Page 41 of Claimed Omega

Viper

Adrenaline thumped in my veins as I slipped out of the car, my gaze scouring the street, the parked cars, everyone lingering nearby. Any of them could be an assassin or a spy searching for us.

Everything seemed the normal kind of busy, with cabs dropping off customers and people strolling down the sidewalk, nothing grabbing my attention just yet. Sticking to the shadows, I kept my head tucked low as I crossed the road and approached the Luxe Hotel half a block away.

The Luxe Hotel was a towering building of glass and steel, climbing high into the sky. Rows of gleaming windows lined the wide structure, each one reflecting the light of the setting sun. The entrance was marked by a grand, sweeping staircase that led up to a massive set of double doors, framed by pillars of polished marble.

A valet stood at the entrance, waiting to greet the guests and take their cars. I eyed him to see if he carried a weapon or glanced around a few too many times, but he was too busy talking to his buddy. Beyond him, I spotted a glimpse of the lobby through the glass doors and windows, with its high ceilings and glittering chandeliers, promising a world of luxury.

Just as I strode toward the hotel, the repetitive thump of footsteps closed in from behind. Heartbeat racing, I glanced over my shoulder, my hand instinctively reaching for the gun tucked into the back of my jeans.

I whipped around just as two guards rushed me, dressed in all black, and wearing sneers.

Heart slamming into the back of my throat, I dodged the first guard’s punch and delivered a swift kick to his abdomen, sending him reeling backward. But the second guard came at me too fast, and before I could react, he tackled me to the ground.

He snatched me by my hair and dragged me to my feet, my scalp on fire, dragging me down an alley and away from prying eyes, no doubt to finish me.

Fury surging through me, I grappled with the guard as I reached for my gun when the fucker slammed a fist into my face.

Pain exploded through my head like a searing hot knife. With my vision blurring and ears ringing, a sharp, throbbing ache spread across my head, and I tasted the metallic tang of blood in my mouth.

The second asshole was making his way toward us. Anger fueled, I throat-punched the first dude, sending him reeling, his gun dropping out of his grasp.

I jerked for mine, still tucked in the back of my jeans. Gun lifted, I shot the second guy in a heartbeat, catching him in the throat. Blood splattered, and thank fuck, I got him at the same moment a huge truck roared past the main street, stealing the sound.

Swinging back to the first guard, I pointed the gun at him, and he froze on his knees, eyes bulging.

“Which bastard do you work for?” I snarled.

“What does it matter? You’re a dead man,” he spat. “You and your men, and especially that bitch Omega, won’t last long,” the dickhead sneered at me, a cruel smirk spreading across his face as he taunted me with insults.

My insides burned with fury, and my fists clenched at my sides.

“You think you’re so tough, Viper? You think you can take down any of us?” the attacker growled, his voice laced with malice. “You’re better off giving yourself to us, and maybe we’ll cut you a deal.” The side of his mouth twitched, his eyes averting mine momentarily—of course he lied.

My anger boiled over, consuming me, and instinct took over. I jerked my gun up and blew his damn brains out, spraying the brick wall behind him with blood. Not my finest work, and his death would get news coverage, which will piss off Shadow, but fuck them all. This would send a message to Axel to watch out.

We were coming for him.

“Bastard,” I grunted. Tucking my gun away, feeling the heat of the barrel through the fabric. Then, I threw myself to his side and searched for his pocket for ID or something to show me who the fuck had attacked me. I found his phone in his hand. It was opened on the screen, clearly ready to call for backup. Prying it out of his dead hand, I pulled back and ran deeper into the alleyway, away from the bodies and the main street, in case anyone else watched.

Two streets away, I shoved myself into a narrow back road, my heartbeat racing. Back up against the brick wall, I rapidly checked through the phone messages when the wordBountycaught my attention.

I stared at the phone in disbelief, my heart thundering. There, on the screen, was a bounty with all our faces—Trinity, Shadow, Aspen, and me—plastered across it. The sum of the reward was staggering, enough to make even the most experienced bounty hunter consider coming after us.

A cold sweat broke out across my forehead.

The bounty listed us as enemies of the Matteis family, and anyone could capture us to claim the prize money.

With grim determination, I threw the phone into the nearby trashcan and sprinted back to the car, taking the long way around. I darted through the narrow laneways, keeping off the main streets as much as possible. I kept glancing over my shoulder to ensure no one followed.

Not much freaked me out, but fuck, I was shaking. This wasn’t just about me, but everyone I cared about, and right now, that fucking dickflop asshole had made us public enemy number one. A target impossible to pass, with our images for everyone to easily identify us.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

As I reached the edge of the parking area where I’d left the pack, I slowed down and scanned the area carefully. People meandered about, not paying me attention. A momentary sense of relief washed over me, but it was false because they could be anywhere.

I slipped out from behind a dumpster, head low, and made my way across the street, doing my best to blend in with the pedestrians, staying close to them. With my heart pounding faster, once I reached the car, I frantically got into the front passenger’s seat, locked the door and turned to Aspen in the driver’s seat.

---