Chapter 2
Chapter Two
Easton
Three Months Later
T here’s no doubt I’m a spiteful son of a bitch under the best of circumstances. I watched Briar’s reaction to the car backfiring the day she first came into Shadow Security. For whatever reason, I couldn’t get it out of my head. Before she sat down in my office, I had already made the choice to hire her.
Calder hadn’t even had the chance to bring her up from the first floor when I sent an office-wide text, clarifying that everyone should keep their distance, because Briar was mine.
Oh yes, Jameson knew I wanted her.
He went after her, anyway.
That was when I decided he would pay. It’s taken several months to set my plan in motion, but I’m nothing if not committed.
When I want something, I make it mine.
It’s that fucking simple.
And I want that doe-eyed little omega almost more than I want my next breath. I’ve studied her closely over the last few months, attempting to gauge how to make her as entranced with me as I am with her.
It’s a shame that she only seems to tolerate me as a necessity of keeping her job. Not that I’ve put my best foot forward yet .
Every woman I’ve blinked twice at has reciprocated perceived interest, and by that, I mean I could have had them eating out of the palm of my hand within days.
If I cared enough to bother, that is.
I tried a much softer approach with sweet Briar the first few times we interacted. Only, she barely spared me a second glance.
I believe it may have hurt my feelings . No, I would have to experience emotion for her to hurt my feelings. It appears it’s my pride she damaged, and that’s far more dangerous for the little omega than anything else she could have done.
That, and the fact she intrigues me.
Intrigue leads to obsession.
Obsession to possession.
I don’t make the rules of how my system works.
Briar frowns, leaning against the kitchen counter as she watches Jameson flirt with the bubbly new neighbor. I’m sure the tenderhearted omega has convinced herself that he’s merely being a polite host.
He’s not .
I hired Steffanie for a specific purpose. She’s making four times a day what she was as a sex worker, and her only directive is to get Jameson into bed.
I’m not a monster.
There are conditions that have to be met… He must make the choice willingly, with no coercion—outside of her natural charms.
The delightful woman asked if she was allowed to drug him, and that’s when I knew she was the one for the job. She will receive a hefty bonus upon completion and double if she’s able to record the act. Likewise, she’s to be nothing short of polite and respectful to Briar. Otherwise, she forfeits the position effective immediately, and, as such, all potential bonuses are off the table.
I don’t wish to harm Briar.
My goal is to simply show her what kind of man she climbs into bed next to every night.
I’m the far superior option.
My obsessive tendencies mean I’m physically incapable of having a wandering eye.
Keir sighs, shaking his head when he spots me adjusting my shirt sleeve. It’s one of my few tells, but it’s the one he knows.
I quirk an eyebrow, asking if he’s going to stop me, and his blue eyes roll. No, my full-time bodyguard is not pleased with me or my methods, but he’ll keep his mouth shut, and that’s what counts.
His disdainful huff doesn’t stop me from approaching Briar.
If Jameson wanted to protect her from me, he should have stayed by her side.
Normally, touching people is an inconvenience, but I ache to move behind her, place my hands on the counter, and trap her to my chest.
She’s nowhere close to ready for that yet, so my hands come to rest on the island as I slide up next to my prey.
Briar frowns, tilting her head as she watches her boyfriend flirt with another woman in the apartment he talked her into moving into.
“The turkey smells delicious. I can’t wait to dig in.” I smile, which feels forced on my face, but I am putting forth effort. “Happy Thanksgiving.”
“Happy Thanksgiving.” Her head shakes, and she swallows thickly. “I should check the food. I bet the turkey is ready to be carved. I just need to pull the ham out of the oven.”
“I’ll be happy to help, seeing as Jameson is otherwise entertained. ” I do my best to keep my face neutral, despite the glee I’m experiencing about my plan finally coming together.
Unfortunately, there’s no way around showing her the reality of the situation without hurting her, but I’ll be nearby to pick up the pieces and spoil her rotten until he’s no longer a thought in her mind.
“Really? I thought the king ordered his minions around, rather than getting his hands dirty.” She snorts, spinning and walking toward the oven.
I erase the space between us, sticking hot on her heels. “There are perks to being the boss, but someone needs to assist you. It shouldn’t fall completely on your shoulders, when every single person is here because Jameson invited them.”
I’m sure she gets the implication.
She’s just not ready to admit to herself how bizarrely her boyfriend has been acting since the pretty little dime piece moved in a few doors down, but I’m going to gently guide her in the right direction.
“Thank you for reminding me that I don’t have any friends or family to celebrate the holiday with,” she mutters, snatching up a pair of oven mitts and pulling them on one by one.
My head falls back as it shakes.
Way to walk right into that one, asshole .
“I’m sorry” isn’t a standard part of my vocabulary, but I feel the words on the tip of my tongue. She would find my change in character to be off-putting. So, instead, I move over to the long central island and collect the electric carver.
There are a few things I’m exceptionally good at.
