Chapter 15 – Declan
Chapter Fifteen
Declan
The crowd mostly passes us, but even before I hear the growl, I know someone lingers behind me. Possibly multiple people. It could be alpha intuition, or it might be leftover instinct after years of military service.
I don’t know, but I hate being boxed in.
Pulling my hand from behind Cove’s head, I spin and appraise the situation.
Big guy.
Meets me on eye level.
No weapons, which is a positive.
I only have the baby gun in my boot. Stone Security is big on de-escalating any situation before it can spill over into violence, but I feel naked if I’m not carrying.
The Shield Plus isn’t my favorite weapon.
I keep coming back to it because it’s the easiest to conceal with the best reliability of the smaller handguns, at least in my experience.
“I could smell you from ten feet away,” he growls, leaning around me to get a look at Cove. “You in heat, omega?”
“Back the fuck up,” I growl back, crossing my arms.
“Orange cream…” The guy leans even closer. “What you need is a real alpha to take care of you.”
An unexpected bark of laughter escapes my lips. “Step aside.”
“I’m not talking to you. Now, am I?” he snarls.
“Um, I’m with him,” Cove says, patting my back. “We’re trying to get out of here. Would you mind moving out of the way?”
“What’s this?” another guy asks, joining the first.
By how close together they stand, I’m going to guess they know each other.
“You smell her? Ripest omega I’ve ever caught a whiff of,” the first idiot says.
I don’t see rational thought catching up to these two anytime soon.
I uncross my arms, stretching one behind me. Once I connect with Cove’s hip, I give her a gentle nudge in the direction we’re headed. She edges down the wall, like she understands what’s coming. I follow her, continuing to block her body with mine.
The second asshole reaches around me and makes a mad snatch for Cove’s arm. Sighing, I kick him in the shin. I don’t go full force because that shit is exceptionally painful.
This is why they tell omegas to stay home when they’re close to their heat.
Biology sucks.
It’s not her fault this wave came out of nowhere.
It’s just unfortunate that intelligence disappears from some alphas when they catch the scent of a potent omega.
That’s still on him, though.
Yeah, she smells delectable. That doesn’t give anyone the right to touch her without permission.
“Give us some space,” I say, my palms connecting with the first guy’s chest. He stumbles back, but his eyes are glassy and locked over my shoulder.
He’s zeroed in on Cove, and that’s a bad sign. Especially if she runs, his instincts will push him to chase down the omega.
“What the fuck is your problem, man? Alphas are supposed to share.” The second guy takes a swing at me, and I bring up a forearm, blocking his follow-through. My hands come together on his wrist, and I spin around him, locking his arm behind his back as I slam his front against the wall.
“Chill the fuck out, unless you want to end the night in handcuffs,” I growl close to his ear. Glancing over my shoulder, I check for any of the venue’s staff. “If anyone wants to do their job, I could use some help over here.”
There’s still an insane amount of noise from the fans trying their best to get Liminal’s attention.
The guy I’m restraining struggles against my hold, but a security guard in a red polo finally makes his way in my direction. Turning toward him, I shove idiot number two at him.
“There’s more than one.” My head whips back to where Cove was two seconds ago, but she’s missing. “Fuck…” I take off, skidding around the corner that leads to the cutover to the other hallway.
My chest gets tight as soon as she comes into view. Idiot number one has her backed against the wall, and he’s looming over her.
I move faster than I thought was possible. His right arm rests against the brick above her head, and I grab his wrist, spinning him to face me.
He must be left-handed.
He takes a swing at me and actually manages to connect with my temple before I can get my arm up to block.
I take the hit, twisting into him.
It gives me leverage to pull my knee up as I shove his right arm down. My knee connects with the bend of his wrist, which wasn’t what I was aiming for, but the crunch is satisfying.
The guy wails, slamming his left fist into my ribs. It doesn’t feel great, but at least it’s not as painful as the swing he landed to the side of my skull. I jump back, giving myself enough space to connect with his jaw. He falls back against the wall with a satisfying oomph.
