Chapter 20
VINCENT
I don’t trustthat River talked to her about giving a statement.
And I also don’t trust Landon to do it, either.
It feels like I need to have the conversation with her. I need to see how she processes it when she’s told what she has to do.
What she’s been through is horrific, and I imagine the last thing she wants to do is relive the nightmare.
It’s not my time to be here. My shift as her security is tomorrow, but I just can’t wait that long to see her.
Not after everything that’s happened.
When she opens the door and I see her frail figure, it takes everything within me to not go back to the jail and shoot Briggs in his fucking head.
But instead, I just breathe her in.
When I’m with her, the world isn’t so terrible.
“Hi,” she greets, her eyes wide as she regards me. “Come in.” She steps away and I cross the threshold, meeting Landon’s confused look. I nod at him, then turn my attention back to Skylar.
“Do you want some coffee?” she asks me politely.
I smell the attraction and arousal from her. But I also sense the tiniest amount of fear.
She’s still unsure about me, and I doubt my confession at the hospital helped my case.
“When’s the last time she’s eaten?” I snarl at Landon, who looks at me incredulously.
“Just now,” he snaps, raising an eyebrow. “Would you like an itemized list of the foods?”
Skylar’s throat clears and I turn to face her, the lightest scent of fear now replaced with irritation. “I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself,” she spits, crossing her arms.
I tilt my head. “Is that so?” I murmur. “Because to me, it looks like you can barely stand.”
“Vincent, she just got out of the hospital. Of course she’s going to be a bit weak,” Landon growls, but I keep my attention on Skylar, who happens to wobble as soon as I finish my sentence.
“Don’t overexert yourself,” I say, my voice low.
Skylar widens her eyes and scoffs, fire in her voice. “I’m not overexerting myself,” she says fiercely. “I’m not some damsel in distress. I don’t need a bodyguard.”
My lip quirks. “Are you always like this when someone insists on caring for you?”
“Yes,” Landon blurts from behind me, and Skylar bites her lip and sighs, deflated.
“Okay, but when you come in here like that, intense as hell, it’s unsettling,” she says softly. “And it makes me uncomfortable.”
My half smile immediately fades.
I am intense, and I do make people uncomfortable.
I haven’t had a normal conversation with anyone in years.
If she can stand River but thinks I’m too much, then maybe I need to get my shit together.
Especially if I want her to reciprocate any of the feelings I have for her.
So, I nod, and take a half a step back from her. “My apologies,” I grumble.
I hear Landon make a choking sound.
I’m forever grateful that River’s not here to hear me apologize.
But Skylar simply nods and quirks her lip. “I have a feeling you don’t do that a lot,” she counters, amused.
I huff out a laugh while Landon snickers. I run a hand through my hair, fighting every urge to pull her into my arms.
I want to wrap her in her nesting blankets and keep her in the nest we built for her.
I don’t want her to lift a finger, and I want to throw Landon into the wall for even letting her out of bed.
Maybe I have some control issues, too.
But something clicked inside me this past month. She’s the only thing on my mind when it used to be just work.
Even these cases are second to Skylar.
To Omega.
This must be how Landon and River felt.
I realize I’m staring at her, and she cocks her head. “Hey, are you okay?” she asks me softly, concern flashing in her eyes.
I scoff and shove my hands in my pockets. The last person she needs to worry about is me.
This selfless, ridiculous girl.
I ignore her question entirely. “Have they talked to you about your statement?” I ask, already dreading the answer.
She bites her full lip, heaves a sigh, and heads to the couch, sitting on the opposite side of Landon. I stand there awkwardly, not sure if I should join her. “Yeah,” she grumbles, and a whiff of her sadness fills the air. “I’m not…I’m not sure I’m ready.”
Landon shoots me a sympathetic look.
So once again, I’m going to be the bad guy.
Her statement is essential to helping find other Omegas, especially her best friend. In a perfect world, she wouldn’t do this. I wouldn’t insist that she share her trauma with anyone.
“May I sit?” I gesture to the armchair to the left of her couch.
She nods, her eyes wide. “Of course,” she says, wringing her hands.
I can smell her anxiety from here.
Taking a seat, I notice that she’s covered herself in one of the blankets I picked out for her. A sense of pride swells in my chest, but it lasts only briefly as I observe the worry on her face.
She hasn’t even been home a week from the hospital, yet I’m about to ask her to do something incredibly taxing.
“How much do you know about the O cases?” I ask her, and Landon looks at me curiously.
“Um, not much,” Skylar says, shooting a quick glance at the other Alpha. “I know that they use Omega blood to make it, and that a bunch of Omegas have gone missing in the past weeks. But that they’re being found alive.” She chokes on the last word and my chest aches.
Take care of Omega.
Comfort her.
But she’s not reaching for my hand. Instead, I have to watch as she finds Landon’s and intertwines their fingers.
My inner Alpha howls in jealousy, but I nod and keep my eyes focused on hers.
“That’s right. But also, O is so potent, it mimics the euphoria of claiming a mate,” I say solemnly. “So, it’s extremely addictive for everyone. Especially Betas, who have never experienced a mating bond.”
Her gaze grows distant. “That makes sense,” she says slowly.
“It’s also easy to overdose on it,” I add. “Which is how we’ve been able to identity some suppliers and dealers.”
Landon looks at me warily. I can tell that he wants me to stop; that he doesn’t want the scent of Skylar’s fear to permeate the room any more than it already has.
But I meet Skylar’s wide eyes and continue to push.
“However,” I continue. “Every Omega has been found alive. Every. Single. One. Even in the cases outside of California. Which is unheard of with this type of trafficking.”
Skylar grows deathly pale. “They need them alive,” she whispers to herself. “They have to be alive.”
I watch her realize what I’m trying to tell her.
April is alive.
Her breathing is heavy, and her scent is sour with anguish as she stares at the arm of the couch, refusing to meet my eyes.
“Vincent, I don’t think you should—” Landon starts, but I interrupt him.
“Skylar. Look at me,” I say, an undertone of command in my voice.
She looks up at me, her rich blue eyes watery.
“This is why your statement is so important,” I say. “Any information you have about what happened could lead to us saving more Omegas.”
“And finding April,” she whispers.
I nod.
She trembles, and I’m terrified that I’ve ruined any semblance of a relationship I could have had with her.
This is the part where she kicks me out of her house and cries to Landon and River.
A single tear falls down her cheek.
You did this to her, idiot.
I know I’m coming off cold and heartless. With the way Landon is glaring daggers at me, it’s obvious I pushed too hard.
But Skylar keeps staring at me, searching my eyes for something that I hope is there.
I will her to understand what I’m trying to tell her.
“You can do this,” I assure her. “After what you’ve been through, there’s nothing you can’t do.”
It’s something I know in my gut. I’ve seen the fiery spirit from the moment I met her. Sweet and caring on the outside, with a warrior’s strength on the inside.
Something I didn’t appreciate during our first interaction.
But I won’t push after this. It’s her voice and her experience, and I won’t damage our relationship anymore.
I’ve said my piece.
There’s a long moment of silence as I glance at Landon, who is still watching Skylar with a furrowed brow.
The need to protect is evident in his body language. I can tell he’s aching to pull her into his arms.
And I’m the one insisting on forcing open her wounds.
When she opens her mouth, I’m ready for her to reject me.
But what she says next stuns me.
“I’d like to speak with you alone, Vincent.”