“The recruiter’s face smacked into the call button on his desk,” I cut Ryker off. He has a lot of issues, and many of them involve unregulated use of grenade launchers…
Ethan is now wearing a look that says he might strangle me… or Ryker.
“Esme came straight into the room,” I continue. “Saw what I’d done. I reacted to her emotional state. Took her back to the room.”And lost my fucking mind.“Look, I’m not comfortable with being a controller. The skin doesn’t fit me right. It was only supposed to be for the cover. It pretty much went downhill when I fucked her.”
Silence greets my words.
“Deep down, I knew something was off,” I say. “I left her in the bed, after, and checked through the mission file, and there it was, blinking at me. She’s going to ask questions. My gut is telling me she won’t believe you if you say I was lost in battle.”
Ethan growls.
Ryker grins.
Ethan growls at Ryker. “What the fuck is wrong with you, grinning like a maniac? Now I need to go in Zeb’s place. Lilly will know. Then she won’t let me fuck her for a week. She’ll blame you for not stopping me, and she won’t let you fuck her for a week either.”
“It’ll be fine. You did some research on controllers, yeah?” Ryker asks me.
“Of course I fucking did.”
He pats my shoulder and steps up close, expression intent and earnest. “We’re about to go in. Everything is ready. Take your sweet little omega aside and fuck her hard. The kind of fucking where she can barely stand afterward and definitely can’t string a coherent sentence together, never mind question your intentions. Then escort her to the medical area. Tell her that her virgin ass is on the line if she disobeys your orders to stay put.”
“What if she’s not an ass virgin?” Ethan mutters, sounding exasperated. “Why the fuck would you feel the need to add this detail!”
“It feels relevant,” Ryker says, turning to Ethan. “Even if she’s had that cherry popped, it still makes most omegas at least a bit cautious…. Unless they’re a complete masochist.” He turns back to me. “Is she into pain, do you think?”
“I’ve fucked her once!” Technically twice. “How the fuck would I know?”
“Well,” Ryker continues in the same tone as if we could be discussing weather patterns, and not the merits of using ass-fucking as a viable threat to gain omega obedience. “The last thing you want to do is trigger her brat mode. Use your best judgment. Lilly will pretty much do anything under the threat of Ethan and his belt. But you know, every omega is different… So, back to the plan. Tell her you got an urgent call to assist. Tell her to stay put. Double-time it over to join us at the front. If we’relucky, Jenda won’t even make it off planet. But if she does, you need to be with her.” His easy-going facade drops, and darkness takes its place. “You need to finish her.”
Chapter Eight
Esme
Iwas already convinced something was wrong when the three of them broke off into a heated discussion to one side, while the rest of the team stood around looking at everything but me. And I’m just standing here alone watching them. It’s clear the three of them know each other. And not in a casual, we’ve-been-on-a-mission-once sort of way. By their body language, the ease then the spikes of tension, the way no one flinches when tempers flare, they know each other really well.
Why does Zeb know Ethan Black and Ryker Sherwin? How does he know them? I mean, I’m sure most soldiers knowofEthan Black. He was a pretty big deal even before he mated Lillian Brach.
And a bigger one now, probably…
But the worst part, the part that’s throwing me, is that Zeb’s not acting remotely subordinate to either of them. In fact, the heated back and forth between them, I’d say he’s giving as good as he gets.
And then there was that look when they first went over there, the way Ethan and Ryker both lifted their heads and stared at me speculatively. What was that about?
They come to some agreement. Ethan lifts his wrist device and taps something. A sharp blare cuts through the air. Bodies snap to attention, orders are called out, followed by the pound of boots on the ground, fast and urgent.
The mission is about to begin.
Adrenaline surges through me. We haven’t even discussed the team’s plan. And where the hell is the medical section?!
Zeb strides straight toward me. He doesn’t slow as he nears, keeps coming with a determined glint in his eyes.
I squeak and take a hasty step back.
Too slow.
He ducks his shoulder, drives it into my belly, and tosses me clean over. “What the hell are you doing?!” I’ve seen my share of omegas being manhandled—picked up and tossed over a controller’s shoulder like it’s standard protocol. But not once has anyone ever bestowed this lofty honor upon me.
I can’t decide whether to be indignant or thrilled. “Now is not the time for whatever this is!”
