Chapter 31
Chapter Thirty-One
Tatum
Waking up isn’t as hard as it has been the last six days. Probably because of the heat of the man still nestled between my legs. I can’t remember the last time I slept so well.
Last night with Easton had been… Well, I don’t know what it was. I had fallen asleep in his lap, invited him to my bed, and then in the middle of the night woke to find him clinging to me like a koala. He’s an Omega.
And now so many things make sense. Why I was instantly so comfortable with him when any other interaction with Alpha males had always been tinged with the expectation of pain or heartache. Why it was so easy for me to let my guard down around him.
Then we fucked. And fell asleep with him still inside me.
Blinking away the sleep from my eyes as the afternoon sunlight creeps across my floor, I can’t help but smile because he’s still wrapped around me. Clinging to me. I’m disappointed to discover that, at some point, he did pull out of me.
I lightly tug on the strands of his hair at the nape of his neck, and he groans. The way he rubs his jaw across my stomach, scent marking me before finally lifting his face, makes me want to purr for him.
He’s deliciously disheveled. Fucking hell.
“So, do you want to tell me why you lied? I mean, you lied about your name too, so I'm not that shocked.” I can guess why he lied, but I would rather he explained. Plus, I’m not sure if I’m ready to talk about what the sex last night meant. It was his first time, will he want it to mean something more serious?
“It can be dangerous for me, to have people know what I am. It’s better to hide it as often as possible.” Easton’s voice is rough from sleep, and I roll my eyes because of course his morning breath isn’t atrocious. The perfection of him is almost nauseating.
“Even around me?” I ask, and Easton shakes his head.
“Not anymore. Not now.” He smiles in a way that heats my blood, and I have to scramble out from under him before we get carried away. Again. Fighting the blankets of our haven, I scramble to the side of the bed by my small dresser.
“I like you, it’s just… I could use a friend, but sex is kind of serious, and I don’t know what it meant to you. I know what it meant to me… I know we kind of started flirty, but I just… I am seriously damaged, so maybe you don’t want to hitch your horse to my wagon of trauma…”
“Shhh,” Easton jumps off the bed, and I get my first view of him from head to toe in the daylight in nothing but his birthday suit. My brain short circuits. Trains get derailed. Brain cells shrivel. My instincts explode. Implode? Am I pregnant now? The thrum in my core has me questioning the whole miraculous conception theory… Either way, I have to turn away from the sight to calm my crazy ass down. Only now I’m facing the full length mirror and East comes up behind me, wrapping his arms around my naked waist. He holds me tightly against his chest and meets my gaze through the mirror. He does a good job not ogling my nakedness.
“Easton…”
“Little Sparrow… You have nothing to worry about. I can be whatever you need me to be. I’m good with friends.” He grins at me, and I nearly melt. “That fuck like bunnies,” he adds, and I can’t help it, I snort a laugh.
“My friends don’t…do all this.” I wave my hand, gesturing at our reflection in the mirror. “Certainly no fucking…”
“Ah, well, this is how I am with all my friends.” He drops his voice to a whisper, “Spoiler alert, you are my only friend, Tatum. I’ve recently learned that I’m a very handsy person. Need constant cuddles. Omega cuddles are safe, aren’t they?” Easton nuzzles me, his bleached white hair tickling my neck, and I have to hold my breath to keep the whimpers from escaping.
“Alright,” I agree, because I’m only so strong. Only so capable of resisting the comfort he’s offering. “What about the knife?”
“Right. Habit.” Easton shrugs, trailing his hands up my body, grinning when I shiver, and my skin prickles with bumps. He reaches my breasts, caressing a nipple with a gentle brush that has my knees weakening. I suck in a sharp breath as my heart picks up speed. Watching the curiosity in his eyes as he touches me like this? I’m going to pass out.
“Easton, this is…we should… I can’t think when you do that!” I hiss, spinning in his arms. I place my hands on his shoulders, finally released from his spell. Well, sort of. He is still naked and stupidly attractive.
“Who needs to think?”
“You are very distracting,” I grumble, shaking my head at him.
“Thank you. So are you. Should we get back in bed?” he asks hopefully, and I shake my head.
“No, I’m hungry. Come on.”
I decide to make us a quick lunch before the magic fades, and we go back to reality.
Easton
I leave Tatum reluctantly, but I need to get out of here before her fucking stalker returns.
I planted a camera outside the apartment that records motion, and one in the parking lot where I know Hayden likes to hide his shitty little sedan. The one he bought specifically for days when he stays here.
Of course, I made sure he’d be busy last night… Once I’m out her door, I grab the bottle of scent neutralizer I stashed in the bushes on the upper balcony. I spray her door, and the entire area, after spraying myself. Just in case.
I can’t do much about the fact that I scent marked the fuck out of her and her apartment last night, but she has to work later.
