Текст книги "Jace"

Автор книги: Hall Sam

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10

Sloane

I looked up at the beta man. Brown curly hair, medium blue eyes, the kind of face that could easily get lost in the crowd. Those eyes appeared sensitive as they shot from me to the corridor I had just come from, but these, they were familiar.

“You really shouldn’t have run,” he said, grimacing as the alarm blared around us. “And hitting the alarm? I’m guessing it was you who set it off, because no other chump here would be that stupid. That sends the whole place into lockdown and gets the cops around here, poking their nose into things that they really don’t need to.”

I blinked up at him, trying to work out if he was the friend I needed or the adversary I did not. The barman? What the fuck was the barman from Jace’s bar doing here…wearing an orderly uniform? I shook my head, trying to shake the feeling of foreboding off. Maybe he’d gotten another job? What were the chances? It was possible, right?

Yeah, my adrenaline flooded system wasn’t buying that.

“Okay,” he said, swiping his hand down his face. “You’re really baked, I can see it. So I’m gonna keep this simple. You need to come with me, right now, before they pump you full of some more chemicals and the real monsters turn up.”

He released my wrist slowly and turned his hand over, palm up. He wasn’t forcing this. He was waiting for me to decide. Betas were supposed to be calm and clear-headed, but omegas were supposed to have a greater sense of good and bad. My instincts, such as they were in this heightened yet weakened state, were telling me I could trust him.

I had trusted him once and he’d gotten me to safety, but him being here was all kinds of crazy wrong.

A great cry from the corridor behind told me I needed to decide and quickly.

I put my hand on his and prayed my instincts were not leading me astray. Further astray, I amended, given I’d asked Em to call the Dawn Agency when I should have called Jace.

“Right call,” he said. “Now, we need to run.”

He hauled me with him down a side corridor, my bare feet slapping against the cold linoleum floor in a rapid patter. So fast did I move that it felt like I flew.

At the next corner, he turned left, up to the nearest open door, and hustled me inside. It was dark until he flipped the light switch, then I saw it was some kind of storage room, with shelves brimming with containers, bottles, boxes, and jars stacked from floor to ceiling with neat labels stating what each of them was.

Here, he dragged out his cell phone and began typing furiously on the screen, muttering to himself about getting fired, again.

“Jace,” I mumbled, arm shooting out to brace against the wall, because I was suddenly sure I was about to throw up, pass out, or throw up and then pass out. It was almost like I could…sense him. “I need Jace.”

The beta barman-turned-orderly stopped what he was doing and stared at me, grabbing my shoulder to steady me.

“Jace?”

I nodded. “I need Jace. Do you…?” He worked for Jace. Did he know how to contact him? He must.

He huffed out a breath and threw a look up to the ceiling. “Last I saw, you were doing the walk of shame and hightailing it out of his life. Not all alphas are bad, but not all of them are good either.”

“Please,” I said. “Jace isn’t one of the bad ones.”

“No, he’s not,” the beta agreed. “But he’s definitely not a good one either. You sure about this? You better be, because if I make this call and you change your mind, it would take a fucking army to get you away from him. And you’re gonna have to trust me when I say the arsehole isn’t going to be giving me my job back any time soon. More likely, he will dump my body in a dark alley if we ever meet again.”

I wanted to dispute the last part, but I thought every word leaving his lips was based on an understanding of Jace that was far deeper even than mine. Yet I did trust Jace with my life, and I trusted him not to dump this man’s body in an alley for helping me to leave.

The alarm was still blaring, and the clock was ticking.

I tried to process the facts, but they were getting harder to grasp. Was the guy giving me another option? Was there another option?

“Make your call, omega. I won’t offer again.”

Jace

My phone was vibrating. I’d put it on silent so it was just an incessant jiggling in my back pocket. I dragged it out glanced at the screen… What the fuck? I frowned.

“What the hell are you doing?” Ryder hissed, scowling at me. “We have got bigger problems to deal with.”

We were standing a block away from the Dawn Agency, poised to move in, when a chaos of screaming sirens erupted.

“This isn’t us,” Dane said, interrupting our glaring. We needed a way to cut the alarm cable, create crazy, bring the police down on the place, and get the fucking rats running. Except the ‘police’ would be us. We were all kitted out in Kevlar vests complete with blacked out visors and all the police gear that went with it to look the part. Get in, get her, get out—that was the plan.

