15. Max
Chapter 15
Max
I lean back in my leather chair, eyes fixed on the large screen before me. Ava is on the video, it’s playing on a loop, as she moves through the streets of Monaco. She smiles a lot. And I have to admit, she’s a vision, her grace, and beauty clear even in these long distance surveillance shots. But these are not the first videos I have of her.
My jaw clenches as I watch in different outfits throughout the day. And with each outfit, she changes her appearance. Sometimes her hair is long and wavy, flowing to where her bra crosses her back; other times she wears it in a chignon bun. I suspect it depends on the image she wants to portray. Each new ensemble is a reminder of her ingenuity, her ability to blend in and disappear at will. It’s infuriating and impressive in equal measure.
But what truly makes my blood boil is the way Seb hovers near her, his hand on the small of her back, whispering in her ear. And the way she smiles at him. The way she looks at him.
Then, there is the way he holds her like she’s his.
The mere sight of them together makes me want to put my fist through the screen.
“She is mine,” I growl as my fingers sink into the armrests of my chair.
I rewind the video, focusing now on our encounter at the coffee shop. Watching our interaction with fresh eyes, noting the sleight of hand I missed before.
There!
I stop the recording and rewind it a little. It’s such a succinct moment when she leans in close, her fingers brushing my wrist. I can’t help but smile as I catch the moment she robbed me of my watch.
“Clever girl,” I murmur, a mix of admiration and frustration coloring my tone. She swiped my watch from right under my nose, and I never even noticed.
Of course, I know she has it.
I noticed it was missing a few hours later. The moment I realized my plan was coming together.
Well, at that point I did.
The day after wasn’t so glorious.
My phone buzzes, interrupting my thoughts.
It’s Silas.
I answer immediately, my eyes still on the freeze-frame of Ava’s face.
“What have you found?” I demand, not bothering with pleasantries.
“She hasn’t contacted the Heat Hotel in Ibiza or Majorca.”
As Silas speaks, I pull up the records for the Heat Hotel in Ibiza on my computer. My eyes scan the data, cross-referencing it with Silas’ report.
I lean back, my mind already racing with possibilities.
“She’s going into her heat. It won’t be long before she is fully engaged.” My voice is getting angrier, thinking how close she is to her heat and I’m nowhere near to her. “She can’t have gone far. Find her, Silas. Whatever it takes.”
As I hang up, I turn back to the video of Ava.
My Ava .
The omega who should have been mine years ago. The one who slipped through my fingers not once, but twice.
“Not this time,” I promise the image on the screen. “This time, you won’t get away. At least until I set you free.”
I hit play again, watching as she moves through Monaco, unaware of my gaze.
My phone rings again. I answer with a curt, “Yes?”
“Seb is on his way to Majorca. And it looks like he is going to C’an Pastilla and there is only one place of interest there.”
I stand and pace the room, phone pressed to my ear as Silas continues his report. My free hand clenches and unclenches at my side.
“Go on,” I say, my voice low and tense.
Silas clears his throat. “Club Indulgence. It’s a high-end sex club but …” He pauses, and I can almost see him weighing his words. “It caters for wealthy omegas who can afford the luxury of finding alphas who have a scent compatibility with them. Trouble is, they have hundreds of alphas on their books who pay a yearly fee to service omegas in their heat. They also pay a fee if they are chosen.”
I stopped pacing, my interest piqued. “How are they picked?”
“The omega informs the club what scents she’s looking for.”
My brow furrows as I consider this. “Her perfume?” I ask, recalling Ava’s scentless state. Which means my antidote worked, and she’ll smell me as her mate.
Silas’s voice is coated with admiration. “I can’t believe any omega in her heat would give anything other than her actual scent.”
A slow smile spreads across my face as the pieces fall into place.
I stride to my desk, opening it before I turn back to the screen, eyeing Ava’s image hungrily. “Call the club. Tell them we are on our way.”
“Do I give our scents to them?” Silas asks hesitantly.
I lean forward, bracing my hands on the desk, my voice dropping to a dangerous growl. “Like I told you Silas. Whatever it takes. Avaline Darling is not getting away until I’ve knotted the thief, and she’s given me what I want.”
There’s a pause before Silas responds, his voice professionally neutral. “I’ll get the helicopter ready.” The line goes dead.
I straighten up, sliding my tongue over my teeth as a predatory smile spreads across my face.
My eyes lock onto Ava’s image on the screen.
“Got you,” I murmur as anticipation thrums through my veins.
I grab my jacket and head for the door. The hunt is on, and this time, my omega won’t slip away.
The heavy wooden doors of Club Indulgence swing open as I stride in, Silas close behind. I should allow my bodyguards to surround me, but nothing is stopping me.
Not the opulent interior, nor the smile on the receptionist's face, can calm the storm brewing inside me.
