Page 66 of Bound By Pain
“The mess out there has been cleaned up. Our team will go over everything and try to find a connection to whoever sent it, but…” He trails off. We already know who is behind this, but he won’t mention my half-brother by name until he has tangible proof.
Sighing, I let my head hit the back of the couch. I don’t want to leave my Omega’s side, but I know someone who could help us track Marcus down. Dealing with his bitch of a mother is the last thing I want to do today, but I’ll sacrifice anything to keep my mate safe.
Even if it means dealing with the gold-digging whore who has spent the last decade spreading lies about my father.
“I have an idea,” I tell Lex as I push to my feet. He nods, eyes flickering to Bea every couple of seconds. Rolling my eyes, I turn to my mate. “Ridley should be here soon, kitten. Are you okay with just Orion until then, or do you need me to stay?”
“I’m okay,” she promises, peering through a curtain of curls. I study her for a moment, using our bond to make sure she means what she is saying. She’s still shaken, but there is more anger than fear in her heart. My fierce little kitten has claws buried underneath all that sass, and I can’t wait to watch them come out.
With a less-than-chaste kiss goodbye, I grab my keys and lead Lex to my car. Time to find this asshole once and for all.
CHAPTER 28
My first appointmentwith the DAU’s therapist cuts short when I receive a text from Ridley telling me about the package left on Bea’s porch. Of fucking course these assholes can’t leave my Omega alone.
Thankfully, the therapist understands and tells me to call to reschedule. I rush out of her office and fly down the stairwell, making it to the ground floor just in time to hop into the van of techs headed to collect the evidence.
Agents eye me cautiously, clocking my grinding teeth and bouncing knee. The instinctual drive to see Bea, to feel her in my arms, is making me crazy. I’ve felt like I was going to crawl out of my skin since the moment I walked away from the car the night we arrived back in New York several weeks ago.
I hate feeling so out of control of myself. Not knowing when I will snap and hurt someone around me. Sometimes I wonder if I should have someone put me down before I go feral.
Shaking the thoughts from my head, I don’t wait for the van to pull to a complete stop before I am out the door and up the sidewalk. Bea’s apartment door is unlocked when I twist the handle and send it flying open. My eyes snap to her, cradled in Creed’s arms and looking so damn upset it guts me.
I’m standing before her without thought, lips pressing to hers in an agonizingly intense kiss. The faint hints of her pineapple coconut flavor that burst over my tongue draw a groan up my chest. I lose myself in her, hands crawling up to bury in her hair when pain splits through my nipple from her fingers pinching it.
Swearing, I pull away, burning beneath the fire in her gaze. “Brat,” I grunt, massaging the sting away. Desire flares through those mesmerizing midnight blue orbs before uncertainty replaces it. A feeling I’ve earned, given how long I’ve spent pushing her away.
Creed’s arm sneaks around her waist, pulling my mate away from me before I can say anything stupid and fuck this situation up more than I already have.
I can’t tear my eyes away from Bea as we talk. Magnetized by her existence in a way I doubt I’ll ever be able to escape. Not that I want to, not really, but what I told her before is true. I need to get a better handle on my trauma before I risk bonding myself to her. I’d rather lose myself to ferality than witness her break beneath the weight of my problems.
A knock on the door pulls me away. Lukas Dromir waits outside, following me in when I leave the door open for him. Leading the DAU alongside Donovan, he is technically my boss. He’s also a pushy asshole who convinced Bea’s best friend, Omen, to confront her father last summer, nearly leading to the other woman’s death.
Something I have not forgiven him for.
His explanation of the package is brief and uninformative, which is to be expected. I meet Creed’s eyes, sensing the war he is waging within himself. The need to stay and comfort Bea is overwhelming, but if we can finally track Marcus down and throw his ass behind bars… It would be worth a few hours away to know she never has to face that bastard again.
He must agree with me, because he kisses her, making promises to return quickly, before heading to his car. I hesitate, then say fuck it and press a chaste kiss to her lips, too, before heading outside to slide into the passenger seat and buckle up. We’re ready for a manhunt.
The condo we roll up to is mid. Made of weathered tan bricks and dated windows. Blankets hang on the windows, blacking out the view inside.
I follow Creed to the front door, expecting him to knock. When his foot connects with the wood below the handle, breaking the lock open and sending it careening inside, I can’t hide my grin. Looks like we’re here as Bea’s Alphas, not federal agents.
A woman screams inside, bolting from her couch toward the stairs. The scent of stale cigarettes fills the space, and it takes several seconds for me to realize it comes from her.
“Where is your bastard son?” Creed growls, reaching out to block the stairway and preventing the older woman from fleeing. She shakes, but plasters on a scowl when she sees who we are.
“You aren’t welcome in my home, Creed Barrett, so get the fuck out before I-”
Creed’s hand flies to her throat, squeezing in warning. “Shut the fuck up, Alisha. You’ll what? Call the cops? Do it. I’ll make sure they know exactly where your drug stash is when they show up.”
When she deflates, still glaring, he drops her, wiping his hand on his pants like the mere thought of her skin makes him feel dirty. “Answer the question. Where is Marcus?”
“I don’t know-”
His foot collides with the coffee table behind her, shattering the wooden leg with ease. Alisha yelps, shrinking beneath the anger permeating the room.
“I don’t know where he is, but I know where he might be!” Her voice is shrill as she shouts. I listen as she rattles off several potential hideouts, some we were already aware of and a few we hadn’t known about.
