Page 15 of Omega Shattered
"Thought you'd managed to give him the slip," he muttered.
"I have no interest in freezing to death," the omega said dryly. "And you burned my footwear, remember?"
He nodded, smiling at me. "Well, good job on getting her clean, smells much better in here now."
Rolling my eyes, I moved to the sofa, bringing Quinn with me. "Yeah, she smells like me."
Watching River's eyes narrow as he realized I was right was quite satisfying and I had to hold back a chuckle. I tucked Quinn into the corner of the sofa, closest to River and sat down beside her. Now she was safe, with nowhere to go. My entire body relaxed at that thought.
"Where are the other two?" River muttered.
"Working, I assume. We're actually here on a job, not just vacationing."
"What kind of job can you do in a blizzard?" Quinn asked, her voice quiet. Still, she'd spoken up of her own accord with River in the room.
"We install security systems. We actually got the main part of the system set up before the storm, so we're working out the computer side of the system now, making sure everything is up and running. We'll need to go back over there and finish the physical part when the snow dies down, but for now, we can still get some stuff done and show our work to the client."
She looking interested. "Security, huh? I thought you all worked with the ORC."
"Nope, just River. The Kade and I work for Orion's security company. Usually in town, but sometimes we end up with jobs like this. Usually crazy rich people who want the best security system money can buy."
"So, you're rich?" she asked?
"Kinda."
"She doesn't need to know anything about us," River snapped. "She's going to return to the center as soon as this snow is gone and get a new pack where she can sit pretty and be spoiled."
Quinn turned hard grey eyes on him. "Really? That's what you think is going to happen? Because that's not what I was told."
"Why would they tell the omegas anything? All you have to do is sit around and look sexy." He rolled his eyes.
She seemed stunned into silence for a minute, then asked, "What exactly do you do for the ORC?"
"I'm acquisitions and tracking. When a pack gets rid of their omega, I'm the one who goes and brings her in if they can't do it themselves. And when some idiot runs off in the dead of winter, I get the wonderful job of chasing her down and dragging her ass back."
"They pay you well for that?"
"What the fuck do you care? You're on a need to know basis and nothing about me or my pack is need to know for you."
Quinn visibly shrunk back in her seat, pressing into the sofa cushion at her back.
I gently set a hand on her knee and she gave me a startled look, but didn't flinch away, so I took it as a win.
Don't get attached, I warned myself.She's going back.
We sat in silence for a while, just the comedy show pattering on. None of us were watching, though.
"What time is it?" Quinn asked after a bit.
"Almost eight." River stretched out his legs, knocking into the sofa and jolting us both. "I'll start dinner, I guess, since those two are slacking."
"There's not a lot to eat except chips," I told him. "Maybe toss the frozen pizzas in the oven. We planned on ordering in most of the time, but obviously that's out."
He gave an annoyed grunt and headed to the kitchen.
"I could cook," Quinn said hesitantly.
"Nah, let him stew in there. It's fine. We got a gazillion pizzas. It'll keep him busy and off your ass."
