Chapter 12 – Lacey
Chapter Twelve
Lacey
Wilder wraps a blanket around my shoulders and guides me into the back of a black town car. He takes the seat at my side, and only a few moments pass before we both lurch as the vehicle takes off.
Maybe I should put my seat belt on? Tonight probably used up every bit of luck and karma that I’ve stockpiled over the course of my lifetime.
My hand flies to my throat, and I pat around for my scarf, even though I know it’s not there. “I lost my scarf, and I think I dropped my purse and my shopping bag in the alley. Any of that could be tied to me.”
“You don’t need to worry. They’ll do a full sweep of the entire area and bring your things back to you,” Wilder says in a soothing tone that doesn’t match the man I know.
My brain is fried.
Nothing makes sense.
Grim showing up felt like a miracle.
Then Callum popped up, and they already knew each other somehow…
That was off-putting enough.
Now I’m sitting in a car with Wilder, and everything seems a lot more suspicious.
“Why do you know Grim and Callum?” I ask, twisting to look at the man in question. “I mean, how.”
“I will tell you. All I ask is that you allow me to clean you up while we speak.” Wilder sighs, reaching for something on the floorboard.
He pulls it into his lap and pops open a pack of baby wipes before stretching a hand out to cradle my face.
“They both work for me. Grim is a long-time friend, who I now consider my second-in-command. Callum is…” He shrugs, beginning to clean the blood from my face.
“Callum is a loose cannon. Somehow, he knows everyone, and anyone who’s anyone owes him at least one favor.
Don’t try to make it make sense. I can’t seem to comprehend it either. ”
“And you, what? Planted them in my life?”
“I sent Grim to see you because he needed pheromone therapy. Even then, I sent him to the clinic you work at. He chose your scent card. When I explained that you smell electric, he looked at me like I’d lost the plot.
Apparently Grim and Callum scent something completely different when they smell you, and while I am able to pick up those tones when I concentrate, it would not be my first choice when describing your scent.
” He drops the now-disgusting baby wipe, grabbing a fresh one and getting back to work cleaning my jaw.
“The apartment on your floor was rented to be used as a security hub for anyone I assigned to watch over you. The others adhered to the rule of no close contact. Callum, of course, did not.”
My head swims.
I’m torn.
Grim really does need access to omega pheromones—or he did, now that we’re bonded it should begin to heal his mind—and I’m grateful we met. We just bonded, and that could be responsible for my reaction, but I legitimately hate the thought that he could have ended up with an omega other than me.
The fact they have an apartment in my building to keep tabs on me is… I don’t even know what word to use to describe that. Weird? Off-putting? Concerning that it’s necessary in the first place? Thoughtful, considering I’m not his responsibility in the least?
Wow.
My emotions are a mess.
The way Wilder carefully cleans my skin is throwing me off in a big way.
“Why would I need security, anyway?” I ask, my mind circling back to what he said about Callum.
So he, what? Assigned Cal to watch over me, and Callum made the choice to approach me on his own? If that’s how it went down, it’s actually kind of sweet, right? He liked me so much that he went against orders because he couldn’t stand to stay away.
“You know what my profession entails. Occasionally, I make enemies. Those enemies should have enough decency not to lash out at anyone with a connection to me, but that wasn’t a risk I was willing to take.
” Wilder hums. “What’s that saying? Better safe than sorry.
And considering you have a bloody handprint on your jaw, I’m going to go with that being the right call.
Twist a little farther. I need to clean the other side of your face. ”
I turn in my seat, and he tosses my hair over my shoulder.
“Jesus Christ,” he hisses, gently tilting my face up and to the side to give him a better view. “Tell me that’s Grim’s bite…”
“It is,” I assure him. “He had consent, so don’t go trying to rip his head off or punish him for something that I agreed to.
” Okay, I kinda agreed while it was in progress, but the look on Wilder’s face is intimidating.
It’s time to distract him and put the focus where it belongs—back on him.
“So, it wasn’t just luck that Grim stumbled upon me tonight?
You have people following me around like bodyguards or something? ”
Wilder’s jaw tightens.
I’m not sure if he’s still furious that Grim and I bonded or if he’s uncomfortable with my questions.
