Hehadn’t.
Nausea struck hard and almost incapacitated him as hereadon.
Omegas reclaimed from the defendant’s illegal prostitution ring claim the defendant would often bring on new omega ‘talent’ as young as sixteen years old to service clients in questionable conditions. One such recovered omega, Lucian Bracknell, has stated under oath that the defendant seduced him over a period of two months at age sixteen, during which time he was transported to the defendant’s place of operation and forced into prostitution for the next four years. According to Bracknell’s testimony, the defendant continued to proposition him for sex regularly and held Bracknell captive long after he’d expressed desire to leave theestablishment.
No.
No.
Marcus swung his legs over the edge of the bed, phone glued to his hand. He rose, disoriented and startled, as his protective instincts kicked into overdrive. All the little pieces of the puzzle started to fit together. The dead look in Lucian’s eyes in the alley when he’d moved so mechanically, utilizing his body for Marcus’ benefit, now sickened him. The way Lucian had run from him that night Marcus had tried to move their power dynamic into a full-time affair now broke Marcus’ heart in half. All the sorrow in Lucian’s eyes and his lack of comprehension about true pleasure was no longer due to the influence of a selfish Dom—it had been brought on by a heinous individual who’d twisted Lucian’s mind and forced him into slavery againsthiswill.
Self-hatred roiled alongside Marcus’ nausea. As his world fell into pieces, he closed the email and opened his contact list instead. Seconds later, Marcus had the phone to his ear, waiting for his call toconnect.
Eric answered. “Marcus? What’shappening?”
“We can’t take the case,” Marcus said. It didn’t matter how much money they lost—Marcus would not defend the man who’d hurt his lover so deeply, nor would he have anyone on his legal team stand at that man’s defense. “It’s a conflict of interest, and I’ll be damned if anyone from our firm attempts to tackle the case in my stead. We’re rejecting it. The dealisoff.”
“Are you insane?” Eric’s disbelief eroded the patience Marcus had left. “A conflict of interest? What the hell have you been hiding? You’re not saying that you used to visit The White Lotus,areyou?”
If Marcus had better control of himself in the moment, he would have cut Eric off before he asked the question, but his anger boiled so hot that it sealed his lips shut as his brain misfired and fried. When he did speak, his words werevenom.
“I’m going to pretend that you didn’t ask me that question. I’m going to pretend that all you did was agree with me and leave it at that.” Marcus stalked across the room to pull open his closet. He tossed a shirt onto his bed as he spoke. “You will end the contract. You willnotdistribute it to anyone else in the firm. If I find that you’ve done so, we will have more than words, Eric. Do youunderstandme?”
“Jesus, Marcus,calmdown.”
“I will not be told what to do.” The darkest corners of Marcus’ conscience inched forward, seeping into his every thought and edging his every word. Eric would listen. Marcus would not accept anything less. “You will do as I say. If you do, there won’t be aproblem.”
“You sound like you’re going to killsomeone.”
Marcus pulled a pair of boxer-briefs from his dresser drawer. He stepped into them. “If circumstances were different, I might, but someone needs me right now. I will notbetrayhim.”
“We’ll talk about this on Monday.” Eric kept his voice calm and soothing, but it was of little use. He couldn’t smooth over the situation. He would never be able to. “You need to take it easy this weekend. I’ll pencil you in around one, and we’ll sit down and talk thisthrough,okay?”
“No.” Marcus tugged on a pair of pants, then grabbed his shirt from the bed and left the bedroom. “My decision is final and will not change given time. Turnhimdown.”
“I—”
“Goodbye, Eric.” Marcus ended the call. There were more important things to do than argue with a man who would neverunderstand.
Like take care of the man who understood alltoowell.
26
Lucian
The accusation came suddenly,but the second Lucian heard it, he knew it was directed at him. Despite the dull roar of The Shepherd’s dance floor beats, the voice cut through directly toLucian’sear.
“I know that you’ve been sleepingwithhim.”
A chill ran down Lucian’s spine, and he turned from the back counter he was scrubbing to face the source of the statement. A familiar face sat on the bar stool across from him—Adrian.
Both arms folded on the counter, still fully dressed, Adrian looked him directly in the eye and did notbackdown.
“I’m sorry. I’m not sure whatyou’re—”
“Don’t play stupid.” Adrian glanced down the counter where Clarissa was serving a few clients. The Shepherd had just opened so the crowds were thin. It allowed Adrian to corner him. “I know what you’ve beendoing.”
Adrian cast another glance at Clarissa, then took something from his pocket and slid it across the table, masking it with his palm. Fingers cupped, he lifted his palm and used it as a shield to block Clarissa from accidentally seeing what wasgoingon.
