Page 6 of Alpha Geek

Tripp nodded, listening with compassion.

“I can understand that, but I also understand why you miss it so much. It’s so full of beauty and wonder.”

He studied her profile, and Amelia could feel his eyes. His lovely eyes burned into her body, and she hoped he was undressing her in his mind; all she wanted was to rip her blouse open and hike up her skirt and let him fuck her against the wall.

It was distracting but delicious.

“So,” she gulped, “tell me about who you think might be targeting you.”

FOUR

TRIPP

Tripp stared at Amelia. He couldn’t believe she was a shifter. Her bright green eyes responded to him in a way that no one had ever looked at him, and he quickly grew hard under her gaze.

He turned away as his body betrayed him, reprimanding himself. He wasn’t a teenager. Tripp knew how to control his lust.

Curiosity urged him to look over his shoulder at Amelia. Her blonde hair framed her face, and her emerald eyes beautifully. The pencil skirt she wore hugged her ass and hips well. Tripp could see the apple shape of her butt, and his body began reacting again.

“Tripp?”

He blinked, trying to remember the question. “Oh, right,” Tripp uttered and walked farther from Amelia. He needed to get his head on straight, and being next to her wouldn’t allow it. He took a breath and shook some sense into himself.

Amelia might be attracted to him, but there was a time and a place for these things. A party with a house full of shifters, and his mother, was not the place and time to act out on it.

“Well, I started …”

Shouts drew his attention, and he and Amelia took off for the main party room. He came around the corner in time to see the TV screen flickering. A loudCRRRRAAACKsplit through the room. People jumped, dropped their glasses, and their hands flew over their ears. Tripp looked around as concern shadowed his face.

“Thermon Bryant Webster III. This message is for you. I hope you are listening.”

A hundred eyes focused on Tripp. He pulled at his collar as the evening's ramifications tightened around his throat.

The television along the wall flashed on and released another loud noise. The audience shifted their attention toward the large screen.

A black-and-white image flickered, showing the silhouette of a person. The character’s head was rounded off like they were wearing a ski mask. The shoulders were broad. Had it been thirty years ago, Tripp would have automatically assumed a man, but with the knowledge of identity preferences, Tripp no longer assumed any gender.

“My name is Craig Melton. Unless you give me your fortune, your mountainous trip to Everest will be your last.”

All attention shifted back to Tripp, whose anger worked his jaw. “Your audacity is ridiculous.” Tripp placed the glass in his hand down. He would not show the audience that he was frustrated or enraged by the claim.

Amelia came to stand near him, but not too close. His eyes flicked to hers as a sign of acknowledgment, but no one in the group would have noticed because of the bizarre events.

“Is it? Normally when people receive threats, they take them seriously.” The rest of the security team fanned out. If Tripp could have a conversation with Craig, that meant there were also listening devices in the area.

Tripp kept his focus on the screen and pretended that he took no notice of the milling around. “What gives you the right to demand something like this? Your threats mean nothing to me. I’ve never heard of you. You’re attacking me in public and wearing a mask. You know I’m not stupid, so you’ve also broken into the house to place listening devices.”

A tingling sensation prickled up Tripp’s arm. He turned his gaze to Amelia. He could tell she was excited by his demeanor, but her eyes told him to tread carefully. They needed to find out who and what this guy wanted.

“I am your half-brother.”

Tripp swallowed. He absorbed the information. “What are you talking about? That’s another ridiculous lie.”

“Ha! Ask your mother how often our father was unfaithful to her. Then you’ll know the truth. Let that be a lesson in honesty for you.”

“Fine. Say you are my brother …” Tripp noticed that the security crew found something. They pointed to it so Tripp could see. He nodded at them. “Half-brother. Why wouldn’t you just come to talk with me? Meet me? Threats don’t make me respect you. In fact, I don’t respond to threats at all.”

“Of course … brother. Go live your charmed life. Make sure that these people enjoy your presence one final time. Tell them all goodbye because you’ll never see them again.”

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