Page 35 of Omega Inked

My eyes adjust, and I see a man sitting behind a large metal desk, a big map in front of him and a computer reading off data to his left. He's built like he was made to kill--like a rangy, wild animal--with lean muscles and tattoos covering every inch of his skin. A long scar crosses his left eye, angry red even after years of healing.

He leans back and observes us, his arms crossed over his chest and his chin tilted up like he's assessing us. I'm sure he smells Liam and Phoenix all over Olivia; even if she wanted to keep it a secret, it would be impossible.

"Hey, Lex," he says.

"Hey," she says. "As you can see, Mercer's here with--"

"The princess," Rafe interrupts. "Right...Miss Cruz, I presume?"

Phoenix glares at Rafe and Liam wraps a protective arm around his omega. I can feel the tension in the room growing thicker with each passing moment; they're not used to another alpha's presence and it's just going to be more intense now that they've fucked her. Rafe's eyes flicker over Liam and Phoenix, taking in their protective stance before returning his gaze to Olivia. His eyes glint with something that I can't quite place. It's almost like he's trying to see through her, to figure out what she's made of.

Or maybe assessing her for what he can get out of her. If she's more valuable as an ally, an asset...or currency.

"And what brings you to the Raft, Miss Cruz?" Rafe asks, his voice smooth as silk.

"We need your help," Olivia answers, her voice steady. "We're trying to save two omegas--Jade and Kendra. They're trapped in Solstice Bay and they need our help."

Rafe barks out a laugh, his eyes darting toward me. "So she's in charge?"

"No," I tell him, stepping in front of her. "I am."

"So why is she leading the conversation?" Rafe says. "What's your take on this?"

"I--"

I shoot Olivia a glare to silence her.

"Quiet," I snarl, making sure to inject it with all the authority my alpha genes provide.

Rafe's eyes narrow, and he leans back in his chair, sizing me up. "Well, well. A little possessive, aren't we?"

"I'm not possessive," I say evenly, even though my heart is pounding in my chest. "I'm protective of my pack."

"Your pack?" Rafe says, his voice laced with amusement. "And who, exactly, is in your pack?"

I jerk my chin toward Liam and Phoenix. "They are. And now, so is Olivia."

Rafe's gaze flickers over each of us in turn, and I can tell he's weighing his options. He's not sure if he wants to get involved in whatever mess we've gotten ourselves into. And I can't say I blame him; Solstice Bay is a dangerous place, even for the most experienced of survivors.

But then, he leans forward, his eyes gleaming with a sudden interest. "I might be willing to help you," he says, "but she has to stay. In fact, you all do."

"Good, that's what I want," Olivia blurts out.

I glare at her, but it's already too late.

Rafe is hooked.

"You have something to offer?" he asks. "Or are you more useful to me as a bargaining chip? Because honestly...Carson might be the one with high-minded ideals, but I'm a pragmatist. You're much more useful to me as--"

"I have information," she says. "And Kendra and Jade...they do too. We're all ACB insiders, and we're ready to help."

"What kind of information?"

"Trade routes," she says. "Names, addresses...whatever you want."

"Why?"

"Because I want to help my friends," Olivia says. "And because I want to take the ACB down."

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