Chapter 5
Ipressed the door shut silently, heart in my throat.
I’d been gone too long and the men after me were getting antsy.
There was one bit of good news. If he was waiting like that, blending into the High Roller staff and patrons, they still wanted to avoid making a scene.
Whether it was because Travis’s security posed a threat, or they didn’t want to tread on the toes of whoever had caused a scene around Spades, I wasn’t sure, but I’d take it.
Or perhaps they wanted to avoid it until they had me.
No member of the Brotherhood I knew of cared if bystanders got hurt.
“Change your mind?” Zed’s voice made me jump, and I turned back to him.
“No…” I trailed off, staring around the room for answers. I crossed to the window, grabbing the latch and trying to wrench it open. Of course, it was sealed. The side of the building wasn’t easily scalable anyway. From the outside it was all tall, decorated walls and sealed windows.
“Fuck.”
Fuck fuck fuck.
What had made me think going up a floor was a better idea? I was even more screwed.
A thousand useless options crossed my mind. I could pull the fire alarm, but they’d know it was me. They might lash out at the attempt. If they were smart, this whole place would be surrounded.
The police were out of the question. Ace had them in his pocket—and this was clearly premeditated.
I’d seen Brotherhood members secure delays in police response to areas for hours, sometimes completely.
“What’s the problem?” Zed walked back to the table and picked up his glass before sitting back down on the couch. “Seems like you’re in some trouble.”
I tried to ignore him.
Plan…
I needed a fucking plan.
“Someone’s after her,” Kyan said at my side. He looked rather pleased. “That’s my guess. But Glade doesn’t want a mess.”
“Is that right?” Zed asked. “The people downstairs must be important. Almost like family?”
I stared at him, knowing what he meant by that.
His family was what he’d given up—what he’d had ripped from him—because of me.
“They’re innocent.”
Knight let out a breath, expression twisted. “And what were we?”
Is that what this was?They’d found me and now they wanted to ask questions I couldn’t give them answers to.
“Who are you running from?” Zed watched me with narrowed eyes.
“Just…” I couldn’t tell him. If he knew I was fleeing his brother, what might he do? “Ended up on the bad side of a drug dealer.”
Knight frowned, and I didn’t get the impression he believed a word I was saying. “This about product, or a pissed-off ex?”
“Not your business.”
There was a long silence, and I saw Zed exchange a look with Knight. “They’re looking for a bartender, not a pack,” Zed said finally.
I stared at him, every insecurity colliding like nuclear fission in my brain all at once.
They were offering to help?
“I left you.”
I’d rejected them. Temptress. Siren. Betrayer. Those were titles etched into my soul, on display for the world to see.
Zed was the oldest son of the Maverick family; he had been first in line to run the entire Brotherhood—a powerful gang with reach across the east coast. But when his father died, there was a power struggle. Ace, his younger brother, had staked a claim for what should have been Zed’s.
But, Zed not only had a stronger claim, he had something else that secured him that position beyond a shadow of a doubt. The daughter of one of the heads of the Romano Mafia had scent matched his pack. I was the perfect catalyst to an alliance the Brotherhood needed.
I’d always known my role. Always known I was destined to be traded by my father for politics, but I’d never imagined it would be with a pack I fell in love with.
Only when Zed had dropped to his knees before the Brotherhood and offered a bond, I’d done something no one had seen coming. I stepped past him—past Knight and Kyan—leaving them in the dust, and I had chosen Ace Maverick instead.
The younger brother.
My choice empowered his claim, and Zed’s pack had been exiled.
That was the story the way they knew it, and it was the only way they, and any of the world, could ever know it.
But the fissure through my heart from that moment had never closed. I remembered every second. The look of shock on Zed’s face as I stepped back. His silver hair messy across blue eyes exactly like it was right now. Eyes that were wide with shock as he heard the words that sealed his fate.
“I reject you, Zed Maverick.”
“Time’s ticking, Little Devil.” His words and the old nickname—that now carried a heavier meaning than it ever had—ripped me from my thoughts. “If you don’t ask, we can’t help.”
“I need to get out of the building.” That was all. I couldn’t accept more. And if we were masked, no one would know.
How long did I have before they burst into the break room to find me there? How many would get hurt?
I had to assume they’d know I wouldn’t want to see the club devastated. That meant I was in a cage full of hostages, ones I would cave to protect, and Zed was right: I was running out of time.
“Fine.” I seized my hair, fists balling wildly for a moment. “Fine.”
“Disappointing.”
I glared as Zed spread his arms, lounging back on the seat like he had all the time in the world.
“You’re taking it back?” I asked.
“No. I just think you can do a better job of convincing me.”
“Fuck you.” People were at risk here, and I could feel my panic clawing up my throat, trying to get the better of me.
The man outside this door meant they were already creeping around the whole place to cover their bases. Ace and his men liked games, but not more than winning. And with the bounty on my head, it was worth far more to burn this place to the ground. Any second, the men outside could call it on the subtleties and bang the doors down looking for me.
Zed grinned, tongue pressing against his canine like he was enjoying my tantrum.
“What do you want?” I asked, teeth gritted.
He cocked his head, eyes sliding to the floor before him.