Dismembering a body happens to be one of them. A turkey carcass in no way compares to the work it requires to take apart a human being, but it seems simple enough.
I get to work in silent apology while mentally planning our future. That woman is going to love me if it’s the last thing I do.
Briar won’t have to rely on Jameson to share his friends and family for long. She’ll have her own come next Thanksgiving, and she’ll be served like a queen at my table as my wife .
“You’re coming on way too strong.” Keir’s Scottish accent rolls through his words as he grabs me with a hand on my shoulder, tugging me down the hallway toward the bedrooms.
I glare and slap his hand away.
“She smells delectable. I can’t seem to help myself.” Although, I’m not sure it’s helping her see me in a better light. “Jameson has barely looked twice at her all night,” I say to further justify my questionable behavior. “He didn’t speak a word to her during dinner.”
My oldest friend gives me a look that might indicate I’m the reason for her boyfriend’s sudden disinterest.
Yes, fine.
I followed a similar thought process two hours ago, but it’s all part of the bigger plan, and certain small sacrifices have to be made in the meantime.
I’ve done my best to keep her entertained, but the little vixen is far too loyal to acknowledge my awkward advances. My earlier comment was only meant to emphasize that everything shouldn’t fall on her shoulders, when we’re all technically Jameson’s guests.
It didn’t work out how I intended, but I’ve done my best to cheer her up, especially since her boyfriend has barely glanced at her twice.
I’m a royal fucking hypocrite for wanting to rip his head off for how he’s hurting her. More so because I’m the cause of all of it.
If only Jameson would have heeded my warning. We’ve been coworkers bordering on friends for close to five years, and he’ll still be looking for a new job as soon as his willpower breaks.
It’s my goddamn company.
I can fire whoever I want to be rid of.
He needs to crack soon .
I found myself daydreaming about breaking his neck as we all sat together at the dinner table. Only, this building has a fuckton of cameras and full-time security.
He likes to visit a particular gym across town. Having Calder hack the video feeds from the parking lot and the surrounding area wouldn’t take much. But for working in our line of business, Calder is strange about killing without a cause.
Jameson is driving me fucking crazy.
That’s the cause of my newfound insanity.
No, actually, it’s that little omega.
She’s under my skin.
I don’t understand how she got there, but it doesn’t change the fact that she is.
“Christ, you’re plotting Jameson’s untimely disappearance right now. Aren’t you?” Keir scoffs. “You fucking lunatic.”
“I was not,” I grind out, like he can’t see right through me. Although, I may have been on the verge of mentally calculating Briar’s height and weight in case I need to drug her to kidnap her.
Christ.
There’s a slim possibility I’m on the verge of going feral.
Nothing affects me to this level.
It just proves she’s mine.
That’s all there is to it.
“I can see the insanity as it runs through your mind. It’s written all over your face,” Keir mutters.
“I’m not sure why I put up with your insolence,” I growl.
“Because no one else will deal with your miserable ass?”
“There you are,” Briar says, coming into the hallway. “It seems like everyone is getting ready to head out. Do you want me to make a take-home container for each of you?”
Keir spins around so fast his shoes squeak against the tile, like he’s not just as transparent as I am.
He might be worse.
He’s always offering to walk her out after work, as if Jameson doesn’t work in the same damn building.
The happy couple rides home together!
I haven’t decided if I’ll share with Keir yet, but I grew up in a pack.
My mother would slap me in the back of the head if she heard me musing like it’s my choice. Technically, the omega is supposed to build their pack, but I’m a control freak. She’ll need to understand that anyone she brings in will have to acquiesce to me as the apex alpha. Although, I personally view that as a fair trade to my unwavering devotion and as many orgasms as her soft little body can handle.
“East and I live together,” Keir says, clearing his throat. “One container for the both of us would work, but I don’t want you to go out of your way.”
“It’s no trouble at all,” Briar says, smiling brightly.
A low growl forms in my chest, and I barely manage to stifle it. There’s no reason she should smile so damn sweetly at him. I’ve gone out of my way all night to coax a single look like that from her.
“I’ll get that packaged up,” she says before promptly departing.
Once she’s around the corner, my fist flies at Keir’s face.
The giant asshole brings a forearm up, knocking away my swing. “Chill the fuck out, or I’ll have you put in one of those facilities for alphas who’ve gone rabid.”
I scoff, straightening my shirt sleeve.
“Like you have the authority to do that. I still own three years on your seven-year contract.” I jab a finger at his chest. “Don’t forget that.”
“Oh, the employment contract you forced me into signing? Fat fucking chance of me forgetting that,” he grumbles. “Get your shit together or I’ll kill you myself. I’m no longer convinced you aren’t a threat to her.”
I glare so effectively that I can’t seem to understand why his skin isn’t melting off.
Having friends is exhausting. But it would take so many additional steps to cover up his murder, especially because he resides in my home.
It might be time to check the database and see who’s available for a contract. Keir is officially on my last fucking nerve.