Page 50 of Vallaverse: Twist
“I'm not sure about the oil,” I gesture toward the bottle warming under the heat of the bedside lamp, “but I can still give you a very thorough rubdown.” I wink at him for effect, and he gives me a small smile.
“Why don't you just lie down with me instead?” he suggests. “I don't think I could pay attention to a movie, but I might like some music.”
“Whatever you want,” I say and lie down on the side of the bed I know isn't his. That's probably the only thing he's particular about.
Laz lies down and curls into my side, resting his head on my shoulder. “I'm sorry I'm so messed up,” he whispers after I turn off the lamp. “I'm trying to do better. I'm sorry I'm scared.”
I bend my head to kiss his hair. “Stop. You're exactly as you should be. Get some rest.”
We never get around to turning on any music. I'd rather listen to his relaxed breathing, anyway.
***
He was right, though. It's a good thing we didn't have music playing because in the early hours of the morning the exact thing he was so terrified of happens. The sound of the lock on the frontdoor being forced open might as well be a gunshot in the quiet of the house.
Laz sits straight up in bed, eyes too wide, breaths coming too quickly. “Brooks,” he hisses. “Oh god. Brooks.”
“Shh,” I hush. “I know. We're okay.” I silently get up out of the bed and give him a hard stare. “Stay right here. You can go into the closet if you think you need to, but do not go running through the house. I will take care of this. Don't worry, just stay out of sight. Understand?”
He nods.
“I am going out into the hall. Stay here. Stay quiet,” I whisper.
He nods again.
The hallway is empty, but I can hear someone walking around downstairs. I know every footboard in this house. I know which doors are inclined to squeak. The only person who knows this house as well as I do is Mrs. Richards. Whoever is downstairs doesn't care how much noise they make, or else they're the least stealthy person on the planet.
By the time I reach the bottom of the stairs, they're lumbering around the corner. There's a wide-eyed moment of pause before they make the choice to speak.
“I'm not afraid of you, Valla. I know what you did.”
I laugh. “You should be afraid of me because of what I did.”
He shifts his weight, trying to keep me trapped by the uneven footing behind me. “Being a Valla doesn't make you invincible. Kris owed me money. Lots of money. And I'm going to take it out of that whore Omega you've got hidden up there. I'll take my fill of him, and then I'll make back my money.”
A black haze closes over my vision at the mention of Laz. At least I'm home. I just hope Laz heeds my warning and stays out of sight until this is over and it's safe for him to come out. It's been a long while since my last incident, and this one has been building for a while now.
“Strike a nerve, did I?” he laughs. “Did the slut tell you about me? Did he tell you what he begged me to do to him? I had him for days. And now I'll have him until he's all used up. From what I hear, he's already close to that now.”
I don't really feel my arm move. I don't hear the sound that comes tearing out of my throat. I don't feel the moment that my hand makes contact with him. The last conscious thing that registers before everything is lost in a wave of black rage is the sound of the bedroom door slamming shut.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Laz
Closet my ass. Fear helps me shove the dresser in front of the bedroom door. Adrenaline gets the heavy bed pushed up against the dresser. I shut the closet door, but I hide behind the chair in the corner. There are enough clothes piled on it from my search for the perfect outfit earlier that I doubt I'll be seen, and anyone who makes it into this room will assume that my scent is coming from the clothes. They'll assume I'm in the closet because it's the only hiding place that makes sense. People hide under the bed or in the closet. Not me. Hopefully not being where anyone expects me to be will give me enough time to run. There could be other people waiting for me outside, but I have to take the chance that there won't be or that I can outrun and hide.
That's what my life is going to be now. The realization tightens my chest even more than it already is. Running. Forever. Because someone will always come for me. This guy is here because of Kris. Someone else will come because of him. Andsomeone else will come because of them. It will never stop. I will always have to run.
Brooks roars downstairs. The sound rattles the window a few feet away from me, and the glass on the nightstand vibrates against the surface.
Oh.
Oh no.
I didn't think of that.
I've been so focused on getting away from the Alpha who broke in that I didn't consider what might happen if Brooks kills him. He's Valla. I am his Omega, and I have been threatened. The Alpha doesn't stand a chance, but then Brooks is going to come for me. He's going to come for me in this enraged state. I've seen him lose control of himself before, but it has never been because I was threatened.
