Page 44 of Unhinged Omega

"People?" Geo grumbles. "Now you're ropingmeinto this?"

"You roped yourself in when you drew on 'em, big guy," I remind him, blowing a kiss in the air. "I'm touched, by the way."

He gives a grimacing eye-roll, but keeps his focused locked on the Ghosts in front of us.

The silence that follows is deafening. I've laid my cards on the table, shown them exactly what I'm capable of.

Now it's their move.

Thane's eyes narrow, his gun still trained on me. I can see the wheels turning behind his dark eyes. He's a soldier, through and through. He understands the value of what I'm offering.

Valek, on the other hand, looks like he's trying to decide whether to gut me or applaud. With him, it could probably go either way.

Hope this doesn't sour his "friendship" with Geo. I'll be hearing aboutthatfor the next decade.

I watch Thane's eyes narrow as he considers my offer. The tension in the room is thick enough to choke on, but I keep my expression neutral. Years of practice have made me a master at that, too.

Finally, Thane gives a grudging nod to Valek. They both lower their weapons slightly. Geo follows suit, his massive frame relaxing marginally beside me.

I resist the urge to sag with relief.

That was too fucking close.

"You still haven't told us what you want badly enough to risk this little meeting," Thane says, his voice gruff with suspicion.

I can't help the smile that spreads across my face. "Oh, that's simple," I purr. "I want the omega."

Their guns snap back up so fast I barely have time to blink. Fury blazes in their eyes, and for a moment, I think I've fucked up royally.

I throw my hands up, panic flooding through me. "Not yours!" I cry, the words tumbling out in a rush. "The one you took from my club. Silver hair, violet eyes, an ass carved from the clouds of the heavens?"

Thane and Valek blink, exchanging a look of confusion. "Cosima?" Thane finally asks, his brow furrowing.

The name hits me square in the throat. "Cosima," I breathe, savoring the way it rolls off my tongue. "What a fitting name for a goddess. Absolute poetry."

"For fuck's sake," Valek growls, lowering his gun. "I told you this fucking idiot must've caught her scent."

Thane gives him an annoyed growl and mutters, "How the fuck was I supposed to know he even liked women, let alone omegas?"

"I've given up my goal of fucking and being fucked by every living thing in the wasteland," I say brightly, unable to keep the offense from my voice. "I'm a changed man now that I've found the one."

"The one," Thane echoes flatly.

Geo mutters beside me, "He thinks she's his mate."

"Sheis," I snap, whirling on him. I turn back to the Ghosts, desperation clawing at my insides. "I want her. Ineedher. Whatever the price."

They laugh, the sound grating on my nerves. "Get in line," Valek sneers. "Your girl is popular."

Something dark and possessive rears its head inside me. I feel my expression harden, my mask slipping away. "Who?" I demand in a voice that doesn't quite sound like my own.

"Raven," Geo warns, but I ignore him. Even Thane seems uneasy now, his hand tightening on his weapon.

"It doesn't matter," Thane says, his tone clipped. "She's being handed back over to her father, Arthur Maybrecht."

The name hits me like a punch to the gut. Arthur fucking Maybrecht. One of the only people even I consider morally reprehensible, and that's saying something. It takes me a moment to process the fact that she's his daughter.

But it only exacerbates my need to find her.

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