She’ll have to wash off my scent and neutralize her room before she leaves for work, otherwise she’ll get fewer tips.
Hmm. Would she though? Omegas scent marking each other isn’t common. And our combined flavor is something out of a naughty dream.
I’ve only ever done it as a way to fuck with Alphas. It sends their instincts into overdrive. I particularly enjoy using it to fuck with the Hayes brothers.
Leaving my scent all over their little cell…in the shitty traps they try to set for me. I’m not getting caught in shit, unless I want to be caught.
Last night, my instincts took over in my sleep. But then I’d saturated her with my scent. Drowning in my brownies. That blueberry, vanilla ice cream, warm brownie combination… I’d nearly bitten her in my foggy state. Then I perfumed for her. Something I haven’t done since I presented as an Omega the first time. Something I work very hard to suppress.
I never needed drugs to control my Omega instincts. Fear, trauma, and necessity are powerful toxins. But somehow, Tatum eases every doubt.
The first time my heat hit was the last time I had a heat. I shudder at the memory. So much blood and death… That was a moment my uncle nearly had me killed for. But he raised me the way he did for a purpose.
My Omega status wasn’t going to fuck that up. I made sure of it.
My phone beeps just as I’m climbing onto my motorcycle. I pull it out with a sigh.
U: Number one special. Meet me for pickup location.
U stands for uncle. This phone is a burner, but you can never be too careful. Number one is one victim. My uncle has a job for me.
Two hours later, I’m waiting in the unmarked car I use for killing, outside an unassuming house in the middle of a suburban neighborhood. Light blue shutters, navy blue roof. The job is to kill and take.
The man inside is a mover. His job is to get his hands on an Omega and bring her to the dungeons. Uncle has been trying to get into the illegal skin trade and trafficking ever since my father was murdered. Something he didn’t have the manpower for at first. As the years went by, he gained a stronger foothold and now…
Well, he’s set up to be one of the biggest threats to the safety of unmated Omegas in this city. If it wasn’t for his rivals.
The Hayes brothers. They have the monopoly on the market currently, and it’s rare for my uncle to get more than a few Omegas at a time. What would Tatum think, if she knew? Does she know…she can’t, if she was willing to care for them. Then again, she cares for me too, now.
Worse still, is the buyers’ survival rate. Or more specifically, the repurchase rate.
This mover is demanding more pay for his services. Fortunately for him, I was unaware of him before. Unfortunately, I’m aware now.
I grab my knife. It keeps me grounded since I haven’t used it to kill anyone in eight years, and head inside. He recognizes me. There's a flash of panic in his eyes, but then he sees the duffle. He must assume it’s filled with money for the job, rather than supplies to make this look like he killed himself.
“Easton…good to–”
His words cut off as I pull the trigger, and he falls to the ground, dead. The bullet entered his open mouth. There’s screaming…it’s muffled. Well fuck. The Omega he was moving is tied up in the corner. I hadn’t noticed her because she was silent. Her scent was smothered by a neutralizing spray.
She loses it as I turn to her. I’m supposed to take her to her buyer next. I’m not great at this part. It’s easier to knock them out. I inject her with the needle, and her struggling ends in seconds as her eyes fall shut. Her tangled, waist length hair hides most of her features.
She weighs next to nothing, and it’s easy enough to get her into the back seat, so I can finish up staging the dead body.
I start the drive to the next location to complete her sale.
As soon as I arrive, I’m on high alert. I knew the mover was supposed to go alone. That's how uncle wants it done. But when a mover is alone, there is no guarantee they won’t harm the merchandise. However, when we have them work in teams, things always seem to go wrong. They kill each other so often…
I wonder why that is. Such a mystery. I smirk.
I lift the Omega, carrying her easily. I might not be an Alpha, but I am strong. I have to be. I have to be the strongest man working for Uncle, or my life becomes…complicated.
The door to the abandoned warehouse creaks open. I take a deep breath… Three Alpha scents.
Once inside, I can see that the buyer is seemingly unarmed, and his two oversized guards are heavily armed.
There's a fucking dog kennel with a padlock waiting, and without a word, one guard takes the Omega from me.
“Payment,” I say, tilting my head. I keep my body relaxed, as I look around for signs of anyone else.
I’m handed a duffle bag, and I watch as the Omega is stuffed into the dog kennel and locked inside.
I nod, and head for the exit. Just before I reach the door, I drop the duffle and turn back around. I cross my arms over my chest, so I look curious, rather than suspicious.
“Just out of curiosity…what are you planning to do with her? She looks young. Barely eighteen. Are you in need of a mate?” I wonder, tilting my head. The buyer narrows his eyes on me, but he must recognize who I am, because he straightens his tie and shrugs.
“Not in need of a mate. I’m not going to bond with her,” he scoffs. “She’s not even for me. She’s for my son. He’s been going feral during his ruts. Nearly killed his girlfriend, which nearly destroyed my business relationship with her father. This bitch, he can kill.”
