It figures she’d be part of my pack.
Someone somewhere is getting a huge laugh over sending me two omegas who won’t ever hesitate to put me in my place, and I’d bet my entire life savings it’s my mother. That’s how she was, right up until the end when she spit in my father’s face before he blew a hole in hers. She was a fighter, she was tough, and she took no shit from anyone, regardless of the trouble it could cause. There’s no doubt in my mind that if some divine being sent me a couple of feisty omegas, it was her.
I don’t know if I believe in that kind of thing, though. I just know if I did, my mother would have been the one to hand pick my mates in order to be sure they gave me hell for the rest of my life. And she’d do it with a smile on her face.
“Thanks, man,” I say to Draven as he lets me through, sidestepping the alpha with a nod.
Fucker makes my hackles raise for no goddamn reason.
He’s been nothing but decent to me since I started coming here so I’m not sure why I react that way to him.
Granted, I think he’s said maybe three words within my earshot over the last month or so, and he gives resting bitch face an entirely new meaning so I’m just assuming he’s being decent to me. Draven could be planning my murder every time I set foot in the club for all I know. It wouldn’t surprise me. His vibe is very murdery and I bet his aura matches.
The guy hasn’t given me a solid reason to feel that way, though.
He still makes me think something is off with him.
His size and overall demeanor definitely don’t help.
Draven could be Rune’s long lost brother or some shit.
I swear the Adder brothers attract nothing but the biggest, most unhinged looking alphas I’ve ever seen, and that’s after spending my entire thirty-three years in the Russian mob.
If I’m unsettled by him, that fucker is probably a closeted serial killer.
At least he seems to be on our side.
I clear the hallway and stop next to the stage, scanning the floor as the staff start getting ready to open the doors.
Cleaning tables, vacuuming, sanitizing the stage and cages. Security is checking the camera angles, making sure visibility is clear and where they need it to be. The teams are going over emergency exits and protocol, and making sure everyone knows where they’re going to be positioned tonight.
They do the same kind of thing when they close, cleaning included, but Cole is pretty obsessive about keeping everyone safe, and Ransom gives him free reign to make sure that happens any way possible. They have a good thing going and I’m sure it’s because of the way they do things.
I can appreciate that, especially now that I’m invested in a few of the people here. If this place was run similarly to the clubsand auctions I’ve had to regulate over the years, I’d be getting my pack out and burning the fucker to the ground before anyone had time to think about making changes.
I sweep the room again, looking for the fiery little blonde in a mask and once I see her head toward the coat check, I start running.
That’s a great place to talk to her.
It’s private and quiet, away from prying eyes or a member of Cole’s team that might mistake our conversation for something far more nefarious than what it is. If I can catch her while she’s in there, that is the perfect place to interrogate the little omega with pretty eyes and a solid right hook.
God, she smells good.
That shouldn’t be the first thought to cross my mind when I walk into the coat room but it is, and I’m sure part of it is because I can scent Niko on her. It’s not just that, though. Her own scent, the fragrance that is unique to her alone, is strong, and it’s soothing in the same way that my mate’s is. The eucalyptus is perfect against Niko’s lavender.
I quietly cross the room, careful not to startle Row but the second she scents me—I know she can based on the way she inhales sharply—the omega yanks a glock from the back of her jean shorts, spins while she takes off the safety, and has it aimed between my eyes before I could even open my mouth.
“You fucker,” she hisses as she lowers the gun, but not by much. “What are you doing here?”
“Looking for you.” I smirk as I move toward her, stopping when there’s no more than two feet of space separating us. “We need to talk.”
“I’m not apologizing for hitting you.”
“I don’t expect you to.”
Row lowers the gun and puts the safety on, but doesn’t tuck it back in her waistband. “I’m not letting you near Niko, either.”
I grit my teeth as my hands ball into fists, the alpha in me ready to go to war over my omega but I don’t. She’s just protecting him because she loves him, and she knows I’ve hurt him deeper than I can probably understand. Which is where I need to start this shit if I want Row to tell me anything about why they’re doing what they’re doing.
