Page 30 of Omega Untamed
But this place, this apartment, it didn’t fit.
“I thought you’d be richer.” I spoke with my mouth full, chewing rapidly.
A smoldering glance. Eyes darker than that wrinkled old guy who was his boss.
“I guess you spend a lot of time at the hotel and casino, then?”
“I have my own suite there.”
For some reason, that admission panicked me. I took another bite to hide my reaction. “So I’m going to be here on my own a lot, then?”
He didn’t answer but focused intently on preparing his food. Butter on the hot rolls, mustard and a sprinkling of onions on his patty.
The next bite of my own roll went down hard. I didn’t doalonevery well. I liked company. Using cash, I rented Omega-friendly apartments or hotel rooms only for sleeping. Otherwise, I was a party sort of guy. I found my way from Alpha to Alpha, house to house, very rarely alone.
“So, I guess silence meansyes.” I poked at my burger. “Burgers usually have buns. And stuff like lettuce, tomatoes and cheese.”
“By all means, I’ll go through McDonald’s next time.”
I took a bite of the meat. It was surprisingly tasty, seasoned and juicy. I wiped my mouth with a napkin and said, “What am I supposed to do all day alone? And for weeks, maybe longer?”
“I have a TV, a computer, video games.”
“But no phone.”
“I’ll have a simple burner phone for you to call me if you have any emergency.”
“Okay.” I drew the word out. My stomach went hard and twisty. I knew I was being a brat. It was either this or death. Bast had done a huge thing for me. But this was not a life.
“I could move. To another city.”
“Not far enough.” Bast sounded bored, his deep voice almost sleepy. Did I bore him? Was I just another chore?
“Another country?”
“Do you have a passport?”
I shook my head no. “And I can’t call any of my friends? Ever? Not even Tarin who just wants to know that I’m okay? In fact, maybe I could go stay there. He has a room for me. No one would have to know.”
“Does he live alone?”
“No.”
Bast made an annoyed sound and turned his head. “Have I not made myself clear on this matter? No one can know you’re alive. Not for a while anyway.”
“What about--”
“No one,” he repeated.
“But they wouldn’t have to know where I was.”
“Do you have a death wish?”
“But I--”
“Myre has people everywhere. Spies. Informants. Computer software that can hack CCTV. He has a facial recognition program at the tips of his fingers. You’ve lived on the streets since you were teen. Have you never heard of him?”
I hung my head. I’d been out of my mind for a long, long time. In fact, I didn’t pay attention enough to my surroundings, and rumors and gossip never interested me. Only money and fun. Sex and steam.
