I couldn’t make out the voice on the other end, but his expression sharpened like a junkyard dog that had just been offered a bone.
“Is that so?” he said. “I’m glad to hear it. Did you send the flowers?”
More indistinct speech.
“Perfect,” Knox replied. “Thank you for the update, Bud.”
He disconnected the call.
“Was that about Paolo?” Jez asked.
“It was,” Knox said with satisfaction.
“You’re sending Paolo...flowers?” I asked, my burning eyes forgotten in the face of my bewilderment.
“A bouquet with a note attached,” Knox explained. “A note with a reminder about the phone number that Paolo mightconsider calling, if he doesn’t want his trophy mate to have a second chance at making him disappear.”
Jez’s gray eyes narrowed. “And that phone number belongs to...”
The phone in Knox’s hand rang again, and a slow smile crossed the alpha’s face as he tapped the answer icon.
FORTY-NINE
Jez
IT WAS BAD ENOUGH THATKnox smelled like heaven and had more money than god. Apparently, he also had to be smarter than everyone else in the room, even when the room in question was surrounded by actual brain surgeons.
What was it Tony had called it once, when he was talking about the pack in St. Louis that had helped him get away from his fucked-up family?Competence kink. I had a competence kink for the guy I’d tried to kill.
Help.
Knox lifted the phone to his ear. “Hello?”
I couldn’t hear the voice on the other end, but I exchanged a look with Tony. Once again, he looked about the same way I felt.
I knew on some level that as an omega, I was supposed to be a territorial crackhead when it came to alphas—especially ones I was scent-matched to. So, why was it that when I thought about sharing them with the beta guy I’d called my best friend, all I felt was relief?
It felt like maybe if I had someone to confide in—especially someone less messed up in the head than I was—I could somehow avoid blowing everything to hell the first time my demons got the better of me.
But there was no time to dig into those feelings now.
“I’m glad you called, Paolo,” Knox said in a painfully neutral tone. He lowered the phone and put the call on speaker.
“Why should I trust you?” The familiar voice was weak and raspy, but I could hear the terror hidden just under the surface.
