Chapter 6 #2
Icarus looks startled. “Then you will crash into the Institute and me into a cozy jail cell. No robbing banks. That’s my rule.”
I lick my dry lips. “What if I told you that I am an Omega safe cracker?”
Icarus stares at me. “I know that I am both overworked and sleep deprived, but did I just imagine you say that you break into safes?”
“As a hobby.”
“Obviously.”
“I’m serious. Dad secretly trained me on the vault in the penthouse.
Maya has everything of his, even his priceless bond rings from Ryan locked up there.
When she took over the pack, she took over everything and kept it from him.
Omegas have the skills to be the best safe crackers.
It became an obsession to me to steal it back.
Then I could use that theft to ruin Maya, while taking over the hotel and saving the staff.
It’s my lifelong dream. You know, it’ll be a family heist.”
I need to trust Icarus.
Hatton and Bird have a scheme going with their shares and the board. Yet it won’t be enough. I need more money to help them out.
I uniquely have the skills to make this happen.
My stomach twists with nerves, as Icarus pushes back his chair and stands. He balances Zoe on his hip, walking around the desk to face me.
“Cooper risked training you to break into the safe...?” Icarus’ expression is shuttered. “Why?”
“Dad isn’t the weak Omega everyone takes him for. He knew that I may need the skill one day, and I’m the one who took the interest.” I puff out my chest, proudly. “I’m talented.”
“Do you really think that you can do it?”
“I know that I can. The problem is that now I no longer live in the penthouse, I don’t have access. Plus, recently a load of other high-tech security features have been added. It’s tough, but we could—”
“Absolutely not.” Icarus’ dominant pheromones flood the room. “It’s too dangerous. No matter how much you want to fly, I want you to live.”
Icarus’ chest is rising and falling; he looks stripped back and raw in a way that he rarely allows to show.
We’re standing close together with Zoe held between us.
Icarus’ gaze is frighteningly earnest. It makes something flip in my stomach.
With Zoe held like this, it feels like we’re a true couple with the child that we’re raising between us.
Except, isn’t that what we’ve been for a while now? I’ve just been protecting my heart by not admitting it.
“Do you remember,” Icarus murmurs, “when we were in high school, and you sat down next to me, some poor kid in a ratty hoodie, and bought me lunch when I had no money for it?”
“I’d noticed for a week that you’d been surviving on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. You were too pale.”
“I’m always pale. You know how I burn in the sun.”
“So do I.”
“You get adorable freckles. Or more precisely, more adorable freckles. I noticed you on the first day of school. You were standing with the other elites, a billionaire Frost. Also, the most beautiful Omega who I had ever seen. I expected you to only hang around with the other wealthy packs, but you sat with me like it was nothing. You shared your school equipment with me, when my family sold what little I had to try and stop us being thrown out of our motel, to save me from getting in trouble with our teachers. I would never have believed that anyone would want me as their best friend. For the hours that I was at school, however, which was the only time I felt safe, you made me forget everything that was wrong in my life. Being friends with you was easy, fun, and the brightest spark in my dark world. And I have been terrified of losing that by admitting I have been falling in love with you, Grace, from the first day that I met you.”
My heart breaks. “Icarus…”
“You don’t need to say it back. I’m happy that I have our friendship and our quite frankly outstanding benefits.
I just can’t hide either how hard this stupid one-sided love of mine has been.
I was the one who had to arrange the matching ball for your twenty-first, before being forced to watch as you were claimed by that pack of…
” He bites his lip, glancing down at Zoe.
“…naughty elites. The type of Alpha, an educated surgeon from the best family, who I can never be or else I could have bonded with you. I hoped that at least the Alcotts could offer you the life that I couldn’t.
But then, they abandoned you and you returned to the hotel, pregnant.
I swore that I would look after your baby and you.
I wouldn’t make any demands. Friends with benefits, right?
In my heart from that moment, however, I was your Alpha. And…”
I am startled, when his eyes gleam with tears. Instinctively, I soothe him with my pheromones.
