.
With a bit more sleuthing, I found out which orphanage they used to be in, then I dug into any public records available.
I’d been fixated, and at least there was fruit from my labors.
What I discovered was a small economics-centered blog, and the Ironwyld Pack was one of their topics. As was Susanna . . . because she gave an interview. Through that article, I discovered she went by Susanna Ironwyld. She’d taken their last name.
I gritted my teeth.
She talked about belonging to them and how she was by their side while they worked on investments and how they had a ‘good eye’.
I scoffed at her hubris when she took credit for their work.
Not only did the article anger me, it confirmed a few things.
She was the same woman I met with the name Demi.
And she was headlining at The Bordello, well not ‘Susanna’.
No, as Demi Desires. The Bordello website didn’t have any pictures of her, just a back shot of a woman hugging herself in a dress with cutouts running up the length of the sides to show skin.
A thud wracked the door.
I jumped, the Epad slipping out of my hands and onto the mattress.
“Enough hiding, Eva,” Dorian called, voice raised. There wasn’t anger in his tone as there had been the last time I saw him. There hadn’t been anger since he started the knocking rotations. Just gentle words asking if I needed anything. “I’m . . . sorry you had to see that picture.”
So that’s why they thought I locked myself in here. They thought I was throwing a tantrum. Good, I’d use that.
With quick swipes of my finger along the screen, I erased my searches and got out of the privacy mode and tapped on the streaming app. That was all they would see if they looked through it.
“You can’t go another day without eating or drinking.” Dorian hadn’t left?
I’d been taking sips of sink water, nothing new with all the ways Father tried punishing me, but a crisp iced water would be amazing.
“I’m knocking it down. Move out of the way.” Rafe’s voice now.
I was out of time.
“Fine,” I shouted and hurried to the end of the dresser where it was closest to the wall.
I braced my back against it, pushing against the lip of the dresser.
Carpet made it easier to scoot it over. I managed to get it angled away, and one of them opened the door. The edge hit the side of the dresser.
“One second,” I huffed, exasperated. A large bronze hand poked through and gripped the edge of the furniture. Rafe scooted it over, allowing enough space to slide his body through the door. Once he was in, he lifted it and moved it a few feet to get past it.
I was still perched on the edge of the couch, gawking at his forceful entrance. Dorian came in behind Rafe, but I didn’t have a moment to even panic with Rafe charging at me like a bull. I froze, my heart pounding in my ears.
He swept me up, and my upper body pressed against his shoulder while his arms banded under my ass. Dorian was moving the furniture to allow Rafe to exit without hindrance.
“What are you doing?” I shoved against his shoulder, trying to move my legs.
Rafe swatted my ass. I was so shocked my words stuck in my throat.
He crossed the living room and entered the kitchen.
Dorian pulled out a chair while Rafe lifted my legs and I wobbled in his arms. Then he settled me on the wooden chair.
I landed gently and righted the shirt with a few yanks, trying not to salivate over the food placed on the table.
But my mouth watered as soon as the smell hit me. Neat slices of steak, asparagus, and brown rice were plated on a white porcelain plate.
I was fucking ravenous. My stomach cramped.
“You need to replenish your strength. You’ve punished us enough.”
I whipped my head toward Dorian, about to lay into him for the accusation, but their expressions halted the words. Deep purplish-red painted the bottom of their bloodshot eyes. Both their hair was a mess, but Dorian’s was a bit more unkempt since Rafe’s hair was more coarse.
Had they slept?
A smidgen of empathy struck my chest, and I stamped it down.
“Eat,” Rafe ordered and ripped me out of the train of thought that would have led to more poor decisions.
“Now you want to take care of me?”
I knew why they’d changed; I just liked being petty.
“Dammit, Eva!” Dorian shouted, slamming his fist against the table. It rattled, but fortunately nothing fell. His chest rose and fell harshly. “Why are you being so difficult?”
“What, you want me to roll over and bare my neck to you now that you’ve pulled your head out of your ass?” I spat, but I wasn’t done. “Why don’t you shove me in that closet again if you feel like I’m not obeying?”
