Page 47 of Nest of Thieves
“Do you want more?”
“No. This is perfect.” She takes a drink of water, her eyes carefully searching my face. “So, your parents are—”
“Dead. It was a long time ago.” I turn away and put the tamales back in the freezer. She eats the rest while I wash the container the rice was in. I hate when people I meet learn about my parents. They always try to sympathize when I say it’s fine. I’m tired of hearing those empty words that everyone says out of obligation. Pity means nothing.
I don’t want her pity.
I should have kept my mouth shut.
Jo appears at my side and sets her plate on the side of the sink. “Hey, Vette?”
Here it comes.
I don’t respond.
“You should really consider reusable bottles. You’re wasting plastic.”
“¿Mande?” I heard what she said, but that wasn’t what I was expecting at all. I appreciate her not trying to express more sympathy. NoI’m sorry for your loss.
“I don’t know what mande is.”
I laugh. “Mande is likepardon meorwhat.” I rinse her plate.
“Oh. I was just saying, plastic is ruining the world. Not to mention the fact that water should be free. You’re paying more for a basic human right. Get reusable water bottles and some water filters.”
“I like the plastic.”
“I can see that.” She squeezes her bottle. “But they’re wasteful.”
I turn off the sink and look at her. “¿En serio? Seriously?” I quickly add.
“The fate of the world is no joke, Vette.” She sets the plastic bottle on the counter. Her lips twitch a little.
“I’m sorry our water offends you.”
She sniffs. “Only a little.” Her face softens ever so slightly. “All kidding aside, you should consider it.”
She’s not joking now.
I stare after her as she heads back to her room. My eyes flick to the water bottle. I pick it up and wince at the crunch of plastic. The recycling bin is half full of these bad boys. I toss it in with a frown, drawing my eyebrows down. I shouldn’t let her get under my skin.
She didn’t bring up mis padres again.
Did she intentionally piss me off to make me forget about that?
* * *
I wake up before noon the next morning. After I cleaned the small mess in the kitchen, I climbed back into bed, but sleep evaded me for a while. Jo’s surprised face outside the office doors kept me up. The way I got irrationally annoyed that she let herself be hungry plays over and over in my mind. She’s an omega. It’s natural for me to be protective.
Nature is inconvenient.
I need to keep my head on straight around the omega, but when I’m near her, I forget about who she is. I conveniently forget what she’s done when that tantalizing scent hits me. I never considered omegas dangerous, but this one? She’s a lit match falling toward a trail of kerosene. Funny thing is, I don’t think I’d hate it if she made good on her threat of destroying my life.
It would be fun to watch her try.
Jo is swimming with sharks. She has yet to realize how razor-sharp our teeth are, but she has spunk. I’ll give her that. She’s smart too. Maybe a little too much for her own good. The steel defiance in her eyes makes the primal side of me want to rise up and dominate her, the thought of earning her submission making me hard. Coming after us wasn’t a good idea. It’s only a matter of time before Damien finds out about her. Once he does, the only way for her to escape him is death.
He’s not going to let her get away.
