Page 98 of Lilacs and Leather
“When Darren snapped before, I ended up in the hospital. But he’s had four years to stew on this. He’s probably already got my shallow grave marked out,” I say, voice finally shaking as I can’t hold back my fear anymore.
Seth looks shocked for all of three seconds, but the expression disappears as fast it comes. He truly doesn’t give a shit if I live or die, so long as I’m not near the alphas he claims to be his. And that knowledge frightens me more than anything.
“So I found a skywriter, and it’s not that—who the fuck are you?”
My head whips around as I hear Gabby’s voice, and I see her standing with her hands on her hips, glaring at Seth with all the venom of a scorpion. I turn my attention back to Seth and nearly fall over as I see the charming smile and boyish glint in his eyes. The sociopath from a moment ago is gone, and the charlatan mask is firmly in place.
“Oh, I’m just a friend of Mateo’s. I’ve heard so much about Lydia, and I wanted to meet her. And who might you be?” Seth asks, friendly as they come.
“That’s Seth, babe.Theex,” I hiss, stepping up until I’m at the cart again.
My phone still shows no new messages, and I’m stunned to see no more than a few minutes have passed since this all started. It feels like I’ve been here for hours.
“Uh huh. We’re closed, my guy. Carlos’s is closing up soon, too. So you’ve got to hit the ol’ dusty trail, cause loitering’s a crime,” Gabby says, stern and unwavering, exactly how Wila taught her.
She takes a small step forward, casually placing herself between me and Seth. I stand close, taking her hand and squeezing two times in quick succession. We’d established the silent code for when we had to deal with creeps at the bar and being able to tell Gabby that this wasn’t just a creep, but someone dangerous, without speaking is a relief. She returns the squeezes, her sign of understanding.
Seth looks between us, and my stomach sinks. I don’t want him anywhere near Gabby, but I can see the genial mask slipping with each heartbeat. He laughs to himself, and the sound makes my skin crawl.
“Got to have everyone fight your battles for you, little omega? I shouldn’t be surprised, considering how you like to run and hide from your problems. So, what do you say, are you going to do it again?” he tosses, looking me dead in the face.
The cold, black void of his eyes makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I swallow hard, and I hate the cowardly part of my mind that considers his offer. I’d run once to stay safe. Could I do it again?
I hear the roar of an engine and the squeal of tires on pavement, and all three of us look up in time to see a motorcycle flying up the street, coming to a sudden stop in the empty space behind Seth. I can’t help the sigh of relief and the sag of my body as Lucas slams his bike into park, ripping off his helmet and throwing it to the ground carelessly. Seth takes several stumbling steps backwards as Lucas advances forward, murder written in every line of his beautiful face.
“You.”
Seth at least has the good sense to look afraid as he retreats several more steps. Lucas puts himself between me and Gabby and Seth, and the rage rolling off him in waves smells like a forest fire. I can’t help but relax, even as my body still shakes with adrenaline.
“Always have to be the busy body, don’t you, Luc? We were just trying to have a friendly chat—”
“Shut yourfuckingmouth before I do it for you,” Lucas barks, cutting off Seth’s false nonchalance.
“Does Alex know you’ve got a crush on Teo’s toy? Last I checked, she’s not one for sharing her playthings,” Seth returns, a taunting rasp that sets my teeth on edge.
“You can ask her yourself. Her and Rhett are right behind me,” Lucas throws back with a harsh laugh.
Almost as if on cue, Alexandra’s silver sedan comes to a smooth stop in the space next to Lucas’s bike. The car hardly comes to a full stop before the passenger door is open, Rhett climbing out and advancing toward Seth, growl low and dangerous. His blue eyes flash with a rage I’ve never seen before, his whole body vibrating with fury. It’s beautiful, the righteous anger of my protective alpha.
“Last we spoke, I t’ought I told ye tha’ if you showed yer face where it don’t belong, t’ey’ll need to feed you yer protein shakes t’rough a tube,” Rhett snaps, voice shaking with his growl.
The color drains from Seth’s face, and I feel a swoop of triumph low in my belly. Rhett steps into Seth’s space, leaning down to close the few-inch gap between their faces. Seth doesn’t back down, but I see his throat bob as he swallows hard. Gabby squeezes my hand, and I hear her a little chuckle.
“Your boyfriend’s hot when he’s pissed,” she whispers in my ear.
“If you know what’s good for you, Mr. Douglas, you’ll remove yourself from the premises, and never come back,” Alexandra drawls, her heels clicking on the sidewalk as she walks to Rhett’s side.
She’s dressed as well as ever, her white silk blouse tucked into her high waisted trousers. I can see the red bottoms of her black pumps as she settles into what I can only describe as a power stance, feet slightly apart with her shoulders square. Her hair is loose, soft waves cascading down her back. I can’t see her face, but I can picture the stern, cold look in her eyes that she reserves for business.
“Alex, I don’t—”
“You don’t get to speak, Omega.”
I suck in a sharp breath, spine straightening as the sub-audible waves of her bark hit me. It isn’t directed at me, but I still feel the command slide along my spine like an ice cube dropped down the back of my shirt. I don’t feel the urge to comply, but I still drop my eyes and go still.
“We’re done with these games. You specifically agreed to leave Lydia out of this, and yet you’re here, terrorizing her,” Alexandra goes on, and the disappointment in her voice makes the back of my eyes burn from second-hand guilt.
“I didn’t—”