Chapter 11: Lennox

Chapter Eleven

Lennox

I ’ve been coasting without any real purpose since leaving New York, partly because the security team required me to stay hidden. They literally wouldn’t let me leave the house where we hunkered down in New Jersey. They took my phone, and I never got it back.

I lost every friend’s and family member’s information that I didn’t have stored in my brain. Even the numbers I could have looked up, like my job, they prevented me from calling.

I couldn’t explain to my coworkers why I wouldn’t be back, even though they had become close friends. And I know why I had to follow so many protocols and give up so much of my own life.

It was for a worthy cause.

Keeping Brooklyn and my niece Liberty safe was more important than anything else.

At the same time, I’m only human. Depression hit hard, especially when I heard Brooklyn found her pack. Her life was finally coming together, while mine was falling apart.

It was the most isolated I’ve ever felt.

I didn’t even have my sister close by to give me a hug.

It ended up being a really dark time for me, and that was only compounded by feeling like Thorne played me in every way.

As the music pounds through the club’s speakers, I finally start to feel more like myself.

It’s even busier than last night, but that’s a good thing. I barely have a chance to get stuck in my feelings. Working at the strip club in New York, the highlight of any night was when Thorne would walk through the door.

Serving drinks at Dry Dock is a different atmosphere, but it’s easy enough to fall into a routine. No one even questions me when I pull out my phone to check my math on every check.

Bear does keep a close eye on me as I work, though. It could feel insulting, like he doesn’t trust me to do the job, but in reality, it just makes me feel safe.

Every time I glance in his direction, his eyes shine back at me.

It’s intense, yet my stomach flutters in the best way.

An omega is always going to feel safest with an alpha at their back. Even more so with a pack of alphas.

I grab the drinks I’ve been waiting on without bothering with the heavy tray. This table only has two cocktails to deliver, and the tray makes it more difficult to weave through the crowd.

My entire body jolts as I spot the guys I was with last night. They’re at the table next to the one I’ve been serving.

Placing the glasses down in front of the guys at my table, I purposely don’t make eye contact with Jake and…

I forgot the other guy’s name.

I think it was Mike, or maybe Mitch.

Could have been Mark.

It doesn’t matter.

My gaze darts around, looking for Bear, but for the first time all night, he’s otherwise engaged. He’s got a clipboard, and he’s signing something. It seems like maybe he’s accepting a delivery.

There’s a man on the customer side of the bar who hands Bear several sheets of paper.

Either way, he’s busy with actual work.

I make it to the corner of the bar. Instead of walking around and getting in the bartender’s way, I head toward Bear’s office.

Who knows why my instincts pull me in that direction, but I’m sure he’ll notice I’m missing and come looking.

Also, his office has a door with a lock.

I glance back, and my heart stalls as I catch sight of the men from last night. They do appear to be following me.

My head whips forward as I pass the bathrooms.

“Whatcha running from, honey?” Jake asks, laughing.

“You didn’t need to sic Bear on us if you weren’t interested, but it sure seemed like you were,” Mike or Mark says.

Someone grabs my wrist, spinning me around to face them.

My heart thunders as Jake looms over me. He’s not an unattractive guy, but something in his energy has my instincts on edge.

“I-I’m sorry about last night.” I exhale heavily, trying to center myself, so they don’t scent my fear. “I drank too much?—”

“That’s fine.” Mike laughs. “You can make it up to us tonight.”

“I’m going to say this exactly one time—take your slimy hands off my omega,” Thorne growls, coming around the corner into the hallway.

He strides forward without hesitation while I blink like an idiot.

Mike—who might actually be Mark—and Jake both turn to see what’s happening, but Jake doesn’t release my arm. In fact, his grip grows painful when he yanks me with him as he moves.

Thorne always looks dangerous, but his energy screams that he’s a threat.

I saw a lot working at the club in New York, including Thorne executing two men for Avan Barrett.

Or rather, under Barrett’s orders.

Jake and Mike don’t know that, but they should be able to sense Thorne’s demeanor.

Thorne moves nearly faster than my eyes can comprehend. His fist flies at Mike’s throat. The other man pulls an arm up, slamming Thorne’s hand down, but Thorne spins and kicks Mike in the hip.

My eyes widen as he grabs Mike’s shoulders, bending him parallel with the ground. Thorne’s knee comes up, connecting with Mike’s stomach as he slams the other man’s head into the wall.

Mike slumps, looking a little dazed but still conscious.

