Chapter 14 Akira
Akira
It takes less time than expected to hunt down River.
The bastard was holed up in a shitty apartment on the south side of the city, the kind of place where nobody asks questions and everybody minds their own business.
Perfect for someone trying to lay low after fucking with the wrong people.
Dante ended up coming with me, the Alpha wanting a bit more violence than what it took to lay Jax out.
Jax is still alive, but he won’t be functioning for a while.
Which is a good thing because I’m done with having people try to fuck me over.
Dante moves just inside River’s house and plants himself at the edge of the living room, his arms crossed over his chest as I stare at the sorry excuse of a Beta I got rid of a while back.
River glances between the two of us, the fucker dragging a hand through his ruffled hair with a sigh.
He already knows this won't end well for him.
His apartment reeks of stale beer and desperation, and someone definitely pulled the furniture from a dumpster.
The whole place screams failure, and it pisses me off that this guy nearly killed Emilio.
The walls have water stains creeping down from the ceiling, and the carpet looks like it hasn't been vacuumed in months.
Empty beer bottles litter the coffee table, and a pizza box sits open on the counter with moldy crusts inside.
This is what River's life became after I kicked him out? Pathetic.
I step closer, studying the Beta. He’s mid-thirties at best but his hair is already thinning, the tired look in his eyes no doubt from long nights trying to make it by.
When I caught him skimming product and selling it for his own profit, I got rid of him, telling him if I ever saw him near my operation again, I'd break every bone in his body.
Guess he thought I forgot about that threat.
Or maybe he got desperate enough not to care.
Either way, he fucked up. And now he's going to pay for it.
"Let's make this simple," I push out, the rage billowing around in my chest dripping from my words. River flinches, his shoulders hunching up around his ears like he's trying to make himself smaller. "You got a modified version of my product from Jax. What did you do with it?"
River swallows hard, his gaze darting between me and Dante. His hands twist together in his lap, knuckles white from how hard he's gripping them. "I sold it. That's what you do with product, right?"
Dante moves forward, ready to wrangle River to the floor but I hold up a hand to stop him. I want River to think he has a chance to talk his way out of this before we really get started. Let him think cooperation might save him. It won't, but the hope keeps people talking.
"To who?" I ask, keeping my tone as even as possible.
"Some guy at Aurum Pulse," River says, his words tumbling over each other. His expression screams nervousness, his leg bouncing up and down on the dirty carpet. "He wanted something special, something that would work faster. Said it was for himself."
Of course, it was someone from the club. Everything keeps circling back to that place, to Emilio, to the chaos that seems to follow him everywhere. "Name."
"The order came in for an Emilio Ardyn." River shrugs, avoiding my gaze. He knows exactly who Emilio is and while an order like that shouldn’t be ignored, everyone knows that Emilio doesn’t work around people. Emilio would have come to me if he needed something different.
"Bullshit," I snarl, stalking toward River, rage flooding through me. "I was with him the entire time and he doesn't sample any of the stock. He doesn't even fucking drink when he's working. Try again."
River holds up his hands, panic flashing across his face.
His eyes go wide, darting between me and Dante again like he's looking for an escape route.
"I'm just telling you what the guy said!
He put the order in under that name, said he wanted it delivered before the big party.
I didn't ask questions, man. I just made the sale. "
Someone planned this whole thing, set it up so it would look like Emilio ordered it himself.
They wanted him drugged and vulnerable. And River sold it to them without checking, without verifying, because he's a greedy piece of shit who only cares about making a quick buck.
He didn't care who got hurt as long as he got paid.
I cross the room in two strides and grab River by the front of his shirt, hauling him up off the couch.
The fabric bunches in my fists, and I lift him until his feet barely touch the ground.
He yelps, his hands scrabbling at mine, trying to pry my fingers loose.
My grip tightens until I can feel the threads of his shirt starting to tear.
Dante moves closer, ready to jump in if I need him. But he knows better than to interfere unless I ask. He's seen me lose my temper before, knowing that sometimes I need to work through it physically before I can think straight again.
"Who did you sell it to?" I growl out. "And don't you dare lie to me again."
"I don't know his name!" River gasps, still scratching at my hands. "He didn't give me one! He just said he worked at the club and needed something special for a VIP client!"
I shove him back onto the couch, hard enough that he bounces.
The springs creak under the impact, and River scrambles to sit up, pressing himself against the back cushions.
My chest aches, a dull throb that started about an hour ago and keeps getting worse.
I rub at it absently, trying to ignore the discomfort.
Maybe I pulled something during the confrontation with Jax earlier.
Or maybe I'm just getting old and my body can't handle the stress like it used to.
But the persistent ache sits right over my heart.
I head outside and pull out my phone, about to check in on Emilio.
I need to know he's okay, need to hear his voice or at least see a text confirming he's still breathing.
The urge to contact him gnaws at me, fucking with my senses.
We fucked once. Well, technically more than once in one night, but still.
One night shouldn't make me this obsessed.
One night shouldn't make my chest ache with worry when I'm not with him.
But before I can pull up his contact, my phone rings, Liam's name flashing across the screen, and I answer immediately.
"What?" My tone comes out sharper than I intend, but I'm on edge. Everything about this situation has me wound tight.
"I'm calling because I know you," Liam says, something in his voice making me pause. Concern, maybe. Or understanding. Like he knows exactly what I'm feeling right now. "Emilio is fine. He's sleeping right now."
