Page 47 of The Omega’s Nest

I need Leo. I can’t risk Leo.

“You’ll get changed, wait until Benji goes out front for a cigarette with the bouncers, then slip out. Leo picks you up, and you ride off into the sunset or whatever it is you two plan to do. Done.”

It sounds so easy. It’s not going to be that easy.

“Adrian,” Terry says, and his voice is gentle; it alarms me. “We can’t be sure we’re going to be able to keep buying your time like this.”

That’s a polite way to put it. But he’s right. This is the second night. I’ll be lucky if someone else hasn’t already been procured by Benji, or Benji’s decided to take me himself, for tomorrow night. It’s just not realistic. Especially since I’m now a “premium lay”—Erasmus’s words.

“Okay,” I say and give him the most reassuring look I can muster.

“Good.” Terry returns the smile. “Leo’s already in position. So, now we just have to wait. Get changed.”

My mouth drops open. “We’re doing this now?”

“The second that brute heads out front, we’re on,” Terry replies. “I’m going to sit at the bar and text you once we’re ready to roll. Stephen is already with your friend Tristan, ready to take my place here.”

“Okay,” I say faintly. A million scenarios are running through my head for how this could go wrong. Every single one of them ends with Leo dead. I can’t bear it. I’m shaking so badly I’m not sure I can get changed.

My phone pings. I grab for it like a lifeline. My sight has taken on the tunnel vision of the surreal—the world closing around me, the pounding of my heart loud above the sound of music and voices from downstairs.

A text from Leo. I swipe it open. My own feelings are so loud, I can barely feel his. I try to tune into his frequency as I swipe the message open.

It’s not a perfect plan. Something about the lack of preamble, the truth of it, penetrates the panic. And now that I can feel Leo, I feel his nerves. Not full-blown panicked like me, but definitely nervous.

The message bubble pops up. But we have to take the risk. I can’t wait. If someone else touches you …

As he’s typing I feel his rage swell inside me. And it’s not just rage, it’s pain. It’ll hurt me if someone else fucks me, but it’ll break Leo. His omega being bred by another alpha? There’s a possibility it’ll send him savage. And if he gets into that state, it’ll be even more dangerous than this plan—he might not ever come out of it.

Now I think about it—and I can’t believe I haven’t thought about it until right now—he won’t be able to stay away if that happens. He’ll do everything in his power to get to me. And then he’ll definitely be killed.

This really is the only plan. I take a deep breath in, and exhale long and slow. It shudders out of me, but I do it again, getting myself under control.

It’s ok. I can do this. I type and hit send.

Relief, a torrent of it like an almighty flood, cascades down the bond.

I’m going to be with you the whole time, Leo sends.

And now I’m flooded with warmth. It sparks the warm feelings inside me too, and I know he feels them.

One foot in front of the other until you get to me, okay?

I nod, blink rapidly. I can do this.

My fingers feel steadier when I type my reply. I’m on my way.

And a burst of love-affection-gratitude rushes through me from Leo.

“Ready?” Terry asks.

He’s standing now, giving me a deferential amount of space. He has the whole time he’s been here, aside from when he slapped that pill out of my hand.

“Yes,” I say, my voice firmer.

The curtain flutters and Tristan pokes his head in. I smile. Then I’m hit with a wave of sadness. This is the last time I’ll see him if this all goes to plan. I wish I could take him with me.

“None of that,” Tristan says and winks at me. He steps into the room, an alpha behind him I assume is Stephen.