Page 71 of Broken Dreams

“She’s always been a really cool grandma,” Callum adds.

From what I remember, they’re right. She did whatever she wanted, society be damned.

I wish for that kind of energy. I’ll no longer worry about what people think, nor make anyone happy but myself and my pack to be.

Fuck the people pleasing.

CHAPTER 15

LINUS

We aren’t used to alphas like Callum and Duncan. They genuinely don’t care about money outside of using it to take care of the people important to them, and barely glance at prices as Quinn tries on bras. Their eyes do, however, appreciatively move over her creamy skin when she comes out to show us each bra or set.

The dressing room in the lingerie department has been closed for our use and the alphas and I are sitting on the couches in front of where Quinn is changing. There’s a glow inside of her as our omega chooses styles that she enjoys, look beautiful on her, and most importantly, fit well.

Lingerie has always been a work attire for Quinn. There’s no joy or excitement in it typically, because she’s tailoring looks for the benefit of others. Callum and Duncan just want her to be happy and comfortable in what she’s wearing.

The reason she’s buying bras is because her breasts are too large to go without in public, and our alphas may kill anyonewho so much as looks at her sideways. Public safety demands that her breasts be contained.

The thought makes me smirk in amusement to myself as Quinn begins changing back into her shirt. She’s wearing one of the bras out, and the store clerk is aware of that.

“Why are you smiling like that?” Callum whispers into my ear. There’s no denying he smells incredible, his voice so close that it vibrates along my skin in a pleasant way. It’s when he scent marks me, his stubble scratching along my jawline, that I begin to have trouble breathing.

“Ahh,” I gasp in a breath as his hand sits on my thigh and he turns toward me. “Public murders?”

Duncan snickers as Quinn steps out of the changing room, her brow raised at us.

“Is Linus a little unhinged and we don’t know about it?” he asks. At Quinn’s confused look, he explains, “He’s thinking about public executions for some reason.”

“You’ve been glaring at everyone while we walked through the store,” I wheeze out as the color floods my cheeks. “Buying bras is a public service, so that people don’t die.”

Callum barks out a laugh, shaking his head. “That’s not a wrong assumption. I still may be tempted to off someone,” he says, standing and heading to the register to pay.

Following him, I wish I could splash some cold water on my skin. These guys have me ready to burst into flames. This is such an odd experience for me to feel outside of sex. They’re just being themselves and turning me on.

There’s no expectation for any reciprocal action at all.

I feel as if I’m walking on air as I head out to the vehicle with them after they’ve paid. Every sweet thing they do is making me more and more attracted to them, and I can feel myself falling hard. There’s no warning bells telling me this is too fast, or eventhe urge to slow down. It’s easy, even when we have to discuss hard things.

“Do you know the owner of the club well?” I ask, beginning to feel nervous as we get closer to our interview.

Quinn, sweet girl that she is, reaches out across the middle seat and takes my hand. I can feel the slight tremble in her own, which speaks volumes. We’re both wearing clothes that we can dance in just in case she wants that as part of our interview, and we’re both feeling the same pressure to perform well.

We’ve only ever “worked” for one club owner before, and neither of us want to work for another sleazeball.

“Cerenity Quinn is part of the mafia community, and her club is neutral ground,” Callum says. My Quinn jerks in surprise at hearing that the club owner’s last name is the same as her first. “She runs a tight ship, protects her employees, and has a special place for helping omegas.”

“You’ll be safe while working there, though we’ll probably troll the club for the first couple of nights to make sure everything is okay,” Duncan adds.

“This is all if she hires us,” I remind them as Quinn nods worriedly. “There’s a lot of reasons she could decide not to.”

“Like what?” Callum asks as he twists in his seat to glance at us. Duncan simply glances at me in the rearview mirror, amused.

“I don’t know, we have a very questionable work history,” I sigh. I can feel myself getting worked up and I can’t stop my spiral. Maybe I’m not doing as well as I thought. Fuck. “What if she doesn’t want to hire us because?—”

“Stop,” Callum growls, using his alpha bark. It’s so surprising my lips clamp closed while my eyes get wide. “Now take a breath.”

Watching as I take an explosive breath in, he nods. “If you were paid prostitutes, Cerenity wouldn’t care. It’s not herbusiness. The fact that you had no choice in the matter also will not make a dent in her decision outside of wanting to help you,” Callum says.

---