I don’t look back as I bounce out and shut the door behind me. She won’t enjoy being told what to do, but I needed to say my piece.
Rickon waits for me in the lobby, eyelids drooping as he taps halfheartedly on his laptop. I stop in the hallway for a moment to watch him. He’s got his legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles, revealing faux-leather dress shoes with a floral overlay he glued on himself. With them he wears fitted black slacks, a dangling wallet chain, and an oversized knit sweater in the same aqua blue as on the shoe pattern. Plus a newsboy cap, thrown on last minute because he couldn’t find a comb this morning.
Only Rickon could make the assorted styles work, but every person moving through the Omega Center takes a second look, checking out my gorgeous alpha.
He stirs, sensing my admiration through the bond, and looks up. His eyes soften with delight, framed by slender black wing lines.
“Everything go okay?” he asks, snapping the laptop shut.
“Everything is wonderful, especially you.”
His soft smile warms my heart.
I wrap my arm possessively around his shoulders, one of them bare as the sweater drapes down his arm.
“She’ll write the letter for you?”
“Yes. But only because you’re looking at Laversham’s most special omega, thank you very much.”
He chuckles and stops walking, tugging me around. With a light push, he sends me stumbling back into the wall and cages me in his arms. He leans in, breath hot and vanilla scent sweet as a dessert. I melt into him, accepting a kiss that leaves us both vibrating.
“Most special omega?” Rickon grins and whispers on my lips, “I already knew that.”
I tug him closer and lock both arms around his neck, not caring who sees us.
Chapter thirty-five
Rickon
I smother a yawn as I plug my laptop charger into a socket in Director Yun’s production company office. With a quick check of my phone, I confirm Red hasn’t called me yet. I don’t like leaving her alone, but I’m so swamped. This hour will make all the difference in catching up on admin tasks, and since they’re filming in the studio today, she’s not far away.
My brain runs faster than I can type as I complete Callisto’s acting contract, making notes on the PDF to draw his attention to the nudity specifics, and then shoot him the email. With that finished, I check the ever-growing list on my phone for the next priority.
The building contractors wrote to say they’ve finished the external structure of the rooftop nest, but I haven’t been home in days to do an inspection. I detour via my calendar to check when Red’s next heat is due, marveling at how the weeks blur together. We need to line up options for Red’s next acting role,and I think we might have overdue utility bills on the apartment, but I haven’t yet gotten them transferred to Red’s name yet.
An ache forms behind my eyes, and I rub them. The only way Red and I sleep well at the moment is fucking each other senseless and collapsing. I miss the comfortable apartment and power on demand, and our own bed. And I miss Zack.
An email alert for the online petition I set up for Zack’s release lands in my inbox and I click the link. My eyes bug as I read the number. The support campaign just passed seventy thousand signatures. All the exposure to the media Red got from taking Zack around on a leash is paying off now. I forward the email to Callisto to add to his bail appeal.
Have I recorded Red’s last race scenes for her to listen to? I’m sure we had a registration with the actors’ guild notification somewhere. One of the car tires looked a bit soft when I parked up today, and—
My heavy eyes slide closed and my thoughts trail off. Just one moment, and then I’ll continue.
I wake with a bitter burst of adrenaline, flailing to stop my laptop sliding off my knee. Instead, I end up whacking my wrist on the chair armrest.
“Ow,” I mutter, looking around. My laptop sits on the seat next to me, but I know I didn’t put it there.
The director’s assistant walks over, holding a cup of water. “I moved your computer,” she says, offering me the paper cup. “You looked like you needed the nap.”
“Thanks,” I say thickly. “How long was I out for?”
“Only about twenty minutes. They’re all still filming over in Studio Two.”
I sip, the chilled water clearing my foggy brain. Over the woman’s shoulder, I spy a television screen up on the wall, the subtitles running hot. The words seep slowly into my brain.
Wren Enterprises announces hostile bid for Alpha Cash. Financial sector in uproar. Shareholders’ meeting called under growing allegations of mismanagement.
I clutch the cup tighter as it slips in my numb fingers, splashing water on my knee. Bloody hell! The Simon and Lector duo really fired the starter gun. I could hardly believe it when Callisto explained how Ray was using dodgy companies to wash his money into Alpha Cash. Who would imagine such a massive financial institution could be so corrupt?
