My eyes burst open at that.
“Attorney privilege is one my most favourite terms in law; can you please not kill the fucker at least until he’s sweated it out for a week!”
I crack up laughing, sitting straight up and resting against Lincoln’s knees. He settles the blanket around my shoulders like the gentleman he is.
“I’m not killing him. I want him in jail for a very long time. Every time they say shower, I want his asshole twitching. For every meal, I want him gagging on his food, wondering if someone is feeding him shit again. Yeah, there is no chance he is enjoying the same fate as Regalo. None of the people arrested, tried, and convicted will be. I want them to suffer for a long time to come.”
“See, this is exactly why you are one of my favourite clients. Blood thirsty and omega should not go together, but strangely, every time you give me instructions, those words collide.”
“You ain’t seen nothing yet. Which reminds me, has my arrest warrant been withdrawn? I want to go to the Alliance today.”
“Does a bear shit in the woods? I am a fucking good lawyer, Lennon, I know how to do my job.”
“Wow, just a tad cranky?”
“Today? Come on, sweet girl, you’re saying that like you’re surprised by my moods. It comes from working with insolent fools. Besides you, of course.”
“Yeah, because I pay you the big bucks and all.”
“And all. Why are you going to the Alliance?”
“Apparently, they’re starting to have people show up after receiving a mysterious letter, all of them confessing some involvement in Regalo. After my delivery of the letters, only two people need rounding up, so after the Alliance, I’m going to burn Lisa Ash’s house to the ground in front of her children.”
“Would you please leave me to do my job and nab this police bitch properly. Unless it was always your intention to knock her off, which will annoy the crap out of me, Lennon. I’ve poured hours into how we’re taking the case against her and the people in her department protecting her.”
“Trust me, I’ve seen your bill. I know exactly how many hours you’ve put into it. Personally, I think you…”
His office phone rings, and before he can get a word in edgewise, I’m talking over the top of him.
“Tell them no, Kris, I mean it. Bunch of self-appreciating wankers, thinking I’m a silly omega playing around.”
He hangs up, and I drop my phone to the floor, lie on Lincoln, and fall back to sleep.
38
LENNON
The Alpha Alliance headquarters is a skyscraper in the middle of Darlington, and it’s not until you get inside the doors that you find any distinguishing features. The rush of alpha scent, and the push of their presence is impossible to ignore, and I knew that would be the case. But it doesn’t make it any less overwhelming.
Or it might be I’m still thrown by the email Gabe read to us over breakfast. The team of programmers at the Alliance worked all night and hit pay dirt finding a connection between Detective Wendy and the people who attacked me and killed Ares. It’s a bitter pill to swallow, especially because I’m pissed at myself for not being more of an asshole when I was at the station where she works. At least we know we need to avoid the cops from precinct nineteen at all costs. Considering we’re on opposite sides of the city, it should be easy, but it also confirms to me that our time in Darlington is done.
Gabe, being Gabe, made it much easier to walk into the Alliance and maintain my composure by licking the tip of my nose before we got out the car, so all I can smell is him. And my pack stays close, so all I can see is them.
Noah keeps his hand against my lower back, so I can focus on the warmth of his touch. Valak stands in front of me, and every now and then, he reaches his hand back for me to touch. Lincoln is at my back, so close his looming presence feels like a weighted blanket around me. And Gabe, his anxious energy nips and bites playfully at my skin while he dances on the balls of his feet, ready to go at anyone who comes too close.
“I’m good,” I offer. Not necessarily to anyone, but my alphas all respond with another quick touch, or a look before they somehow step closer.
I don’t think it would be possible for anyone around us to even get a peek at what I look like. Valak keeps nodding at people we pass, and the noise around us drops as we get closer to the reception desk.
“Morning, Valak,” a man’s cheery voice echoes through the space.
“Morning. Pack Teo, we have our omega with us, so we’d like to keep things short and sweet. We’re here for a visit to the holding cells. It’s prearranged with Pack Bullard; everything is good to go.”
“And it’s on my visitor sheet. You guys are good to go through.” Valak goes to step off, but the happy person manning the reception chatters away more. “Hey, congrats to you all by the way. What your omega is doing is incredible. I know we’re not really meant to talk about it, but you know me, rule breaker over here.”
“Shehas a voice, just a wall of pack separating me. But thank you,” I call through, earning a growl or two from my pack, but I laugh and slide my hand out through the smallest space between Val’s arm and his side to offer a wave. And then I stay there, pressed up against his back and sink into the protective vibes he’s sending out. “Val, you smell too good.”
“Gabe,” a familiar voice calls from close by. And a moment later, the familiar scent of animals lets me know that Pack Lombardo are close by. I’m a thousand percent sure I’m not ready to see the sympathy on Luke’s face, so I turn the other way.
