Chapter One
Rue
Rue had a moment to acknowledge how fortuitous it was that their PAs weren’t with them.
A decision Taylin and Booker, his brothers, were fully on board with.
Rue certainly didn’t want to be distracted by the level of distress Monty, his own PA, had shown after their last visit.
Memories of the last time they had come to the Design Detailing he’d never do that again.
“The only people trespassing are you and those fucktards aiming guns at the omegas.” Taylin stepped closer to Amatus, and they followed. “You’re all fucking fired, every damn one of you, now get out.”
“Totally professional, bro,” Booker muttered, sounding extremely amused. Rue wasn’t amused, he was furious when Amatus didn’t move, but the omegas did.
“We don’t mean you guys.” Booker walked towards the work benches and approached the nearest, trembling man, keeping his voice soft.
It had taken Rue six months of living with Booker to know the soft side to him wasn’t an act.
The bear had the biggest heart, he just used a grumpy exterior to hide it, but it was on full show now.
“Listen to me. Every omega here, if you wish to stay and work for a company that will take care of you, then you can. No one is going to be forced into anything.” Taylin infused warmth into his voice that had been lacking when he spoke to Amatus. “I know it is hard to believe right now—”
Rue was moving before the scream fully registered, but Oakland beat him to it.
Oakland had a whip-wielding alpha by the throat, effortlessly dangling him a foot above the ground. The sheer power displayed brought with it an unnatural silence.
One side of the alpha's face swelled, and blood dripped from a cut over his eyebrow down the skin where a bruise formed. Oakland held the whip in his other hand, looking ready to attack anyone who moved.
Rue had never seen the man in action, but was impressed, along with aroused. He closed off the uncomfortable reality.
“Brier, get the Medi pack from the Hummer for me,” Oakland demanded with total authority. His gaze on the omega and the damage to his face from the whip wielding fucker Oakland held. “We’ll take care of you, little one,” Oakland murmured, almost sweetly to the dumbfounded-looking omega.
“You will?” the omega squeaked.
“Yes,” Oakland answered, his gaze shifting to the alpha, who dangled and kicked out, struggling to escape his hold. “Move again and I’ll snap your fucking neck.”
Ice coated his voice, and Rue knew Oakland was deadly serious.
Except Amatus wasn’t getting that. “I don’t know what the hell is going on here. You can’t come in here and threaten my men when they are only protecting the omegas.”
“Bullshit,” Booker rumbled out.
Amatus raised his hand and made a circling motion with his finger.
Whatever that signal meant, it didn’t get the desired effect. Moments later, he spun around, looking up, only to come to a stop with a gasp.
Oakland’s men were there, their guns aimed at the heads of the alphas, who were minus their weapons. Rue grinned wide and dangerous.
Taylin reached into his suit jacket and pulled out two envelopes. “This terminates your employment effective immediately and that of all the assholes wielding weapons.”
“You can’t fire us!” Amatus blustered, fear shining in his eyes that made Rue’s heart happy.
“You should have read the small print, dickhead. We can, and we have. The company buyout contract,” Taylin held up the second envelope, “gives a large percentage of the profits to the omegas who have worked to build up the reputation of this firm.”
Taylin waved it high in the air, ignoring the man foaming at the mouth and going a shade of red that clearly wasn’t healthy.
“We will compensate you all for the distress you’ve endured while working here.
We’ll pay your bills for any medical care you require, assisting you in recovery.
It’s all written here, and I’ve copies for all of you. ”
“Noooo,” Amatus cried out.
“Yes,” Booker replied, grabbing the ass by the throat and lifting him effortlessly. “Just be fucking thankful getting fired is all you’re getting today.” Booker threw the other man towards the door. He landed in a heap, hard enough to rattle his teeth. “Now get the fuck off our land.”
"Oh, and one last thing," Taylin said with such glee, Rue found himself amused.
"There's something else in the fine print that you should be aware of.
It's a standard clause in all Starling contracts, but it's one of my favorites.
It's buried in there, amongst all the boring legal mumbo jumbo, but basically it says that if we discover any kind of foul play perpetrated by the previous owner…
that would be you…then all monies involved in the deal are forfeit.
So, not only are you not going to get a single cent, what would have been your money is actually going to go towards righting all the pain and suffering you've inflicted here. "
There were whimpers, sobs, and giggles coming from everywhere, and Rue blinked furiously because of the ache at the back of his eyes.
Taylin grinned happily at Rue, paying no attention to the protesting alphas. “This is a fucking good day!”
All teeth, Rue smiled at his brother. “No, this is a great day.” One he prayed the omegas would cling to when he suspected they’d had very few with the motherfuckers treating them like possessions rather than people.
“Time to clean this place up!” Booker marched to the alpha who’d stood behind Amatus.
“You aim that thing at me for a second longer and you’ll be wearing my fucking fist.” He snatched the gun from the alpha’s limp hold.
Then, hands shifting into great enormous paws, Booker crushed it like a twig, throwing it back at the alpha, who stood stunned. “Scram,” he growled.
Chaos ruled as Oakland’s men dealt with protesting alphas.
“Come on, Mr. Unprofessional,” Booker called, shaking his head at Taylin, who looked to be filming what was happening. Was that for the PAs? Monty had asked Rue before he’d left if he could let him know the outcome.
“There’s work to be done, so stop staring at yourself on camera and start figuring out who needs what.” Booker shook his head at Rue, eyes rolling.
Taylin gave him a salute and walked to the nearest omega. “Hi, I’m Taylin Starling. What’s your name?”
Rue paused, willing the omega to be brave, like he’d been once when a Starling had offered him a lifeline.
The comparison wasn't lost on him. The gift of unconditional support. And for him, love. Moments like this were rare, he got it. It was why it could still take him by surprise at the oddest moments, how fucking lucky he’d gotten when Popi had walked into his life at the worst possible time.
He’d been taught that he could repay a little of the kindness shown to him, and he tried. Thoughts of the past fled at the bone-chilling exchange between Taylin and the omega.
“Will… will we have to stay… in the basement… when you leave?” Big green eyes ate up the tiny face of the omega. “I’m frightened of the dark.”
Rue’s legs buckled, and it took sheer will to keep him standing as he met Taylin’s horror-filled eyes.
“No one needs to stay anywhere they don’t want to. Can you show us the basement?” Rue asked gently when Taylin remained quiet.
If Rue thought the smell in the factory was bad, what was in the basement had his stomach heaving.
The cavernous space was icy cold despite the warmth outside the building.
Iron cot beds with chains attached told a story all of their own.
Buckets filled with excrement were scattered about, some nearly overflowing.
Threadbare blankets rested on soiled mattresses that were barely thick enough to support a toddler.
Rue’s nails dug into the palms of his hands to prevent himself from unleashing his burning rage at such a fucking injustice.
His icy stare met Oakland’s, who’d come with them. “Stop your men from kicking out the alphas, they need to detain them, and we need the authorities in here…now,” he voiced in a flat monotone that he used to hide his despair. His fury.