“Another two carloads of the coppers just turned up,” Dane added, pausing to peer around the side of the alley where we’d parked and unloaded. To our left a few buildings away, in the heart of the vibrant Business District, was the austere Dawn Agency. “Fuck, the slack bastards decided to do their job for once. Looks like we’ll have company. We’ll need to try and do some evasive shit to take custody of the omega and get her the fuck out of there.”

“No shit?” Ryder said, voice dripping with sarcasm. “Observational skills must’ve been high on the curriculum at your drop out, dead-beat school.”

“Fuck off,” Dane said. “Just because I didn’t go to a prissy, pretty boy school doesn’t mean I can’t beat your arse to a pulp when this bullshit is over.”

“Shut the fuck up, both of you.”

Something told me I need to pick up this call. I hit accept and lifted it to my ear. “You’ve got a lot of fucking nerve,” I snarled into the phone. “An Alpha Control agent in our midst all this time.”

“I’ve also got your omega,” Art said. “And trust me when I say you’re gonna have an agent in your bar no matter what, so you’re better off having me there.”

“How about no agents in my fucking bar,” I snapped. “That’s my preference.”

“Not gonna happen.” The prick laughed, but it had a bitter sound. “I got into this side of things thinking I could make a difference.” A harsh sound at that. “The only difference Alpha Control wants is in our name—control of you, of all of you. Using you for high kill missions, doping you up on performance drugs, finding a way to fit you into the beta machine, but that’s not a conversation for now. You want the omega. I can cut the alarm, send the police on their way with a call, and get her out to you, no mess, no fuss. The orderlies here are kicking themselves for bringing her anyway, so if she slips out the door…”

My mind was whirling at a thousand miles an hour, trying to work out what the prick’s angle was, why he wanted to give me my omega back. What he said about Alpha Control, that was no great shock, but him…? “Name your fucking price.”

“I’m going to need my old job back again.”

“Done,” I said without the slightest hesitation.

“Is that Jace?” another voice said, more distant, one that nearly took me to my fucking knees.

“Jace!” Dane tried to cut me off as I walked straight out into the street. “Fuck,” he muttered when I just brushed past him. With more cursing, I heard Ryder, Dane, and the rest of my men falling into step.

“I’m coming to get you,” I said. I didn’t know if she could hear me. She was here, near, so fucking close, and I’d take down every fucking person here if I needed to get to her. “Tell me where I need to go.”

“Where are you?” That was Art again.

“I’m about to walk in the front,” I said.

The alarm was still blazing, and if anyone was evacuating, it wasn’t out the main entrance. There were cops outside, the real ones, with badges and guns. Two cop cars were parked diagonally with the uniformed plebs standing around, making like they were doing important cop things.

We had the badges and guns too, but they wouldn’t stand up to a close inspection. Our police logo vests were legitimate—it paid to have the right friends.

There was only one rule to infiltration like this, and that was to walk in like you had every right to be there. Show hesitation or weakness, move with anything but purpose, and you might as well throw up a red flag. It helped that the Beta Zone also had several teams of turncoat bastard alphas who they called on for particularly messy jobs…which this wasn’t, but I was still going to walk right the fuck in like I owned the damn place.

One beta cop made the mistake of moving like he was going to step in my path. I just walked right into him, shoulder checking him and sending the arsehole reeling. I’d seen the real Alpha Control in action, and my behaviour was on point. Right on cue, the cops turned around and got back in their cars, obviously thinking we had shit covered.

“Step aside, milksop,” Dane said.

Ryder’s chuckle was gold and added to the image of badass motherfucker cops with a mile wide chip on their shoulders.

Sloane

If I were still a beta, I’d have had questions, so many questions. What the hell were the men in the Dawn Agency going to do with me? Why was this barman here and helping me? But I wasn’t a beta anymore, I was an omega—one who’d found her alpha.

The alarm ceased abruptly, and the absence of sound was replaced by a ringing in my head. My shoulders slumped, releasing a subconscious layer of tension.

“Come on,” said the barman turned orderly guy, who I’d learned was called Art. “That’s our cue.”

“Where are we going?” I asked.

He didn’t answer, just took my hand and half dragged me along the weirdly empty corridor. He stopped at a T-junction, poking his head around the corner, then tugged me after him. Rapid steps took us to the stairwell, where he opened the door, took another quick look, and pulled me in after him. “We need to be fast.”

From above came the sounds of heavy booted feet, and it galvanised me into action. As we burst out the emergency door at the reception level, I come to an abrupt stop. The handle left my nerveless fingers and shut with a clatter.

