Chapter 7
7
I tug at the slinky dress fabric clinging to my body, trying to adjust the slit in the skirt that exposes far too much skin for my liking. The warehouse’s dim lighting does little to hide my discomfort as I check my reflection in the grimy window.
An androgynous figure stares back, ash-blond hair disheveled, blue eyes narrowed in concentration. The dress hugs my lean frame, transforming me into someone softer and more vulnerable. Everything an Omega should be.
My fingers brush the slender leather collar encircling my throat, and I grimace. The palm-sized metal plate pressing into my nape sets my nerves on edge with the harsh reminder of how much danger Omegas face without a mate.
That’s one good thing that Raphael’s permanent Mark spares me from. Despite his betrayal, he still protects me from every Alpha except himself.
I’m trying to figure out where I can stash a second gun when Raphael steps up behind me. His pheromones sweep around me like an invisible collar, sinking into my lungs, coaxing an instinctive response I refuse to give. My shoulders tense, my body drawn to the scent that once meant safety but now only stirs resentment inside me.
“Need some help?” His lips graze my ear, sending a traitorous shiver down my spine.
“I’ve got it handled.” I pivot to face him, keeping my expression neutral.
He has traded his all-black attire for a tailored suit that accentuates the powerful lines of his body. The fabric strains over his broad shoulders as he shifts closer, his presence invading my senses.
Damn him. He’s just as magnificent as ever.
Raphael chuckles, low and knowing as he leans in. “If you keep looking at me like that, I might misunderstand.”
I clench my teeth, annoyed at my weakness. “Just trying to decide the best place to stick my knife.”
Amusement glints in Raphael’s eyes as his fingers slide beneath the slit in my skirt, trailing over my bare thigh. His touch sends a slow, smoldering heat curling through my body, the roughened pads of his fingers beneath my silky dress making me shiver before I can stop myself.
I should pull back. I should shove him off.
Instead, I stay still, my breath hitching as he pauses, his thumb brushing in a lazy circle over the sensitive skin above my thigh strap, savoring the way I tremble beneath his hands.
Satisfaction rumbles through him at my reaction as he locates the knife sheathed close to my groin. “This knife?”
Pulse racing, I tap a different knife against his zipper and lift my chin in challenge. “No, this knife.”
For a moment, we stare each other down, the air crackling with tension.
Then Raphael chuckles and backs off, raising his hands in mock surrender. “Point taken.”
My skin tingles where he touched me as I return the knife to its hiding place. Damn him for still having this effect on me. I need to focus.
Deciding to go with inconvenience over risking being caught, I sweep the stupid skirt on the other side up and strap my second gun to my thigh. It’s not ideal, but better than going without a backup.
I straighten, the slinky material swinging back into place, and adjust the clip in my hair, activating the communicator. “Team A, status report.”
“In position,” comes the reply, slightly distorted by static. “Infiltration successful. Waiting for your signal.”
My team has been infiltrating the private club across the street, some posing as guests, others slipping in through the rooftop access. Our intel suggests that the club has breeding rooms in the back as well as selling the Omegas it offers for entertainment. Disgust churns in my stomach at the thought.
“Good. Stand by.” I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what’s to come.
The club operates twenty-four-seven, so there was no way to go in when it’s closed. We’ll have to do this the hard way.
I look at Raphael, hating the way my pulse jumps at the sight of him.
Regret flickers in his eyes when they meet mine. “Avery, I…”
“Don’t.” I cut him off, the word sharp. “We’re not doing this. Not now, not ever.”
He presses his lips together, not agreeing but dropping it for the moment.
I turn away, ignoring the hollow ache in my chest. No time for sentimentality, no room for the past. We have a mission to complete.
And I’ll be damned if I let Raphael Rockford distract me again.
“We’re moving out.” I head for the exit, expecting Raphael to follow. “Move in to position and wait for my signal.”
Confirmations come down the line.
Raphael catches my arm before I step outside, and my head snaps up, lips parting in a reprimand.
“Remember what you’re supposed to be.” He tugs me to his side. “We can’t have them seeing you as the one in control.”
I bristle at the reminder, though I had agreed to the plan. “I’ve got it handled.”
Raphael sighs, the heat of his body sinking into mine as he leans in. “Do you? Because you have to pretend you not only like me, but that you’re my pet. You can’t stiffen when I touch you. You can’t be seen disobeying.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll play my role.” I nestle closer and peek up at him through my lashes as I stroke his chest, slipping my pinky through the gap between the buttons over his heart to graze his hot skin. “Alpha, play with me. I’m so lonely.”
Raphael’s pupils expand, his nostrils flaring as he swallows hard. “Okay, I believe you.”
With a wiggle of my hips against his thigh, I let my lips form a teasing pout. “Kitty wants milk, Alpha.”
“Now, you’re being creepy.” He turns away, but not before I catch him adjusting himself.
“Just stick to the plan.” I let the act drop and push through the door, stepping out into the dark alley. “And keep your focus on the target, not on me.”
