Page 46 of Runaway Omega
I study Kylian as Cian returns to staring up at the ceiling. He’s thinking. So am I, and so is Kylian. “This feels like a company is cooking their books to get us interested in investing in them. Something is rotten about this.”
Cian makes a soft sound of assent.
Kylian frowns as he scratches his head. “Which leads me to Lawrence. He’s clean. He likes his parties, and he likes to travel. Spent some time in Europe partying things up, then came back, claimed Everleigh and that was that.”
A knock on the office door draws both Kylian’s and my gaze. Cian remains in his reclined pose, staring up at the ceiling.
“Come in,” I call out.
Nancy steps in, clutching a bag bulging with art supplies. Behind her, our frowning driver, Devin, a beta, dressed in his customary black suit and white shirt, follows with three more bags.
“I have the art supplies,” Nancy says. “Do you want me to take it up to her?”
I shake my head. “No. Bring them here. I have something I want to try. Devin, you look concerned. What’s up?”
“Potential trouble,” Devin says, as he and Nancy carry the bags over to me, leaving them beside the big circle desk that dominates our office.
Like Nancy, he was out of work, fresh from a messy breakup that cost him his home, his job, and his kids. At thirty-five, he was looking to start over in a new city so he could send money to his family.
Nancy’s expression is apologetic. “I’m afraid it might have been because of me.”
“I doubt that, Nance. What happened?” I ask.
“Someone was hanging around outside the gates when we were driving back up. A woman,” Devin says.
Nancy nods. “I didn’t think anyone was following me when I was buying the art supplies, but—”
“Someone might have,” Kylian says. “Can you describe her?”
“I just had a quick glance, so I didn’t see much. She had long red hair, and I think she was wearing a uniform,” Nancy says.
I recall the blue uniforms Lawrence’s staff wore. “What color?”
“Light blue,” Devin responds. “I caught a brief glance before she ran off.”
Fuck.
Kylian pushes himself to his feet. “I’ll go take a look around, make sure this woman isn’t still hanging around. I didn’t think Lawrence would find Everleigh so quickly. Why’s he holding back?”
“He’s going to want someone to make sure Everleigh was here before he started flinging around accusations of omega theft,” Cian adds.
And once he does that, all he has to do is take one step inside, inhale Everleigh’s vanilla-coconut buttery scent, and he would know she was here.
We’d lose everything.IncludingEverleigh.
“I’m sorry,” Nancy apologizes. “I should have—”
Kylian squeezes her shoulder, smiling at her. “You did nothing wrong.” He glances at me. “It might be a good idea to have Nancy and Hali stay in a hotel for a few nights until we resolve this.”
So this shit doesn’t take them down with us.His eyes warn me, though his expression is blank.
“See what you find first,” I tell him. “Then we can go from there.”
Nancy stiffens her spine, revealing the steel that had her leave her controlling pack, take her daughter with her, and rebuild their lives. “I’m the housekeeper with jobs to do. I can’t just leave.”
Cian focuses on Nancy. “This could come back at Hali, Nancy. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you a family that powerful has resources to crush most people.”
Nancy searches his face and whitens as she wrings her fingers together. “Lawrence Wentworth wouldn’t do that, would he?”