Page 59 of Nest of Thieves
“What? No. I haven’t slept with them. I’m trying to get the ring.” I shake my head. “I can’t believe you’d think that. I thought you knew me better than that.” One line I refuse to cross for Laurence is fucking my marks. I’ll lure them in like I did with Edmund, but I won’t have sex with someone on his orders. He’s only ever forced me to do something once, and I’ll never forgive him for it.
The man kneeling on the floor was gagged, but his screams were still loud. He tried to get up, but Laurence restrained him well enough that the man couldn’t escape.
Laurence hummed near my ear. “You feel that, Jo? That’s power.” He held my hands tighter on the gun and pointed it at the man’s forehead. “Kill him to save yourself. The world will be better off without him. He’s an animal, but you, you’re an asset.”
I hesitated again.
“Kill him!”
Laurence’s alpha bark slammed into me, and I pulled the trigger, crying out as I did it. Blood burst from the man’s skull and only Laurence’s arms kept me on my feet.
“Now the real work can begin.”
As I stare at Laurence now, I wonder if he realizes how much I loathe him. Eventually, I found out the man I killed was despicable—he’d killed a few women for his own enjoyment—and that helped me feel a little better about what I’d done.
“You know me better than that,” I say again.
“I thought I did, but that was before you took off with my ring.”
I drop my hands and fist them at my side. “I didn’t take it. They stole it.” I grind my teeth together to keep from saying more to defend myself.
We stare at one another. Laurence tips his head ever so slightly, the corner of his mouth curling at whatever he’s thinking. I don’t care to know. His gun is still pointed in my face, but I hold his gaze, refusing to break first. That’s weakness. Omegas are inherently weak, but I’ll be damned if he blows my head off all over these books.
“What information do you have?” He lowers the gun.
“Not a lot,” I say. “But I’ll get the intel. I need time.” I won’t beg or say please.
“How much?”
“Maybe three months.”
He scoffs. “Come on, Kitty. I thought I trained you better than that.”
“You did, but these guys are good. I’ve only known them for a few hours. It’ll take time to earn enough trust for them to slip up and give me something I can work with.”
“You can have two months.”
Two months? That’s not enough time. Whoever has the ring now is likely already arranging protection for it. It’s too valuable to do anything less.
“Laurence, I know how important this ring is, but two months—”
“Is plenty of time. Aren’t alphas putty in an omega’s palm?” Laurence is an alpha, and he knows the power he holds over me.
“Perhaps if they’re planning on mating her, but these men don’t want that.” A fact that’s only mildly annoying, seeing as they’re the first pack that’s ever even crossed my radar as compatible. A thief can recognize and respect when they meet someone of equal skill. Hell, with Lark’s tech savvy nature, the three of them together are better than I could ever hope to be.
“So, sleep with them. Let them have a taste. It’ll help them along the way.”
I scowl. “You’re asking me to fuck them to get the intel?”
HeknowsI won’t do that.
“Hmm, no. I’m merely suggesting you do whatever is needed to meet the timeline.” He points the gun at me again. “Two months. If I don’t have what I need, then,bang,” he says, pretending to shoot me. “Don’t get comfortable, Jo. You’re one of my favorite protégés, but you are dispensable.”
Bastard.
“All right, two months.”
He smiles. “Good.” He turns to leave but stops and glances back at me. “Oh, and Jo? In case you’re thinking of asking your alpha pricks for help, remember your sister and Colette.”