There were people here, cops, orderlies, and others in regular clothes. I barely paid them any mind as I watched three men approach, but I only had eyes for one. Even with that blacked out visor, I knew instantly who it was. Had he always been so freaking massive, a picture of masculine strength? Huge biceps flexing under his thin shirt, thick thighs stuffed into his jeans, he prowled closer like a goddamn panther, and when he got close, he growled like one.

“Omega…”

Just a warning, that was all I got as he towered over me, exuding those dizzying alpha pheromones. I felt the occupants of the reception turn toward him, drawn like I was.

“Sloane.”

The helmet came off, passed to someone with him. My eyes flicked up, meeting his, my already rubbery knees giving out when his gaze sliced into me. He hadn’t even touched me, said little other than my name, but I was being completely and utterly owned. His fingers twitched, like he wanted to reach out and grab me as I wavered, a small whine escaping my lips at the thought. His arm wrapped around my waist, dragging me in close.

“Sloane, I—”

“Please.”

That’s all I could force out, the drugs, the pain inside me, his scent, everything, it all rose and rose, my eyes aching with unshed tears as my body started to spasm again, then he swept in and made it all better. I was lifted into his arms, not even having to bear the weight of my own body anymore, let alone anything else, and then, while I was hugged close, a sound reverberated through me.

He was purring.

Long, slow, rumbling exhalations that vibrated through every cell, commanding them to give up and give in, to let it all go—the pain, the confusion, the fear, the centre, all of it. This was what alphas did, I realised. We had assumed it was a kind of brutalisation, poor omegas forced to submit against their will, when really, they provided a place for us to surrender. That was what I wanted and needed right now. I didn’t want the pain, I didn’t want to carry this anymore. I just wanted him.

“I’ve got you, Sloane. I’ve got you,” he said, so I shifted slightly, burying my nose in the crook of his neck and sucking his scent down, feeling every pain starting to fade.

Of course when my defences were down, that’s when they arrived, didn’t they?

“Heads up, Jace,” one of the men said. “We’ve got company.”

I went to look up, but a strong hand held me where I was, cradling me softly, yet I could feel the tension in his arm.

“Where the hell do you think you’re going?”

His voice contained all the power, all the punch of an alpha, but where Jace’s was roughened silk, his was dripping poison.

Snake.

I forced my head up, despite Jace’s hiss, and saw the big, blond alpha standing there, looking at the two of us with a lethal expression.

“I paid good fucking money for that girl,” he said. “Don’t be thinking that you’re going to waltz off into the sunset with her.”

“Ah, Snake…” one of the men that brought me here stammered. “We haven’t agreed to anything. The money was for a preview, to give you an opportunity to imprint her, make her ask for you.”

“Too fucking late there,” Jace replied in a smug tone. The other occupants of the reception shifted uneasily. The men who had accompanied Jace were moving seamlessly into position like wolves separating the pack. People were ushered out, doors were locked, alphas taking positions to ensure no one interfered. “I dunno if she’ll choose me in the end, but she’s choosing me now. Try again next time, fuckstick. Seriously, I told you what would happen if I caught you trying this bullshit with the omegas again. Ryder.”

“Here.”

I shrunk back in Jace’s arms at the appearance of the other man, something that seemed to trouble him.

“I need you to look after Sloane for me.” He glanced down at me when I tensed, then stared into my eyes. “Ryder will take care of you while I sort this out, then you’ll be safe.”

I didn’t need safe, I needed him, but he put me down, the two other alphas surrounding me in a wall of muscle. Their combined scents were reassuring but not comforting, not like his, which I thought they sensed.

“You stupid fucking prick,” Jace snarled. “Can’t get an omega legitimately, so you pull this shit? I always wondered how you kept getting your claws into them, and now I fucking know.” His gaze swivelled to fixate on the beta orderlies. “And you little weaselly bastards… I’ll be coming for you next.” He yanked his Kevlar vest off, followed by his shirt, revealing every well muscled inch of him, and tossed it to the ground, Ryder moving to scoop the fabric up. He thrust it into my arms, my muscles relaxing somewhat in response to the scent there.

“You want to throw down over some pussy? Can’t say I haven’t been waiting for this,” Snake said. “But her? It’s nice pussy, I’ll give you that. She was so fucking wet when I parted her thighs, I—”

His taunt was cut off as Jace swung his fist, the massive hand going hurtling through the air, but while Snake was caught off guard, he jerked back in time so that Jace only grazed his jaw. The smile faded at that, those pale blue eyes narrowing, his fangs flashing as he bared his teeth.

“Fine,” he snarled. “You wanna do this? Let’s do this.”

