Chapter 4 #2
“Yes, I can,” I promise. “I have some names that I can think of right now. They all have a science and research background but chose to work on the corporate side of things for Reid Pharmaceuticals. Now, if there’s nothing else, I’ll head out to work on this list with my assistant.
I would like two people on this. No matter which person is called, they’ll need to coordinate together to decide if it’s the best option.
It sounds like a lot of steps, but if the doctors act appropriately, it can be decided in a matter of minutes. ”
“That’s more than most people would do,” Ursula murmurs. “Thank you.”
Inclining my head to her, I walk out of the board room to do exactly what I told her I’d do.
Three hours later, I’m ready to go home. Paula and I have chosen people to be our fail safe, we’ve gone over all important issues that she’s needed me for, and I’ve missed lunch.
“You look grumpy,” Grant murmurs, walking beside me. My mood is largely at odds with the cheerful decorations and lights on the buildings heralding that Christmas is coming soon, but I’m too hungry to care.
“I’m starving,” I counter.
“Why didn’t Paula get you lunch?” he asks, surprised.
“We both lost track of time. It’s not her fault. She got excited that I came to the office twice in one week and had a lot to tell me. There were also contracts to sign.”
“Ah,” he grunts, walking out onto the sidewalk with me. “I’m going to drop you off at Angus’ Sub shop and call your car. The accident looks as if it’s been cleared now.”
My stomach is loud as it complains, and Grant chuckles.
“Sounds like your stomach is on board.”
“It’s eating itself,” I grumble, walking with him to my favorite sandwich shop in the city. “I’m terrible company at the moment.”
“Go eat,” Grant says, amused as he opens the door for me.
“Thanks.”
Sighing, I walk up to the counter and order a pastrami sandwich with dark mustard. God, I love this place. My mouth is practically watering at this point as I find a seat and sit down.
I lose myself to my thoughts as I think about how momentous today was. Now, we just need to pass a few more tests before it can go live. I’m willing to wait for as long as needed to be able to prove that it’s a safe and worthy medication.
“Excuse me,” a soft voice says, sitting next to me. Turning toward the voice, I notice red hair pulled into a complicated braid before the hard steel of a firearm against my side.
“Really?” I ask, smirking. “If this is a hit, it’s a bad time. I’m fucking starving, and all you’ll be doing is ending an alpha whose life’s work is to help people live better lives.”
“You almost sound like a good person,” she snorts. “Get up.”
“You’re like a hundred pounds soaking wet,” I mutter, standing. My curiosity is sparked, and I know better than to underestimate someone. “Is this really how you want to spend your day?”
The security measures at the office building means that I’m not wearing any weapons on my person. It figures that today is the day this girl would choose to approach me in a crowded sandwich shop.
I didn’t even get to eat my goddamned food. Yeah, grumpy may be an understatement today.
“Go out through the hallway,” she says under her breath, her hand underneath my coat so she can continue to press the gun against me.
“Yeah, yeah,” I sigh. I’m not one to rough a girl up, but I’m really pissed off.
My heavy footsteps drag slightly as I walk, and I raise my brow at the owner as my name is called.
I’ve been coming here for years, and Angus knows me well.
In hindsight, I shouldn’t be this predictable, but I haven’t had a true threat against me in a long time.
It’s not the first time that Grant has dropped me off to grab food, but it may be the first time he’s called because I’m being kidnapped from here.
What’s a little more excitement on a Tuesday afternoon? Poor Grant is going to be pulling his hair out when he realizes that this girl is taking me right under his nose.
Doesn’t mean I don’t plan to fight or convince her that I’m not the right mark for her. What could she possibly want?
Money? Medical formulas I don’t have memorized? I can’t get any of that unless I’m in the office building. It’s so that the wrong people can’t get ahold of the blue prints of sensitive material.
It doesn’t matter that I founded the fucking company. All it takes is one weak link, and I refuse to be that.
“Can you move any faster?”
“Nope,” I grunt. “Want to tell me who you’re working for?”
“Maybe when you’re drowning in your own blood,” she says conversationally as we trudge down the hallways. “I think the better question is if you know what your alpha is up to and where he is now. You’re the easiest of your pack to find.”