My eyes scan the room, searching for any sign of Ava, as a woman dressed in satin approaches us, her smile polite but wary. “Welcome to Club Indulgence. How may I assist you?”
“I’m looking for Avaline Darling,” I growl, barely containing my impatience.
The woman’s smile falters. “I’m sorry, sir, but we don’t disclose information about our clients. Are you a member?”
“No,” I snap. “But I will be. Now tell me where she is.”
She shakes her head. “I’m afraid I can’t help you. Membership is by invitation only, and—”
I cut her off, my voice low and dangerous. “I don’t care about your rules. I need to see her.”
As we argue, I notice a group of alphas nearby, their eyes gleaming with anticipation. The thought of them touching my Ava sends a wave of fury through me.
“How much?” I demand, pulling out my checkbook. “Name your price.”
The woman looks flustered. “Sir, it’s not about money. We have strict policies.”
“How much for only my man and I to take the omega through her heat?” I interrupt, gesturing to Silas.
Her eyes widen. “She has a beta with her.”
I whirl to face Silas, my anger threatening to boil over. “Seb was supposed to contact us.”
Silas places a calming hand on my arm. “It’s not the time,” he murmurs, before turning to the lady. “Get us the club owner.”
Minutes later, a distinguished-looking man approaches. I waste no time with pleasantries.
“One million euros,” I state flatly. “For instant membership and exclusive rights to take the omega through her heat.”
The owner’s eyebrows shoot up, but I can see the greed spark in his eyes. He considers the offer for a moment, then nods. “Deal.”
As he leads us towards the private rooms, my triumph grows. Soon, Ava will be mine. And this time, I won’t let her slip away. At least, until I’m ready.
He slides a card over a reader, and we step into his surprisingly simple office. The stark contrast to the club’s opulence is jarring. Only a small wooden desk and a cheap chair sit against a window with peeling paint on the sill. A large, faded print hangs crookedly on the wall, its frame chipped and worn.
No fucking wonder he took my offer.
He hands me an application form, and I snatch it impatiently, my pen flying across the paper. Every second feels like an eternity, knowing Ava is somewhere in this building.
“Hurry,” I growl, shoving the completed form back at him.
The owner nods, clearly intimidated by my intensity. He fumbles with his computer, the ancient machine whirring to life at a maddeningly slow pace.
I drum my fingers on the cheap laminate desk, my foot tapping on the terracotta tiled floor. “Is this going to take all day?”
“J—just a moment, sir,” he stammers, finally pulling up the billing screen. Scared, I'm going to walk away.
Without waiting for him to speak, I whip out my credit card. “One million euros, as agreed. Process it. Now.”
He nods frantically, swiping my card with shaking hands. The machine beeps, confirming the transaction.
“It’s done,” he says, handing me back my card. “Now, if you’ll follow me to the omega rooms.”
As we exit his shabby office and re-enter the luxurious hallways of the club, the disparity is almost amusing. Plush carpets muffle our footsteps, and the air is heavy with expensive perfumes and pheromones emitting from the omega rooms. I’m only interested in one omega.
My anticipation builds with each step.
Ava is near. I can feel her. Smell her. And this time, nothing will stand in my way.
My cock comes to life when her scent infiltrates every molecule around me. The reaction is immediate and intense, my body responding to her presence before my mind can even process it.
I grit my teeth, fighting against the primal urge that threatens to overwhelm me.
The door opens and I see her.
She has a glow, almost like an aura around her. It’s mesmerizing, drawing me in despite my best efforts to remain detached. Her beauty is undeniable, but it’s more than that. She’s more than her scent, too. I just don’t know why.
I shake my head, trying to clear the fog of desire that’s settling over me.
This isn’t what I want. I don’t want to be attracted to her like this. It complicates things, makes it harder to focus on my true goal.
I only want one thing from her, and that’s a baby.
An heir.
A continuation of my legacy. I wanted her once, but now this is all I want. It has to be.
“Please knot me,” her voice is a gentle whisper as her fingers clench the sheets on the nest.
And my resolve is already wavering.
Each breath I take is filled with her scent, making my head spin and my pulse race. I want to touch her, to claim her, to lose myself in her completely.
No. I tell myself firmly.
This is just biology, just my alpha instincts responding to an omega in heat. It means nothing more.
But even as I think about it, I know I’m lying to myself.
There’s something about Ava that calls to me on a deeper level, something that goes beyond mere physical attraction or the desire for an heir.
Scent matching is a bitch.
Because it can only ever be Avaline Darling for me.
I swallow hard, steeling myself against the onslaught of emotions and desires. I can’t afford to lose focus now. Not when I’m so close to getting what I’ve wanted for so long.
Beautiful Ava turns my way, her eyes not leaving mine, and I wonder if I’m fighting a losing battle against my heart.
No, that can’t happen. I steel myself as I smile and say,
“Hello Avaline Darling.”