Chapter 6

The bright lights cast the changing area in stark relief, leaving no way to hide what this part of the club is used for.

I clutch the delicate, white lace lingerie that had been thrust at me by the madam who oversees the boys who work in this part of the club. The material feels foreign against my skin. I've never worn anything like this before, and my heart races at the thought of what's to come.

Anxiety churns in my stomach, while deep down, I know I shouldn't be doing this. But I need the money. Even if I could find a new job right away, my first paycheck wouldn't come in time.

"Hey," says a soft voice from behind me.

I turn to see another Omega, a petite redhead with a kind smile.

"Take this." He holds out a small white pill. "Trust me, it'll help take the edge off."

I hesitate, staring at the tiny white tablet in his hand. Addiction destroyed my family, so I've always been wary of drugs. But I can't deny that I could use something to calm my nerves right now.

Swallowing hard, I reach out and take the pill from him, pressing it against my tongue with a shaky breath.

I force a weak smile. "Thank you."

"The first time is always the hardest." He pats my shoulder gently before leaving me alone once more.

With trembling hands, I change into the scrap of fabric, which does nothing to protect me from the chill in the room.

As I glance around at the other boys getting ready for the night, I catch sight of myself in the mirror. A stranger stares back, his slender form adorned in seductive clothing, his light brown eyes wide with fear.

I barely recognize myself, and anxiety claws at my chest. The weight of the situation presses down on me with suffocating intensity. My eyes close, and I take steadying breaths, willing the drugs to kick in faster.

This will only be a one-time thing. I just need enough money to pay off Gino, then I can find a new job. After tonight, I'll never have to do this again. The thought provides little comfort, but it gives me something to cling to as the minutes tick by.

"Leo?" the madam calls out, jolting me from my thoughts. "You're up."

"W-Who's my customer?" I stammer, trying to quell the tremors in my voice.

"Richard Ballcrest." Her foot taps against the laminate floor with impatience. "He specifically requested you for tonight."

My heart plummets into the pit of my stomach, and acid rises in my throat. I'm going to be sick. After what happened in the parking lot, the mere thought of being alone with Rich in one of those back rooms sends waves of terror crashing through me.

"No." I shake my head, backing away. "No, I can't… I won't go with him."

"Excuse me?" Her penciled-on eyebrows lift, and a hush falls over the room.

"I can't do it." I hold up my hands as she advances. "Please, anyone else. Just not him."

"Listen, Leo." She marches toward me, her voice cold and unsympathetic. "You don't get to choose your customers around here. If Rich wants you, he gets you. Understand?"

"Please…no." Tears prick at the corners of my eyes.

The drug I took earlier starts to take effect, making my limbs heavy and my thoughts hazy, but it does nothing to dull the sharp edge of panic slicing through me.

"Get yourself together." She grabs my wrist, her patience worn thin. "You're going in there whether you like it or not."

Her sharp nails dig into my flesh as she drags me out into the hall, my chest tightening with each step. If I go through with this, there will be no turning back, and that knowledge terrifies me more than anything else ever has.

My bare heels slide helplessly against the floor as I strain to escape. "No, no, no. Please, I changed my mind."

Gasps leave my lips, my panic attack growing stronger, making it hard to breathe. I feel like a helpless animal being dragged to slaughter.

"Enough!" She looks at me with a mixture of disgust and annoyance, as if my terror is nothing more than an inconvenience to her. "You're going into that room, and you're going to do your damn job. If you don't, I'll make sure you're on your back for the next three days. You can take all the customers who come in."

I try to take a deep breath, but the tightness in my chest refuses to let air into my lungs. Sweat trickles down my spine, and my legs tremble beneath me. How am I supposed to go through with this when every fiber of my being screams for me to run?

"Please, don't do this," I beg, tears streaming down my face.

"Shut up." Her palm cracks against the side of my face.

Pain blazes through my skull, and my vision swims, my body shaking so hard I would collapse without the madam's hold.

A cold voice cuts through the chaos. "What the hell is going on here?"

Through the blur of tears, I see Nolan striding toward us, his green eyes blazing with anger as they land on us. I've never seen him look so fierce before, and the sight sends a shiver down my spine. Tony hovers behind him, his face pale.

"Mr. Rockford," the woman stammers, releasing my arm as if burned, and I slump against the wall. "I'm sorry, sir. One of the new boys just has cold feet, but we'll get him broken in."

"Broken in?" Ice drips from Nolan's tone as he turns back to fix his angry gaze on Tony. "Is this how you run my club? By forcing Omegas to work back here?"

"Of course not, sir." Tony's face reddens. "Leo volunteered for this job, but you know how it is. He'll be fine once he gets started."

"Really?" Nolan's gaze shifts to me, his expression inscrutable. "Did you ask to work back here?"

I open my mouth to respond, but no words come out. While I didn't ask for this job, I did agree to it, and shame floods through me.

Behind Nolan's back, Tony catches my eyes, his expression promising retribution if I do anything but back up his statement.

My lips part, but the words won't come out, and tears leak down my cheeks.

Nolan turns back to Tony, his voice low and dangerous. "Did you even check to see if he's Marked?"

Caught off guard by the question, Tony blanches under his stare. "Marked? No, I didn't… Why would he be Marked?"

"All Omegas who work back here are supposed to go through health screenings before every shift," Nolan growls through clenched teeth. "Did you do that?"

Tony's eyes dart to the madam, who pales before grabbing for me. The hall spins and dips as she turns me to inspect my nape, where Nolan's Mark stands out as a vibrant red ring against my pale skin.

Tony's curses fill the hall. "I swear, I didn't know. If I did, I never would have let him back here."

"You should have known!" Nolan roars, his anger crashing like waves around me. "What would have happened if his Alpha found out about this? Are you trying to get me sued?"

The waves continue to crash through my body, and a strange, prickling warmth fills my limbs, intensifying with each passing second.

Why is Nolan pretending he's not the one who Marked me? Does he not remember doing it? Were the last three days just a fever fantasy brought on by my Heat?

Panic shoots through me. No, that was real. Wasn't it?

My breathing turns shallow and uneven, vision blurring at the edges, and my legs fold beneath me.

Strong arms catch me, and a familiar, welcome scent fills my lungs.

"Leo?" Nolan grips my jaw, lifting my face to his. Concern fills his face, followed swiftly by rage as he looks back at the madam. "Did you give him drugs?"

Their voices fade in and out with the rush of waves in my ears, and distantly, I realize it's my pulse beating so fast that my heart feels ready to explode.

My feet float off the ground… No, wait, that's Nolan picking me up and cradling me in his arms. My head lands heavily on his chest, the thunder of his heartbeat melding with the crash of blood in my veins.

A sense of safety envelops me. Despite my current state, nothing bad will happen to me as long as Nolan is here.

My eyes close, blocking out the world, and I focus on the heartbeat beneath my cheek.

A sense of motion flows past me, and I force my eyes open, catching sight of the employee room and Phoenix's worried expression before my lashes flutter down.

A shock of cold follows, then the smell of leather and Nolan's pheromones.

Warm hands grip my shoulders, and Nolan shakes me. "Leo, look at me."

I try, but my eyelids refuse to open again.

"Look at me." The Command in his voice demands a response, and my lashes flutter, his face swimming in and out of focus.

We're in his car.

My head lolls to the side, and I stare at the back of the driver's head. "Is he going to watch us again?"

Nolan grips my chin, drawing my attention back to him. "Leo, I need you to tell me what drug you took."

I struggle to focus. "You fucked me in front of your driver."

"Yes, I did," he says without a hint of shame. "And that's why I need to know what drug you took. It could affect the baby."