Page 47 of Cause Of Death

“I’ve been told your name is Tomas Biggs, and that you were once the head of security for the Prince family. Is that correct?” My voice is calm and pleasant as I ask my questions, and I settle in for the long haul. Everything about Tomas Biggs screams that he’ll be uncooperative, belligerent, and unlikely to provide any worthwhile information unless forced to do so, but I can always hope that he’ll see reason.

Spoiler alert: he doesn’t.

Tomas Biggs is gratingon my nerves. Both Leslie and I have been steadily questioning him for the past quarter hour, with me taking on the role of bad cop thanks to my intimidating size. My knuckles are bruised from bloodying his face, and I can see Leslie steadily losing their patience with him. If we don’t take a break soon then Leslie’s going to end up going gloves off.

Which means the knives will come out.

“Les, take a breather. Go and check on the others for me, make sure they’re all happy and occupied. No use in you getting all worked up, and Adam and I can continue while you’re gone.”

Leslie glares at Tomas before spinning on their heel and pressing the automatic door opener.

As the garage door lifts to let them exit, it reveals my omega—dressed all in black, hair tied back in a loose braid, and looking deliciously lethal—patiently waiting for entry. After a brief, whispered exchange between her and Leslie, the garagedoor rolls shut again, this time enclosing her inside with Adam and me.

“I thought I’d leave you both to bond over extracting information, but then I realized thatIhave questions for Mr. Biggs here, and my Wispy senses are tingling.”

We all learned early on never to ignore it when Disa’s “Wispy senses” acted up, as there were times when even my precognition overlooked incidents that turned out to be relevant at a later point.

I hold out my hand, silently requesting her presence, and she responds in kind. Brushing her fingers along Adam’s clenched jawline, she coos at him with her omega purr. “Don’t worry, Adam. I won’t stop you from playing with him. In fact, I think you and I should play together with Tomas here, because as big and mean as Henley may appear, he’s more of a big ole teddy bear.He’sthe bear women—and some men—will choose when walking alone in the woods.”

A blush burns its way up my throat and into my cheeks at my little Wisp’s insinuation. I consider myself to be more demisexual than bisexual, as outside of Steve and Leslie—and now Kieran—I’ve never really found myself attracted to someone who wasn’t female—sexually or otherwise. Even then, other women don’t hold a candle to my omega, although there have been a few over the years, especially for the duration of my ruts. So, to hear her say that about me, about my trustworthiness and consideration of others, it unfurls something precious and fragile inside of me.

“If anyone in this family is a bear, little Wisp, webothknow that it’s Steve. The man is a walking, breathing poster-child for that particular identification, and you know it.”

My indulgent reprimand is met with giggles, and my omega stands on her tiptoes in an attempt to kiss me. I sweep her up into my arms, groaning as her legs wrap around my waist,snugging her pussy up against my hardening cock. In between kisses are gentle requests disguised as growled demands.

“Don’t dally. Get the information, fast. You and me? We have unfinished business. Same goes with you and Adam. Don’t make us wait, please?”

“As you wish, Alpha,” she breathily murmurs into my mouth before wiggling her luscious body free from my hold.

Strolling over to the bound and seated alpha, I note that Adam is right on my heels. Henley, though, wanders over to the massive rolling toolbox, leaning back against the wall to watch me work.

I hope seeing me like this doesn’t change his opinion of me. A pulse of assurance and affection washes through my bond with Hen, soothing away my anxiety.

I guess if he hasn’t left due to my line of work by now, he won’t be leaving at all.

I shrug off my uncertainty, as it has no place in the room at this moment, and instead allow my…other… persona to come forth.

“Now, Tomas, I’m going to let you know what your options are here, tonight. Right now, you can see me standing before you, but that’s not always the case when it comes to my particular… shall we say,skill set?I can make it so that I disappear completely from your view while still standing directly in your line of sight. I can make it so you can see and bracefor the incoming hits like you already have been, or to ramp up your anxiety and fear before striking an invisible blow. Do you want to go out like an alpha, facing down your foe even as fear invades your soul, or do you want your end to come with you as a sniveling, quivering lump of flesh on the floor? The choice is yours, but only one comes with the slightest shred of mercy.”

“You havenoidea who I am, who my friends are!” Tomas spits back at me, defiance embedded in every strand of his being. “I can make a single call, whisper your names and this address, and then sit back and watch as every single one of you comes to a painful, bloody end. Your threats need work, little girl. Go back to your dolls and playhouse and leave the menacing and punishments to the adults.”

I lean back and scan over Tomas Biggs with a speculative eye, Adam is a solid wall of warmth against my spine. I tilt my head and glance over to Henley, seeing the same questioning gleam in his gaze.

“Do we have Tomas’ cell? I’d like to hear him make that call, see just who he thinks will come and save him. I mean, we have overwhelming evidence that he paid Pyotrquitea lot of money to rape Kieran on camera, and some of the requests he made would have most people washing their hands of him altogether. Then there’s thehowof Tomas being able to front so much money, especially as we can’t find any trace of him earning a legitimate income, let alone working for a reputable employer. Not for the last decade or so, at least. I wonder why that is?” I muse, smiling up at my alpha gratefully as he passes over a smartphone that had been left on top of the enormous toolbox at the back of the room.

It has facial recognition, which I use to unlock the phone and start scrolling through Tomas’ contact list. The names don’t really tweak my curiosity, so I move over to his messages. It’s the name on the third one down that grabs my attention, partly dueto the first letter of the first name, and partly because I’m not an idiot. EvenIcan interpret whatFrigidus Manus Mortismeans, despite not being fluent in Latin.

Cold Hand of Death.

A little extra snooping and I’ve got him dead to rights. I look down at Tomas, the grin parting my lips shows no hint of kindness. Nor is it friendly or designed to put a person at ease. No. It’s cold, hard, and brutal, flashing with a lethal gleam in the dark.

“I never told you my name, did I, Tomas?” I purr as I hand his phone over to Adam, who swears a blue streak as he reads the messages contained within. Unfortunately, Adam won’t get to play with Tomas tonight after all. I will, in fact, have to deny him Tomas’ death at his hands.

Because the information and instructions in the messages on Tomas’ phone have sealed his fate at my hands.

“Let me remedy that for you. My name is Disa Mariah Aloft, and by day I’m a pastry chef for a patisserie in Modesto. However, that’s not mytruecalling. No. That’s something else entirely. You might have heard of my other name, though. I’m known as The Wisp.” I lean in close as Tomas’ eyes go wide and his skin blanches with fear.

“Ah, yes, I can see you knowexactlywho I am, now. And let me assure you, Tomas, thatmyemployers made sure that your contract landed in my lap becauseI do my own research. They won’t come to save you, they are not minions milling around to do your bidding. Theyreallydon’t like being misled or lied to, either. In fact, the moment your heart ceases to beat, they will pay me for the pleasure of ending your life. I’m an initiate of theFemme Fatale Freakshow, and you will meet your demise at my leisure.”

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