Page 36 of Our Deceptive Heat

I frown down at him. Those dark eyes seem to reach in and see the fear. He opens his mouth, but Digs growls.

“Mako, take your seat. We’re about to land.”

He unfolds his tall body, gives me another long, penetrating glare, and heads back to his seat.

I quickly put my things away and swallow tightly. The dinner is tonight. I can’t go tonight, I can’t meet these alphas. It’s too soon. I had more time!

I inhale and close my eyes as we land. It feels like it takes forever.

The whole time, I pray for the plane to crash.

My dress is notconservative at all. It’s black and hugs my figure. It’s far more daring than I’ve ever worn. I wish to every single word I’ve ever written that I’d packed just one conservative dress or that the shops were open when we landed.

I look amazing.

I hate it, just looking in the mirror was nauseating.

The walk down to the foyer takes forever, and then I’m suddenly there, and inside, I’m screaming. I scan the hotel lobby, searching for help. I even think I spot Mako, but that’s impossible. They should be singing their asses off on stage right now.

Standing inside the restaurant is an alpha, and he is impossible to miss. Except he’s not at all what I expect. He’s…old.

The alpha spots me, and he frowns as he looks me up and down and flattens his lip in disapproval. It’s the first sign that something is really wrong.

Red flags start waving in a hurricane wind.

“Miss Raines?”

I smile and hold out a hand. “Nice to meet you, Alpha Ellin.”

“Ellis,” he snaps. His eyes rove over my figure, and his lips tighten further. He is severe, his expression, his dark eyes, and his steel grey hair. He looks like he’s my father’s age.

I am afraid of this alpha. The aura he’s projecting is one of cruelty, and I don’t want to be near him. One thing I’ve gotten good at over the years is trusting my judge of character.

I force a smile and turn to the other two alphas who have approached and patiently waited their turn. I do not even let a hint of the panic I’m feeling show as I hide my shock at the visage of the other two.

“Bently and Yardly,” Bently says. He’s got a pot belly and so much hair product in his hair that it looks wet. He’s also older than my father, with straggly whiskers and a rasping cough.

Bile races up my throat. Dad is giving me to these old men? He can’t do this, oh, god. I need to run; I need to get away. Calm, you have time. You just need to survive right now.

Yardly leers at me, and I think if we weren’t in a restaurant, his face would drop right into my cleavage. He doesn’t even say anything, and I’m fairly certain he’s drunk, judging by the smell that’s wafting off him. He’s got a wide chest that tapers into obscenely thin hips and a large hooked nose. His cheeks have burst red capillaries, and the red skin shines with oil. He’s terrifying, especially the way he’s leering at me.

He bobs his head at my cleavage, and I want to die.

I smile politely and hope to everything that my mask stays in place. I’m going to need it to survive this dinner.

“This way, then.” Ellis leads the way, and the three sit down at an intimate booth.

I stand there, waiting for instruction like the well-trained bitch my dad created. I want to fidget but know better.

They look me over. This time, their inspection is more intense. My skin crawls, and I break out into goosebumps.

“Turn,” Yardly barks out. The alpha command shocks me, but I’m helpless to resist. It is such an incredible sign of disrespect to use your bark on someone in this way.

My feet obey of their own accord, turning me slowly. My eyes fill with tears as I fight it and fail to break free.

“She’s pretty. Young. Good connections,” Yardly slurs.

The three of them study me again, longer this time.

---