Page 21 of Vallaverse: Twist
I don't understand any of this, but the longer I sit here replaying every moment since I first saw him again at the fight a few weeks ago, the angrier I get. Oh, I am beginning to roll in my anger.
She's abusing him. And even if she isn't, she's allowing someone else to. That much is obvious.
Why was she so adamant that Laz and I have a reunion?
I have to make some calls. I don't care if the sun is barely over the horizon. I need answers, and the quickest way to get them is to call on people I never hoped to speak to again. I don't care. I'll find out what's happening to Laz. Whatever the cost to myself, I will find out because he needs help. He needs it badly enough to call me.
Three days later I have my answers. Or enough of them to make enough assumptions to buy another godforsaken, miserable fucking plane ticket.
“Do you have everything you need?” Mrs. Richards asks, handing me a small carry-on bag.
I nod. “I don't need much. I'm just going up to check on him. Nothing major.”
She arches a brow. “And I don't need to refresh one of the spare bedrooms?”
She's asked that question twice now, in different ways.
“No,” I tell her flatly. “That won't be necessary. And if it becomes necessary, I'll call. Don't trouble yourself.”
“Okay.” She smiles at me.
She's going to refresh a bedroom regardless of what I say. She has already decided what's going to happen in this situation, and she's going to prepare for it. Maybe she's right. I just hope she doesn't decide to open the bedroom directly beside my own.
“I made oatmeal cookies for the trip. They're in the bag.”
“With raisins?”
She gives me a look. “Don't be ridiculous.”
I smile at her. “Thank you.”
“Save him at least one.”
I sigh and kiss her cheek on the way out the door. She thinks this is going to be some grand romantic rescue. It won't be.
The flight gives me too much time to sit still and think. Iwantto drag Laz back home, kicking and screaming if necessary.Iwantto save him—from himself and everyone else. But Laz won't be saved if he doesn't want to be, regardless of the situation he's managed to put himself in, and I won't force it on him. I have never forced anything on him, and I won't now. If he's to be saved, it must be his choice.
This woman.
She's supposed to be his Alpha. But no decent Alpha would ever do the things she does. She's made a career of using Laz's body to move up in society. She uses him to create leverage. She uses him to make deals. She uses him to blackmail people.
When she first started, she was little more than a small-time under-the-table investment manager, somewhat like a bookie. Once she acquired Laz, she began moving ranks. He gave her a means and pathway to greater wealth, and with it came greater opportunity. Now, she's in the big leagues. Lawyers. Cops. Doctors. Mayors. Politicians. High-end crime bosses. Assassins. They all circle her because of Laz.
Laz is a prize, no doubt, but none of this circling is because they want to have him for themselves. None of it. She's used Laz to gain leverage over these people, and now a disgusting amount of money is involved.
She lets these people use him,her Omega,for money.
It's such an absurd thing to even consider. I could never let another person touch my Omega, much less fuck them for money. Hurt them for money. For social standing.
This plane cannot contain the rage seething inside me. I have to maintain a sense of calm if I am to do anything that will make a difference here. Laz called me because he knows I will help him. I can maintain my composure for that reason alone.
I will keep my temper at bay. I will maintain a calm demeanor. I will use every single one of the fucking breathing exercises my doctor has shoved at me. I'm going to need them to get throughthis flight because I cannot crash into this situation like a crazed lunatic Valla if I am going to find out exactly what is happening.
Chapter Ten
Laz
All I can do is wait.
