REN
Ren
Theo and I weren’t the only ones whistling and cheering. It wasn’t every day you watched an omega climb a wall with a billionaire. The dickwads were pretending not to notice as they made their way towards the batting cages.
Watching them kiss at the top of the wall? Made my top ten list for most satisfying moments of my life. Watching the sun kiss Justice as he stood up there alone, looking the happiest he’s ever been? Number one.
“She’s fucking amazing. I still want to throw up, though.” Theo made a face, almost like he was in pain.
There was an odd look of determination on her face as she made her way to us. She stalled Theo’s celebratory hug with a raised hand before she planted herself in front of me. Her lip trembled slightly, but her voice didn’t crack.
“He’s not a good person, is he?”
“No.”
It was a simple question, loaded but simple, and only needed a simple answer.
She sniffed, nodded once, and spun on her heel. Theo looked between the two of us and then jogged to catch up with her. I waited for Justice. He took his time coming off the wall and speaking with the staffer, probably smoothing over whatever verbal knife he’d thrown to go up that wall.
He was fucking radiant until he saw me. For this whole ridiculous cruise, I’d watched him pull on disdain and anger to face me. And I took it. I would take whatever he wanted to give me so long as he didn’t walk away, not until I had to leave him again, the selfish prick that I was. This wasn’t anger or disdain. Whatever it was, I couldn’t handle it.
I nodded in the direction the omegas went and he fell in beside me. We wove through tables and sports equipment. Mackenzie was like a train without brakes. Theo, worried, at her side.
“I have to know,” I said to Justice.
“What?”
“What that kiss tasted like.”
He didn’t answer. Our shoulders brushed as we walked.
“Ren, we have to talk.”
Suddenly, Mackenzie bent down, picked up a baseball bat, took three steps and kneecapped her ex-alpha. The crack was sharp and delicious.
Theo followed that up with a passable sucker punch. He jumped back and shook out his hand.
It was like a cartoon when all the action stops. Nobody moved. The only sound was Daryl’s cursing.
Brock shot out a hand, hit Theo in the chest, and sent both our omegas flying backwards to land in a heap on the deck.
Then all hell broke loose.
“Dibs on Daryl.” I called as we barreled over chairs and tables.
Justice got to the omegas first. He took a knee and scanned them quickly. Mackenzie tried to get her feet under her.
“She does not move from this spot,” He said to Theo, not Mackenzie.
“Yes, Sir.” He hauled her back to sitting.
I dipped my shoulder and caught Daryl around the waist, slamming him into the rail. Justice ducked a punch from Brock and just snatched the motherfucker by the windpipe. Winded, I took Daryl to the ground and got him in a chokehold. He tried to brace his feet on the rail to push me back, but I kneed him in the kidneys, forcing his hips up. The movement ended with his feet dangling over the edge, my arm around his neck the only thing keeping him in the boat. I dragged him the five feet to Justice’s side, where he had Brock pinned.
Brock clawed at Justice’s hand. Justice, also being a fan of kidney punches, effectively got Brock’s attention. He let go of his aura. It surged around me like a hug. The oppressive feel made Brock gag.
“Shut the fuck up, Daryl. The adults are talking.” I shook him, cutting off his nonsensical begging, making his feet swing. He wasn’t in real danger of going over the edge, but from his perspective, it sure as hell felt like it.
“This asshole’s sins are yours now, pack lead. And you’re not actually a boy scout now, are you? We know what you did. Both of you, all of you.” Brock turned to glare at Mackenzie. Justice punched him again. That one was just for fun.
“No no. You don’t even get to look at her. The second you get off this boat, your life, as you know it, is over. Let me preview this for you. I will own you. I will buy every company your flea-bitten pack works for and run it into the ground. I will do that over and over and over. I will buy the bank that holds your mortgage. Same with your car note. You will be paying me for your existence. If I get bored with that, which I won’t, I will move on to your friends, your family and your birth pack and make it crystal fucking clear that you are the cause of their suffering. And then the real fun will begin. I will take Daryl…”
“Justice, baby,” Aria’s voice might have been the only thing that could cut through this verbal assault. “We talked about this. No throwing alphas overboard.” She tsked at him.
Justice took Brock to his knees before letting go, dumping him at Aria’s feet.
“That little cunt of an omega…” Brock’s voice was rough. Justice might have done some actual damage. I dropped Daryl next to his pack lead.
“He assaulted my omega.” Justice cut in.
“Oooo, baby, is your omega alright?”
“You’re going to believe this piece of shit over me?”
Aria and Justice looked at each other and then cracked up, their laughter overpowering Daryl’s whimpers. Aria held up a finger, putting us on pause. She dipped her hand into her wrist bag and tapped on her phone. She twirled a lock of hair while she waited for the phone to connect.
“Captain! Oh!” she gasped. “That sounds like a fun way to spend the evening. Hold that thought, I’m having a little situation. Could you send security up to the Games Deck? Oh? On their way?” She giggled and then fanned herself. “Baby, stop it! Okay, toodles.”
It took 30 seconds for a half dozen thick-necked alphas in windbreakers to arrive on the scene.
“Okay, boys, this is what we’re doing.” She gestured to the heap of alphas at her feet and the rest of the pack that didn’t even have the balls to step up for their pack lead. “This mess here will be getting off my ship. Until then, they will stay in their rooms like the naughty boys they are.”
“You can’t fucking do that. I paid good money for this cruise. I want a refund!”
Justice pinched his nose at Brock’s tirade.
“Mmmm, how ‘bout no? Okay, shoo.” She flicked her hands gesturing for the trash to be taken out.
Job done, she turned and crouched next to Theo. “Ooo, baby, are you ok? No more mean alphas for you.” She made a show of helping Theo to his feet, but Theo had to do that work himself. “You need drinks and apps. Eric makes these little jalapeno poppers. And this blue cheese ice cream on top of Wagyu slices, it makes me wet just thinking about it.”
Theo shot Mackenzie a panicked look over Aria’s shoulder as the paragon led him away with an arm around his waist and her other arm rubbing his tummy. He held a hand out for her, dragging her behind Aria too.
“Well,” I dusted off my hands, “that was fun.”
Justice grabbed my neck and kissed me, his tongue demanding in my mouth, claiming it, claiming me.
“That’s what it tasted like.” He gave my neck a squeeze and let go before striding after Aria. “Drinks and apps.” He called over his shoulder.
And all I could do was stand there, dumbfounded, tracing my tingling lips with shaking fingers.