Chapter 12
Revea
Turns out the beautiful omega who was chatting with Luc and Val is bonded to a pack of tattoo artists. One of which had tattooed Val’s swallow.
Said omega was Joshua’s two o’clock, who was so worried she’d offended me, she made him come get me so she could apologise.
So not only is she beautiful and bonded and also kind, but I’m a lunatic.
After we went back and forth apologising, I told her today’s colour, cut, and blow-dry would be free. When she tried to refuse, I gave Josh the look that meant ‘do not let her pay’.
I then apologised to everyone in the waiting area, with a nervous laugh about being over-protective of my staff, to which an elderly woman shouted, “I’d be protective about those alphas too, love!”
That promptly ended my apology session.
I never went back to my office. Let my brother and them hash out whatever they want, because after today, they’re not coming back.
I’m hyping myself up in the stock room, organising the colours by code and shade, preparing my speech.
“I really appreciate everything you’ve done, but I think it’s best we end it here…” I mutter. Then jam the box into place with a loud, “No. That’s not clear enough.”
But how can I be clear when I don’t really know what I want? Especially when it’s very clear what my omega does.
This isn’t the time to get tied down by a pack. My business isn’t even a year old, I’ve got conventions lined up across the country, and my focus needs to be on this business, my staff, not alphas who make my skin feel on fire.
I haven’t dated in years, haven’t been interested in anyone to even consider it, and after my last organised-heat disaster where I barked the alpha away, I’ve been dealing with that alone too.
Which is… fine. Just fine.
You don’t need alphas to get through a heat. Toys work… multiple toys… It’s remembering to stay hydrated that’s important. It might not be convenient, but it’s totally manageable.
Fine. Like I said.
Why am I even thinking about heats right now?
“You hiding from us, Revea?”
Oh god, no.
I wince, gripping the counter with one hand and a box of colour in the other. I keep my back to Luc even when I hear him getting closer.
“Is this how it’s gonna be now?”
When he chuckles, my skin prickles, heat rushing through me.
“No words, no eye contact.” He’s even closer, his warm breath fanning the top of my head. “Come on, Ve. Look at me.”
My grip tightens around the cardboard tube, crinkling it, before I turn to say, “I think we should—”
“Move on to the next stage of the action plan?” he interrupts with a smirk, knowing that was nothing close to what I wanted to say.
I blink. “What action plan?”
“The one I made during my first day. Didn’t you read it?”
“I… glanced at it.” Meaning I glanced at the email without actually opening the attached file.
His eyes narrow as he nods away with that damn smirk. “Uh-huh, so you’ll know the next step is looking into your technologies. Cameras, computers, sign-in processes… all that type of stuff.”
“I didn’t expect that to be included.”
“It is with the deluxe package.” He winks.
“Luc…” I sigh, and his entire demeanour changes.
His smile drops, and he stands straighter.
“Thank you, really, for everything with the salon and my staff. But I think we need to end this—”
A sharp growl slices through my words, and the plastic tube of colour slips out of the box, onto the floor.
On instinct, I drop down to reach it and—
Crack.
“Shit,” I hiss, stumbling back from Luc, fingers pressed to the throbbing pulse in my skull.
“Fuck, shit, sorry, I was just trying to help. Let me—”
Warm hands land on my waist, lifting me off the ground and onto the counter edge like I weigh nothing.
Then fingers follow, rough in texture but tentative in their movement over my face.
“Let me see.” He pulls my hand away, and with watery eyes, I watch him study my forehead with the intensity of a medic on the battlefield.
When he brushes over a sensitive patch, I wince, and his eyes dart to mine. “It hurts here?”
I nod, that’s all I can manage, because this is too much.
His gentle touches, the worry in his voice, the care in his eyes.
Something warm rolls down my cheek, and he freezes.
“Ve…” His voice cracks a little, and that just makes it worse. “Baby, please don’t cry.”
I shake my head, sucking in air to try and form some words. “It’s not… this,” I splutter out, pointing to my head as the tears fall freely. “It’s this.” I point between us. “This isn’t… part of my… five-year plan.”
His hands cradle my face so when I try to turn away, he easily stops me.
“Baby, you’re not making sense. Did I knock you that hard?”