“I’m the lead singer for Darkest Nights. This is my personal bodyguard. That guy is the problem.” Cove points at the asshole and runs into my chest. She wraps her arms around my back, rubbing her face across my pec.
Well, thank fuck.
We finally got some backup.
Too bad the omega is still out of it.
We give a quick report. The venue security team doesn’t give me too much trouble, but it takes longer than I would like.
Cove still smells like an omega who’s about to go into heat, and my main focus is getting her somewhere secluded.
I’m not even sure when I picked her up.
It must have been around the time the security supervisor finally made his way over. I didn’t like the way his nostrils flared as he caught her scent.
She’s average height for an omega, or maybe an inch or two taller, but that makes it easier to carry her as she stays wrapped around my front. She’s latched on so tightly that I could probably pull my hand off her ass, and she’d keep herself attached to me.
My shoulders pull back, and I stay on alert. Tonight was an important reminder of how fast things can go to shit. I’m going to be even more paranoid from here on out, but that can’t be helped.
I’m more confused about how Cove is perfuming.
She’s still taking those fucking suppressants.
Isn’t that the entire purpose of taking them? I mean, she’s trying to block her heats from starting back up. The medication is obviously not working like it should be.
Her warm breath puffs against my throat as she nuzzles even closer. “Thanks for saving me.”
My heartbeat picks up as I stomp us toward the greenroom. “Always.”
Well, fuck.
I’m pretty sure I meant to say anytime, but I guess always works too. For as long as I’m around her, I’m not going to be able to let my guard down. Never again.
She’s too damn talented and delicious-smelling for me to ever relax.
Not to mention, beautiful.
Sweet when she wants to be.
Did I mention how good she smells?
Maybe I need to call in a partner?
Dammit.
Is it too soon to retire?
The guys still haven’t made it back from their interviews or meet-and-greet or whatever the fuck they’re doing.
I keep my composure—barely.
Being in a confined space with a perfuming omega is not the easiest when my instincts are on high alert. It doesn’t help that I’m an unbonded alpha, but again, I’m not a creep.
Yanking my phone from my pocket, I text Ravvi and Damian. I watch the screen with a desperation that speaks to how serious this situation can become if I’m not careful.
There’s no reply, so I shove it away again and march over to the leather couch.
“Want me to lay you down?” I ask. “I’m conflicted. I need to go grab one of them, but I hate the idea of leaving you.”
“No, I want you to hold me.” Cove’s hand tightens on the back of my neck, and she licks my throat under where my beard ends. “You have really nice pheromones.”
I barely hold back a laugh. “Thanks.”
I think that’s a compliment, anyway.
She’s definitely foggy, but that happens with omegas.
I’ve never been one of those alphas who are obsessed with omegas. Hell, I’ve always found their quirks and neediness to be slightly obnoxious. Unfortunately, the way nature is set up, my instincts are way more enamored by their designation than I am.
An omega shows an ounce of vulnerability, and my impulses kick in with the need to protect and comfort said omega.
Then again, Cove is capable of taking care of herself.
She’s more closed off and independent than any omega I’ve ever met.
Maybe that’s why it’s so endearing to see her open up for once.
No part of me wants to put her down, but I’m not going to be able to meet her needs.
Ravvi and Damian better hurry the hell up.
Cove wiggles around my lap, keeping her nose planted in my throat.
“You’re okay.” My palm tightens on her lower back as I push up on my feet and use the other hand to dig in my pocket. It would be nice if Ravvi and Damian would pay attention to their phones.
I finally give up, texting the group chat that includes Riot, Creed, and Bellamy.
Cove is in there too, and I hear her phone vibrate from her pocket, but no other signs to indicate anyone else responds.
“How am I going to perform tomorrow night if this doesn’t stop?” She groans, her hot breath puffing out against my skin.
“You just need to snuggle up between your alphas and soak up their pheromones. I’m sure your system will regulate by morning.” I drop my phone onto the cushion next to me.
“I can’t even worry about that right now.
Everything hurts.” Cove jerks around, and it only takes a second to determine that she’s trying to get out of her leather jacket.