He opened then closed his mouth, his jawline twitching. “No,” he whispered, anger deflating. “We shouldn’t have done that.” He closed his eyes and scrubbed his palm over his mouth.
Rafe crouched, bringing him closer to my face. “You’ll get sick if you continue like this.”
Omegas were notorious for their weak immune systems.
“We fucked up—”
“You don’t say,” I interrupted Dorian. Based on the vein that appeared to throb on his temple, I was pissing him off.
“Stop playing, Eva.”
“Oh, I’ve earned my name? No longer, Omega or girl?”
Dorian’s eyes narrowed.
Rafe caught my hand. I looked at him crouched before me.
“Eat the food.” His gravelly voice sent tingles down my spine.
Where we touched hands was more warm and comforting than I would like to admit.
“Please. Then we’ll leave you to rest in peace.
” He watched me steadily while my heart raced, and I tried not to show just how much his proximity affected me.
“Fine,” I grumbled and grabbed the fork to stab it into a slice of the meat. As soon as the savory touched my tongue, I was fucked. I scarfed the food down like a vacuum.
I didn’t even care that they watched my every little move.
Finishing up the food until the plate was clean was my single goal. As much as I enjoyed it, I wasn’t going to let them watch me savor their meal. That would make their Alpha hearts blissful. I chugged down half the water and stood, thumping the glass down.
“Done,” I announced and pushed the chair back. Rafe tugged it further back, getting it out of my way. I brushed past Dorian and into the bedroom I’d been staying in before I’d sequestered myself in his bedroom.
He loomed behind me, throwing me into shadow with his stature. I quickened my pace, yanked open the door and slammed it in Dorian’s face. He’d been dogging my steps so much that I was surprised he hadn’t stepped on me.
“You said you’d leave me alone.” After a few moments of silence from the other side, I pressed my forehead against the surface.
I’d left the Epad in his bedroom, but I didn’t want to go out there. Anyway, I’d done what I set out to do, which was to confirm Demi was Susanna. The rest of the information I needed wouldn’t be found on the internet.
What I needed to know now was why she left. And when and how.
A thump echoed from nearby. I jolted and scanned the room with a quick sweep of my eyes, but there was no one. The sound came again, and I followed it into the closet. Light from the bedroom cast to the back of the closet . . . where Cade sat, eyes closed, and head thumping against the wall.
What’s wrong with him?
“Cade?” I called, keeping my voice low. He didn’t react and thumped his head again. I opened the door further, so the light could guide me inside. Cade had been the most talkative. He could fill in the holes once I figured out what the hell was wrong with him.
I shuffled inside and sat on the floor adjacent to him.
The corners of his mouth and eyes were pinched. He looked in pain.
“Cade,” I repeated, reaching forward to shake his arm.
Was he wearing some sort of ear device that I couldn’t see? He didn’t react until my fingertips grazed his bare arm. His eyes flung open, but they were glazed. He burst forward, rolling onto his knees, so close that he scared me with his speed.
He only stared, breathing hard.
A few moments passed of us staring at each other, then he fell forward and onto me. Since I was leaning against the wall, it kept me upright.
“Don’t leave,” he mumbled against my neck and shuddered. “Don’t leave.” The insistence in his voice made my heart shrivel. “I shouldn’t have hurt you.” His voice cracked.
He shuddered again and made a soft, choked sound.
Is he crying?
Why did the thought make my throat close up?
I hesitated then ran my hand through his tousled blond hair.
He made another choked sound, squeezing me tighter.
Their pain didn’t make me feel good. It was a double-edged sword when I snapped back at them.
Every flinch or frown caused my heart to hurt.
That was how I knew I had to escape as soon as possible. I was weak around them.
I held Cade as he shuddered and squeezed me. He suddenly sat back to kneel before me.
“You won’t leave.” He clasped my hands, kissing the tops of them repeatedly. I never said I wouldn’t leave, but I didn’t correct him. “I will never disappoint you. Or hurt you. Or—”