Page 31 of Captive Omega

“Cynthia wants my job, by the way,” Vaughn says, probably to distract Blaine.

“Why would she want your job?” I give Vaughn a rapid glance, but the closed door, and the muffled sound of conversation drifting from it, holds most of my attention.

“She was talking about being an area manager when you asked her to kick me out of the clinic.” Vaughn sighs dramatically. “Nearly made me fall off my chair.”

“I didn’t ask her to…” I sigh, letting my voice trail off. I asked her to give Vaughn a gentle prod. “Is she aware there is only one location?”

“She is,” Vaughn confirms. “But I think she has her eyes on the big picture. Which I guess is a good mindset for an area manager to have.”

“And the reason you wouldn’t want the job?” I ask, as though I don’t already know the answer.

“I’m not desk job material.”

That’s not entirely true. He was happy enough to spend weeks camped out in his office if it meant avoiding the increasing tension in the house. And Blaine. Who we all want to help but none of us can reach.

“So, you’re recommending Cynthia for the job?” I ask.

“Now I didn’t say that. Though she probably bugged my office and me.” He looks around as if expecting to find a camera pointed at him. “So, yes. I am recommending you, Cynthia, if you’ll please stop bugging me.”

A door creaks open.

I whip around as Sadie steps out of Resa’s room. She has her bag in one hand, and a concerned expression stamped on her face as she nudges the door closed behind her.

My gaze dips behind her shoulder, but there’s no sign of Resa. “Is she okay?”

Sadie motions us further away from the door, pitching her voice low. “She needs to be in a hospital. Preferably, also receiving counseling.” She looks at Vaughn. “You removed the glass from her feet, but please never do anything like that again without medication.”

“She was insistent. No drugs.” Vaughn stuffs his hands in his pocket, expression pained. “Look, I didn’t want to do it, and I know it had to have hurt, but If I’d pushed, she’d have done it herself. Or left.”

“Vaughn is right,” I agree. “She took one look at us and nearly walked right out.”

Sadie has helped previous clients over the years, but Resa is different. She’s our scent match, and because she is, it complicates an already complicated situation. It’s in an alpha’s nature to claim an omega, and the first hint of possessiveness will chase Resa out of the door.

She has old and new bruises on her arms, blood on the front of her dress, and she only relaxed when she had a knife in her hand. I’m surprised she hasn’t already walked out. She must be desperate, or whoever put those bruises on her is still out there, and she has nowhere to go.

“She needs a counselor, Garrison,” Sadie says, insistently.

“And she’ll get one.” I cross my arms and lower my voice. “Right now, she needs to heal before she needs to talk. Did she say anything to you?”

Sadie transfers her bag from her right hand to left and massages the back of her neck. Vaughn leans toward her, taking the bag from her.

She gives him a grateful but tired smile before she speaks. “Resa didn’t have to say anything. I don’t know what happened to her tonight, but I can guess. You need to watch her for shock.”

We all look down the hallway.

“Did she tell you how she got the glass in her feet?” Blaine asks.

He’s stopped trying to tug at the neck of his turtleneck to hide the burn on his cheek. The second Resa steps out of that bedroom, he’ll go right back to it so she can’t see it. He’s barely gotten a handle on us seeing his scars. I don’t know what the next couple of days will look like, but they won’t be easy for Blaine.

Sadie shakes her head. “Nothing. Did she tell you anything?”

“Just that she did something stupid to escape,” Vaughn says.

We all look at Vaughn.

“What does that mean?” Blaine asks.

“It might not have been a good idea to give her a knife, Vaughn,” Sadie says. “I know you meant well, but?—”

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