“No, no.” I shake my head again, brushing away tears with my sleeve. “I have a plan. A five-year business plan. I can’t get distracted.”
I stare up at him through blurry eyes. He doesn’t understand, warm brown gaze swimming with worry as he holds my face.
“Rue wants to see Revea before he… What the fuck?” Val’s large steps eat up the distance in seconds. “What’s happened? Are you okay? Is she okay?”
“We knocked heads. I thought it was fine, but now I’m worried she’s got a concussion.”
“Concussion?” Val’s fingers find my cheek, the other holds one finger up. “Can you follow my finger, Revea?”
I do, left and right, up and down.
“Good girl, that’s it.” Then he scowls at Luc. “Why the fuck did you knock heads?”
“She dropped something, and we both went to pick it up.”
“Why do you think she’s got a concussion?”
“She’s saying things that don’t make sense. Something about a five-year plan?”
“It does…” I take a deep breath. “Make sense.”
Their gazes lock onto me, their fingers brushing my cheek and temples as I swallow back my cries and try to find the words.
“I began preparing for this business years ago. I planned everything, saved up, paid for advice, then went to the bank and got a loan. I had to prepare a five-year plan to get the salon, to show them I could do this, to prove that a packless omega could create and run a profitable business. I have everything planned out.”
They stare at me, but say nothing.
“This…” I point between us, voice stern. “…isn’t in my plan.”
My gaze darts between them, hoping I’ve made it clear that whatever was building between us can’t happen.
“Thank fuck she’s not concussed.” Luc sighs.
Val studies me again, then glances at his brother. “Still think we should get her checked out.”
“Hello?” I snap, almost barking as I brush away the remaining tears. “I’m right here. Did you listen to what I said? This isn’t—”
“—part of your plan, we heard you, Ve,” Luc murmurs, lowering his face so our eyes become level. “The best things in life often aren’t.”
Before I have a chance to respond to that heart-fluttering comment, Val’s cupping my jaw and turning me to him.
“If your brother didn’t come into your office, what do you think would have happened?”
I am in no state to be answering that type of question. Not with the way he says it, laced in a dirty grit with those intense hazel eyes, more black than brown.
“I would…” I swallow, and his eyes track it. “I would have stopped…”
He slowly shakes his head, and my words fade away, losing all confidence.
“You might have tried, at first. But my brother and I, we’re relentless.” There’s no lightness in his tone or his gaze. “I’ve never planned for an omega, never wanted one, but I want you.”
My chest tightens; my mouth goes dry. “You hardly know me.”
“You know our line of work, Revea.” Val’s soft growl catches on my name, raising goosebumps along my arms. “We learn quickly, and we act fast.”
When his eyes drop to my mouth, my brain finally snaps back online.
“No,” I say, not a bark, but stern enough that his gaze locks with mine.
I lean out of their touches, my eyes wide as their hands linger before, slowly, lowering.
I swallow. “Let me make myself clear. This—” Now I point between the three of us.
“—isn’t happening. No way. I’m not risking my goals just because two stupidly attractive alphas with your big arms and your sink-fixing and nice growls…
” I shake my head, cutting off my stupid rambling, adding a sharp, “I will not let this impact my business.”
There’s quiet for a second, but their expressions aren’t exactly what I expect. A little too calm, composed, like they expected everything I said and were just waiting for it to be over.
“The big arms bit was about me,” Luc murmurs to his brother.
Val scoffs, “You wish.”
My jaw drops. “Hello?!” I shout, their eyes back on me. “Did you listen to a word I just said?”
“Loud and clear, ma’am.” Luc grins, then continues. “You’ve worked hard, you’ve got goals, you’re ambitious, driven, independent.” The way he says those words sounds awfully raspy, a little heated.
“You know what you want, and you don’t want us to negatively impact that, especially this business,” Val carries on, eyes darting to my mouth when he adds, “And we won’t. We promise.”
Right. Well, that’s… exactly what I said. They listened, and they’re agreeing to it.
“Okay…” I say slowly, a little shocked.
“And have we impacted your salon in any negative way so far?” Luc asks, voice a little too sweet and smug, because he knows too well what the answer to that is, so he answers it for me. “No...” He shakes his head just to drill it home.
