Page 7 of Gold Sector
“A certain meeting?” he presses, his arms folding over his mostly bare chest.
I consider my schedule for a moment and curse. “Riordan.”
“Yes, that would be the one,” my brother drawls. “I highly doubt the Alpha Prince of Jasper Sector will appreciate a last-minute schedule change.”
My jaw clenches again. Onyx isn’t wrong. Riordan isn’t exactly known for his patience or his understanding nature.
Oh, he’s a fantastic ally.
But a colossal pain in my ass otherwise.
“Can you take the call without me?” I ask Onyx. “It’s about trade routes.”
“I know what it’s about,” he replies, giving me a look that says he’s a bit offended by my meeting-topic clarification. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”
I frown at him. “You know how I feel about the negotiation. If he wants access to the Black Sea, then I want access to Gibraltar.”
He rolls his eyes. “I meant about the Omega, Rumpelstiltskin. You know better than to leave me on a call alone with Riordan, yet you’re risking me jeopardizing our diplomatic relations for a female you just met. I want to know what you’re thinking.”
“I’m thinking it’s time for you to get over your little rivalry with Rio and grow a pair, Silverstiltskin,” I retort, throwing the nickname at him in retaliation for him calling meRumpelstiltskin. It’s been an ongoing joke between us since we were kids. But sometimes he uses the name to goad me.
Which is precisely the purpose now.
I can see the intent in his glittery irises.
“She’s under your skin. Is it her scent? Her curvy little body? That waterfall of silver-black hair?” He runs his gaze over me like he’s evaluating a test subject. “I know it wasn’t her eyes since she never looked up from the ground. So I’m guessing tits and ass.”
My beast growls a little inside me, disliking the crude analysis. Or maybe my dragon is reacting to the combative energy pouring off my brother. “Are you trying to challenge me for her?” I wonder aloud. “Is that what this is?”
His eyes widen, all playfulness disappearing from his features. “Shit, I was joking, but this Omega really does have you by the knot, doesn’t she?”
My jaw ticks. “I don’t even know her, Onyx,” I grit out.
“And yet, you’re throwing off waves of possessiveness the entire fucking sector can probably feel right now.”
I fold my arms over my still-bare chest, the magical gold adorning my shoulders and biceps flexing and shifting with the movement. “I want to oversee the Omega’s evaluation to determine what she’s hiding.It’s my job to protect this sector, and that means knowing and understanding everything and everyone within my boundaries. Now, will you handle the call with Riordan or not?”
My brother stares at me for a long beat, then nods. “Fine. But I’m not letting him in the Black Sea.”
I shrug. “That’s between you and Rio now.” I turn toward the door, only for my brother to appear before me in a glittery cloud of silver that almost instantly evaporates around his corporeal form.
“Hold on,” he says slowly. “Is that what this is? You’re feigning interest in the Omega so you can pawn off Riordan on me?”
My lips curl, the notion one that pleases me. “Maybe. Did it work?” I ask him.
I vanish into thin air before he can reply and ash myself down to the lower levels of the building. Despite being several floors below my brother, I can almost hear his string of curses.
Did I intentionally leave him to deal with Riordan? No. Am I sorry that’s exactly what I just did? Also no.
Onyx and Riordan have always bickered, their personalities too well matched for them to ever become true allies. But Riordan has his uses, and I’m rather certain he feels similarly about my younger brother.
They just need to work out some of their… kinks.
Good luck, Silverstiltskin,I think, grinning. We can’t communicate telepathically, but his voice seems to linger in my mind, taunting my every step toward the labs on this level.
One question in particular haunts me, the words swirling on repeat through my thoughts.
“This Omega really does have you by the knot, doesn’t she?”