“It’ll be okay,” a deep voice said, and when I looked up, Dane had moved closer. His hand came to rest on my shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze, but his eyes? They were entirely on the fight, all of ours were, because there they were, two warriors, ready to battle for what they believed.

“You’re a gutless fucking arsehole.” Jace swung with one fist, forcing Snake back, but the other hand was ready and smashed into the side of Snake’s face while his guard was down, achieving first blood. It trickled out of one nostril, turning his face into a savage mask. Snake let out a guttural snarl, launching himself at Jace, but he was fast, so damn fast on his feet. He seemed to know exactly where the other man would strike and was up and away before they landed. “Can’t present yourself to an omega and have her choose you freely. Gotta try and skew shit because none of them fucking want you.”

Jace dashed in, throwing a few solid punches into Snake’s ribs, driving the other man’s breath from him, but not before Snake struck back. Exactly like his namesake, his strikes were lightning quick, snapping Jace’s head back, but they broke apart quickly.

“Without coercion, without drugs, without fucking buying another human being illegally, what do you have, Snake? What do you have?”

“More omega pussy than you’ll ever get. You can’t even get it up to wreck their cunts.” Jace stopped still, Snake’s smile spreading. Blood smeared across his sharp white teeth. “Yeah, I’ve heard all about the girls you keep, make sure they’re safe,” he said in a mocking tone. “Ensure no one pushes them or forces them.”

Snake came to a standstill, pinching his nose, then flicking the blood that accumulated in his palm across the polished concrete floor.

“That’s what you fucks don’t seem to understand. They crave their choices being taken away, their options reduced down to what they secretly want, what they need. Being held down while I force every fucking pleasure from their cunts, having them screaming for more. That’s what you and I are.” His grin widened. “That’s what Ella wanted.”

“The fuck?”

Jace breathed that out, and it felt like the world stood still.

“You did that to my sister?”

“Damn straight.” Snake’s eyes glittered. “When your sister was under me, screaming for more, screaming for me to knot her…” The shit-eating grin faded slightly, some other more thoughtful expression rising before he roughly shoved it away. “She fucking loved it, just like all omegas do. It’s all part of what they are.”

“Ssh…” Ryder said, bringing my focus back to my own body, hearing the low whines escaping my lips. “That’s not how it works. Snake’s fucked in the head.”

“Snake’s dead,” was all Jace would say, his voice perfectly flat.

And then the gloves were off. Jace strolled up to Snake, the other man lifting his fists, but it didn’t seem to matter. Whatever was inside Jace, he knew how his opponent would strike out, what tactics he’d use. Jace was there, anticipating, predicting, countering, and then, as Snake’s breath started to come in hard, all that explosive energy getting him nowhere but tired, when Jace had him right where he wanted, he attacked.

“That’s it,” Ryder said. “Smash the bastard.”

So Jace did, obliterating the pretty features of the blond alpha one punch at a time, until finally, his face was a bloody mask and he fell to the ground, right as the police sirens began to wail.

“Fucking coppers have brought reinforcements,” Dane said.

Ryder shot back, “Jace, we gotta go. Now!”

“Keep your fucking head down and your eyes off my omega if you want to keep them,” Jace growled over Snake’s prone body. “I’m serious. If I detect you even breathing her scent, you’re a dead man.”

I threw off Dane’s hand and stepped forward to the hissed sounds of frustrations of the alphas, but I needed to do this. I walked up to the man on the ground, found that a savage side of myself I’d never tapped into liked this, liked seeing the man who thought himself fit to lay hands on me brought down so low.

“Well, well, look what we have here,” I said, an echo of Snake’s words to me. “Look how swollen and wet you are.”

“Sloane…” Jace rumbled, then I did something I think surprised even him. I drew my foot back and kicked Snake in the guts as hard as I could, the oof of forced out breath making me smile. And Jace? He smiled back, his brows creasing in confusion, but we didn’t get a chance to interrogate that further.

“Unless you guys want to see the inside of a cell, we need to move, now!” Dane shouted.

“Let’s go.”

That was all the warning I got as I was scooped up and then rushed out, back through the stairwell and into the alley under Art’s direction. Two big black SUVs pulled up with a screech, and I was shoved in the back seat, the engine turning over, the wheels squealing before I could even do up my seatbelt.

“Fuck, watch it!” Jace shouted, his arm locking around me, keeping me safe, like he always would, I realised. Somehow, I knew that. I just stared at him as he ballsed out the guys in the front seats, as we scuttled back to Desparion.