Icarus rubs his cheek against the top of Zoe’s head. “And your baby would be mine, whether you chose me to be your Alpha or even noticed my love. I would protect and do anything for you both. I would love you.”
What do I say?
My mind is spinning at the power of his confession. Yet how little he expects from me in return. How he can’t see how much he’s loved by those around him.
Or perhaps, it only matters to him that I have been blind to how deeply he’s felt for me all these years.
Slowly, I reach up to cup Icarus’ cheek.
I’m shaking.
All of a sudden, the office door bangs open.
In shock, I jump backward from Icarus.
Shit, that was too close.
I accidentally sweep my arm through Icarus’ piles of papers, knocking them off the desk.
Both Icarus and I wince.
I drop to my knees, hurriedly collecting up the papers.
Icarus turns around to the door, his eyes flashing. “Have you ever heard of knocking?”
“I don’t knock in my own hotel,” Maya’s cold voice replies.
The repressed anger of her burned tea scent makes me gag. Zoe starts to cry.
I hurriedly stand, holding out my arms. When Icarus passes Zoe to me, Zoe nuzzles against my scent gland for comfort.
I back away as far as I can to the far side of the room.
Maya is dressed in a glamorous winter woolen dress and high heels in fuchsia. A warm shawl is wrapped around her narrow shoulders. Her fiery hair flows around her pointy face.
Icarus walks forward, however, and I know that he is deliberately placing himself between Maya and me.
His expression blanks to a polite mask. “I apologize Mrs. Frost for not immediately recognizing that it was you. I must keep the staff under control. I don’t allow people to enter my rooms without knocking. It’s against the rules.”
“Ellington is right that you have a rulebook stuck up your ass. It makes you an excellent manager, but I imagine, a terrible fuck.” Maya pats her long, manicured nailed hand patronizingly on his cheek.
She grimaces. “Lucky that I have always admired you like a work of art but have never had a thing for knots.”
“Lucky,” Icarus repeats with a thin smile.
When Maya steps to the side, an involuntary purr bursts out of me.
“Dad,” I exclaim.
“Grace.” Dad’s voice trembles like he’s been practicing saying the word for the last two years, before his gaze drops to Zoe and then gentles. “My sweet granddaughter.”
He starts to rush forward, but Maya grabs him harshly by the elbow, yanking him back.
I startle.
Dad looks more tired than I remember. There is more gray in his platinum hair that falls over his small face. He is willowy turning on thin, which worries me.
He is still startlingly handsome.
He is dressed in a simple aquamarine cashmere sweater and black trousers.
These years that we have been forced to spend apart must have been hard on him too.
Possibly even harder on him than me because I have been living with my brother, Icarus, and all the staff in the dorms. Whereas, I have worried about Dad because he has been stuck isolated in the penthouse, where he will have been trying to protect Papa and Hatton from Maya.
Maya shakes Dad. “Remember what we spoke about before we came down here, Cooper? You begged so prettily that your Christmas gift this year could be seeing your daughter. Don’t make me regret my kindness.”
“I won’t. Thank you for such an incredible present.” Dad flushes, dropping his gaze. “May I hug her?”
“Go ahead. But don’t make a scene and don’t mess up your clothes.”
Dad nods.
When Maya finally lets go of Dad, he turns and with what looks like immense effort forces himself to walk slowly and elegantly towards me.
“Are you okay?” Dad whispers, searching out my gaze like he never wants to look away.
“I’m fine,” I reply because there is too much to say.
Dad’s aquamarine eyes are bright with tears, but he’s smiling as he stares at Zoe. “She looks like you. She’s beautiful.”
“Zoe,” my voice is raspy, “meet your—”
“ ‘Andad!” Zoe exclaims, pointing at Dad.
“She recognized me.” Dad’s eyes widen, before he purrs loudly in joy. He looks like she has just given him an even better gift. “Smart Omega.”
