Chapter 13 Hayden
thirteen
Hayden
Idon’t like our plan for tonight.
My thumb flicks my lighter open and closed as I sit in a bucket chair in the corner of the room. I haven’t been feeling the need to see the flames recently, but I’m on fucking edge after hearing about what that weasel Victor did to all those omegas.
He caused that much damage, and he was a nothing. A nobody. So far down the food chain that Declan and his pack didn’t even register who he was at first.
So what kind of shit are the higher-ups pulling?
Jo steps out of the closet, and despite all my worrying, my dick stands straight at attention.
Yep, I definitely don’t like our plan for tonight.
A black dress hugs every single one of her curves, somehow making them more obvious than I’ve ever seen them—which is saying a lot, because I’ve seen her naked. The neckline plunges, stopping right above her bellybutton, and the slit in the side of it goes halfway up her thigh.
Heels that could stab a man are strapped to her feet, and her vibrant hair is pulled back into a sleek bun. Her makeup makes her look like she could seduce anyone she wanted to with a single look, and fuck, it is working.
“Fireball…” I groan, dropping my lighter into my lap and rubbing my eyes. “Baby, we’re only supposed to be killing Mikhail Vasiliev, but you know the guys will murder anyone who sees you in that state.”
“Oh?” She props a hand on her hip, and it’s then I spot the small clutch in that same hand. “You don’t care if they see me like this?”
“As your super-laid-back mate who knows you only have eyes for your pack? I say, let them look. But as the super-on-edge-pyromaniac who is fighting to not set the nearest object on fire? I’m happy to let them do the killing.
That way I still get the reputation for being reasonable, but still get to watch the fuckers die. ”
She grins. “I knew you were smart.”
I can’t help but laugh. “You also know I like to keep them guessing.” A groan leaves me as she starts putting these dangly earrings into her ears. She had Kole re-pierce them yesterday, because of course, as well as doing most of his tattoos, he also knows how to do body modifications.
Fucking Russian giant.
“Well?” She spins in a circle, and I find myself biting my knuckles at the sight of her perfect ass. “How do I look?”
“Like sex on a stick,” I groan, standing up and sliding my lighter into my pocket so I can touch her. She meets me in the middle, my hands trailing down her bare arms as she looks up at me with those mesmerizing eyes.
I can’t help it, I lean down, fully intending to get a taste of my omega, but then there’s a finger being pressed against my lips.
“Nuh-uh, Darlin’,” Jo tsks. “Can’t have you ruinin’ my makeup. I’m supposed to be Luka and Illya’s omega, remember?”
A small growl rumbles in my chest, making me grimace as she arches a brow at me. “Sorry. I know. My alpha still doesn’t like the sound of it, though.”
“No touchin’ beyond what is absolutely necessary, and if everythin’ goes accordin’ to plan, we’ll be home in time for dessert.” Her eyes dart from my eyes to my lips.
“Oh? And what exactly is for dessert?”
“Mmm, you, hopefully—”
“I’m…I’m just gonna go.” Mabel’s small voice, with the same Southern twang as Jo’s, speaks up from the bathroom doorway, and I wince. I completely forgot she had come over to help Jo with her hair.
“Sorry, Mabel.” I take a step back from Jo. “I can leave, give you more time to—”
Jo gasps as she looks at her sister, her hand flying up to her mouth. “Mabel May Harding! What did you do?”
I frown, looking between the sisters, confused as to what has Jo so shocked.
That is, until Mabel self-consciously runs her hand over her hair. I guess it is quite a bit shorter.
“It’s stupid, ain’t it?” She gives a nervous laugh, shaking her head.
“I shoulda had someone else do it, but…but I picked up the curlin’ iron, thinkin’ it might be fun to do my hair like I used to…
but then I heard their voices, tellin’ me how much they loved my long hair.
Next thing I knew, a pair of scissors was in my hands, and I had hacked half of it off. ”
“Oh, Mabel-Cakes, no,” Jo goes to her sister, her fingers running through the strands of hair that look like they were cut off rather violently.
They hit right at her shoulders, and I’m no hairdresser, but…
she’ll probably need to get that touched up.
“The length suits you, it’s just…why did we spend our childhoods givin’ each other haircuts if you weren’t gonna let me put my practical skills to use? ”
Mabel sniffs, a watery laugh leaving her. “I’m sorry, Jo. I don’t know what came over me.”
“You’re takin’ your life back,” Jo says sternly, holding Mabel by the arms and looking at her.
