Page 130 of Cost of Courting

I do not like thinking about people he’s fucked. At all.

“You knew her?” I ask, shocked.

“Yeah, she’s a real piece of work. Helped get a whole heap of women I’d slept with to show it to the world, trying to discredit my family’s name,” Bailey mutters. “Wait, it’s the same omega?”

“It’s a small world,” I murmur.

We park the car blocks from the warehouse. The sun is bright, and we look like anyone else. Kingston opens the trunk and reveals a weapon stash. I grab a couple of knives and a gun.

Go back!

I start to sweat. “Let’s just think about this. We don’t know how many people are in there.”

“It’s a club, according to the information we’ve received, we should be able to slip in unnoticed.”

I’ve run out of excuses to stop their forward momentum. As we walk along the footpath, I try to think of something else to say, but only blind panic and the aggression of the three alphas walking with me throbs around me.

I see the door and mentally ready myself for this. We’ve done shit like this before. It should be easy. A quick in, get the job done, and get out.

We walk into darkness. I can’t see anything, but I can feel people in here. Instantly, I know this is wrong. All wrong. The throb of the music is too loud. It makes my teeth ache.

This is wrong. We’ve just fucked up so bad.

Selene’s scent finally vanishes from my mind, peeling back and leaving me with this hollow feeling. We fucked up.

I’m shoved in the back from behind, and I feel us stumble forward, deeper into the club.

The music that was so loud it was making my ears throb cuts off, and I hear the people around us shifting. There are a lot.

What the fuck is this? I grab my gun and hold it in my hand while I inhale the toxic combination of scents around us.

The lights come on, and I find that we’re surrounded, not by a couple of people but easily maybe fifty or sixty alphas.

Enough that we don’t have a hope in hell of fighting them off.

“Mael? Holy fucking hell, Mael. I can’t believe it’s you. I had no idea you were back.” Benson turns and nudges Hammer. “Look, it’s our old friend, Mael. He’s back for seconds.”

He was involved? I’m so shocked I almost can’t think of anything else.

Maybe I can get Bailey out. I yank Bailey behind us and turn, but our way is blocked off.

Fuck!

FUCK!

“I’m here to kill you,” Mael says monotonously. His fingers are twitching, and there’s a dangerous, musky edge to his scent.

“Well, I’d love to let you try, but, sadly, I’m not going to let you do that, Mael. You’re going to need to behave under my roof.” Benson laughs, this hideous, deep chuckle that ends with a snort and a wheeze.

Benson’s eyes are dilated, and I notice that his fingers tremble.

Great, they’re high, too.

I glance back at Bailey, who clenches his jaw and looks around. I wish I’d ignored them or stopped them.

I wish I’d called for help.

Selene, I’m sorry.

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