“I don’t have a pack nor an alpha,” I say immediately, shrugging. “A little research will tell you that I’m a bachelor.”
“I was told you’re keeping it a secret,” she says, her body still loose as she propels me to the back exit.
“It sounds like you’re being lied to, darlin’,” I purr. I should be worried but I’m not.
Even if she does kill me, my board will continue to function in my name. They won’t make a move against my wishes either. I’ve already threatened to haunt their asses through my lawyers if they fuck up my legacy.
I can be scary while still being polite. It’s an art form.
The sub shop’s back alley looks like any other one in this city, and I pull away from the wraith-like girl who propelled me out here.
Damn. I thought leather pants were a cliche, but she makes them look damn good.
Focus, Lucas. It’s been too long since I’ve had sex, and my dick is threatening to thicken in my dress pants.
“Now, would you like to try again? I’m too heavy for you to kidnap unless you’re working with someone.
If it’s because of something my nonexistent pack has done, I can’t really help you.
I’m only responsible for me, myself, and I.
Well, I also take responsibility for my company and the three hundred people that I employ as well. ”
“Are you saying that if I told you that one of them did something heinous, you’d fall on your sword for them?” she asks, almost appearing bird-like as she gazes at me.
I can see her lean muscles underneath her shirt as I shrug.
I wonder if she’s been starved before, because she certainly looks like it.
“Depending on the severity, I’d help you kill them.
I know the suit makes people think that I’m some rich prick, but I’m a scientist and philanthropist first. Everything created and manufactured in my labs is meant to help people. ”
“Do you know who Oliver Carew is?” she asks.
I shake my head, unsure where this question is coming from.
I know a lot of Olivers, but there’s only one that I don’t know his last name.
I only have a phone number, and even that could be a burner.
I get periodic messages from an unknown number that I would bet my life savings is him, but I never respond.
I don’t know how to tell him that I think about Makayla’s heat and them often.
“I don’t know anyone by that name,” I say honestly. “Did he do something to deserve your employer’s wrath?”
The girl walks closer to me, her dark eyes mesmerizing me.
“I need…more information I think,” she murmurs, her hand taking mine.
“Do you?” I ask, feeling a pinch between my thumb and forefinger. My gloves are in my pockets, and darkness begins to fill my vision. “Fuck…”
“No thank you,” the girl says, watching as my knees buckle. All the while, she continues to squeeze the pressure point that’s stealing my consciousness away.
I’m not going to be very happy when I wake up.
Isolde
I didn’t enjoy loading the huge alpha into the van I stole from the back alley, but it had to be done. I left before Lucas’ bodyguard could return. I’m not dumb, I know that the shop owner called him. I saw the look that they shared together. I honestly didn’t expect Lucas to be so well respected.
Picking up the phone, I call Nico as I drive to a warehouse to get some answers.
“Nico,” I purr, dropping all semblance of niceties. It’s very clear that he’s been lying to me. “You are on my shit list, sir.”
“Me?” he asks, swallowing hard. Tell. “What did you find out?”
“I have Lucas in a van, with enough duct tape wrapped around him that he’s not going to be very happy that he can’t move,” I explain. “You have me poking a very unhappy bull. He says he doesn’t know who Oliver Carew is.”
“Then why is he fucking people with him?” Nico yells. “I will admit that they don’t live together and they haven’t been seen hanging out since. Are you trying to tell me that this straightlaced CEO is fucking omegas with strangers?”
“I think he is,” I murmur. “I now have a possibly innocent alpha in the trunk of my stolen van, Nico. I am not pleased about this.”
“I know, fuck,” he groans. “Oliver is fucking up my life. He gives my enemies information if they’re willing to pay for it, and it’s fucking with my businesses.”
“With all due respect, unless he’s doing something nefarious, your businesses aren’t really my problem. Aren’t you in deep shit with the Minneapolis mafia?” I ask.
See, I can do my research. I just neglected to dig deep enough into the alphas Nico has me trailing. That was definitely my mistake.
“Yes, but I’ll figure it out,” Nico mumbles. God, he’s like a child who got his hand caught in the cookie jar.
“I can’t work like this,” I decide. “I quit, Nico. You will also give me severance for your stupidity. Effective immediately.”