“But...” I start, then wet my lips and try again. “But it might—”
“And I might get hit by a car tomorrow. The point is, Revea…” He leans in, thumb now brushing my hip.
“You just listed all these qualities that I think you thought would be off-putting, but they’re the opposite, at least for us.
You think we want an omega who doesn’t have goals and aspirations?
You think we’re the type of alphas to stop you running a business? ”
I think the questions are rhetorical, but I find myself shaking my head when he does.
“No,” he confirms with a smirk before continuing with, “And you just said you find us attractive, which means you’re interested, which means you’ve given us the green light.”
“What?” I frown. “I can find you attractive and not want you.”
God, that sounded weak.
The way they both glance at each other only confirms it. Then Val edges a little closer, and I don’t move an inch.
“If you want us to chase, we’ll chase.” His voice rumbles with a kindling growl. “But we’re not patient men, Revea.” His fingers brush the edge of my thigh. “And we’re very good at catching.”
Oh fuck.
How have we ended up here? I was firing them, and now they’re touching me, talking about chasing, and suddenly… that’s all I want. My omega’s taking over, peering out at these two powerful alphas who’ve practically promised themselves to us.
“You like that idea, omega?” Val’s voice dips into a low rumble, and my body betrays me by letting out a soft sound I don’t think I’ve ever produced.
Their eyes darken, a deep growl sounding from both as their fingers clench around my thigh and hip.
The pressure of their touch jolts through me, sharp enough to finally cut through the omega haze.
This isn’t happening.
I bare my teeth, growling back in warning.
But it doesn’t deter them; instead, Luc uses the moment to lean in and inhale.
My growl sputters out.
I freeze.
Then he whispers in my ear, “I wanna scent you so badly, omega.”
But when the heat of his breath touches my throat, I react on instinct. Fingers delving into my pouch.
With the blade of my shears against Luc’s throat, I lower my voice to snarl. “No, alphas.”
All movement and sounds stop.
“This is my salon. My place of work. There will be no scenting or chasing here. Understood?”
I press firmly on my shears; it’s only the side of them, they’re not open, just the blunt edge, but I pray it works. Because I know I won’t be able to go through with hurting Luc, and if they keep touching me...
Slowly, Luc pulls away, and my shears follow him until our eyes meet.
I frown.
He looks...
“You might want to put them down, trouble,” Val murmurs.
I didn’t realise I’d edged myself over to his side when I got the shears out. Now my shoulders are against his chest, and his mouth is right by my ear.
“My brother has a thing for pain.” His lips brush my lobe when he adds, “So do I.” Then his teeth follow with a soft nip.
My shears drop to the floor, and the sound echoes. The alphas tense, and I use that moment to push them away, jumping off the counter and grabbing the shears from the floor just to hold them in front of me like a weapon.
Which I realise is not only pointless, but a mistake, because they like pain. Their dark eyes dart to the shears, then my face, and they start to prowl.
“No. No chasing,” I say, a little shrill. But they stop, thank fuck. “I’m going to say bye to my brother, and we’re going to end this conversation here. Understood?”
Their eyes are on me, they’re not moving, but they start swapping phrases in Spanish that end in Val laughing. A sound I’ve rarely heard, so deep and masculine, and… I need to get out of here.
I keep backing away, and they don’t follow.
“I’m going to assume you’re saying, ‘Yes, we understand,’” I say as I make it to the door.
Just as I push it open with my shoulder, Luc says, “Sí, Mamita,” with a smile so wicked my stomach does a flip it has no right to do.
I keep walking backwards, watching the door swing shut in front of me before I finally turn around.
“Why are you holding your scissors like that?”
“Holy fuck, Rue.” I nearly drop them again as I turn to face my brother.
His worried gaze darts from me to the room I just left. “Something wrong, Re-Re?”
“No, nothing. It’s fine.” I slip my shears away. “And they’re shears. Not scissors.”
“Yeah, yeah.” He rolls his eyes, then slips an arm over my shoulders, steering us back to the shop floor. “You still mad at me?”
I hear the door behind me open, and I turn to catch the alpha brothers walking away, speaking in low murmurs.
I look back at my brother with a scowl. “You have no idea.”