Hendrix pushes the Range Rover’s V12 twin turbos to their limits. We weave and flow through the light traffic to the opposite side of town. Simona is loose and semi-alert as we come to the gates.
I run my fingers gently through her hair as we approach our destination. “Nearly there. Will you listen for me, Sin?”
She stretches, rubbing her face along the edge of mine as she sits up. Intrigue colours her eyes.
“Why?”
Hendrix is the one that answers. “Because, sweetheart, we’re starting everything today. And hiding nothing from you in the process.”
Dominic has his phone already connected to the car sound system. It rings a few times, and while we wait for the call to pick up, I cup my hands around her face and try to show her there’s nothing to be scared of.
“Welcome to the Phoenix Group,” a cheery male voice echoes through the cabin. “So we can direct your call to the right department, please listen carefully to the following options. Press one for Violence and Maiming. Press two for Alpha Assassinations ….”
Dominic scoffs.
Hendrix snarls before cutting the man off completely. “For fuck’s sake. How are you in business?”
The silence is instant before the man on the other end speaks animatedly. “I feel that’s a rhetorical question. And since you’ve already been in communication with us, asked for our help, and paid us a rather colossal sum of money, I feel it’s a waste of my time answering. We are in the service industry, however, so if I need to explain how The Phoenix Group continues to be the most successful bogey man in oursociety, a position we’ve held for decades now, I will. Because customer satisfaction is very important to us.”
And then he stops talking, and the car plunges into deathly quiet.
Simona giggles, breaking the tension. She wiggles out of my tender hold and reaches Hendrix’s shoulder. Having her hand on him settles his building aggression and frustration. He even turns to her, a look of relief on his face as obvious as the smile on hers.
“Please. Just give us confirmation you have set up a team around our building,” Dominic interrupts, keeping us on track. Like he always does.
There’s a melodramatic gasp from the stereo. “Is that you, Counsel?”
“You know it is. Stop wasting time. Time I could be spending caring and tending our Omega, as opposed to listening to you act like a clown when all I need is a confirmation of you doing what you promised.”
Drama oozes through the speakers. “Yes, we heard you were courting an Omega. When do we get to meet her? Or is it him? Either way, we could arrange an introduction at our next conference. We’d definitely visit your office in person if that’s the case, Dominic.”
“Over my dead body,” Hendrix hisses, mirroring the strike of my own whiplike anger at the thought of Sin being anywhere near the Phoenix Group. Unless it was by her choosing.
“Ohhhh, so you’ll be pressing three for Alpha Assassinations? Although we wouldn’t actually accept a contract to take ourselves out. That would be bad for business.”
The man on the phone is having way too much fun. Another voice joins him, and they both are laughing before the call hollows out. It’s followed by the pinging alert of a text.
“I swear, Dom, your fees better go up exponentially for absolutely any work you do for them,” Hendrix snaps.
“You work for the Phoenix Group?” Simona’s shock makes her swing her gaze back my way as she looks for confirmation.
Dominic beats me to answering her. “We’ve got contacts everywhere, and lots of friends in dangerous places. We will use every one of them to keep you safe, and happy.”
Then it’s my turn to look in shock at the Omega sitting on my lap. I knew Dominic was smitten but hearing him speak with such gentle reverence only confirms how right she is for our Pack.
Simona releases another big exhale, her warming scent rushing down my throat. She settles back against my chest, staying quiet in a happy calmness as her heat starts to dig its claws deeper.
Exactly like she does to me, and boy, it feels incredible.
Chapter
Thirty-Five
SIMONA
“Are you okay?” Ryder asks, holding my hand tight as we wait for the others.
Before I can answer, I watch Dominic and Hendrix walk off without a backwards glance. My heart races, I know they’re not leaving but at the same time it feels like it.
