Page 56 of Broken Dreams

“Is that something you want to pursue?” Callum asks curiously.

“I’m sure things have advanced so much in the past eight years, I’d have to start all over,” he sighs.

“I could pull your transcripts, change the name on it, and submit it to the University of Lyons,” Callum says. “Give you our last name if you’re cool with it so it can’t be traced. We can at least see how many of your credits would transfer to catch up on the technology changes.”

“That’s… wow,” Linus says, appearing gobsmacked.

We were just discussing how big the world felt, and here Callum is laughing in its face. Wow, indeed.

They want to claim us in all ways and give us the world?

“Is that seriously even possible?” Linus asks.

“Callum can do a lot behind a keyboard,” Duncan says with a smirk. “If he can’t, he’ll reach out to someone who can. Now, what else do we need?”

They just take everything in stride, finding a way to get around every obstacle. The elephant in the room is still Alpha Miles, though none of them know his name. He’s a black stain on my soul, as he was determined to break me completely before he threw me away.

Eighteen was simply too old for him. He likes his omegas between the ages of twelve and seventeen. He made me do a lot of sexual acts before he took my virginity. Anal wasn’t off the table, and he liked to make me cry.

On the day he dropped me off at the auction house, naked and bleeding, he told me he already had a fourteen year old being delivered to his home to break in.

I screamed and screamed, but not a single noise came out. My soul made those noises for the lost soul who was going to be forced to go through what I did. My face didn’t twitch as I watched him walk away, my vocal chords completely silent.

I didn’t speak to anyone else until Linus. I’m fully convinced that we saved each other the year he came to Slick Dreams.

Blinking, I plug into the conversation being had at the island, and Linus simply covers my hand with his and squeezes, doing a better job at anchoring me to the present than anything else.

CHAPTER 12

CHRISTIAN

I’m standing outside of a high rise building in Chicago, about to bullshit my way upstairs. I recognized Alesso Daventi as one of the men on the outside cameras of Slick Dreams’ last known location, and I’ve decided he’ll be a solid lead to speak to.

Alesso has never been to the club before, I know because I checked his bank records and there aren’t any large amounts of money being wired to anyone in the way Bret demands. This alpha is careful about how he transfers money, feeding it through other avenues before depositing it. He’s a money launderer for a gang here in Chicago, and a good one.

It’s his personal spending that made it easy to discern his activity for me. I don’t give a shit if he’s a criminal and a possible murderer. Someone killed Saxon, and it could have been easily any of the men that were at Makayla’s heat.

Fortunately for the other men, I only recognize Alesso because we occasionally run in the same circles. Now that sheand Linus are both gone, I believe my patience has completely run out. The idea that I missed my shot forever has me very willing to burn the world down to find them.

I’ll worship at both of their feet to make it up to them. So many lost opportunities and time. It makes me taste battery acid at the back of my throat as I swallow. Fuck, it’s time to lie my ass off or threaten my way up to the penthouse suite.

Walking inside as if I own the place, I smile at the doorman. I’m wearing a custom three piece, dark blue, pinstripe suit that screams power and money, my hair artfully styled. I also have a gun at the small of my back and one at my ankle. It’s hot as balls in this city, yet there’s not a single bead of sweat along my hairline.

To the outside world, I’m calm and confident.

“Who are you here to see today, sir?” the doorman asks, his gaze assessing as he looks at me.

This entire building is filled with high profile people, some on the right side of the law, some not. He’s right to be careful.

“I’m here to see Mr. Daventi,” I tell him, my hands stuffed casually in my pockets. Nothing to see here. “I have an appointment.”

I know he’s home because I’ve been watching the building. Careful planning, as well as pulling the blueprint plans the city has, gives me the layout of what to expect to see. There’s a stairwell that goes up, but sixty flights of stairs isn’t something I want to attempt.

The elevator is also only accessible by keycard or the override by a staff member. Right now, that’s this guy right here.

“Name, please?” he asks, brow raised. He doesn’t make any movement to call him, which makes me respect him a little more.

I have zero issues waiting the fucker out, though, or finding my way into that elevator.

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