We brought one of the standard vehicles, so we just have Mario up front as our driver, and Vanessa and I will be in the next row. I debated which vehicle to bring, but we needed the extra space from being able to put the back row of seats down.
“Vanessa, a moment,” Julian calls out from behind us.
I stop, spinning around to eye Vanessa’s father.
She frowns, glancing between the two of us. Her shoulders slump, and she asks, “Can you fit the pillows and quilt on top of those bins?”
I grunt, nodding my agreement, but I don’t want to leave her with her old man. Not even long enough for me to load up this small trip.
I cross the distance, and Vanessa piles her items on top of the bins. Moving fast, I head back to the SUV, shoving everythinginside. By the time I close the back hatch and make it around to the front of the SUV, she walks toward me.
Her lips push together as her eyebrows rise. “My father would like my phone, as well as my house and car keys. I let him know I don’t have them, so they’ll have to be returned at a later date.” Her eyes clench shut as her head shakes, but she quickly rights herself, striding closer.
“Vanessa,” Julian growls, taking several steps toward us. “I wasn’t done speaking with you.”
“You’re done for now. Call Moretti if you have anything else to say.” I meet Vanessa in the middle, take the bag from her, wrap my arm around her back, and lead her to the back door of the SUV.
The bag ends up on the floor between us, and once we’re settled in, Mario takes off.
“I didn’t know if I was supposed to mention that Moretti gave me a new phone. So I told him I left mine at the house since it was dead, and I didn’t have a charger,” Vanessa says, peeking at me like she’s looking for confirmation that she handled that properly.
“That was perfect.”
“I wasn’t even going to ask about keeping my car,” Vanessa says, staring out the window. “He’s just making sure I know I have nothing.”
“Yeah, well, fuck him,” I say before I can stop myself. “You don’t have to deal with their shit anymore, and you got the important things that you couldn’t replace.”
“Right.” Her head bobs in agreement, but she continues staring out the window.
This isn’t good.
I’m starting to feel protective over her in a way that’s beyond what’s necessary to do my job. That’s why it’s dangerous forunbonded alphas to spend time in close proximity to compatible unbonded omegas.
It probably doesn’t help that I’m not used to being around women, at least outside of when we’re at one of Moretti’s clubs. I never get too close to any of them, though.
Seeing Vanessa hurting claws at my insides like I’m about to Hulk out if I can’t figure out how to make her feel better. Something tells me she needs time and some distance from her family before she’ll start to come around, but in the meantime, maybe I can help a little.
“Are you still up for going shopping?” I ask. “Last time I was at the mall, there was an ice cream shop in the food court.”
She finally abandons her window view to spin in her seat to look at me. “It’s winter in Boston, and you want ice cream?”
Do I?
Not at all.
I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, but omegas do.
I shrug. “I could go for a cone,ifI had company.”
Shit.
Did that sound flirtatious?
Do I care if it did?
I’m not the type of person to kick someone when they’re down. Well, if it’s someone Moretti sent me to fuck up, I’d absolutely kick a motherfucker when they’re down. That doesn’t apply to women, though, so it’s irrelevant.
I don’t revel in watching anyone suffer emotionally, certainly not her. Watching her from afar, I always thought she was the one purposely causing chaos. Now I’m wondering if she’s just been trying to survive in the aftermath of her family’s decisions.
