I guess I shock the shit out of Andrea because her eyes start blinking furiously. Perhaps it’s the first time she realises how badly she screwed up, but her bravado disappears and she becomes someone I don’t need to worry about. She becomes a victim.
“What do you want, Sharlene?” I say, turning away from them both to wash my hands and using the mirror to keep track.
“The deal was you stay away from my family,” she spits, and the way she purses her lips tells me how much lip filler she’s had. It shouldn’t bring me happiness, but it does. I totally blame my stress.
And then I’m back in the game, aware of every little detail including knowing how soon Rhodes is going to plough through the door. “The deal?” I ask, despite knowing exactly what she’s insinuating, the fucking cheque that Reid tried to fling at me is even more of a joke now.
“In light of the recent update my loyal employee has shared interesting and surprising facts about you, our generous offer has changed. I bet you’re kicking yourself you didn’t take the money, Raney. Now there’s no way I’ll be leaving this city without you. And honestly, it’s almost embarrassing how many avenues of persuasion you have provided to us. How is your father by the way? Still locked up? Still getting raided constantly? Senator Anders works hard to rid our fine country of filth like the Fallen.”
Staring at the woman who nearly killed me, I’m quickly filling with fear but at the same time it’s like there’s a gathering of strength in my bones.
I take a step away from her. “Me? With you? Oh please, you’ve got no hope. You know the big difference between my father and you? He doesn’t hide behind other people, so yeah, Sharlene, you want to talk about avenues? You just invited every one of them into your world. Actually, why are you here, exactly? I mean, last I heard you were locked in home detention.” I tap my finger against my chin like I’m deep in thought before I bark out the most bullshit laugh ever heard. “Holy shit, it’s just to catch a glimpse of him, isn’t it! I mean, that must have stung him running from you the first chance he got.”
Winding her up might not be the best move considering how fucked she is in the head, but then again, I refuse to give her any power or control. She nearly throws me off my game by walking past me to the door but Andrea must be sensing things are about to go from bad to worse. Even I can hear Rhodes screaming through her earpiece.
Sharlene’s focus drops to my throat, where the faint pack claim rests, “You can’t dispute the claim you wear. It’s lucky we finally tracked down Reid’s lost pack mate, considering how muddled an omega can get. Almost as fortunate as knowing the right people in the right places. The Pack Dissolution Forms don’t seem to be needed anymore. Do they?”
The absurdity spilling out her mouth makes me laugh. I can hear the touch of panic in it, but I roll with the bravado that fills me at the same time.
“Please tell me Reid did not take responsibility for this.” I shake my head, pointing at Puck’s claim. “And heads up, Sharlene, he lied to his mommy about not passing over the signed form. I’ve got it, actually my lawyer does, or else it’s already been lodged for processing.”
“Reid is your alpha!” she screeches, losing her patience.
“Sharlene, you’re a bit fucking slow, so I’ll help you out in the last three seconds we have. Reid has no claim on me, never had, or will have. Do your best, bitch, then watch me do mine.”
The facade she wears drops away as she lets all her crazy shine through before she and Andrea go back into the toilets away from the main entry. I must look a sight when I run out of the bathroom straight down towards Rhodes who is looking dangerous and on high alert.
“What happened?” he barks emotionlessly.
“Sharlene and Andrea happened. Andrea is a traitor and is dead. Find her, catch her, and put her somewhere we cantalkwith her privately.”
“What? She’s solid.”
“Rhodes, she set me up. She is not solid,” I snap back.
Passing over my panic alarm so he can turn it off, he scoops an arm protectively behind and walks me out. The whole time he’s talking on his mouthpiece, updating all the other people on the security channel about Andrea selling me out. He guides us straight towards an exit, and I fight out of his hold.
He stops and pulls this face at me. I think it’s his version of incredulous disbelief with a dash of ‘not fucking happening’.
Schooling my features and swallowing the panic that would make me sound way too dramatic, I borrow his nod to set some ground rules. “I’m not leaving without Puck. Not with Sharlene lurking around the corridor like some nefarious villain ready to body snatch him.”
“He’ll be fine. He can look after himself,” Rhodes barks as he glares hard at me.
“Not happening.”
“I’m not leaving you here,” he hisses.
“That works, but at the same time, I’m not leaving, so I guess you’re staying too.” I smile sweetly. Not bitchily nor sassy. Okay, maybe there’s a small tongue in cheek in my mannerism. Rolling my eyes, I suggest a workable solution. “Phone Koz,” I say firmly despite him getting all alpha-y on me. “If he tells you to pick me up and drop my ass in the car, then by all means you can give that a try. Word up, my foot will be going in your nuts. The other option is you back up and do your thing and keep me safe while I watch Puck play the last half.”
“Goddamnit!” He snarls. Rhodes glares for a minute or two while he argues with himself before he grunts and returns his arm protectively as he all but bum rushes us to our seats, earning us a million dirty looks. He refuses to sit until he sees Frank racing through the crowd.
Puck sees the commotion, and I start mouthing off that I’m okay as he skates closer.
“What?” he mouths, throwing his hands up in question. I give him a roll of my eyes as my answer, telling him with a shoo to get his ass back in the game. There is no way Sharlene will make a scene now, way too many witnesses. She did what she wanted to do, which was try to put the wind up me and maybe if it was pre-heat I’d be a quivering mess, but those boys left me full of endorphins and feeling like I could conquer the world.
Rhodes sits ramrod straight in the seat next to me, his phone never leaving his ear for the entire quarter. But then again, I think he realises how much shit is going to hit the fan if he can’t locate Andrea before Koz gets out.
It’s the last nine minutes of the game, and I’m already thinking of the ways Puck and I can celebrate. My thoughts are also occupied figuring out what else to add to give to Heidi in the Scorned Girls chat about Hayes and the new information on the baby, when I hear the first gasp.
