“And Jude is Kylan’s employee, which means she’s Kylan’s captive. Let me the fuck out of here, or so help me—”
Both his companions laughed at me, giving up on pretending they weren’t hearing every word. Amabella spoke up. “You and I both know you won’t be doing anything from within the bounds of that cage. Your magic is too weak to do any damage before the runes kick in and drain you dry.”
The growl I let out was more animal than human. I wanted to punch Nolan in his pretty, freckled face for signing Mabel’s death warrant. I wanted to punch myself for being a damn idiot and falling for the ploy in the first place, but rendering myself unconscious wouldn’t get me out of here in time to hand myself over to Jude.
“You sound like my sister when she doesn’t get what she wants,” Clement said, letting out a little growl of his own.
While normally I could appreciate good banter, I wasn’t in the gods damned mood. “I’m shockingly resourceful, and trust that if I die in here, I’ll haunt you in all my future reincarnations,” I promised darkly.
“Still sound like my sister. I think you’d get along.”
“And no one said anything about you dying in this pretty little cage, love,” Nolan said.
He was still in front of me.
“Then either let me out now, or watch your fucking back when you do. I’m not about to let you get away with this.”
“You’re more violent than I expected. I enjoy it. Amabella, aren’t Omegas supposed to be soft, pliable, and weak?”
The witch laughed. “Yes, just how Alphas are supposed to be ultra-masculine and tough as nails. Look how well the stereotypes apply to me.”
She was absolutely tough as nails, even if she might not look it. I kept my attention focused on Nolan, watching his grin hold strong, only flickering faintly as a thought crossed his mind. Suddenly I wished mind reading abilities had come as naturally as memory manipulation, but I’d never been able to make it work. “You have a point. Kylan would hate both of you, if he met you. Which is the main reason I won’t hand you over to him. He likes to break his toys and mold them into what he wants. You’re much better with all your pieces in their current places.”
“I don’t care if he breaks his toys. I was well aware of that when I handed myself over.”
“You understand how cruel he is.”
“I’m living as an Omega in a world where everyone wants a piece of me. I’ve seen cruelty.”
If I’d been weaker, I would have experienced plenty firsthand already. As it was, I’d dealt out cruelty like it was a hand of cards in my control.
“Not his brand.”
“Are you trying to pin yourself as some fucked up guardian angel right now? Because I don’t need any help. I don’t want any help.”
If I had wanted help, I would have asked Shan and Cas. Men I actually trusted, despite our rocky relationship. “Now you mention it, I enjoy being a knight in shining armour. Clement, can you put that on my list of Halloween costume ideas?”
The shifter man rolled his eyes and didn’t write anything down. Nolan pouted.
“Fine,” he huffed, turning his attention back to me. Those green eyes looked straight into my soul, and he looked worried. My taunts about him guarding me might have a basis in truth. “Jude won’t do anything to your cousin. You’re staying with me.”
“They will do something to my cousin. She’s not safe in their care. What are they going to do when they find out you took me? Say ‘oh well’ and let her go on her merry way? My threats are not empty, Nolan. I’ll kill you if something happens to her.”
He swallowed, the grin on his face not fully covering the flash of fear or the way his pupils dilated in arousal. “Your threats are very violent, darling. I’m not letting you go, but I might be convinced to retrieve your cousin on your behalf. If she was here, in front of you, would you be a good captive for me?”
“Obviously. I was planning to do the same for Kylan. Whoever has my cousin gets me to obey,” I said, scowling.
I tried not to be hopeful. There was no way I was an important enough spoil of war for him to procure Mabel, too. All I was here for was to piss off Kylan, and that would happen with or without May. Nolan might plan to give me to Kylan in exchange for something in the end. But when Nolan nodded in Amabella’s direction and she vanished from the room with a sigh, I let myself hope.
“You would improve your position with me if you divulged the identity of the killer who’s taken out a bunch of my cousin’s men,” he said, conversationally changing the topic. “I’d like to recruit them. The murders have been creative genius and their perpetrator would fit well with my company. Especially one specific job I have in mind.”
“You would improve your position with me by having Mabel sitting unharmed right outside my cell. Until I see her, I won’t be breathing a word.”
“You’re breathing plenty of words right now, love. In fact, you’re chattier than me. An accomplishment, if you were to ask my father about how often I shut up.”
I glared at him. He grinned and moved to sit in the rocking chair in the corner. Clement stood like a sentry. They both stared at me standing against the bars until my skin crawled under the weight of the attention and I moved back to sit on the bed, my back against the wall. Clement stopped paying such close attention to me, but Nolan certainly didn’t. My skirt wasn’t well-suited for sitting as I was, and I had no doubt he could see my black lace panties peeking out, along with my upper thighs encased in fishnets.
Despite my brain telling me Nolan wasn’t a person I was allowed to be attracted to, my skin went hot under his perusal. His sweet scent got stronger, telling me he was looking exactly where I thought he was. It wrapped around me, a comforting blanket. Being a Beta, his scent wasn’t as strong or suffocating as an Alpha’s.
