Page 167 of Party Girl: How a Naughty Omega Finds Love
We both laugh. She starts at the top of my head, carefully running the bristles of the brush through the length of my hair. There are minor snags but nothing that makes me tense or panic. Maddy is the most patient hair brusher in the world. When she finishes a few minutes later, she pats my arm and climbs off the bed.
“There. Better?”
I nod. “Thank you.”
“Anytime.” She makes a face. “Actually, maybe not anytime. You and I can’t keep seeing each other. At least, not like this.”
“Are you breaking up with me?”
She hands me the brush. “I’m breaking up with you as a paramedic. I fully expect you to call me to hang out once this all blows over. I could use a friend.”
“Me too.” I clutch the handle of the brush. “But I don’t know if we’ll ever be able to hang out.”
“Don’t forget about karma. I have faith she’ll take care of the bitch.”
“I hope so.” I chew on my cheek and blink slowly. “I’m already tired again.”
She nods. “Yeah, you should rest. I’ll get out of your hair and tell the guys they can stop pouting. How much you want to bet they’re cursing me to hell and back for kicking them out?”
“Moody alphas,” I say around a yawn.
“Mmhmm. Okay, love. Rest up and call me when you’re ready to hang out. Asher has my number.” She gathers her things and twinkles her fingers in goodbye.
I wave and smile, wishing we could hang out. Maybe someday.
* * *
I stand in front of the mirror, brushing my teeth. Living in a hotel hasn’t done great things for my skin. The scabs on my cheeks are nearly gone and the bruising on my back where the alpha pinned me with his knee has faded. Leaning over, I spit and rinse, setting my toothbrush in the little cup beside the sink. I press my hands into the counter.
“You are worthy of love,” I whisper.
Hayden says something to Avi right outside the bathroom door, so I leave it at that, hoping one day it’ll do the trick.
It’s been three days since the guys rescued me. They brought plenty of clothes and food. Hayden even remembered to grab the key Granny left me, not that it’ll do me any good to have it. It’s not like I can mosey into the bank where they’re most likely monitoring to see if I’ll show up. Despite knowing the Omega Council is out there searching for me, there’s been no word of the men breaking me out.
The news coverage has focused on the changes within the Council, but we still turn on the television every morning and evening to see if the Omega Council has issued anything about my disappearance.
I make a beeline for the bed when I exit the bathroom, hoping none of them heard me giving myself a pep talk.
Trev is on one of the burner phones, discussing a case, so when I turn on the TV, I immediately lower the volume. Avi, Hayden, and Asher come join me on the bed. They’ve been following me everywhere and while the hotel has been nice, I’m anxious to get out of here and have more space. Living in a small room with four men is a lot to handle. They’re not gross or anything, but I’d still like alone time. Time to decompress and be alone with my thoughts. Maybe I can take another bath, though my skin has barely recovered from the one I took a little while ago.
“Now onto another breaking story. Camila, the head of the Omega Council, has been fired.” The anchor laughs a little. “You heard that right, folks. There’s a new boss in town, and she just so happens to be Pack Bullet’s omega.”
The other cuts in, “And if that’s not nepotism, I don’t know what is.”
The first anchor chuckles. “Well, all we can confirm right now is that Camila has been fired and the warehouse that used to be used for the omega auctions has mysteriously burned down.” She makes a face at the camera. “A strange coincidence if you ask me, but the fire chief has ruled the fire an accident.”
A familiar face flashes on the screen, and I scoot down the bed for a closer look. “I know her,” I mumble, trying to figure out how as the newsfeed cuts to a live recording.
“Reagan, what can you tell us about becoming head of the Omega Council?”
The woman with light brown hair and fire in her eyes smirks at the camera. “Only that changes are being made, and to any omega who suffered at Camila’s hand, she will face the consequences.”
The live recording cuts off, and the anchors appear on the screen again.
“There you have it, a bold statement from the new head of the Omega Council.”
“Oh my god!” I hop off the bed and turn toward the guys. “She was auctioned too.”
