Page 33 of Glass Omega

“Best get her inside before it really starts coming down, that dress looks like it’s liable to melt if it gets wet.”

It looked like he was still mad that I made him ride in a different car. Rhodes McCreary, for all of his scary-ass looks and stone-faced expressions, was actually pretty sensitive.

The man in question turned and hurried inside, probably to clear the hall the same way a secret service agent would for the president of a small country.

And judging by the way people seemed to part like the Red Sea for Edison, in this world, he was the president.

Or, I guess the title of king would suit the man more. Presidents were elected. Kings were born.

People who I guessed were a part of the extended branch families that made up the Keane clan milled around the elegant lobby in their best finery. It almost felt as if tonight was our wedding rather than the one that was planned to take place at the estate tomorrow.

“Edison!” one of the men greeted us as we passed, stepping into our path and stopping us. He was an older man with, and I kid you not, a ridiculously villainous mustache that twisted up at the ends.

Oona had shown me pictures of all of the branch families, but I definitely would have remembered a mustache like the one this man had.

It took everything in me not to laugh as he attempted to exchange greetings with Edison. My fingers gripped the inside of Edison’s elbow tightly as I tried to hold it together because laughing at one of the branch family members was probably not a good look for the future wife of the clan’s leader.

“Greetings are for after dinner, Liam,” Edison said with a sigh as if he was reminding a small child rather than someone much older than him.

The man’s face flushed a bit, but after a beat he seemed to take it in stride and his smile was back. “Apologies, Edison, I just saw your lovely bride and got a little bit ahead of myself. I wanted to introduce her to my wife as they are of the same age.”

My brows rose as the man snapped his fingers behind him like he was summoning a dog and a tall blonde scurried forward and tucked her hand into her husband’s waiting elbow.

The muscles of Edison’s forearm stiffened as he got a good look at the woman, but his face remained impassive.

“This is Yulia, my lovely wife, say hello, Yulia.” Liam gave the woman a shove and she nearly collided with the both of us.

“H-Hello, Edison,” she greeted the alpha softly, her blue eyes locked onto his face.

Little alarm bells rang in my head as I looked between the two and a thread of something nasty wound its way through me as I watched the woman stare up at my alpha with soft longing.

I reeled back a little bit at the sheer possessiveness running through me and it was enough to make Edison glance over at me, his neutral expression shifting into a concerned one.

Then he turned and looked over Yulia’s head at Liam. “I didn’t realize you’d gotten married, and to one of our clan’s widows at that.”

“Volkov made the introduction after my wife died a few months ago and seeing as we’ve both lost spouses, I couldn’t help but fall head over heels for such a beautiful woman.”

There seemed to be an entire conversation going on between their cordial words and Edison’s golden-eyed gaze seemed to frost over as he digested the man’s words. “I see. Well, don’t forget that I, as the leader of your clan, should be approving all marriages. I will overlook it this time, seeing as you’re so…happy… but please remember to inform me when your next wedding rolls around.”

Liam’s face dropped, his mustache seeming to wilt before my very eyes as Edison’s words finally registered.

A barely concealed snort came from behind us and I shot a surreptitious glance over my shoulder to find Rhodes hovering over Edison’s shoulder, his face just as unreadable as Edison’s aside from just the slightest upturn of the corners of his mouth.

Liam began to sputter, but Edison ignored him, gently guiding me around the pair and towards the large double doors that two employees were waiting to open for us.

Yulia looked as if she wanted to say something more to Edison as we passed, her pale-fingered hand even lifting like she was going to stop him, but I hurried to put my body between them.

It probably wasn’t very ladylike nor did it reflect the lessons that Oona and my dusty omega teacher had given me, but Ididn’t care a bit about that at this moment as I exchanged an icy look with the woman.

I may not have been fully versed in the criminal life, but Edison Keane wasminenow, for better or for worse, and I’d be damned if I let another woman touch him—especially in public.

Turning my face away from her completely, I stuck my nose in the air like a snob and tugged Edison towards the door. The alpha was looking at me as if he’d never seen me before, his mouth slightly agape as we waited for the employees to pull the doors open so we could walk together into the banquet hall.

“Damn,” I heard Rhodes mutter under his breath behind me but I ignored him.

I’d never been a good actor, but I was going to channel every ounce of talent and the one elective class I’d taken in high school in order to survive the night and protect the hard-won freedom that Edison was offering to me.

Pasting a smile onto my face, I glanced around the sea of faces and muttered under my breath: “I guess it’s time for lights, camera, action.”

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