Then Dad dives to wrap his arms around me, and I am flooded with a shattering memory of all the times that I have been held like this in his arms, his warmth and love. Whenever I was scared, distressed, or hurt, I would always go to Dad first and he always found a way to make things better.
I have needed him so much over the last few years.
I have missed him.
How can I make things better for him now?
Dad, Zoe, and I, three generations of Omegas, nuzzle against each other, purring in joy.
“Keep it down,” Maya snaps. “You have one more minute.”
Dad twists to look at Maya, desperately. “Please, Alpha, can’t I have longer? This is the first time in years that—”
“You know how busy I am today. I know that you’re just a spoiled Omega, but some of us Alphas have businesses to run, you know.
” Maya reaches up to adjust Icarus’ tie.
“Is everything set for Immortal and his pack? They are the stars this Christmas, and as much as I detest rock music, Idol rock stars are popular right now. Their room, food, drinks, everything is complimentary. If they want any service, then they will receive it. Am I making myself clear?”
“Perfectly, Mrs. Frost,” Icarus replies, smoothly. “They shall be treated as VIPs.”
“I mean it.” Maya narrows her eyes. “If they request their bathtub to be filled with goat’s milk, their suite to be decorated with only star shaped balloons, or call reception at midnight for ten HOs at once, then you will make sure that it happens.”
Just for a moment my mind short-circuits at the image of Immortal naked in a milk bath, holding a star shaped balloon.
Icarus looks like he’s trying hard not to imagine that as well.
Dad keeps his arm around my shoulders but he glances eagerly at Icarus, even if he flinched at the mention of HOs. “Where is Bird?”
Icarus doesn’t meet his eye. “An Alpha went into rut this morning. He selected Bird from the… He chose Bird.”
Fuck, I didn’t know that.
Dread coils in my guts. “Can we summon a doctor to be on hand? Bird is suffering from pheromone imbalance. He’s not been given enough breaks and he’s exhausted. I’m worried.”
“What?” Dad says, sharply. His eyes blaze as he glares at Maya. “You didn’t tell me. Why is he being worked until he’s ill? You promised me that he wouldn’t be treated worse than the other staff. You said that if Jelani and I didn’t make a fuss and behaved, then—”
“Are you backtalking me, you little bitch?” Maya snarls.
I cringe, but Dad marches up to her.
He was always protective of all three of us kids equally. He never remembered to protect himself.
Now that I have Zoe though, I understand.
“Get him back to his room and call a doctor,” Dad demands like he’s the Alpha in the room.
I recognize the protective dad energy. It’s from a parent who is attempting to care for their sick or injured kid and nothing to do with dynamic. It has made him forget who he is talking to.
Icarus angles his body, subtly blocking Maya if she were to lash out at Dad.
Maya is staring at Dad in shock. “Did you just give me an order, Omega? It seems that I made a mistake by giving you your Christmas present early. And let me be clear. A guest needs that HO right now, and a guest’s needs always come first. If a HO is too used up to meet them, then he can be sold to the Omega Institute in the New Year. ”
No…
I make a choked sound in my throat, at the same time that Dad’s eyes widen like he’s only just aware how far over the line he has just gone.
He blanches.
Then he rushes around Icarus attempting to grasp Maya’s hand. “Please, I’m sorry, Alpha. I was just being a stupid little Omega. You know that I can be over emotional. I was worried about my son—”
“He’s not your son,” Maya growls, and the hairs on the back of my neck rise. Zoe whimpers. “He’s that breeder’s.”
“He’s still my son,” Dad replies, softly. “I raised him. I love him. It’s breaking my heart to be separated from both my kids. And he’s your son too. I will do anything…”
“Yes,” Maya’s smile attempts to be sweet but fails, “you will.”
I shudder, when Maya grabs Dad by the elbow and drags him out of the door.
I feel wrecked, staring where Dad had been with my daughter still in my arms.
“Why don’t you tell me a story?” Icarus says through gritted teeth. “How about starting with the one about the Omega safe cracker and the daring hotel heist?”