Page 109 of Broken Dreams

“I understand,” says a cool voice. I haven’t spoken to the owner, this is the first time I’ve come into her establishment to stalk my scent matches. “Linus, please ice your hand after a shower. I think you need to cool off.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Linus says. “I don’t think I’ve ever punched anyone in my life.”

“Then he probably deserved it. I care more about you than the blood he’s getting all over my floor,” she says. “I’m going to get him the fuck out of here, then send Augustine to check on your hand. He has punched an asshole or two in his life.”

“Thanks a lot,” a rumbly alpha mutters. “I swear I’m not a hot head.”

Linus’ lips twitch in amusement, but it’s gone so quickly I could have imagined it. And then…he turns without looking at me, leaving with the guard.

Fuck.

“Let’s go. Out of my club. You’re banned, twat muffin,” she says harshly, digging the bat deeper into my side.

“Damn,” I grunt. “I’m going.”

Turning to face her, Cerenity Quinn lifts the bat to her shoulder. I have no doubts that she’d beat the fuck out of me with it. She has electric blue hair put back in a braid, and she’s currently glaring at me. The alpha beside me cracks his fingers.

I know when I’m not going to win. My nose is also still bleeding and needs attention.

“You have no idea what you’re getting in the middle of,” I growl. Well, maybe I was wrong. I’m going to get beaten up, because my mouth won’t stay shut.

“I usually would say that you’re an alpha who doesn’t know how to keep his hands to himself, but I don’t believe you touched him at all,” the man Cerenity called Augustine says.

I recognize the voice now that I’m paying more attention.

“I didn’t,” I agree. “I didn’t think he’d react so badly to seeing me again. That was my mistake.”

“Something tells me you’ve made a lot of mistakes,” Cerenity mutters. “Out, let’s go.”

Lifting her hand to a staff member, they hurry forward to clean up the blood I’m still dripping onto the floor. Deciding our kumbaya moment has come to an end, I get my ass moving.

I even get an escort as I leave, and Cerenity never removes her bat from her shoulder as she doggedly follows me. Yes, I’m sure she would love to beat the hell out of me.

“Now that you’re outside of my club, why are you here?” she asks.

“To grovel to my omegas for being an idiot,” I reply.

“Do better,” she suggests, slamming the door in my face.

Wincing, I turn away. I know they’re in Minneapolis, that’s enough for now. There’s mafia ties to this club as well, I could tell in the clientele.

It appears it’s time to make nice with the underbelly of this city.

LINUS

“Am I fired?” I ask as Augustine checks my hand. It’s only a little sore, because Duncan taught me how to throw a punch, and we practiced it.

I didn’t think I’d actually put it into action this soon.

“Why would I do that?” he asks, humming under his breath before putting an ice pack on my hand.

I feel silly now that I’ve showered and come down from my anger and anxiety. Christian reminds me of Slick Dreams, as well as the horrors that come with that. Every feeling of abandonment also rose when I saw him, and I felt so fucking angry.

He didn’t want us enough to fight for Quinn and I, which means he doesn’t deserve us now that we’re out.

“I started a fight in your club?” I remind him. “Isn’t there a zero tolerance policy for that?”

“My employees are allowed to defend themselves. I know for a fact that you carry a knife at your ankle, Linus,” he says, hisdeep green eyes meeting mine. “You could have just stabbed him and called it a day.”

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