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I still didn’t understand why Liam seemed so interested in me when he and Cassius were so close – close enough to fuck each other. I could probably ask, but every time I thought about it, my stomach flipped with nerves and something else I really didn’t want to think about.
Clearing my throat, I leaned back in the passenger seat and eyed Liam, who drove with one hand on the wheel, the other resting on the stick shift. Seeing him like this shouldn’t affect me the way it did, but it really did and I couldn’t help but admire his profile.
Every inch of him screamed strength and dominance. It was obvious he liked to be in control, otherwise he’d just get a car with an automatic transmission, but I had to admit, I really liked that about him. Liam was a good alpha if a bit more intense than I was used to.
He hadn’t once tried to seduce me or take what he wanted even when I’d been at my most vulnerable, and I was trying really fucking hard not to be mad about that. It was a good thing he hadn’t tried to fuck me no matter how my stupid omega instincts felt about it.
Liam didn’t play any music as we drove through the city to where most of the Valor pack lived. The only sound between us was the road and the engine. Even his breathing was more of a feeling than a sound.
It was a vibration that was sweeter than any song he could choose, but I ignored it and watched the city fade until it became a luxury suburban area with lots of pretty greenery. The houses were too far off the main road to see them, and they were more like an estate than a dwelling for a small family.
Valor owned a massive amount of land that took up over a hundred acres just outside the city. The property was built like a community of strangers with their own houses, but they all belonged to the same pack with each family possessing their own mansion.
Very few outside the pack had ever been invited inside since children lived there.
Alphas were ridiculous around omegas, but children? They were a thousand times more protective over the babies, which meant this place had airtight security.
The pictures posted on social media platforms had to follow pack rules. No addresses, no windows or doors that showed how one might get in or where that particular house was located. All GPS had to be turned off and everyone’s phone or computer was approved and assigned by the alpha.
It was a lot, to be honest, which was probably why Liam had insisted I pretend to be his girlfriend. That wouldn’t make the news the same way a detective being invited into the Valor estate to question its members would.
Because then the world would know Valor suspected one of their own.
Resting my chin on the heel of my palm, I tried not to fidget too much despite how nervous I was.
The press getting a picture of us would make all this a thousand times more difficult, but it was the fact that I’d picked out my outfit based on the small chance that someone would take a picture without me being aware of it that really annoyed me.
Instead of my usual jeans, I was wearing one of my favorite black skirts that made my waist look tiny and the thick fabric flared out with the hem reaching just below my knee. My black tights were thick enough to keep me warm and kept my thighs from sticking together. They’d also make sure I wouldn’t accidentally flash someone if I fell or ended up in a fight.
Combat boots with a crescent moon and roses were embroidered on the sides in black thread – steel toes to break ribs and comfortable enough to sprint in. My black turtleneck was tucked in and tight enough to show off my curves as well as the double Ds I hated.
One of these days I’d take some time off and get a reduction, but until then I usually strapped them down with a sports bra over my regular bra to help with the pain when I had to run. Today, I’d forgone the sports bra though just to look a bit more feminine.
I also didn’t want anyone to see my tattoos or the way I wore my scent blockers, which was why I’d gone with the turtleneck instead of a blouse. If a picture was taken today, I wanted to make sure it would take some time for people to connect the dots and figure out that Liam Valor’s girlfriend Lucy was actually Lou Parker, the private detective who’d gone viral a few years ago.
Not to mention his mother would flip the second she caught wind of the fact that Liam was dating an omega with tattoos and piercings. This fake relationship wouldn’t last long once she found out the truth and I had to make this last as long as possible. Just in case Cassius was right.
Tugging on the cameo necklace resting on my chest helped with some of the nerves I felt when we got off the highway.
My gun was in the purse on my lap instead of in the black leather harness I usually wore over the turtleneck. I didn’t like having to hide it, but it was usually too warm to wear my coat inside and I definitely didn’t want a picture of that to end up on the internet.
Liam was taking me to see Gideon Valor’s house so I could take a look around, but Melinda would also be there since it was a Saturday. That might work in my favor, or it might not, but at least we could kill two birds with one stone.
This wasn’t how we usually did things though.
I picked at my cuticles, trying not to overthink every little thing, but the last time I’d questioned someone, they’d thrown their cup of coffee at me.
People generally didn’t like me for a variety of interesting reasons, but the most common one was that my direct approach usually came off as bitchy or aggressive despite how careful I was with my tone of voice.
Beating around the bush or gently pushing people into giving me the answer I wanted without directly asking it was not my forte.
“Aside from work, what do you like to do?”
Liam’s question yanked me out of my thoughts and I jolted a little, more shocked than anything.
Glancing at him out of the corner of my eye told me nothing. His eyes were still on the road and his expression was pleasant but there was nothing there to tell me if he actually cared about my answer or not.
“Are you talking about hobbies?” I reached back to check the black bow tying my hair up and out of my face, the partial updo one I’d used a lot when living with Frankie’s family, so I knew it was elegant enough for a legacy pack.
