“However, when it comes to shame and guilt, you wear them on your face like a badge. If I didn’t know you as well as I do, I would think you murdered someone and are just anxiously waiting to get caught.” He scoffs, shaking his head, and I hear a very suspicious grunt turned cough from beside me. He’s way off about that though.
Anxiously waiting to be caught? For murder? Couldn’t be me.
“Now answer the question, Dream. How many times?”
“Too many times to count,” I grumble, crossing my arms over my chest, feeling a bit defensive now. I’m unsure if I should take what he said as a compliment now or not. The last part sounded borderline insulting. He also basically called me a master manipulator, which, without context, also isn’t very complimentary. Then again, those are all the things that make me so good at my job, among other things.
“That many?” Declan hums, narrowing his eyes at me. “So you think Tatum is a liar?” Declan asks with a tilt of his head, and my eyes grow wide. Frowning, I shake my head furiously.
“What? No! Tatum is one of the most honest people I know. I mean, other than her theft. But she almost always returns the stolen items.” I ramble, sitting forward in my seat, dropping my hands to the armrests. Declan chuckles; the smile he wears now is a lot more genuine as he thinks of his thieving mate.
“She does try,” he agrees, but isn’t deterred. “Tell me why you refuse to believe her when she tells you that none of us blame you for that night, Dream?”
“That’s not…I didn't say that.” Lifting my chin, my skin flushes with heat, and my scent sours, wilted rose petals filling the room around me. “I don’t think you blame me. I blame myself, okay? Even if no one else does. I never called Tatum a liar or implied it. You did that,” I say, pointing at him accusingly, irritated with his attempt to manipulate me.
“Dream—”
“You can forgive me; I can’t stop you, boss. That doesn’t change the fact that I’m having a hard time forgiving myself.” I huff, cutting him off.Lecturing me about my feelings? This guy?I should remind him about how he and Tatum ended up together.Men.
Declan’s face softens, very slightly, but I think that’s what’s happening to his face right now. Hard to say when he’s still frowning. Then he sighs.
“Let go of the guilt, Dream. There’s nothing you could have done. Nothing at all. Blaming yourself for months on end helps no one, least of all you or Tatum.” He holds my stare until my shoulders deflate, and I nod.
Even if some part of me still disagrees, he’s got a point. Holding onto the guilt so tightly could be hurting Tatum, and that’s the last thing I want. Punishing myself is one thing, but Tatum would take it personally if she knew I was beating myself up over this still.
Damn. Maybe he isn’t completely terrible at manipulating after all…
“You have a point.” I nod, nibbling my lip as I look away from the man.
“Glad you agree. Now we can get back to why we’re all here. Trev, take a seat; I’d like us both to fill Dream in on the client we talked about earlier,” Declan says to Trev.
“Yes, sir,” Trev grunts behind me, “But first I need to meet Apollo downstairs. He’s starting his first shift in a moment, and Kodiak said they would be here in less than five.”
“And I’d like to get dressed, if I’m not going to be on the floor tonight?” I add questioningly, and Declan nods. The odd look he gave me makes more sense now.
“Actually, this works out for the better,” Declan says. “Dream, you go get changed, and then, Trev, you can inform Dream and Apollo of the situation at the same time. You have all the information I have, and I was going to let you lead this meeting anyway.” He shrugs. “This gives me time to meet with my pack. Then you two will escort the client up here for the meeting in an hour.”
“Yes, sir. We’ll see you then.”
“Perfect, one last thing, Dream,” my boss says in a very serious tone, one that he rarely uses with me. Not even when he scolded me earlier. “You are not obligated to take this job. It’s a unique circumstance. You can say no, and I will not hold that against you.”
“Uh, okay.” I nod, glancing up at Trev, and feeling super curious about this potential job now.
Chapter Two
APOLLO
I’m tense as I follow Tatum and her mate, Kodiak.
He seems attentive to her, but he’s still an Alpha. Not very bright, though, because he’s left her right side wide open. I keep my steps in line with hers, my pace steady, as I watch and listen to the area for any signs of danger.
I grew up on the streets of this city, and from dodging pedos as a young kid to running from creeps to save my life, this is second nature.
How sad will Tatum be if I kill him?The fucker keeps glancing over his shoulder at me like I’m the fucking threat. As an Alpha myself, I’m intimately aware of the danger I pose, but not to Tatum. Not to Omegas.
Never to Omegas.
The cell phone in my pocket is large, heavy, and awkward, but Tatum insisted. Called it a perk of employment at Haze Instinct. She also tried insisting on giving me a car. Once I explained that I can’t drive, she let it go, thankfully. She’s given me enough—given me everything. I trust her more than I thinkI’ve trusted anyone in a very long time. Unfortunately, her taste in men makes me question her judgment a little bit, so that trust only goes so far.
