Page 29 of Not Ready

I narrow my eyes. He’s still stuck on cashing in his inheritance. I get it, it’s a couple million dollars—that’s nothing to scoff at, but I’ve got bigger fish to fry.

“Think about it. You’ve continually said that she’s proud. She kept working at that awful club because she needed the money and wouldn’t accept lavish gifts.” Mercy pauses.

He’s right about that. I had to sweet talk her into upping the costs on her private tiers that way no one else was subscribing. It also gave me an excuse to help ensure she has enough funds stashed away for once the baby is born. It doesn’t sound like my efforts even helped. I’m even more annoyed because she capped the maximum amount her patrons could tip during a month, which I’ve long assumed she did to purposefully keep me from tipping outlandish amounts.

Mercy finally goes on, “She’s already feeling unsettled in her place here. You offering to add her to your insurance might push her over the edge, but what if it was mutually beneficial?”

“What do you mean?”

“She marries us. If she doesn’t immediately qualify for insurance, due to it being a preexisting condition, then we simply pay out of pocket for all her medical costs. Once the baby is born, I know for a fact that birth is considered a life event, and we can add the baby onto our plan. For her part, she’s helping us to ensure I can claim my inheritance. It’s a win-win if I’ve ever heard one.”

I squint, trying to parcel out a downside or something that might come back to bite me in the ass.

Mercy leans closer, keeping his voice low. “I understand that you have real feelings for her. Trust me, I even see the appeal, but I won’t stand in the way of that. Once my inheritance is secure, I’ll simply step back from the relationship and the two of you can live out the rest of your happily ever after.”

“You’re a sneaky bastard.” Holt comes around the corner from where he’s obviously been listening.

“It’s our chance to actually break through the wall,” Mercy says, giving Holt a look that might qualify as distaste.

The wall is what we’ve been calling the block between the traffickers and the buyers. Omegas go missing at alarming rates. We can take out the individuals we come across all goddamn day, but more pop up in their place. To make a serious dent, we’ve been talking about how to fund a mission to infiltrate the upper levels. It needs to be a coordinated attack, and we employ the right kind of people to make it happen, but it would take an obscene amount of money, considering the risks.

“Which one of you is actually going to marry her?” Holt asks, his forehead wrinkling. “If it’s Bishop, how will you get your family to sign off on the funds? Conversely, if it’s Mercy, then what happens once he has those funds and wants a divorce? What’s keeping her tied to Bishop?”

“It needs to be a pack marriage or commitment ceremony,” I say, picking up what he’s saying. Legally speaking, they’re the same thing. Once a pack is established, a member can ask to dissolve their union, but the rest of the group stays legally bound. It becomes more complicated when bonds are in place, but Mercy wouldn’t be bonding her, so that’s not a problem.

“The law states there must be three members outside of the omega,” Mercy says, looking at Holt. “I’ll offer you the same deal I gave Vale. One hundred thousand dollars per six months.”

“You offered her two hundred grand,” Holt says, indignation lining his tone.

“That’s because she’s carting around an extra human being. It seemed fair.” Mercer stretches back in his chair. “Think about the progress we could make.”

“Fuck you,” Holt sputters. “I’m not getting married just to secure some paltry inheritance you’re only obsessed with because you want to make sure it doesn’t go to your brothers.”

“I’d hardly call just shy of three hundred million paltry,” Mercy growls.

My eyes widen. I figured it was maybe in the double digits of millions, but under no circumstances did I imagine a number like that.

“All three of you get that much?” Holt asks, referencing Mercy’s two brothers.

“Indeed. They don’t need any additional funds.”

“Well, I can agree with that,” I chime in.

“If you’re getting that much, giving such a low offer makes you sound like a total cheapskate.” Holt scratches his beard. “Try again. If I’m taking six months off from being able to date, you’ll need to make it worth my while.”

Mercy sighs. “Fine. One million, but that only applies if I gain access. Otherwise, you get nothing.”

“Well, how’s that for a gamble?” Holt chuckles. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

Chapter Twelve

Vale

My lower back throbs as I wiggle my hips. The floor of this nest leaves something to be desired, but I’ve never actually had a nest that wasn’t dual purpose.

I’ve used my bathroom and closet before in emergencies.

After checking out the closet filled with Bishop’s things, I came to the conclusion that this seven-by-nine room off our bathroom must be a nest. It was clearly not set up properly because they don’t have an omega.

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