“Nobody owns you. Not Daddy, not your old pack, and not Thornfield. If you wanna cut your hair, you cut your hair. Just…have some supervision next time, okay? And maybe your darlin’ sister to help shape up the back. ”
Both girls giggle as Jo wraps her arms around Mabel. My little sister-in-law wipes the tears from her eyes, sniffing again. “Could you…do you have time to help me even it out? I don’t wanna go back to the house lookin’ like I was attacked by a chainsaw.”
Jo quickly glances at the time on her phone. “I got twenty, let’s go.”
They disappear into the bathroom, shutting the door behind them, and then Sam comes into the room, frowning as he looks around. “Where’s Jo? Isn’t she ready?”
He’s in a suit and tie borrowed from one of Declan’s pack mates, and though it doesn’t fit him exactly, he passes perfectly as the hired security for “Illya and Luka’s new omega.”
Gag.
“She’s cutting Mabel’s hair.” The corner of my lips tilt up at the thought of the two of them together, finally. Jo’s caretaker side comes out full-force when she’s with Mabel.
“She’s…” He shakes his head, dumbstruck. “Why is she cutting Mabel’s hair? We have to leave here in fifteen minutes.”
“Mabel…ahh—” I wince, not sure what I’m allowed to say about the private moment I witnessed.
Probably nothing. So I aim for…diplomatic.
“She decided it was best to part ways…with…her hair,” I finish lamely, shrugging.
“I guess they used to cut each other’s hair growing up, so Jo knows what she’s doing. ”
“I just…” He sighs, shaking his head. “Nevermind. So, uh…how are you holding up?”
I frown, my hand sliding into my pocket to grasp my lighter. “Holding up?”
He gives me a look. “Hayden. You watched a man get his brain blown out earlier today.”
“Yeah, well, he deserved it,” I mutter, even as my stomach turns at the memory. That was pretty gross.
“I agree.” Sam nods. “But…I don’t know, man. You’re not used to all the killing, and I just want to make sure you’re doing okay.”
“I’m fine.” It’s not a lie. I’m fine about the killing—that’s not what’s bothering me, weirdly enough.
It’s the fact that we’re sending our omega straight into enemy territory yet again.
Can she handle herself? Of course she can.
But she also has a habit of letting her temper get the better of her.
It’s hot as fuck, watching her on the warpath, but only when it won’t potentially get her killed.
At least I can feel her emotions. Though…I’d feel a hell of a lot better if the others could feel her too.
“When are you going to bite her?” My question must seem abrupt, given that he has no way of knowing which direction my thoughts went. He gives a blank look before shaking his head.
“Um, I’m not sure. I don’t…” He sighs, running a hand over his hair. “I don’t want it to seem like I’m only trying to bond so I can feel her emotions, which, honestly, would be really useful in situations like tonight.”
“You should ask her when she wants to.” I shrug, crossing my arms. “Or, you know, bite her because she begs you to in the midst of a hormone war inside her body due to designation nullification drugs being injected into her system. Like I did.” I grin. “Easy peasy.”
Sam snorts. “You’re a little shit, you know that?”
I grin, walking over to him and tossing my arm over his shoulders. “Yeah, but you love me, Daddy-O.”
Before he can shove me off, the bathroom door is opening, and our omega is stepping out. She looks just as amazing as before, and Sam is rendered both motionless and speechless by the sheer beauty of our mate.
“Trouble…” His voice is pained.
“Nope.” She shakes her head vehemently, then wags her finger.
“I don’t wanna hear one word, Samuel Theodore Wright—yes, I asked your daddy for your middle name.
” Sam’s mouth gapes open, and I step away from him, not wanting to be associated with whatever she’s mad at him about.
“We have a plan—one where my omega-ness actually comes in handy for once—and we are not jeopardizin’ that because you don’t want me lookin’ like this in public! ”
Sam huffs. “Jo—”
“And, you will not be killin’ anyone for touchin’ me! If someone needs to die, I’ll do it myself, thank you very much. You can go through one night of mild discomfort if it gets rid of Mikhail Vasiliev and puts us as allies with Luka and—”
“Jo!” Sam snaps, and Fireball pauses.
“What?”
He sighs, and in the smoothest fucking move I’ve ever seen, sidles up to her and runs his hands up her waist. “I was going to say,” he arches a brow as he looks down at her, “how absolutely fucking delectable you look.” He starts to lean down, and her eyes dart to his lips.
“And if we didn’t have somewhere to be, I’d lay you down on this bed right now and—mmph! ”
My hand clasps against his mouth as I scowl at him. If I don’t get a kiss, neither does he. “Mind the lipstick, Daddy-O,” I snipe, and Jo steps back, giggling.
“Sorry, Sammy-boy, he’s right. And sorry for middle-namin’ you. I might be feelin’ a little on-edge myself.” She does a little twirl. “You like it? Mabel did my hair for me.”