Page 201 of Ruined Beta

Second jar. I was right!

I pick it up and put it in my purse.

“There are more,” I tell him. “I know it. I can feel it.”

“Well, hopefully what we already have is enough,” he says. “Because we have to go.”

“Just a sec,” I say, getting a feeling there’s something more to this carving than jar storage.

I walk around the desk, letting my hand move over the wall.

My fingers find another button along the edge of the carving.

I press it inward, and there’s a loud cranking sound, right before the wall to the left of the desk pulls back, disappearing behind the carving and revealing a full-sized hidden elevator.

“Holy fuck,” Victor says. “If that goes down to the parking garage, then that rumor we heard about how Harlan gets victims to auction is probably true.”

He drags the handcuffed unconscious guy over to the elevator and tosses him inside.

He peers in, looking at the panel. “It does go to the parking garage. We should leave this way. Seth and Corbin are down there right now, waiting for trouble.”

“Trouble?” A voice asks from behind, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. “I think you’ve already found it.”

I don’t need to look to know it’s Harlan West, and he’s probably carrying a gun.

I toss my purse to Victor, and he throws it into the elevator before he pushes a button and steps away. The elevator doors close on the unconscious bad guy and my purse full of evidence.

“Move one more muscle, and I shoot both of you in the head,” Harlan threatens.

I believe he means it. I freeze on the spot.

“Victor Hayes,” he mutters. “What a most unpleasant surprise. Are you shacked up with this little whore as well? She already seems to have taken several poorly chosen lovers.”

“If you know who I am, you know I don’t work alone,” Victor tells him. “My men won’t let you hurt her, and they sure as hell won’t let you touch me.”

Harlan laughs, as if he hasn’t heard all the crazy stories about the other evil men who went mysteriously missing after Victor’s team were sent to stop them.

“You think I didn’t notice Corbin McCoy and Seth Carver hanging around down there? If they’re all you’ve got in your back pocket, you’re going to be bitterly disappointed.”

Victor rolls his eyes. He doesn’t seem threatened by Harlan, but he’s an Alpha, and he’s used to winning fights. I have no idea if Harlan is lying or telling the truth. If we just sent that evidence down there to be picked back up by his lackeys, or if Seth and Corbin have it now.

My stomach churns, and I feel like I’m ready to throw up the coffee I had for breakfast.

Harlan moves in front of me and looks me over with disgust in his stare.

He might have gone to school with E.A., but he looks fifteen years older than my mate, with leathered skin, thinning hair, and a beer gut. I don’t know why he’s looking at me like that.

It should be his reaction to his own reflection in the mirror.

“You,” he spits out. “You’re just a middle-aged Beta with an average body. The only reason I have for not killing you is that I can sell you for a lot more than you’re worth.”

He yanks down my high collar and scowls.

“Mating marks.” He laughs. “E.A. must really be head over heels. What a fucking joke. I always knew he was an idiot. You don’t deserve Alpha mates. You deserve to be treated like what you are. A crumpled up piece of trash on the sidewalk.”

He stabs the gun to my belly, and I know I should be afraid, but I’m not.

If he intended to kill me, he would have by now.

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