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I took a step backward before Leo lifted his head and his eyes locked on mine. His expression didn’t change, his only acknowledgment that he’d noticed me the continued stare and the hand he moved to pat the cushion beside him.
The message was obvious, but I wasn’t sure I wanted the attention of the men he was with. They were all older, expensively dressed, and dangerous looking. One seemed vaguely familiar, which meant he might recognize me as well.
It was too much.
The guard still stood beside me, and Leo’s brow rose as I hesitated to accept his invitation. We needed to talk, but he was clearly busy, and I wanted nothing to do with those other alphas.
His expression hardened when I took another step backward, his hand curling on the seat beside him. Saying something I couldn’t hear to the men with him, he rose from the couch and stalked toward where I’d frozen.
My eyes stayed on him as he closed the distance between us. My muscles quivered with the need to run, but I couldn’t turn away from those green orbs pinning me in place.
He stopped in front of me, close enough I could scent him despite the neutralizers spraying overhead. He gave an absent nod to the guard who turned and walked away as Leo continued to hold my gaze.
As cold as his expression seemed, this close, I could see the hunger on his face, and my core clenched in response. It was automatic, omega instinct to prepare for the alpha staring at me as if I was some tasty morsel.
Could the neutralizer block the scent of slick? I hoped so.
“Sit with me.”
It didn’t sound like I had an option, though he didn’t make it a command. It was meant to appear as an invitation, but I knew I wasn’t allowed to say no. I looked down and realized he was holding his hand out for me to take, and a quick glance showed me the other alphas were watching us.
Not wanting to draw more attention to myself, I placed my trembling fingers in his, ducking my head and letting him pull me toward the couch. When he sat, I took the place beside him, as far away as I could get with his hold on me as I kept my head bowed. I tried to pull my hand into my lap, but Leo refused to release it, sliding his other arm around my back to pull me right up against his side and hanging onto my fingers tight enough that I couldn’t free them without causing a scene.
A low purr vibrated from the ribs against my side, too quiet to hear over the noise of the club, but enough to keep me from bolting. The alphas’ conversation resumed around me, but I blocked out the words, keeping my head down and turned away. The things I assumed Leo was involved in scared me, and I didn’t want to know what they were discussing, nor give these unknown alphas any reason to pay attention to me. Logic said they’d never believe I wasn’t listening, but logic didn’t matter with my heart pounding in my throat, threatening to choke me.
The warmth of Leo’s hand soaked into mine, the scent of coffee and whiskey tickling my nose as I heaved for air. His purr was enough to keep panic from overwhelming me, but I still trembled with anxiety.
Dragging in slow breaths, I calmed the longer they sat and talked, the few words that broke through my effort not to listen sounding mundane. I risked a peek at the alpha across from us but flinched into Leo’s side when the others suddenly stood.
I tried to pull my hand free again, expecting some kind of attack until I heard their goodbyes. I figured Leo would stand and shake their hands or something since they were leaving, but apparently that wasn’t how things were done in his world. While I knew people in the office jockeyed for position at every opportunity, they at least maintained a veneer of politeness and followed social etiquette, but Leo remained seated and silent until the others walked away and wouldn’t be able to overhear us any longer.
“It’s nice to see you, Cadence. Would you like a drink?”
Licking my dry lips, I lifted my chin and shook my head. My throat felt hot and cracked, but I needed my wits about me, and I had never really tried alcohol. I wouldn’t risk it now just to ease the discomfort.
Leo’s firm lips ticked up at the corner as he reached out to tuck stray hair behind my ear. I’d come in the jeans and T-shirt I’d changed into when I got home from the office, and my hair was a loose curtain hanging around me. I only had on a light layer of makeup, and I hadn’t realized how much I’d stand out in such casual clothing, especially next to Leo.
“We have soda. Or water.”
My throat seemed to burn more as I swallowed, and I gave a slow nod as I tried to purge the anxiety that had been coursing through me and arrange my thoughts.
“Water, please.”
His smile was breathtaking, the thrum of his purr increasing.
“Good girl.”
The praise had warmth spreading in my chest and a shiver rolling down my spine as my instincts tried to melt me into a puddle of hormonal omega need.
I expected him to flag a waitress for my drink, but instead, he stood and pulled me up with him. Walking us to the bar along the wall, he leaned over and grabbed a bottle from beneath the counter as I glanced around to see if anyone was staring.
None of the people on the balcony seemed to be interested in us, some clearly too invested in what was happening on their couches to be aware of anything else, and the bartender only shot a glance our way before turning back to the other customers waiting for drinks. It felt a little odd that he didn’t seem more concerned that Leo was at his counter, but I figured the regular employees might not know about the other things Leo was involved with.
Accepting the bottle when he passed it to me, a bolt of sensation ran up my arm when Leo’s fingers grazed mine. I’d grown accustomed to his nearness and the grip on my other hand, but the way he stared at me as his fingers brushed mine seemed more… intimate.
I hid my reaction by taking a swig of the water he’d uncapped for me, the cold soaking into my throat but doing nothing to quench the heat burning in my cheeks. It had been a terrible idea to come to the club. Even if trying to catch him at home wasn’t any better, at least I wouldn’t have been worried about an audience.
I was pulled back to the reason I was here when I lowered the bottle and he raised a brow.
