Forgoing a shower here for a million reasons, all tied to the Beta, I grab my bag, stuffing everything inside, only leaving out my hoodie and phone. As I lift my phone, an alert lights up the screen, and then there's a steady stream of them, all training sessions with Tynan.
Tynan. My Omega sighs.
And that’s my final straw. Pulling my hoodie on and leaving the hood on to hide in, I walk over to the reception desk, stopping but not looking at him. I mean, I glance at him quickly, but I focus on my phone as I speak.
“I’ll have to see what my schedule is like. I can accept or reject these appointments in the app, right?”
“I’ve given you options.”
Obviously. The twenty or so sessions he put in for me kind of gave that away.
“Cool,” I mumble before lifting my eyes and looking at him properly, holding my hand out to do what I should have done before I started acting like a lunatic. “Tynan, I’m Tally. Like I said before, I appreciate your help tonight. When I get home, I’ll go through these.” I hold my phone up with the hand he isn’t still gripping.
His touch is warm. Super warm and does things touches shouldn’t do. Pulling my hand free, I’m out the door before I can embarrass myself any further, and the whole time, my Omega is lamenting my control.
I haven’t been thrown like this for a while. The way he’s gotten under my skin is disarming. Now I just have to work out why. Besides the scent-matched thing.
There are a lot of people on the street, and I weave my way through the crowds, all about to hit the clubs by the looks. Seeing everyone carrying on, talking about the night they’ve got planned, takes me back to Genoa. Fun times with Alphas occupy my mind all the way back home, giving me something besides trying to figure out who’s following me to focus on. Once I’m safely locked inside, with food heating in the microwave, I send off a quick email to Joe to let him know I’m still alive.
Then, instead of sitting out in the main room, I sit in bed with my takeout container in my lap. I intentionally sit in the dark while I eat, and it doesn’t take long—perhaps only five minutes of waiting—before the lights come on at my neighbor’s place across the street.
Tynan’s home.
I seriously have to fight with myself not to climb out of bed and stand in plain sight while holding a sign saying “do you recognize me now?” I mean, it sounds perfect in my head, but then I get caught up wondering what his reaction would be and miss the chance.
It takes a while to fall asleep. My cheek throbs and my legs are jumpy after running too hard on the treadmill. I’m starting to drift off when I get an alert on my phone.
The message comes from a false account. At first glance, it looks like a notification for a sale at an Omega store. The first few links are real, taking you to the actual store, but it’s the one second from the bottom that I click on.
Even then, the information I’ve been sent appears like a news article in case anyone is checking. And, yeah, my contact is going to extremes, but at the same time, the people I’ve been assigned to bring down are known for being thorough themselves.
An event is coming up. An underground auction with everything a player in the criminal world would want. A night sure to bring together some of the bigger players.
Lucky for me, I’ve already got half a foot in the door because I’d put money on this being the same thing that Walsh spoke to me about.
I lie back down, spending a few minutes deleting the message from my browser history, as well as doing a general sweep for any cookies that might have attached themselves to my accounts. Instead of being more wound up at the news, the promise of something happening is like giving me a cup of warm milk. I’m out before the count of ten.
In the morning, Walsh messages me with the details for the job. Sending him back an appropriately gushy thank you message, as well as confirming I’ll take him up on his offer of “paid protection,” I clear out any unnecessary distractions—i.e., one-on-one training with Tynan.
The next couple of days pass with me sucking up to Walsh while I work my shifts with Johnny, and me avoiding Tynan at the gym when I work out. At night, I stay far away from the window.
Wednesday arrives, and I spend the morning at a beauty salon, getting a wax, then a spray tan—at Walsh’s suggestion, of course. After grabbing a smoothie, I use the free bus to loop around the city a few times, before catching a cab to the post office to collect a parcel that was couriered especially for the event. I already know what’s inside the bag, and it’s not a new dress from Boho, as the packaging suggests.
I don’t open it until I’m ready to leave for the event. The tap device is small, one of the newer models.
Walking to the mirror in panties, a strapless bra, and tall heels, I spin around, pulling my hair up and letting it fall down before practicing a couple of bends in front of the mirror. There’s nothing to see; the small listening device stashed in my panties is impossible to see. I picked out a couple of stitches on the ribbon that sits on the side of my hip. Thankfully, the inch of fabric is wide enough to slide the device inside.
Leaving the transmitter on, I get dressed in the uniform Walsh handed over yesterday when he walked me out after my shift. It’s pretty much what I expected—a strapless white lace bodysuit that’s high cut to expose plenty of skin, even when coupled with the tight black pencil skirt. The slim black bow tie around my neck finishes off my uniform. I don’t need to check in the mirror to know I’m going to be flashing my cheeks to the world anytime I reach for something.
It’s absolutely freezing outside, but Walsh was insistent that I don’t bring anything with me. No phones, no jackets, nothing. Thankfully, I only have to wait a few minutes at the place where we agreed he could pick me up. I mean, there’s no way I’m letting him know where I live. I don’t trust him as far as I can kick him.
He leans across the front seat to open the door for me. “You scrub up real good, Tally.”
I swallow down the snark that burns on my tongue as I shut the door. I don’t need to check to know he’s still by my side; I can feel him looming way too close. Fumbling with the seat belt, I pull it up high and twist around accidentally-on-purpose, whacking him on the shoulder.
“Oh my god, I am so sorry.” I gasp, adding even more distance between us when I turn and lean my back against the door.
“Whoa.” He rubs his arm, a playful smile on his face. “You been working out, girl? You’re looking fit and strong.”
