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“Love the guy,” Oscar says, “but he shouldn’t have tobendto Triple Shield…” He trails off ‘cause he knows why Akaraneedsto keep the peace with Price’s firm. We work so closely with them, it’d be detrimental to our daily operations if we couldn’t communicate effectively with Alpha and Epsilon. There might be bad blood and rivalry, but we’ve never let that compromise the safety of our clients.
If Price really felt offended or slapped in the face byanotherbodyguard getting with a client and not getting fired, then Akara needed to smooth things over the best he could.
I run my fingers through my hair. “At least I still have a job.”
“There has to be a way to combat this.”
Akara has done so much for me already. His hands were tied. I can’t even fault him for how this went down. “I’m not combatting it,” I say quietly.
Oscar lets out the heaviest sigh. “I can’t get Redford right now, but I’ll tell you exactly what he’d say.You don’t deserve this.Epsilon will try to make your life hell until you quit—”
“I know what they’re gonna do.” I hop off the sink counter. They’re the same pricks who think hazing is cute. At one point, they threw my luggage out of security’s house in the gated neighborhood. Just ‘cause they didn’t want me living with them.
Being Omega means I was protected, always, by Akara. Now he won’t be my boss.
I clutch the sink counter, staring at myself in the mirror. The persistence in my eyes, the determined lines etched in my forehead, I’m twenty-ninebeautifulyears old and I know what it took to see each one. I’m not easily defeated, and they’re gonna have to really work to get to me.
“Donnelly—”
“I’ll be alright. Gotta go.”
Oscar lets out another breath. “Yeah, text me when you’re in PA.”
After we hang up, I inspect the stubble along my jaw. Need a good shave, and so I dig through my dopp kit for my stainless-steel straight razor. I can’t…find it. Dumping the contents on the sink counter, I sift through floss, toothpaste, shaving cream—I know I brought my razor. I check underneath the counter. I didn’t drop it.
So I look through Xander’s dopp kit, thinking maybe there was a mix-up and he took mine thinking it was his. He has a Gillette with disposable heads. No straight razor among his toiletries.
“Where the fuck…?” I breathe out, wondering if Xander might’ve taken it and stashed it.No.No. Tension in my neck, I rest a hand against the searing muscle.Could he have?I shouldn’t have brought that razor, knowing we’d be sharing a bathroom.
Then another jarring thought—Luna.
Didn’t she use this bathroom today?
Panic punches me, and I immediately call her. It rings and rings andrings.Then I hear, “Howdy ho, don’t you know that you’ve reached the voice inbox of a very peculiar specimen. If you meant to contact her, she shall review your message once she’s returned from her interplanetary voyage. Can’t say how long it will take, as the universe is a fickle place, but be patient with her. She hopes she won’t let you down.” Her voicemail ends, and a ball is in my throat.
I call again.
She doesn’t answer.
I call a third time.Pick up, Luna.
No answer.
Instead of leaving a message, I leave the bathroom.
Careful not to wake Xander, I sneak over to the adjoining door. My side isn’t locked, but as soon as I try to push her door open, I realize hers is. More hurriedly, I swipe a keycard off the dresser and exit the hotel room.
Since Luna doesn’t know Frog that well anymore, she just wanted to room alone. So Quinn and Frog are sharing a hotel room, but right now, he’s posted outside Luna’s door, sitting and scrolling on his phone. We’re taking extra precautions after the kidnapping and all. I’m positive no one has broken into her room, since her two bodyguards have been swapping late-night duty.
Quinn sees me, then glances back at Luna’s door.
“Just checking on her,” I tell him, nearing with the keycard to her room. I withhold alarm, trying not to alert Oscar’s brother of anything wrong. It might be all in my head.
He stays seated. “Just say you’re taking a three a.m. booty call. I might be six years younger than you, but I’ve been around the block.”
Not her block.Territorial, possessive feelings flex my muscles. I could quip back,tell your block I say hi, with a grin, but I can barely muster one right now. So I just mutter an, “Alright, Quinnie,” and swipe the keycard. Lock flashes green, and I push inside, closing the door behind me.
It’s dark.
