Chapter Seventeen
Julius
“Whether the money comes from the team’s bank account or mine, I don’t care. Just make it happen. All the Junior Scorpions who are playing in the exhibition game need new pads and helmets with our logo on them… and skates, too.” The voice on the other end of the phone murmurs in agreement.
“Okay, I can get that done. Great idea, Julius. It really works with the image we’re trying to project,” Marilyn agrees, and I swear I can hear a smile in her voice.
There’s no doubt in my mind that our PR manager knows exactly what she’s done.
But it doesn’t matter, I can’t go back. Now that I’ve scented my little firebrand, the world has completely changed.
My dick, my wallet, and everything else I have belong to her.
“Oh, and Marilyn, I want all the gear for Asher Alton to be taken care of first. Especially those damn skates.” I swear, if I see him wobbling around the ice, nearly breaking his neck again, I’m gonna lose my fucking mind.
“Anything you say, Captain,” Marilyn promises with an obnoxious giggle.
Yeah, she knows exactly what she’s done.
Without another word, she hangs up, and I wonder if I should’ve asked for something else.
Something more personal for Nixie, like a job.
Oh well, too late now. But I’ll keep that favor in my back pocket.
If she won’t let me pay her rent, or better move in with us ASAP, then that’ll be my next phone call to our meddling PR manager.
I grab a sports drink from the refrigerator, red because I’m not a savage, then saunter eagerly toward our couch. I’m horny as fuck, but raspberries, green eyes, and long red hair stop me from sending a message to any of the puck bunnies in my phone.
Puck bunnies in my phone? Can’t have that.
After opening my contacts, I scroll through the list, deleting name after name with borderline disgust.
Damn, how did so many of them sneak in here?
Dirty, dirty, slutty dick.
A key twists in our front door lock, and I’m off the couch like a gunshot. Rushing into the hallway, I lean nonchalantly on the wall, then try to stifle my panting like I didn’t just run in here.
With a quiet squeak, the door hinges open, and Vonn peeks in as though he has a chance at tiptoeing to his room and avoiding me. No way, fuckface.
Curiosity about where he’s been and anger with him for ghosting me jump to the forefront, and my gut clenches.
“Welcome home, buttercup,” I boom with syrupy sweetness, pleased when he jumps.
Guilt blankets Vonn’s face, and his hazel eyes widen when he spots me.
His body tenses, and his foot turns like he’s going to go back, but he squares his shoulders and closes the door behind him.
“Look… I know you’re gonna be mad.” The full force of raspberries and poppies thumps me right on the nose, and I suck in a deep breath, the fragrance slicing through my gut. Treacherous, sneaky genius.
“Were you out having fun with our omega instead of planning how to win her over with me?” I croon, advancing on him like the predator I am.
His eyes narrow at me, and his jaw locks. “Yeah, she sends her regards…”
My packmate’s fist flies toward my face, cracking me in the jaw, and the copper taste of blood bursts onto my tongue.
I stumble back, smashing my back against the wall, shocked.
We’ve gotten into our scuffles before, but Vonn has never once hit me.
It’s an unspoken rule after all we’ve been through.
Aggression is for the ice. Though I guess he doesn’t really get to blow off steam sitting on that bench.
“What the fuck was that for?” Fury hazes my vision. Attack. Beat. He’s big, but we both know I’m the more dominant Alpha. It would only take a second for me to beat that little shit down to smithereens.
“That’s for stealing her number out of my phone.
You’ve been driving her crazy. Driving her away.
” His chocolate-hazelnut scent crackles with fear.
Yes, you are in way over your head. Rather than launch myself at him, I step away from the door, blood dripping down my chin, and head for the kitchen.
“Don’t you get that? We need to tread carefully? ”
Ignoring him, I grab some ice from the refrigerator and shove it into a bag. A little part of me is proud of him for manning up. Vonn usually defers to me on everything, so the fact that he has strong feelings about all of this is a good sign. Though not so much for my damn face.
Fuck, that hurt.
“Omegas don’t need Alphas who are careful.
They need an Alpha who’s ready to take control.
Their dependence on us is what their whole nervous system is built on.
And clearly, she’s not doing well on her own; look at the state of her—way too thin.
Her clothing is old and worn. You said the car wasn’t in the best shape.
And let’s not even talk about Asher’s gear.
It’s unacceptable for our omega to be running around like that.
Nixie needs us. Period.” I hiss as the ice touches my face, the cold working instantly to numb the pain.
Vonn stands on the other side of our kitchen, arms crossed, jaw locked, his eyes boring holes into my soul. We’re very different Alphas, complementary in many ways, but sometimes the differences make us struggle to understand one another.
“I think you’re underestimating her. She’s proud and stubborn.
A mama bear to the core. I don’t think either of us ever expected to find an omega who already had a kid.
But after talking to her, it’s obvious he’s her top priority.
She’s not like our mothers. Scent-match or not, if she’s worried Asher will be unhappy, she will reject us.
” The comment about our mothers makes me squeeze my eyes closed.
I never had the chance to know my mother.
And Vonn’s was a drug addict who never paid him any attention. Maybe I’m projecting a little.
“So, I guess your Mr. Nice Guy routine didn’t you get anywhere?” Of course it didn’t. Am I going to have to kidnap this woman to get her to see reason?
Staring at me, Vonn shakes his head, then, with a reluctant sigh, allows a small smile to light up his face. My heart lifts. Maybe he has some good news after all.
“Spill it already,” I growl, impatience building under my skin. I remove the ice from my face, nose now comfortably numb, and wait for him to explain what he was doing with our omega.
“Fine… Not that you deserve to know, but I got her to agree to go on a date with me.” Maybe I’m not the only one whose nose is going to be fucked up after this conversation.
Fortunately, the next words out of his mouth save him from a serious beat-down.
“And even though she was pretty reluctant about it, I tried to talk her into letting you come, too. I’m pretty sure she will as long as you stop calling Asher ‘our son.’”
“Fuck that. He is our son. She should know our intentions upfront. That boy needs a father, and I’m going to step in to make sure he has everything he needs to succeed.
” My own father was a downright bastard.
He didn’t know the meaning of the word love.
The only emotions he understood were pain and disappointment.
I’ll be damned if Asher learns the same thing when his mother brings a random Alpha home one day.
The thought of Nixie with any Alpha besides me or Vonn has my fists clenching.
Murder would be too good for any Alpha who touches what’s mine.
Never gonna fucking happen.
“All right, well, I guess now that you’re here, princess, we might as well strategize. How are we going to make this omega realize she’s ours? And soon.”
Vonn smiles at me… Looks like we’re finally on the same page.
And we’ve got an omega to claim.