I’m sure that thing isn’t helping her cool off, so I grab the sleeve, tugging it off.
I chuck it onto the other cushion, waiting to see what’s next.
She’s in a sexy little white tank top, and it’s see-through enough to fully make out her black bra underneath.
“Sorry to be all up in your business when you don’t even like me.
” Her nose once again lands on my throat.
“I like you just fine.” My nostrils flare with her orange creamy scent, and my balls ache.
Fuck, I more than like her.
I’m physically attracted to Cove, but that doesn’t make a more than ten-year age gap appropriate.
“Yeah, okay,” she mutters. “Your misery at being assigned to work with me has shown daily for this entire tour.”
“I’m here to do a job. That job requires focus. I’m here to keep you safe.”
“I can appreciate that,” she says, pulling a hand between us to rub over her stomach. “I guess I’m on my apology tour. I haven’t been the easiest person to be around, and I’m sorry for that.”
“You shouldn’t feel obligated to apologize just because you’re a woman.
If you were a man, no one would expect an apology for acting like a rock star.
” I run my hand up and down her spine to hopefully help settle her system.
“I had a chip on my shoulder from the moment I found out what my assignment would be. I never toured with Dexter and Issac when I was a teenager, and there was a reason for that. When I moved in with them, it was the first time I had a real home. Traveling constantly didn’t appeal to me in the least.”
“I don’t know what to say,” Cove whispers. “If you were that unhappy, why didn’t you ask for a transfer or decline the job when it was first offered?”
I laugh. “First of all, Griffin is terrifying as a boss. Second of all, they specifically asked me to come along to keep an eye on all of you. They know you’re adults, but they wanted someone they could trust to watch out for the family. I wasn’t about to disappoint them.”
“I get that,” she says softly. “I think we all put a fair amount of pressure on ourselves, even if no one else would expect us to endure something if they knew how miserable we were. But somehow, we hold ourselves to this impossible standard.”
“Are you having second thoughts about this whole music career?” I ask, tilting my face down to hers. With the way she’s buried in my throat, I can’t gauge the look on her face, but I can feel her mouth twist into a frown.
Her shoulders bounce. “I love making music. I even enjoy performing, but nine months is a long time to be on the road. I understand why Ruined Records switched to a more condensed tour for all their seasoned bands. It’s hard to commit to such a grueling tour schedule.”
“You can find balance. You just have to ask for it.”
Cove pushes up on her knees, pulling her face from my throat. “You don’t think that would make me an even worse human being for taking advantage of my connections?”
My forehead wrinkles. “You’re not a terrible human being. I’ve met plenty of those.”
My mother was one of the worst offenders.
There wasn’t a caring bone in that woman’s body.
I’m still confused why she procreated not once but twice.
She had no maternal instincts. She couldn’t be bothered with even feeding and bathing me once I turned four or five.
I’m shocked CPS never came calling. At least, not until she actually died.
By then, I was old enough to mostly take care of myself.
“You can be a little self-centered at times, but not any more than the rest of us. When I was in my early twenties…” I chuckle, shaking my head. “I was a fucking nightmare. But again, don’t apologize for shit just because you’re a woman. A man in your position would never feel obligated to.”
Her head tilts. “So, you don’t hate me?”
“I don’t hate you, princess.” My fingers dig into her spine as her face softens.
Her lashes flutter, and she leans closer.
Jesus Christ.
I’m not strong enough for this shit.
She smells so good, and those plush pink lips are aching for my kiss. I like seeing a more vulnerable side of her, but I’m also attracted to the badass lead singer who commands the crowd every night.
That still doesn’t make it appropriate for me to kiss her breathless. And fuck, I’m not sure I would stop there. Well, as long as she was open to more.
Seriously, though…
Age gaps are common enough between alphas and omegas. I’m not even sure why I’ve been so focused on the age difference, except that it gave me something to hold on to, to call a hard line that I couldn’t cross.
The door slams open, and we both jolt.
My eyes narrow when I spot Damian, and it takes everything in me not to growl for him to get fucked.