The Layn security officer’s ears tilt forward. The lawyers freeze. Loora mutters, “Jeez.”
He means every terrible promise. And the omega in me loves it. There. I admit it. I love knowing his violence is triggered by my injury. Someone hurts me, and it becomes the last mistake they ever make. It is every morally questionable fantasy I should not admit to having, delivered in seven feet of blue angry alien.
Except…
If Skylor storms ahead now, Todd wins. The stain will be on my mate, not Todd. And uh, hell no. I’m not allowing that. I slide my hand from Skylor’s chest.
“No,” I say. His gaze snaps to mine. It should scare me. It totally doesn’t. Not now or ever.
His jaw flexes. “He deserves ruin.”
“He does.” I step closer until we share the same breath. “And I am not asking you to stand down because I want you weaker. You’re my alpha, and I accept that. Want that. I want all of you. The prince. The Alpha. The male who could destroy Todd and make everyone afraid to say my name.”
The gold in his eyes burns so bright, I swear the lights dim around him.
“But.” I turn my face toward Todd’s file. “This part is mine.”
The bond flares. Dark. Possessive. Hungry.
“If you crush him before I answer MacArthur, he gets the headline he wants. Alien prince silences critic after mating editor. Athena becomes exactly what he said it was.”
Skylor’s expression does not change, but the bond shifts. Rage becomes calculation. Brilliant and dangerous. Listening.
“I’m not asking you to leave me alone in this,” I say. “I’m asking you to stand beside me, not in front of me.”
Silence cuts through the conference room. Skylor stares at me. His eyes flicker in ways I can’t read. So I wait.
I stare back.
No long speech. No rehashing every overwhelming thing he has done since the bite. This is different. This is us deciding what together means when someone else lights the match.
His hands curl at his sides. His nostrils flare. “You want my restraint?”
“Yes.”
His eyes darken. “That one is expensive.”
“I know.”
His mouth almost curves.Almost. “And what do I receive?”
The question slides into the room low and rough, sending my stomach into freefall. I lift my chin. The bond surges so hard my knees nearly soften. His hand rises to my throat, stopping just short of the mark.
“Beatrice.”
“You get what you already have. Your omega.”
His eyes flame, and this time I have no trouble reading them. I reach up and cover his hand with mine, pressing it briefly to my throat before letting go. “Help me beat him.”
His eyes burn into mine for a long, dangerous breath. Then he turns to the lawyers. “What does she require?”
The room bustles to life. One of the lawyers looks relieved enough to age backward. Loora’s mouth curves into a proud smile.
Skylor steps aside, and I take the seat at the head of the conference table. He stands behind my right shoulder. Not looming over me or caging me in. Close enough for the heat of him to pour down my back. Close enough that every person in the room understands he could still burn the building down if I gave him one nod.
Perfect.
I look at the lawyers. “Start from the beginning.”