“It’s not round-the-clock security. Whenever you’re at work, you’re safe enough.
I was under the impression you’re normally at work right now.
” He huffs and gets back to cleaning the blood from my neck and jaw.
“Having someone constantly tailing you would draw your attention, especially if it was the same few faces. I always try to have someone follow you home from work at a distance. Once you’re in your apartment, it’s just about having someone close enough to act if necessary.
” The car takes a corner, and I slide toward Wilder.
He moves his free hand to my side to help keep me in place and removes it promptly once it’s no longer needed.
“The doorbell camera watches your front door. That’s why I rented the unit directly across the hall.
I mistakenly thought you’d be safe enough in public places like work or grocery shopping during the day.
Although, to be fair, I don’t believe the attack tonight had anything to do with me. ”
“I don’t think so either,” I admit. “I’m so worried about Grim. Is he going to get in trouble for saving me? I think they might have been dead.” I find myself whispering the last word as my eyes dart toward the driver.
“You don’t have to censor yourself in front of my staff,” Wilder says. “Raymond has been part of the family since before I could talk. You also don’t need to worry about Grim. Callum will take care of him, and I have a team that should be there by now to back them up.”
I nod, but my eyes ache.
I wonder if I’ll have a full-blown meltdown once the adrenaline wears off. “I just want a hot shower, a change of clothes, and a comfortable bed to climb into to wait for Grim.”
Wilder’s eyes sparkle. “As it turns out, I can help with all three.”
The house Wilder inherited from his dads is in a fancy neighborhood with a guardhouse. Two men step out, and one approaches the car while the other loiters just outside the small building.
It’s a quick exchange, and the driver takes off, weaving through mansions that are all spaced far apart from the one next to it.
I lived in the house Wilder now owns for the better part of two months, but it never felt like home, more like a long-term hotel stay. They didn’t purposely make me feel unwelcome. In fact, his dads went out of their way to ensure I knew I was welcome to stick around for as long as I liked.
It was just a huge adjustment, and I felt awkward all the time around them.
My mom and I shared a one-room apartment until I was like eight or nine. Even when we moved into a two-bedroom, I often slept in her bed because I knew she would snuggle with me once she got home from work.
At the time, there was a sweet older lady who watched me from the time I got home from school until she went to sleep at nine or ten p.m. That’s when I would let myself into our apartment, have a snack, take a shower, and put myself to bed.
My mom wasn’t neglectful. She was just a single parent with no family and no resources. She did the best she could with what she had.
I’m actually really happy she met Wilder’s dads. They spoil the hell out of her now, which is exactly what she deserves after working her ass off for the better part of two decades to provide a decent life for me.
It kinda makes me wonder if I’ll have to wait as long as she did to not have to stress so much. The realization hits me like a ton of bricks, and Grim’s bite on my neck radiates with warmth.
Holy shit.
That’s right.
It wasn’t a hazy dream.
Grim and I are bonded. Whatever comes next, we’ll have to figure it out as a team. Another horrifying realization shocks me to my foundation.
“What’s wrong?” Wilder asks in a low, growly tone, shocking me out of my thoughts.
My head shakes. “I just lost my job. My contract specifically states that I have to remain unbonded to continue employment.” Not that I don’t understand why.
A bonded omega’s scent changes to carry hints of their alpha’s.
It would set off the clients who are closer to rabid than feral.
“God, I’m going to have to go back to dancing, and truthfully, I’m not very good at it. ”
“That’ll go over well with Grim.” Wilder snorts, patting my thigh. “Don’t worry about work. Enjoy a few weeks off, settle into your bond, and reassess after the New Year.”
I don’t think he’s purposely being condescending. Wilder and I just come from different worlds. I’m always a paycheck away from being homeless. Rent isn’t cheap, and I’ve been managing all the bills on my own.
He’s also right.
I can’t make any rash decisions without consulting Grim. Bonded couples almost always live together, so maybe I can move in with him?
Except, he spoke about Wilder’s house like it was his too.
“Does Grim live with you?”
“He and Callum both do.”
I’m starting to feel cornered into something, and the scary part is, I’m not even sure what.