Thorne spins to face us as he smirks. “Your two-second grace period is up.” He grabs Jake by the front of his T-shirt and headbutts him in the nose while simultaneously prying Jake’s hand off my arm.

I stumble backward as Mike struggles to his feet and takes a swing at Thorne from behind. He connects with Thorne’s ribs, but Thorne tosses an elbow back at the same time as ducking and pivoting. He slams a palm into Jake’s solar plexus and continues turning until he faces Mike.

It’s all very aggressive.

Typical alpha posturing.

And yet, my damn nipples throb as Thorne continues to defend himself against the two attackers.

My entire body pulses with heat, and my stomach aches with a powerful wave of cramps.

The hallway has dim lighting, but everything goes hazy as Jake hits the floor.

Thorne stands, stretching his neck from side to side. I’m not sure what I missed, but he has a cracked lip with a little dribble of blood. He didn’t even lose the baseball cap.

My head tilts.

That must be why I never spotted him.

He prowls closer, and my body instinctively backs away until my shoulders hit the wall behind me.

“Are you okay?” he asks, coming to a stop only inches away from me. His nostrils flare as I rub at my stomach, trying to fight the urge to pounce on him.

I don’t care if it’s wildly inappropriate.

That was hot.

“Hank,” Bear growls from farther down the hallway. “Get everyone out! We’re closed for the night.” He stomps closer, and my eyes widen as he doesn’t even blink at the two unconscious bodies. “I don’t know who the fuck you are, but take a step back before I break your neck.”

Thorne smirks and raises an eyebrow, like he’s asking if I’m going to de-escalate this situation or if I’d rather watch him and Bear go at it.

That could be hot, but it doesn’t hold the same appeal. Watching Thorne clean the floor with those jerks was one thing. It would give me no joy to see him and Bear fight.

“Bear, this is Thorne,” I say, mouth breathing to avoid being smacked with either of their scents. “Rush didn’t happen to mention him?”

Bear growls, the sound echoing around the hallway. “Why do you smell like that?”

“I don’t know,” I blurt out. “Is it a bad smell?”

“No, but I feel like there’s a good chance I’m going to have to kill some people on the way back to the bed-and-breakfast.” Bear sighs, elbowing Thorne out of the way. “Let’s get you settled into my office while I make sure everyone clears out.”

“I’ll stay with her.” Thorne grins in the way he knows makes my brain melty.

“Oh, no.” Bear shakes his head. “You knocked those two on their asses, and that means it’s on you to remove them from my property.”

Thorne snorts. “Can I toss them out the emergency exit?”

“I couldn’t care less how you get them out of here,” Bear says, stepping past him. “Just handle it.” He stretches around me to pop open the door to his office.

The look on his face is expectant, and my stomach wobbles at the thought of disappointing him.

I scurry inside to the sound of Thorne’s low laughter.

What the hell does he think is so funny?

Ugh.

Bear guides me to the corner cushion on the couch. I take a seat, pulling my feet up beside me. I’m barely settled before Bear tosses a jacket over my legs and chest and literally tucks it around my frame.

He squats down in front of me and pats my thighs over the coat.

“Tell me what happened?” He moves a huge hand to cradle my cheek, and I try to focus enough to speak.

My thoughts are hazy, at best, and everything tumbles out in a possibly incoherent ramble.

“…of all people, it had to be Thorne. He’s already cocky enough, but damn, he smells nice. You do too.” My head bobbles up and down as I nuzzle my face to his wrist. “So, so, so very good.”

“Ahh, shit.” He sighs, moving to brush the backs of his fingers over my forehead. “Did The Exchange tell you what to do if your heat happened to sneak up before they had a slot available for you?”

My eyes widen while my chest rises and falls with rapid pants.

No wonder my mouth won’t stop watering while my instincts scream to lick his scent from his skin.

If that doesn’t help, I should definitely convince him to let me suck him off.

He can come on my tongue…or my tits.

I’m not picky.

It would only be one extra step to scoop it off my skin and get it to my taste buds.

A painful wave of cramps slams through my abdomen, causing a low moan to escape my lips.

“Little one, tell me what to do,” Bear says, his tone laced with concern.

“You’re supposed to take me to your house, so I can nest,” I blurt out before I can hold back the words. My lips part as I stare up at his expressive eyes. “That’s what I want to do. You can snuggle with me…”

Bear doesn’t blink as he studies my face. He gives a clipped nod, and I finally feel like I can breathe.

“Thank God,” I whisper. “I think I would have burst into tears if you said no.”

He chuckles. “Oh, little one, like I could deny you anything.”