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Wilder scowls, his jaw tightening, sharpening his features. I shrink down even more, climbing under the table as if I’m a scared animal, but all I want to do is get out of his line of sight. He’s as bad as Tamsin was when it comes to anger, and I can’t stop myself from thinking about what this means. There’s no way he’s going to let me leave alive if he has a say. He sees me as a threat to his pack, even though I have nothing. I’m no one. He’s far too suspicious to even realize it. I bet he would never believe me, even if I could show him the proof.
Wilder pokes his finger into Enzo’s chest, refusing to back down. “You know we have fucking priorities for a reason, Enzo. Get your head straight before I—”
“Enough, brothers. This is getting out of hand. We’re supposed to be a team. Now, listen. I have something to show you. Why don’t you bring the omega and move this conversation somewhere more neutral? The staff brought dinner for us, and I had them set it up in the study.” Another man appears in the hallway outside of the suite, but he doesn’t enter. His muscles ripple as he stretches his neck, trying to search around to get a look at me. I remain tucked away, clutching onto a chair for dear life. There’s no way I’m leaving my spot. Half of them look like they want to devour me as their next meal and the other two look like they want to devour me for fun.
Why did I think that?
Just the thought of their mouths on me adds to my mix of emotions, and I’m sure it’s not going to help the situation any.
Silence falls in the room, and I shift, trying to peek out to see if they decided to leave, and I missed it because my pounding head made it impossible for me to hear their fleeting footsteps. I could use a damn miracle and mercy right now.
A leering face pops in front of me, startling me, and I scream and scramble back. Wilder latches his fingers to my ankles and drags me from beneath the table, letting me go when I’m no longer protected. Enzo shoves him, and Desmond quickly scoops me into his arms, spinning me away protectively.
Tears burn my eyes. I bury my face in the crook of Desmond’s neck. My sheer terror sends my mind spinning, and I can’t stop thinking about my family and my parents. I can’t stop thinking about my uncle and how he let his rage get the best of him. How he nearly destroyed me. How he destroyed everything else in my life. I’m nearly certain that Wilder is about to do it all over again. But this time, I won’t make it out alive. I’ll never be able to recover.
And I know why he does it. I know there is an omega in this household, and he wouldn’t ever do something to risk her life or heart. If only it didn’t mean he’d have to destroy my life in the process.
“Arsenio, get him out of here. I will bring her, but not until he cools off.” Desmond clutches onto me, stroking his big hand down the length of my back, trying to soothe my trembling body. I’ve never felt so weak as I do in this moment. It’s as if the last two years never happened. It’s as if I’ve forgotten how to take care of myself and how to be on my own. These men have gotten to me and cracked me open as if I’m glass and at their disposal to shatter, their carelessness ensuring I end up in a million pieces.
“Come on, Wilder. They’re right. You’re not thinking clearly, and like I said, I have something to show you. Let’s look at it first.” Arsenio remains even in tone, his ability not to react impressing me. “You two wait a couple of minutes. Just let us get some space between us. When we go to the study, keep her in the corner.”
I don’t watch as Arsenio leads Wilder out of Desmond’s room. I sense Enzo’s presence nearby, and a soft hand touches my shoulder. I refuse to look at him. I refuse to speak or to show my face. As long as I keep my head buried against Desmond, I can pretend none of this is happening. I can pretend that I’m not moments away from the end of my life.
“I’m so sorry, Kinsey. My brother is an asshole. He doesn’t like strangers. He just needs a moment to see how unthreatening you are.” Enzo leans in, his breath tickling my ear. “We won’t let him hurt you.”
I don’t respond to him. I can’t.
Desmond whispers for him to give us a bit of space and to head out. Surprisingly, Enzo listens to his brother, and Desmond waits another thirty seconds before adjusting me in his arms and carrying me from his suite.
I don’t look around. I shut down, just thinking about the good moments of my life the best I can. It’s all I can do to stop all of the bullshit from eating at me. Because I know there’s a lot to come, and I’ll have no control except for how I handle it. How I react. And even then, that’s iffy.
“Don’t worry, Kinsey. I already have a plan. I’ll present it to my brothers, and we’ll get you out of here and somewhere safe, so you never have to deal with him again.” Desmond keeps his voice low, his whispering words helping to ease the panic refusing to release me.
“Thank you. I just want to get out of your way. I swear you don’t have to worry about me. I’m no one to anyone.” At least, not anymore. I was someone to my parents. They had picked me out a pack they felt was worthy as well. But I never did get the chance to know them. My uncle—
“Shut the door. Now.” Wilder’s voice cuts through my thoughts, the heat of his still lingering anger slicing through me.
I cling tighter onto Desmond, refusing to look.
Someone will have to pry me out of his arms at this point. My muscles clench, my body frozen. There is just something about Wilder’s command that gets to me. He sounds even more aggressive than before. But why? What did Arsenio show him?
“Set her in the corner and look at this.” Wilder growls with his words, smacking his hands on something—probably a desk. I know what the sound of palms slapping against wood sounds like from the many times Madame Tasmin lashed out at someone or something.
I clutch onto Desmond, releasing a soft whimper into his ear. I can’t help it. “Please, no. Please.”
He runs his hand over my back again. “What did I tell you, Kinsey?”
“We won’t let that jackoff hurt you, baby,” Enzo says, answering his question for me. “Just take a breath. He’s always a moody son of a bitch.”
“Stop coddling her and look. Now!” Wilder’s voice startles me.
I release Desmond and can’t snatch him tight enough before he sets me down in the corner of the study in front of a recliner.
“I’m right here, Kinsey. I’m not going anywhere. We’ll get this all figured out and settled, okay?” Desmond whispers the words into my ear, rubbing my shoulder gently, the gesture barely managing to keep my heart from exploding from my chest.
But I’m nearly certain there will be no figuring any of this out. The way Wilder looks at me makes me nervous as hell.
I glance at the door, silently counting how many feet I have to run to get out of this room. There are fewer feet between me and the door than there are between me and his brothers, and I decide to risk it. Is it incredibly stupid? Absolutely. But I have nothing left to lose. I don’t know where I’ll go, but I have to figure it out and soon.
