“Shut your whore mouth. No speaking.” His bark makes my body go rigid, and my lips slam shut. I haven’t been around many Alphas, so his bark seems supercharged. He has complete control of me, and I’m a mindless puppet, ready to follow his orders. “Now, get up on the bed and present that dirty, trashy cunt. I’ll give you exactly what you deserve.”
With every step, I hate myself, but the compulsion has taken over, and I do exactly as he bids. In one fluid motion, I climb onto the bed on hands and knees, then lower my face to the mattress, presenting my ass and pussy to fulfill his every desire.
Although I need it, I don’t want this…
And with every thrust, I hate myself a little bit more…
The sound of Asher’s name being called shakes me out of the memory, and I focus on what matters most.
My son.
Mine.
My head swivels, stretching for those angry grey eyes once more… but they’re gone.
And so is my sweet lemon-scented Alpha.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Julius
Nixie’s face turns stark white, and all my Alpha instincts go on high alert.
Protect. Eliminate.
If there’s a threat nearby, it’s going to be very dead. Tracking her gaze, I quickly find the object of her fear. An older man who seems to salivate over my son.
Creep. Soon-to-be-gone creep.
I’m not sure if it’s Evan or Nixie’s stepfather, but either way, I’m going to insist he remove himself from the exhibition. Forcefully, if necessary. My firebrand’s scent sours, and her eyes glaze over. I stand calmly, not wanting Asher to become distracted, and run my hand over my omega’s hair, leaving enough of my scent behind to bring her comfort.
“I’ll take care of it.” My promise is murmured, and I hustle out the back gate, not waiting for an acknowledgment. The sooner this is dealt with, the faster I can get back to watching my son crush the competition.
Today is Asher’s day, and nothing is going to sully that for him. However, I’m equally concerned for Asher and Nixie, althoughhis perception of his life was altered by his piece-of-shit father’s arrival, Ash has never met the man, so the trauma is vastly different.
My feet thump rapidly as I hurry down the hallway, intent on getting to the other side of the rink, but lo and behold, that pile of human excrement has found me instead. The man may think he’ll get to visit my omega, but I have other plans. Catching sight of me, he slows, out of breath and reeking of day-old fish. It’s an awful smell, but distinctly Alpha.
“Hello, Evan. It seems like it’s time for you to leave.” His dishwater-gray eyes narrow, his hands clench, and his jaw locks.Oh, yeah. You know who I am.Making sure my body is loose, I wait a minute to see if he’ll throw the punch he so clearly wants to.Please. Fucking do it.Obviously, he doesn’t like my snuggling with Nixie and is having some pretty strong emotions about it. Poor baby. I look forward to helping him better understand the futility of those feelings.
“It’s a public exhibition. And I have every right to watch my son play in it.”
You did not just call Asher your son—time for pain.
Flexing my oversized muscles, I release some of my inner dominance, allowing it to surge forward in an intimidating wave. I crack my knuckles, then twist my neck until it pops loudly. Everything about this piece of shit reminds me of my father and his abuse, and it causes rage to flood my body. Nothing would make me happier than pounding Nixie’s rapist into the ground. While I’m sure this man does not consider himself an abuser, I do. And in my world, abusers eat fists.
“I’m giving you one last chance to leave before I make you.” Evan eyes me warily, and he’s right to fear me. I’m on a knife-edge; one wrong word and he’s going to get cut.
“I have something to give Phoenix. Remove yourself from my path.” He steps forward, remembering his earlier bluster, butmy arm flies out to block him. Clutching his shirt, I seethe into his face.
“There’s absolutely nothing in the world you have to say tomyomega unless it’s ‘Sorry for trying to buy your child. I’ll never bother you again.’ Even then, I’ll deliver the message. In fact, if you don’t say it, I’m still gonna take that message back to her.” He swallows hard, trying not to be intimidated by the dominance rolling off me; the waves that would quail most Alphas. And he is most Alphas. His hands shake, and I smirk in retaliation.
“I don’t care who you think you are,” his voice quivers, “but I know I am that boy’s biological father. And I’m here to collect.”
“Biological father? I don’t think you even know his birthdate.” I give him a good shake, pleased when his teeth rattle. “I’m not sure why you’re here, botheringmyomega andmyson. You’ve had no part in his life, and we’re not interested in allowing rapists near our kid.”
Evan tries to step back, not liking the way I tower over him, but I don’t move an inch.
“Rapist?” He scoffs. “That girl begged me for every knot. I was doing her a fucking favor so she wouldn’t die from her heat madness.”
