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Adam tugged free, crying out for his mama as he rushed the other woman. He began regaling her in his curious mix of real words and babble, acting as if she alone could understand everything he was saying. Devin gnawed at her lower lip, setting Elise’s carrier down on the polished hardwood of the entry as she became uncertain what to do next. Quinn seemed to be okay thus far, but she was worried what might set off any instincts.
Afraid to approach, she remained right where she was and stayed quiet until Adam paused to take panting breaths.
“I gave them a bath earlier, and I haven’t touched them much since,” Devin said quietly, looking everywhere but at Quinn. If she dared to look the other Omega in the eyes, she wasn’t sure if she’d break down crying or screaming at the injustice.
Rey picked up Elise’s carrier, holding it out on a strong arm that didn’t even have the decency to waver with the heavy weight. Devin ran her fingers down his opposite arm, equal parts thanks and comfort.
Devin saw the moment it all went to hell. Quinn took a breath, scenting her, and all those Omega instincts Devin lacked kicked in. She snatched the carrier from Rey, tugging Adam well away from Devin. The weight of the dozing Elise proved too much, thumping down hard to the floor.
“Devin’s not going to hurt them, Quinn,” Rey said on a quiet rumble of concern, pushing Devin behind him as Kahler’s glittering green eyes swung from Quinn to them.
Quinn didn’t seem to hear Rey or didn’t believe him. She growled and fussed over Elise who didn’t appreciate the current situation. Her cries became louder and shriller, fighting against the straps Quinn struggled with.
Devin was about to beg Kahler to help his mate when another voice cut through the chaos. The screeching quality somehow surpassed Elise’s wails, the owner the frumpy looking Beta, Meghan. She made quick work of the straps, releasing Elise from the nylon prison.
Meghan muttered something under her breath and judging by the way Quinn seemed to crumple before Devin’s eyes, it hadn’t been nice. Devin bristled on behalf of Quinn, spine snapping straight as she took a small step forward to tell the woman off before Rey’s hand on hers stopped Devin from opening her mouth.
“What the hell is going on here?” Kahler came rushing forward, demanding an explanation that no one had for him. “There a reason you’re still here, Rey?”
“You’re the one who said you wanted to talk.” Rey ground his teeth, the silence so thick after his statement it suffocated. “How you run your house is none of my business, and I’d be just as happy to not have to stand here and see it.”
Devin gasped, the sound turning to a squeak of pain as Rey grabbed her arm and hauled her behind him towards the door.
“I’m not done with you, Rey,” Kahler snarled.
Rey came to a hard stop in the doorway, muttering a curse as he tugged Devin into his side. Muffling her sound of pain when he wrenched her arm behind her back, Devin couldn’t keep up with the sudden shift of events as Kahler ordered Quinn to take the kids. They’d be staying for lunch.
Devin stifled her snarl when Kahler referred to her as “Rey’s woman,” but the sound tried to turn into a shriek of denial when Rey became adamant that she was not his anything. As if her mark didn’t scar his shoulder, his hidden behind the high collar of her blouse.
Why would he say such a thing?
Kahler and Rey left for the depths of the mansion, leaving Devin, Quinn, and the nanny to sort everything out.
In the dining room, Devin watched on in silence as she kept the wide expanse of gleaming wood between herself and Quinn. Not wanting to give the other woman any reason to react, Devin kept her movements small and slow.
Once the kids were situated, Devin and Quinn examined each other in surreptitious contemplation. Devin could see the image of startling beauty hidden behind gaunt cheeks and dimmed gaze. A shock of white-blonde hair curled around her shoulders in limp strands, her gray gaze clear if not bright. If the promise of fullness was any indication, she would be soft and graceful in a way Devin envied.
“Did you buy that or him?”
“Um, a bit of both. He bought it, but I picked it out.” The interruption to her slowly fading self-confidence brought Devin’s gaze straight to Quinn’s for a breath before she thought better of it. It surprised her into a truth she didn’t mean to tell. “Beau picks out what he wants me to wear though.”
Realizing what she’d done, Devin’s fear bright gaze swung back to Quinn’s. Gods, why had she said that? Quinn glossed over it, for the most part. They settled on the safe topic of the club until suddenly it was no longer safe.
“What do you mean,” Quinn asked after Devin told her Omegas were no longer allowed on the floor after Kahler tore the place apart.
“I’m sure it’s just reckless gossip, Miss Quinn,” Meghan interjected.
Deciding she did not like that woman one bit, Devin’s grin was almost vicious as she turned back to Quinn with a knowing gaze. “It’d be about a year ago now.”
“That’s enough,” Rey said in warning, coming to stand behind her to squeeze her shoulder hard.
Quinn had every right to know in Devin’s mind. If Kahler cared enough to destroy a club in his search for her, maybe he wasn’t all bad. And hadn’t those awful men said he’d wheeled and dealed with dozens of other territory Alphas in his search for her? Uncertain where Quinn had been taken to, or what had happened to her, Devin’s perspective began to shift. A solidarity with another Omega, newfound and faltering, began to form. Quinn deserved much if this pale shadow of a vibrant woman was any indication.
Quinn could be a friend, Devin pondered as they all began to eat after a tense beginning where Quinn wouldn’t let Kahler serve Elise. A woman who understood mated life with these dangerous men, who would maybe understand Devin herself. Maybe they could even compare notes on how to handle them.
A quick glance at Kahler proved that would never happen though. He was jealous of Quinn’s attentions, growing frustrated when she tried to engage someone else in conversation between slow bites before she really began to dig into her food.
Rey made some excuse about them leaving once he noticed Devin had finished, citing Beau as the reason though the man was likely waiting at the house for them to return. She still couldn’t help her laugh when he claimed that Beau got up to trouble when left alone.