I grunt, the tension in my shoulders easing slightly. At least he's safe.
"You felt it too, didn't you?" Liam asks, his voice quieter now.
"He wouldn't talk to me about the baby, but I'm pretty fucking sure, Akira.
He was having an anxiety attack, and I could fucking feel him.
The fact that you're just as worried tells me that there's some kind of bond there that wasn't there a few days ago. "
That would explain the ache in my chest, the way I can't stop thinking about Emilio, the overwhelming need to make sure he's safe.
Bonds don't form overnight under normal circumstances, but they can start to develop after intense situations. Like a heat. Like knotting an Omega who might be carrying your brother’s child.
Like spending hours taking care of someone at their most vulnerable.
I hate that I got so attached so fast. I hate that one night might have changed everything, that I can't just walk away and pretend it didn't happen.
I've always prided myself on keeping things casual, on not letting anyone get too close.
It's safer that way. Less complicated. But I can't deny what I'm feeling right now, can't ignore the pull toward Emilio that gets stronger every hour.
It's like there's a string tied around my ribs, tugging me back toward him no matter how far I get.
I look back into the house at River, who’s still sitting on the couch with his head in his hands.
The Beta looks pathetic and broken. I almost feel sorry for him.
Almost. But then I remember what he did, how his actions could have seriously hurt or killed Emilio and the baby.
How Emilio could have died because this piece of shit wanted to make some extra cash.
And just like that, the sympathy evaporates, replaced by cold fury.
"Liam, I gotta go. I'll have answers for you later."
I hang up before he can respond and shove my phone back into my pocket before pulling up a seat in front of River and sinking down into it. I lean forward with my elbows on my knees, staring at the Beta. He looks up at me, his eyes red-rimmed and terrified.
"What was the point of all of this, River? You knew I'd track you down and make you pay for double-crossing me. You aren't supposed to touch my stock after you were thrown out on your ass. Was any of this worth it?"
River's face crumples, tears streaming down his cheeks. He wipes at them with the back of his hand, leaving wet streaks across his face. "Without your protection, it's fucking shit, Akira. I did what I had to do to stay alive."
I laugh, the sound echoing in the small apartment, bouncing off the water-stained walls.
"Selling my drugs in another form isn't staying alive.
It's a death sentence. Even worse, because you could have killed someone.
" I lean back in the chair, crossing my arms. "And Emilio Ardyn ended up drugged from your bullshit.
So please, explain to me exactly who you handed that shit off to and I'll be lenient. "
River wipes at his face, his hands shaking so badly he can barely control them.
"Some guy. Chad? I don't know. He was older, said that it would be for a different avenue because the club was going in a different direction.
He gave me cash, didn't ask for a receipt or anything.
I thought it was legit until that but I had already made the sale. "
"You were always fucking stupid.”
I cross the room in three quick strides and punch River in the face.
My knuckles connect with bone, the impact sending shockwaves up my arm.
Blood spurts from his nose, the Beta letting out a shrill, panicked screech as he tries to shield himself with his hands, but I don't stop.
The rage pours out of me with every punch, every crack of bone against bone.
This piece of shit nearly killed Emilio. Nearly killed my Omega.
The thought makes me pause, my fist hovering in the air.
My Omega. When did I start thinking of him that way?
When did Emilio become mine? Was it when he first tasted me, when I felt him come apart on my brother’s cock?
Was it when I held him as I fucked into his sweet little ass?
Or was it just now, when Liam confirmed what I already knew deep down?
I step back, shaking out my hand. My knuckles throb, blood smeared across them. Some of it's mine, some of it's River's. I can't tell where one ends and the other begins. I turn to Dante, who watches with a passive expression.
"Break a few fingers or something," I say, my voice coming out flat. "Don't kill him. We'll come back for that later."
Dante nods and steps forward, cracking his knuckles.
River scrambles back on the couch, his eyes wide with terror.
He tries to push himself into the cushions, like if he just gets far enough back he'll disappear.
"This is bullshit!" River shouts. Blood drips from his nose onto his shirt, staining the fabric. "All I did was push some drugs!"
I snarl, getting right in his face, the scent of his fear filling my nostrils. "No, you nearly killed my Omega. So, the next time you think of doing something stupid, don't."
I said it out loud, admitted it to River and Dante and myself.
There's no taking it back now, no pretending I don't feel this pull toward Emilio that defies logic.
Dante's eyebrows rise slightly, the only indication he heard what I said.
But he doesn't comment, doesn't question it. He just waits for my next order.
What the fuck am I doing? Emilio doesn't want a pack.
He made that clear. He wants to do this on his own, raise his baby without an Alpha breathing down his neck and trying to control him.
And here I am, already thinking of him as mine, already feeling this protective instinct that makes me want to tear apart anyone who hurts him.
I grimace, the reality of the situation sinking in. This is complicated as shit. Liam wants Emilio, too, has wanted him for months. And now I'm in the mix, feeling things I shouldn't feel, wanting things I have no right to want. We can't both have him. Can we?
I shake my head, refusing to dwell on any of that. I have more important things to deal with. Like finding Chad, whoever the fuck he is. Like making sure Emilio is actually safe and not just sleeping off another panic attack. Like figuring out what to do with River before he causes more problems.
"On second thought," I say, a deviant grin spreading across my face, "I have some aggression to work out." And then I throw another punch at River's face, relishing the way his head flops back against the couch.