Page 70 of The Packaged Deal
Maybe not.
nineteen
Adrian
Istand beside Sven, the sounds of a crowd that I’m treating as hostile are all around us. We look out of place, no, we blend in. I feel out of place. I don’t want to be standing in this ballroom, with these people. I want to be home. People are milling around, talking, but I can’t tear my eyes from the door. The seconds are like an eternity.
Why had I said that? I let Sven get in my head, I let his words and his rejection crawl inside me until I couldn’t think.
Will they come?
Where are they?
Why did they tell me to meet them here? Why not just allow us to bring them tonight?
I grab at my collar, but Sven reaches out and stops me, straightening my tie.
“Relax, Addy.”
“I hate things like this,” I growl at him, I’m altogether not sure I forgive him yet.
“I know you do. But we’re in this together. We’re going to see if she responds to another pack, and we’ll give her into their care.”
A vicious snarl escapes from deep inside me, I push his hands off me and step away. My stomach jolts even as a tiny voice in my mind howls in protest. The thought of someone else touching her, smelling her, is so repugnant that I feel bile rush up my throat.
This isn’t me. I’m calm. Even with Sven, I accept the way things are. But with her, I’m all kinds of messed up. That doesn’t mean this plan is right. I regret it, and I’m already thinking about ways to destroy it.
Two women enter through the glass doors. They pause, looking around. My mouth drops open. My brain loses all thought except one. MINE.
“Oh, god, I can’t give her up.”
Sven turns and hisses. “Sweet fucking hell.”
Jade is wearing a tight lilac dress. She looks like a faerie. Even without wings, there is something untouchable, something magical about her. She’s drawing eyes left and right. I’m going to kill them all.
Sven advances towards them, growling, and I realise the woman on Jade’s arm is Kandi. Her hair is swept back, and her eyes are dark and smokey. She looks incredibly hot.
“Omega,” Sven snarls.
“Here I am. As directed, ready to find a pack.” She says before I can speak.
The poisonous words turn hard inside me. No, I don’t want that. I don’t want that at all.
“Just mingle and keep an open mind,” Sven directs in a harsh tone that has me growling my own warning at him.
And if you think you find one, tell me, and I will eliminate them. I blank my expression so no one sees my intent and clear my throat.
“You look beautiful, Jade.”
Her cheeks turn pink, and she smiles. “Thank you, Adrian. Would you care to escort me around and introduce me to people?”
No. No, I would not. I grit my teeth. The irony is that I brought this on myself. I glance at Sven, and he gives me a thumbs up.
I have never wanted to punch him in the face more than I do right now.
As soon as she puts her hand on mine, I know there is no chance anyone is going to take her. I’ll kill this whole room full of people first.
She’s mine. It’s so simple and so uncomplicated. If it’s just her and me forever. That’s how it is. And if I make her sad, I’ll fix it. I’ll be better for her.