Page 95 of Why Cruise

Fuck.

I’d gotten too comfortable, too familiar. If she thought Justice was valuable to me…

I put on a bored face and turned to her. She was in a red cocktail dress. The neckline plunged to her navel, and that thumb drive sat dead center on her chest.

I pulled out my stack of $1000 chips. She tried to pluck them with two fingers. I snapped them out of her reach.

“I don’t trust you to give them to Gaston.” I said.

“Mmm, just wait for those yummy pack bonds and you’ll know exactly how much you can trust me.” She ran a finger down my cheek. I batted her hand away.

“Catherine, you can literally bite my ass.” I pushed her hip and made her stagger several feet back.

I did a long circuit around the poker tables, looking for my next mark.

Mackenzie

Daryl was still pissed. Very, very pissed. He made me give him all the money back, saying I shouldn’t have embarrassed him in front of his pack lead. Brock and the others were teasing him mercilessly.

They claimed a table for the auction, but there wasn’t a chair for me. Normally, I loved sitting in Daryl’s lap, but now I nervously stood next to him, his arm hooked around my leg, stroking my thigh.

It was Auction Night. The omegas had been frankly obnoxious about it. The cruise staff would auction off experiences on the ship, like pack massages and excursions. And dates with available omegas. There were dark times in ancient history when that sort of thing happened for real. Now, it was just a joke and yet another way for omegas to rank themselves and put others down. There was a betting pool going on about who would get the highest bid.

Theo had said he didn’t have the guts to put himself up there. I didn’t blame him — this was daunting. The theater was full of people, with a sparkly spotlight illuminating Aria on stage.

All the money raised tonight would go to one of her charities, and she was enjoying working the crowd. She was a natural. I could never do that.

“Mackenzie!” I jumped at the sound of my name. Rose rushed over and hugged me — hugged me, of all things. “Brock, sweetie, you don’t mind if we borrow Mackenzie for a second, do you? We’re having all the omegas help with the auction.”

“Not at all. I’d love to see my girl center stage.” My girl? I looked at Brock and my stomach flipped. I smiled weakly and tucked my hair behind my ear.

“Come on! All you have to do is hold the prize and walk across the stage. Simple.” She hooked her arm through mine and dragged me away.

Backstage was a flurry of activity. Omegas rushed around in glittering gowns, adjusting each other’s hair and makeup. The air was thick with perfume and excitement. I caught snippets of conversation—nervous giggles about which alpha might bid on them, whispers about how much money they hoped to raise for Aria’s charity.

I shimmed my dress into place and smoothed it down. Jillian said I looked hot in it. I wore it to that first dinner. Theo liked it. I was suddenly feeling underdressed compared to the sequins and silk surrounding me. It was off the rack, but from a formalwear store. Rose and her friends were huddled in a corner, all matching in shades of pink. They looked up as I approached, and for a split second, I thought I saw genuine warmth in their eyes.

“Mackenzie, you look stunning!” Sarah gushed, reaching out to touch my hair. “That dress is perfect on you. And the flowers in your hair are so lovely.” I had put it half up so it would cascadeover one shoulder and placed the silk flowers they had bought for me the other day.

“I love your shoes,” Lily chimed in. “Are those the new Charisma’s?”

I blinked, caught off guard by their sudden friendliness. Maybe things had changed. Maybe because Daryl was here, they didn’t see me as competition anymore? Rose smiled sweetly and hooked my arm, dragging me to the very edge of the curtain. I could see Aria. She had a podium set up next to her with papers and bottled water. I couldn’t see anyone in the crowd with the spotlights glaring down at us.

“And now, your favorite part of the evening. We’re moving on to date night auctions,” Aria announced. “It’ll be omega’s choice, of course, isn’t it always?” That got hoots from the audience. “You’ll bid on an omega and she’ll pick your dating activity for tomorrow,” she purred. “And don’t get your knots all twisted. Unlike traditional auctions of old — no biting tonight, please. Just because you win a date doesn’t mean you own the poor girl.” The crowd hooted and hollered.

Rose, wearing a satisfied smirk, handed the stage manager a piece of paper, who ran it right out to Aria’s podium. She picked it up and scanned it briefly.

“So, our first lovely lady of the evening…” She looked down at the slip of paper. “Mackenzie Perez!”

My heart fell to the floor as Rose cackled and pushed me on stage. I stumbled, but caught myself.

“We gotta get the weak ones out first,” Rose said, beginning the chorus.

“I bet nobody even bids on her.” And they all chimed in.

“I mean, could she squeeze herself into a smaller dress?”

“Who is wearing navy anymore?”

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