“Ah. Understandable. I think I saw something about that on social media. Maxwell Jennings, that your son? The article said his girlfriend was in a terrible car wreck. Your son did that to her?”
The older man scoffs, then laughs. “I tried to teach him. He has my temper, after all. Show him the difference between a worthy Omega, and a disposable one…” He shakes his head. “He’ll be happy to have this one to ruin.” He glances at the Omega as she starts to stir in her kennel. “I might give her a test ride before I hand her over…”
I notice one of his guards glaring daggers at the older man, who clearly doesn’t notice. The one who shoved her into the kennel looks like he thinks he’s also going to get a test ride .
Three scents in the room. Two excited, and one…hmm. Disgusted.
While they are distracted, it’s far too easy to pull my gun out and kill the leering guard. The other one has his gun drawn and pointed at me as I point mine at his boss.
“You move, you die,” I say, as the blood from the hole in the dead Alpha’s head saturates the floor.
“Shoot him!” Mr. Jennings snarls, using his bark. The guard doesn’t. He’s hesitating. I keep my eyes locked on Jennings. This is my favorite part. When they realize what I really am. Not an Omega, but the angel of death. “FUCKING SHOOT HIM!”
Oof, his roar nearly buckles my knees. But I didn’t spend the first eighteen years of my life learning to be an Alpha, and the next eight learning how to survive them, just to break for this weak fucker.
Uncle’s bark is much, much more powerful…
“Or you could give in…turn your gun just a little to your right…” I offer, raising my eyebrows while manically grinning. “Come on. We both know you want to.” Over the years, I’ve learned that if two Alphas aren’t in a bond, they are not very good at scenting the other’s emotions. Some are more capable than others… But men like Jennings? Not so much. He missed the warning signs…
It’s a risk. Usually I take the entire threat out. But it’s fun to dance with danger from time to time. Besides, I’m on a high right now.
I’ve found my mate. My girl. The love of my life. The beat in my heart… My end game. My… I need to focus. I can daydream about Tatum later.
“If you don’t fucking shoot this bastard, Chaos, your sister is as good as–” I cut Jennings off with a shot that sails past his head, grazing his ear. He screams, pressing his hand to the wound and dropping to his knees. What a little ball sack.
It’s barely a flesh wound. I’m an exceptional shot. The best. Will that impress Tatum?
How can I show her…a date to a shooting range? A “friend” date… I roll my eyes at the thought. She’ll come around. Maybe after her first heat.
Can I convince her to run away with me? After I kill the Hayes brothers.
Once they are dead, I won’t need Uncle anymore. I’ll be able to leave, go where I please. Kill him too, if I must. There’s an uncomfortable thought nagging me. If they die, will that hurt Tatum? Won’t she want them dead, if she knows what they really are? What if I’m wrong…
I shake my head. I need to pay attention here!
“Focus, dumbass,” I hiss, earning a growl from the guard still pointing his gun at me.
“Fuck you, you’ve got no fucking–”
“I was talking to myself. What's the old fuck got on your sister? Why are you working for someone you hate?” I ask, not wanting to hear whatever shit he was about to bitch about.
“She stole from him. His lawyers…they’ll send her to prison. She’s got a baby,” the guard, Chaos, growls. “I was working for him before that. Sh-she’s young. Nineteen. Doesn’t know the father.” His last words are spit as he takes his eyes off me to glare at his boss. He keeps the gun pointed my way, though.
“So if he dies, then there’s no victim of theft, is there? I bet you know a lot of incriminating things about his son, too…about the whole family? Just how rotten are they?” I wonder, and my grin turns malicious as the gun is taken off me and trained on his boss. Delicious.
“They’ll know I failed here. To protect him…”
“Unless they think you’re dead…” I point out, my mind reeling. Jennings’s son is violent during his ruts. Chaos has a sister that used to work for them… Doesn’t know who the father is… She stole from them? Enough to risk prison? One puzzle piece after another. “Lucky for you, I know someone that can help. Ghost… he is good with cleaning up messes that need to disappear.”
The same man I’ll be calling to help this young Omega hide until she’s safe again. With his ability and connections, he can slip her right back into her life, safer and with some money to get by… If she wants, he can even set her up with a new life.
“Then we kill him?” Chaos asks, and I grin, nodding as Jennings shits himself. Literally. It’s disgusting. Also, very common.
The whole time we’ve contemplated this decision, his boss has been ranting, his face turning a strange red color as spittle flies through the air. His sputtered demands end with the crack of a bullet. Lowering the smoking pistol, the only redeemable Alpha in the room rushes the cage, and frees the Omega. Chaos is careful as he extracts the poor girl, rumbling a soft tone as he clutches her to his chest.
Time to call Ghost and get this little mess cleaned up.