I worked to contain my snarl. “Right fucking now?”
Zed Maverick might be more balanced than his brother, but that was a low bar. I fully believed that he’d refuse help until his petty vindication was satisfied.
“Your words, right?” he asked. “We’re not going to have time for it later.”
He didn’t say what it was. He didn’t have to. I knew. The only thing he’d really be here for. And it was so very Zed.
But my options were dwindling.
Years living beneath Ace had left my pride a fatally wounded creature that I was working hard to nurse back to life, but in this case, it was a benefit.
If that’s what he wanted? Fine. Let him have it.
I approached, trying to keep my expression as neutral as possible as I sank to my knees before him.
“Ask me nicely.”
Perhaps I’d done a better job at nursing my pride than I thought, because my mouth was dry. I cleared my throat, ignoring his obvious enjoyment of my struggle.
I glared, irritation spitting like an overflowing hotpot in my chest. This wasn’t what he thought it was. I clung to that. He didn’t know the truth and he never could.
They could bust that door down any second.
One spark, and this gas-doused fire heap was ready to erupt into an inferno with everyone I loved inside—actually, everyone, now that this fucking pack was here.
“I…” I trailed off, steeling myself. “I need your help to get out of the building without getting caught.”
He said nothing, leaning forward and taking my chin in his hand, eyes twinkling with malice. His touch was like a brand, turning the world hazy, and I drowned in the cool scent of a snow santal. I swear he flinched, too. I knew how broken I was, I didn’t touch Alphas that often at all, but I always wondered if they felt the same draw to me as I did them—a need to patch up something long shattered. Or maybe it was because we were mates.
I forced a bitter smile to my face. “Please.”
“Good girl.”
My blood went hot, and not with rage this time. Memories flickered to life in my brain. The good ones. The ones that I usually rejected. But right now, that was impossible as I felt the hard ground beneath my knees with him before me, repeating words I’d heard exactly like this.
The humour in his eyes told me he was thinking the same thing. That, and the other part—something he couldn’t control—that left me with slick pooling under my dress in possibly one of the most inappropriate moments of my life. Because his pupils definitely dilated as he looked down at me.
Well.
Fuck him. He’d sorely underestimated quite how pathetic his scent match was. He had no idea I’d spent years pining after Alphas I could never have. I might take something away from this, too.
He still wanted me.
I didn’t dare look at Knight.
Seeing that reaction in Kyan, and now the lead of the pack I should have been in, was already setting me back years.
“What’s the best way out?” Zed asked, dropping his hand and leaning back. I hated the little twist of sadness in my stomach as his touch vanished.
I took a breath. “There’s a guest on the first floor drawing security attention which will make it easier, and we can blend in.” The High Roller catered to a variety of desires. There was something for every occasion in this room, and mystery, masked Alphas and Omegas were included in that.
It would have to do.
“Golden robe and masks in the closet—” I made to stand, but Zed stopped me, hand cupping my neck. “Knight will get it.”
I gritted my teeth as Knight got to his feet and crossed to the closet I’d nodded to. It didn’t take him long to find what we needed.
The golden masks would get us out as long as I could divert questions as to why we were out of the private top floor rooms while wearing them.
Knight dropped the robe and a mask before me, then tossed one to Kyan and Zed. I noticed he didn’t meet my eyes. Kyan, on the other hand, couldn’t seem to look anywhere but at me. I avoided thinking too hard about that.
“Can I move now?” I asked, heavy sarcasm in my voice.
Zed just flashed me a grin, placing the mask carefully over his blue eyes. Then he picked up my mask and robe before I could grab it.
I could feel his attention on me like lead weights as I stood. It was one of those sheer night robes that were translucent under certain lights. A thousand times I’d seen an Omega on stage shrug it off, leaving it pooled on the ground like water as they revealed something much more mesmerising in its wake.
“I don’t get the impression the gown is supposed to have so much fabric beneath,” Zed said.
“My dress stays,” I snapped. Again, I felt the scars on my back ache.
Absolutely not.
“Shame. We did pay a lot of money to come see you.” His smile was cold as he handed me the mask, which I fit on my face, ignoring him.
But I couldn’t ignore the fragile, long crushed part of my soul that blinked awake.
He was my mate.
Prick or not, hearing him suggest that was like feeling a puzzle piece slot into place; something returning home. I ripped it back out and did away with it, knowing I had no room for those sorts of thoughts.
He would help me get out of here, then we’d part ways.
And for how long would I mourn them?
That failed date with another Alpha felt a million years away now. I tugged the golden silk gown on and pushed the thought away, making sure my purse was tucked away. I didn’t have much in there, but it would have to do. Phone, keys, lipstick, a few spare pens, and my knives. But I’d need to loop back around the moment we’d drawn them away to grab Lucy.
For now, all we needed to do was get past that Alpha without drawing too much attention, then we’d blend in with the other packs and Omegas.
If they’d been watching me as long as I thought they had, they’d believe—quite rightfully—that I was a fucking loner. I never took clients.
“All right,” Zed stood and stretched. “We’re going to make this look convincing.” He glanced over at the hulking Alpha at his side. “Knight? You’re up.”