“Wait, you can’t quit,” he says. It sounds as if the very breath is being pulled from his lungs, but I refuse to work with liars.
“I believe I just did. I also want clean up pay, because now I have to fix your fucking mess, Nico.”
“Fuck my life,” he complains. “Fine, I’ll send you all of that now. I’ve learned my lesson. Please don’t leave—”
I hang up as I roll my eyes, because alphas who beg aren’t my kink. I rented a warehouse as soon as I saw that Lucas was in Indianapolis today. It’s much easier to kidnap a big, strong alpha from busy streets than a smaller town where everyone notices the new person who doesn’t belong.
Especially when that person looks like me. I stand out no matter where I am during the day, but blend well in the darkness.
“Mmmph,” Lucas grunts from the back of the van as I hit the button to open the garage of the warehouse. I’ll have to use a sedative on him, string him up, and then ditch the van.
“I hear ya,” I call out. It’s rude not to acknowledge him, right?
Pulling into the wide area, I pull out a syringe from my jacket.
I keep one on me at all times. I’ll need to get the rest of my gear from my rental car, but this will work for now.
Clicking the remote so the door will close behind us, I wait until it’s headed toward the ground before hopping out with the syringe in my hand.
Opening the back door of the van, I duck as Lucas kicks out at me with his bound feet.
“Good reflexes,” I grunt. In another world, this would be foreplay for me.
I stopped taking my alpha pheromone blockers once I arrived in Indiana and started tailing Lucas, but the rest of my medication is in place. It says I’m a beta, and nothing special.
Climbing into the van, I clamp my thighs around his waist, my hand pressing down on his throat as I attempt to get him to stop writhing around. I only have one chance at getting him to pass out.
My little trick with his pressure point works best when it’s not expected.
I can feel his dick get hard underneath me, his jaw clenched in anger. I have duct tape on his mouth as well because it’s all I could find in the back of the van. I’m not responsible for how much it’ll hurt when I have to take it off.
If he doesn’t fight too hard, I may take the duct tape off while he’s sedated. It all depends on how long my errands take me once he’s situated.
“Does being dominated by a little beta get your dick hard?” I tease him. “Are you a freak in the sheets, Lucas? That’s what got you into this position after all.”
He freezes in confusion, and that’s all I need to make my move. The syringe slides easily into his neck, and I push the plunger all the way down. Lucas makes a noise as he tries to buck me off, but it’s too late.
I’m leaned over him as his scent washes over me and his stormy blue eyes begin to close. He smells like teak, cedar, and oranges, which reminds me of old money. Except, I think he made all of his money on his own.
Since he’s on the verge of passing out, I bury my nose in the opposite side of his neck from where I shoved the syringe. Inhaling deeply, I can’t help but notice the way my hips shift against his still hard cock. Whimpering, it feels as if my body is responding to him.
I haven’t truly been attracted to anyone in a very long time.
I’ve never met Lucas before this, yet he feels safe, despite being trussed up like a fucked up kind of turkey.
I don’t know how it’s possible to feel so possessive of an alpha so quickly, but I remind myself that I’m no longer on my alpha pheromone blockers.
Only my own scent is muted now, not the rest of the world.
“Oh fuck,” I breathe, shaking my head as I sit up.
Removing the syringe, I pocket it as I gaze down at my scent match. Once I stopped taking the scent blockers, they cycled out of my system pretty quickly. There is absolutely no mistaking what I’m smelling.
This alpha is mine. Biting my lip, I slide off of his lap and prepare to make him as comfortable as possible while I try to figure out how much biology just fucked me. Is Lucas Reid a good alpha or an animal?
I guess I’m going to find out pretty quickly.
Maybe I’ll need to send Nico Domino some flowers after I clean up his mess.
Once I have Lucas carefully strung up in chains after removing the duct tape off his extremities, I gently remove the tape from his lips with soap and water.
The skin is still red, but I didn’t rip it off the way I would have if he was still just a mark.
Leaving Lucas leaning against a wall as he sleeps, I get back into the van and leave. I have about an hour before he wakes. I plan to be here.
Hopefully he likes it a little rough. I’d like to play with my scent match a little before deciding what kind of alpha he is.
Maybe fate won’t fuck me over this time.