Page 51 of Dangerous Heat

Standing, I hoped my second in command would be too distracted by pussy to follow me. Alas, she was not. When the door to her suite closed behind me, she was outside of it with me. Giving me a slow once over, she shook her head. “There’s about ten people who would be better choices than you to go to Hex Sisters Kitchen.”

“None of them are in the loop about the full extent of what we’re doing here,” I countered. “We’ve got to keep our circle small.”

“Clement knows. I know.”

“They’ll hate Clement.”

“Like it matters. He would be telling them their daughter and niece are safe and sound. They’ll tolerate him. I know why you’re doing this, Nolan, and I’m going to give you my opinion.”

Of course she’d caught on to it. My flirting had been more intense than normal, even for me. I braced myself for her to tell me to stay away from the captives. To not get attached for my own good. When she spoke, I had to ask her to repeat herself, because I couldn’t have heard the right thing. “Sorry, can you say that again?”

She scoffed. “I said, if you’re going to risk everything for the Omega witch, you’d better go all in. I support that. You’re compatible together, but none of it will matter if you choke.” She paused. “Well, if you choke on cock I’d say things are going well with her and her mates, but that’s not what I meant.”

My mouth was hanging slightly open, jaw unhinged. If I looked in a mirror, my skin would be red from my cheeks down to my chest. It took me a second to gather my thoughts. “Gods, Ama, no. We’re not compatible. She’s an Omega and I’m a Beta. There’s nothing I can give her.”

Shutting me up with a hand slapped over my mouth, she stepped closer. Mabel was probably eavesdropping on the other side of the door, and she didn’t want the little witch to hear what she had to say next. “I’ve met your family, Nolan. I know the shit they piled on you when you didn’t present as an Alpha, but it’s all bullshit. Omegas were never built to have just one mate, and historically speaking they’d choose a mix of Alphas and Betas to balance out their packs. Both are necessary.Youare necessary.”

I fought back tears, trying to keep my emotional state off my face. She was wrong, and I needed to keep believing she was wrong because if I didn’t… I’d get my hopes up. Higher than they already were. When they came crashing down, I didn’t know if I’d recover. My first time, I barely had.

“Thank you for the advice,” I said, pulling back from her. “I’ll keep it under advisement.”

Ama released me, letting me head down the hall to the elevator. “One day you’ll believe me. I’m excited to see it.”

The day I believed her was the day I broke. She’d never see it.

ChapterEighteen

NOLAN

An hour later I found myself in front of Hex Sister’s Kitchen, neon light illuminating my clothing. My path had been winding, sitting in cabs and cutting through back alleys, and I’d had plenty of time to think.

I shouldn’t be here, was the conclusion I’d come to on my journey.

But I’d already arrived, so turning back now was pointless. I pulled open the door and the bell jingled to announce my arrival. A jovial waitress told me to take a seat anywhere I wanted, and I picked a corner booth. She placed a menu in front of me, giving me a once over, and told me to take my time.

Not many other people were in the diner. This was the time between the lunch and dinner rushes, when everyone was finishing up their nine-to-five workday or picking the kids up from school. Except me. Owning my company gave me more freedom than that. Including the freedom to potentially fuck everything up, if I’d been followed here.

“Have you decided, dear?” the waitress asked, noting the menu face down in front of me.

I wasn’t. All I’d done was stare blankly at the options for a few seconds before becoming lost in thought. “Um, beef dip?” I said, phrasing it as a question.

“Delicious. Elodie makes a mean au jus, and our fries are exceptional.”

“Sure, I’ll order it.”

“It’ll be out in a couple of minutes for you.”

When she reached down to grab the menu her fingers brushed mine, the movement intentional. She hadn’t been close enough for it to be an accidental touch. There was no outward change in her demeanour toward me, but I had an eerie feeling she’d learned things from the contact. Were there races that gleaned information on a person from a touch? Reading thoughts was something people could have an affinity for, though it wasn’t common.

Maybe I should leave. If the touch had meant anything, I might have more to worry about from the owners and employees than any of Kylan’s men hovering outside. Meeting the family wouldn’t go as well when I had two of their family members imprisoned.

As promised, my beef dip came out of the kitchen a few minutes later. With it, came Clara and Elodie. I recognized them from surveillance photos taken, with Clara being the one who looked more like Freya. Elodie was wearing an apron stained in grease, which she didn’t take off as she claimed the seat across from me. Clara stood beside the table, boxing me in.

“Are you the owners?” I asked, playing dumb. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Where is my daughter?” Elodie asked, cutting straight to the chase.

She had a round face with laugh lines that looked out of place while she was scowling. Clara was more flat in her expression, but still furious. “She’s having a grand time in her temporary accommodations, and is very safe.”

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