It’s a low blow, but it’s the only way to keep him at arm’s length. To remind myself that whatever we once had is long gone. Once this job is done, so are we.
Raphael joins me outside, and he walks a step ahead of me as we approach the club. I keep my head down and my senses on high alert.
At the door, Raphael flashes the black card Sebastian had acquired for us, and the bouncer waves us inside.
Dim lighting cuts through the thick haze of pheromones and the musk of sex clinging to the air, making my stomach swoop. Once again, I’m glad for Raphael’s Mark, which prevents the potent mix from turning my thoughts into a haze of lust. This was why we only sent Betas into the club, leaving the Alphas on the outside, masks in place and ready to breach.
The club vibrates with bass-heavy music, a slow, throbbing pulse that seeps through the floorboards and into my bones. But the music can’t mask the other sounds, the low, breathy gasps, the wet slap of flesh meeting flesh, the hushed murmurs of pleasure.
I force my expression to stay neutral as I follow Raphael deeper into the club, careful not to let my focus linger too long on the guests. Some lounge on sleek, black-leather couches, their expensive suits undone far enough to suggest they’re waiting for entertainment. Others occupy private booths, half-hidden behind velvet curtains, bodies moving in ways I refuse to acknowledge.
A server in a skin-tight bodysuit approaches, the gold collar at their throat glinting under the chandeliers. “A private room, gentlemen?”
Raphael shifts, and a proprietary hand pulls me forward. “I’m here to find a playmate for my pet. Do you have any recommendations?”
The server’s curious gaze settles on me. “Another blond?”
Raphael’s hand brushes the small of my back, the touch sending a lick of heat up my spine. “I’m more into compatibility than appearance, if you know what I mean? I’m interested in a permanent arrangement.”
“If you’ll follow me?” Turning, the server leads us deeper into the club, past silk-draped alcoves and more illicit displays.
I keep my mask in place. This isn’t the first time I’ve stepped into a place like this, and it won’t be the last. A lot of business is conducted in such clubs, just not ones where the Omegas are slaves instead of contracted employees.
As we step into the VIP area, the atmosphere shifts, cigars and expensive whiskey becoming more dominant, the lighting brighter. Plush couches line the walls, occupied by men in tailored suits and women draped in silks and jewels.
At the center sits our target. The club owner, Vince Moreau, is a sleek, well-groomed Beta who regards us with cool calculation, his posture assessing us like a predator sizing up its prey. “What have we here? A pair of pretty little things, come to play with the big boys?”
“I’m here looking to add to my collection.” Raphael tugs me to his side and grips my chin, tilting my head from side to side. “As you said, my current Omega is quite pretty, and I’ve had trouble finding a second pet who meets my standards.”
Vince laughs as he sprawls back on the couch, fingers tapping his glass. “And what makes you think I can help you?”
I don’t miss the way his assessing gaze shifts to me, sharp with interest.
Raphael follows his line of sight, and his fingers slip to the side of my neck in a casual touch that burns my skin. “Because you know quality when it’s in front of you. And you can see I take care of my investments.”
The man hums, intrigued. “That so?” His attention lingers on me in consideration. “He’s well-trained.”
Raphael smiles, but there’s nothing warm in it. “Exquisitely.” His fingers slide lower, brushing the pulse at my throat. “Even the best-kept pets need companionship, though, and I have particular tastes.”
The man leans forward, elbows braced on the table, interest piqued. “What do you have in mind?”
Raphael chuckles, low and knowing. “Something that complements my current toy’s pheromones.”
Though my expression remains neutral, my blood simmers. He’s playing the role too well, every word sending a spike of unwanted jealousy through me. This is a game. I know he’s maneuvering us into position, that wanting to breathe in another’s pheromones is what will get us into the back room.
But he’s my mate, and the thought of him seeking out another Omega instills me with the seething desire to kill anyone who tries to come between us.
Vince studies me, and a smirk tugs at his lips. He lifts a hand, crooking a finger, and the security guards who stand near the entrances step forward, closing in around us.
“Do we have a problem?” Just the right amount of indignation laces Raphael’s tone.
The club owner rises to stalk toward us. “You tell me. Something about you two feels off.”
A surge of panic rises, but I force it down, schooling my features into a mask of cool indifference.
Raphael’s hand drops to his side, leaving me room to move if needed. “What do you mean?”
With a jerk of his head, the club owner motions for his guards to surround us, their hands resting on the weapons at their hips. “Why don’t we take this somewhere more private, hmm?”
My mind races, calculating our next move as we’re ushered toward a door at the back of the club, the guards caging us in on all sides.
As the door swings shut behind us, a sinking sensation fills me as I take in the private room. A plush velvet couch faces a wall of gleaming mirrors and a single bed.
Vince’s eyes rake over me with a predatory gleam that makes my skin crawl. “So, you’re the Alpha’s little pet, huh?” He drops onto the couch, his knees spread wide. “Prove it.”