CHA 4

His fascination has bought her a few extra days of life.

She was as surprised as he was when she found the poster that contained her photograph, and she responded to it in a manner he could not predict.

He could smell her terror as she ripped the paper in two, watching in shock as the fragments were blown away by the wind.

Before she saw the flyer, she was thrilled, with sparkling eyes and sweet-scented perfume as she laughed.

She fuckingly laughed, and it did something to him. Something he doesn't have time for.

But then, a shadow crossed her face when she saw the flyer.

He was amazed that Crayons Arthur would do something like this; it is not safe to deal with the public, especially when the reward being put up is in blood money.

It just proves that he is so desperate to see his daughter again.

Which will make his death all the sweeter.

How nice it would be, however, to have her back and kill her before Crayons Arthur.

Instead of doing it here, he could…

He could break her.

Ruin her.

Find out her secrets, then watch the life drain out of her eyes, forcing her to pay for her father’s sins.

You’re unhinged.

He can practically hear Dickson’s words in the back of his mind.

And maybe he is.

But spending hour after hour, day after day, determined to right a wrong, will do that to a person.

And now, Sama Arthur is the key to his salvation.

To finally letting it all go.

His last job.

He prolongs his stay at the only hotel in the god-forsaken town.

His trip was meant to be for a weekend, but he pays for another week.

He justifies that it's to ensure that everything goes according to plan.

Killing has never been an emotional matter for him.

It's business.

But if he is truthful to himself, he does not have a reason to keep tailed her to work.

There is no need for him to remain hidden in the shadows and watch her.

He can't even define it, but it's not yet time to kill her.

He gets a whiff of her honeyed perfume, even from where she is across the throngs, and it goes directly to his cock.

She shouldn't be so fragrant.

It's not fair.

His own inner Alpha stirs, angry that he isn't acting on the need to just take.

Instead, he stands there, transfixed.

She's an incredible actress.

She can produce emotions on her face, provide a happy smile to clients, and change the placement of her body to manage the situations.

Almost as skilled as he is.

But beneath all of that, the same old sadness from the candid shots comes through when she thinks that no one is looking.

And he wonders why she is so sad, and how she managed to cover up her hurt so long.

It makes him wonder what sort of dad Crayons Arthur is.

He growls, the rumble low in his chest as she laughs at a group of Alpha men, all obviously drunk. One extends a meaty hand over the bar and grasps her arm, pulling her closer. The smile still on her face, she struggles out of his grip, pushing herself back and making more of her rounds.

She fails to catch the men exchanging a look.

Mine.

"Hey, Dean Wason!" a voice calls out.

He approaches Alex Henry face-to-face, who smiles flirtatiously at him. Clad in a pink mini-dress and sky-high silver stilettos, she shimmies towards him, and he smiles back at her with one of his own.

"Hey, you," he drawls. "Not working tonight?"

Nope, just stopped by to hang out," she answers, smiling brightly. Her Omega smell is light and sweet, but nothing compared to the divine smell of Sama Arthur's.

And, with Alex Henry blocking his path, he loses track of the men who kidnapped her.

"Sama Arthur's working though, you should come and say hi to her!"

Come and say hi.

If Alex Henry knew what brought him there, she would never utter those words.

But he keeps the smile upon his lips, charming his target's best friend. "I don't think she likes me," he says to her.

The Omega shakes her head and rolls her eyes. "She's reserved. But she's a great person, and you're interested in her."

He scoffs inside.

Oh sure, he's 'interested.' Just not the way Alex Henry imagines.

He glances over his shoulder towards the bar, hoping to catch a glimpse of auburn hair, but she's not there. Two other brunettes are now preparing drinks.

Shit. Where did she go?

"What's so special about her?" He finally decides to ask, curiosity besting him.

At his inquiry, the hardness in Alex Henry's eyes dissolves. "Everything," she says to him. "She's smart and one of the kindest people I've ever known. She's experienced a great deal of horrible things, but they haven't killed her."

He considers her words, weighing them in his mind.

"What was it with her?"

There is growing fear in his belly, and he fights the urge to destroy anyone who hurt her.

Alex Henry shakes her head. "That's not my place to reveal. It's hers, if she ever does choose to reveal it. I'm just saying you gazed at her like no one has ever gazed before."

He still has the stunned expression on his face, amazed at how far off the little Omega is.

He's a wolf, ready to pounce.

And Alex Henry doesn't have a clue.

She thinks he can do good for Sama Arthur.

Oh, how wrong she is.

But he turns it around in his favor.

"What time does she finish up tonight?"

Alex Henry glances in the direction of the bar. "She just finished up just now, actually. You want me to call her and have her stay back?"

The Alpha who kidnapped her is nowhere to be seen.

He is not in the club.

A primal urge pulls at his chest, at his very essence.

She may be harmed, and not by him.

Only I can hurt her.

"Fine, I have to go anyway," he tells Alex Henry, giving her a wink. "Later. And say hi to her for me."

Alex Henry pouts, her bright pink lips pressed together. "Aw, okay. Sounds good. Come back soon, okay?"

He nods. "Will do."

He pushes through the crowd and out of the front door, not paying any heed to the security guards.

Sama Arthur

Dean Wason hasn't shown up in a few days, and it's for the best.

She steers clear of the ache in her chest every time she glances around the club and doesn't spot him.

It's better this way, she tells herself.

But, horrifyingly, she misses him.

She didn't need to keep the plastic smile plastered on her face with him.

He looked at her like he actually saw her. Like he could see beyond the horse crap.

And her secret Omega cries in longing when his face fills her mind.

But she cannot risk going off her plans for the sake of her womb knotting every time she remembers the sound of his voice.

And he is trouble.

It would be better for her if he never came back.

But tonight is special.

She can swear she smells him, the leathery, comforting smell of leather mixed with spicy heat.

She's certain he's somewhere nearby, mingling with the masses.

What if he's with someone in a VIP room?